Building bridges
Both allopathy and Indian systems of medicine can gain from each other, provided practitioners interact with an open mind
Perjury and other afflictions
While the market for herbal preparations is maturing, laws and regulations have failed to keep pace with it
THE KING OF SMALL THINGS
A civil engineer and a farmer, he knows the importance of the relationship between land and water. Small dams are his forte.
Chain effect
Environmental degradation causes a plethora of problems. Mismanagement and destruction of natural resources leave people even more vulnerable
Cultural icon
Bengalis on both sides of the border agree hilsa from the Padma is far superior to hilsa from the Ganga
Spurt forecast in nonconventional energy
The nonconventional energy sector is seen as the mainstay of the nation's future power requirements and is all set for major expansion, following …
Solo Performances
Besides the communities who have done exemplary work in the field of environment, several individuals are making a difference in the lives of …
Hamlets reborn
Although Bhaonta-Kolyala village walked away with the Down To Earth-Joseph C John Award, the judges came across several such communities worthy …
Awarded : Bhaonta-Kolyala
... for reviving the Arvari river, for showing that a healthy ecology and good water management mean prosperity, for proving that drought is a myth
Red alert in Chhattisgarh
Land acquisition is at the centre of intense political and social disputes in the tribal hinterland of Chhattisgarh. On the one hand, Naxal …
Trapped in a quagmire
Pollution, disorderly urban growth and inadequate basic services are plaguing the Kathmandu valley and adversely affecting tourism, the valley's …
Death of the Indus delta
It was from the port towns of this region that Arab dhows laden with merchandise set sail for distant towns in the days of yore. Today, …
Wisdom from an obscure archipelago
In Down To Earth's first Country Report, ANIL AGARWAL and SUNITA NARAIN look at Papua New Guinea, its short but volatile transition to the market …
Relevance of history
History provides important lessons in the management of the environment for administrators, conservationists and their ideologues. But have we …
Frontier guards
Invaded and ravaged by germs and pathogens every moment of its existence, the human body has developed its own lines of defence. Among the lesser …
The State's non-bureaucratic role of encouraging the people
Indian rulers rarely built water harvesting structures themselves. They, however, encouraged their subjects to build them through fiscal …
Diverse technologies: a treasure trove
Our traditional water harvesting structures demonstrate the people's ingenuity at its best. Using unique modes and basic engineering skills, …
Entitlements
Two weeks of discussions on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change have just ended. But core problems remain. The world's worst polluters are …
Turning turtle
Olive Ridley sea turtles have been coming to the Gahirmatha coast in Orissa for thousands of years for mass nesting. But for two consecutive …
Hunting for the snark
Problems in conservation of sacred groves first have to be identified. The solution lies in measures that involve and encourage local people
The X factor
Business ultimately depends on profit. Sustained growth depends on wise investment. But as economies grow and productivity rises, resource use …
Crossing the rainbow
With the coming of the Rajiv Gandhi Mission on Watershed Development, a major change took place in the degraded wasteland that was Jhabua
Bad Medicine
First there were the quacks. Then came the mass manufacturers of substandard herbal drugs and cosmetics. Cashing in on the goodwill of …
Perpetual Thirst
It has been 45 years since the first national water supply programme. This and many thousand crore of rupees later, more than half of India's …
Taking the lead
India's chief ministers are beginning to take note of environmental problems. But just about. The Centre for Science and Environment conducted a …