Requiem
It was a strong anti -adulteration law aimed at the standardising of food stuffs. Stronger industrial lobbies and vested interests helped it die …
Taken for a ride
Consumer-consciousness has yet to make a dent in the mind of the average Indian buyer. That 'consumer is the king' has remained merely a slogan …
Resurrecting a tradition
The tank system in India needs to be revived to maintain water reserves. This can be achieved through a central body such as the National Tank …
A kill for life
While whales must be conserved as a rare species, hunting the marine mammals is felt necessary for maintaining ecological balance
"Hello, there are leftovers"
The environmental costs of development projected by a World Bank study may be staggering, but a lot has been left unaccounted for
Wanted: a green spin doctor
Although considered a sensitive pressure group, the British Green Party badly needs to recover from languor and gain gloss
False start
Pollution control agencies are as toothless as the automobile and fuel industry is apathetic to deteriorating urban air quality
Losing ground
Across the world, the deserts are advancing, threatening the lives and livelihoods of about one billion people
Everybody wants to be green
Politicians and businessmen appear concerned about the environment these days. Their speeches and interviews are laced with expressions like '…
What price the constitution?
Breakthroughs in genetic engineering have led to questions on the ethics of suchexperiments. Should scientists alone be steering the decision-…
The Net profit
Today the Internet gives people a new voice as well the power to use it. People are communicating directly with government officials and …
Making a start
Ground realities alone will determine the future of Himalayan biodiversity and the people of the area
A disease called pollutionitis
Most of Delhi's urban elite suffer from this disease which makes them "rationally irrational". The disease is accompanied by finger-pointitis and …
A letter from a villager
A villager in Goa wants to cut a tree growing in his backyard to mend his damaged roof. But he needs to get permission from the tree officer. And …
HEADS or TAILS
A close look at the history of climate change negotiations reveals some alarmingly reckless traits in Indian policymaking
Intrepid non-learners
Indian politicians travel on public money—for what they can learn from the click of a mouse
The minister and the menace
A recent workshop on people's management of the Rajaji National Park brought out in full fury the debate whether the local communities are wiser …
Unfriendly neighbourhoods
In their rush to meet the housing requirements of cities, planners are turning a blind eye to the quality of the built environment
Under siege
India, seen as a dumpyard by the developed countries for toxic wastes, is under pressure not to ratify the Basel Ban
Parched tip
Kanyakumari stands testimony to the fact that unchecked population growth and faulty land use can lead to water scarcity even in places wallowing …
Mushroom magic
In a recent breakthrough, an Indian mushroom has been found to be extremely effective in controlling heavy metal pollution
Dancing to the World Bank's tune
The World Bank, which is the largest lender of aid to the Third World, is casting its shadow on decisions made by the Indian Union ministry of …
Can we live forever?
Though all living beings have a finite life span, beyond a certain age, the probability of survival becomes unpredictable.
Blame it on the foreign hand
The government's policy of screening long-staying foreigners for AIDS is an attempt to find a scapegoat for a national health problem
Whose home is it, anyway?
The Maldharis of the Gir national park face eviction because their "unsustainable" economy if threatening the Asiatic lion