Small towns do not degrade the rural environment
Auroville, or 'the city of dawn', is a unique township located in a predominantly rural district of Villupuram in Tamil Nadu. At the time of its …
The benefits of organic farming far outweigh the costs
HAY SOREE , economist and director of Yardi and Sore, a New Delhi-based company involved in organic farming and marketing, spoke to Down To …
Sudev Barar on open-source software
Nuchem is a company in Delhi that develops and sells water/effluent treatment technologies, chemicals and laminated panels. Sudev Barar, its …
"The DANGER to FORESTS is not over"
The subsidiary bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC) met from June 2-12 1998 in Bonn, Germany. A good …
"The management did not adhere to safety norms"
It is 15 years since 60 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked outfrom Union Carbide Corporation's (UCC) plant in Bhopal, killing 5,000 people …
"Sometimes, cost is not at all an issue"
The World Bank pumps in US $1 billion into Asia for environmental purposes every year. In India, the bank has been financing projects to control …
'We are confusing national pride with nuclear safety'
Adinarayana Gopalakrishnan , former chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, submitted a report to the prime minister's office listing …
Bureaucracy has no idea about health care trends
T Jacob John , professor of virology and paediatrics at Christian Medical College, Vellore, speaks to Raj Kishor Khaware on the state of health …
Community forest management is the future
It has been 10 years since the Joint Forest Management (jfm) was officially started in India. Ajit Banerjee, who first experimented with the …
U R Rao on measures to save the Antarctic
The two-week long 30th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting concluded on May 11 in New Delhi. Among other resolutions, India's proposal to set …
Pesticides are wiping out cranes
George Archibald , director, International Crane Foundation (ICF), USA, has been a regular visitor to Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur. In …
Precious time is being wasted in formulating a forest convention
Ola Ullsten , former prime minister of Sweden and co-chairperson of the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development, spoke to Amit …
New diseases are the result of environmental degradation
After being instrumental in the eradication of smallpox, D A Henderson , director, Centre for Civilian Biodefence, Johns Hopkins University, USA,…
We have robbed the soil of its nutrients
P N TAKKAR former director of the Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, and currently principal scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research …
Only people's participation in eco-projects can combat corruption
Suresh P Prabhu looks back on his tenure as Union minister for environment and forests and speaks to Lian Chawii and Kazimuddin Ahmed on the …
"There is no transparency in the Indian paper industry"
N J Rao, professor, Institute of Paper Technology, University of Roorkee, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, is one of the three technical consultants of …
Bad environment makes the poor more susceptible to diseases
Since 1997, V Ramaswamy has been working in Priya Manna Basti in Howrah -- a town inhabited by railway porters -- under the Howrah pilot …
Take Unani medicines seriously
HAKIM MOHAMMED KHALID SIDDIQUI, director of Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, New Delhi, tells VIBHA VARSHNEY that …
Genomics could help cure cancer
Eugene W Myers , vice president for informatics research at Celera Genomics, usa , is the brain behind computer applications used to assemble …
Dilip Cherian on lobbying mechanisms
PRADIP SAHA talks to DILIP CHERIAN, founder and consulting partner of image management firm Perfect Relations, about the clash between …
Nobel winner Paul J Crutzen on the neglect of nitrogen cycle
Paul J Crutzen received the 1995 Chemistry Nobel prize for showing that nitrogen oxides react catalytically with ozone, thus accelerating …
Veerbhadra Mishra on Ganga Action Plan
Veerbhadra Mishra heads the Sankat Mochan Foundation, an NGO at the forefront in trying to revive the Ganga's fortunes in Varanasi. A man who …
'Privatisation has increased rural neglect'
The northeast has been badly affected by ethnic strife. DILIP GOGOI of Cotton College, Guwahati, on its vulnerabilit
Ramsar is not a strong, strict and rigid convention
India has listed 16 wetlands under the Ramsar sites, but with no policies, knowledge or interest shown by the authorities, proper management is …
A decentralised system will lead to sustainable water use
S Vishwanath, a Bangalore-based engineer and planner, started the Rainwater Club to help people manage rainwater efficiently. He spoke to Binayak …