Affected people can even approach the criminal court

JUSTICE N VENKATACHALA former judge of the Supreme Court, is currently chairperson of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA). Set …

Whither freedom?

Post independence, governments expanded squeezing village republics out of existence

THE FOUNTAINHEAD DONGRIPARA, DHAMTARI DISTRICT, CHATTISGARH

Spark came from non-recognition as a village • Integrated management of forest and water • Sees self-governance as a matter of …

THE SECOND INDEPENDENCE

Tiny forgotten villages teach India a firsthand lesson in governance. Down To Earth reporters and photographers fan out to six states to discover …

A memo to the government

To be a truly participatory republic, India must take tutorials from these tiny republics

In Birsa's Land: Horomocho (Hazaribagh, Jharkhand)

A coal mine to own and manage • Sustainability not profit as a principle • Revival of an ancient Santhal system of governance

Unshakable: Nimalapedu (Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh)

Reminded India of its constitutional mandate for village autonomy • Fought bauxite companies for not getting gram sabha consent • Has …

A Republican Paradise: Mendha (Gadchirolli, Maharashtra)

Defied the Forest Act ÔÇó Every resident contributes part of annual income for community works ÔÇó If somebody bribes a …

Mining Bill gives people their due

It ensures that mine owners share profit with people

Old mandate, new law

Agricultural Biosecurity Bill 2013 does not offer much to save India from bio-terror

Friendly demand

Getting tough

The European Union comes down on seven governments for being lax on industrial pollution

Itching for money

Scientists discover why Euro coins cause allergic reaction

Suspect shrimps

EU detects antibiotic residues in Indian consignments

Sowing panic

Scrappy progress

Rogue illusionists

A village crops up in the heart of a forest as three government employees cook the books

Ready to renege

Gensets under check

Ban proposed

Skewed solutions

The long-awaited wildlife board meeting chalks out a strategy but grey areas remain

Clean coal technologies lie untapped

Faltering steps and narrow vision thwarts decades of research

What's going on?

Goa plans largescale park, land disputes arise

Goa govt bending laws

Salt of the earth

Bombay HC stays Centre's notification on iodised salt