What triggers desertification in India

A low down on the most important causes behind desertification in every state of the country. Addressing these will be critical to meet targets …

Light on India’s fourteenth meteor shower

The Vidarbha region in Maharashtra was hit by a meteor shower on May 22. It was no spectacle—it came between 2 pm and 2.30 pm—in the …

"In our village, we are the government"

At first glance, he seems just like any other Madia Gond tribal. Perhaps a little older than his age. But DEVAJI TOFA, who is only 38, is …

What rural folk need is motivation

V B SALUNKE, a 58-year-old social worker, abandoned his engineering firm in 1972 to mobilise villagers towards community participation in the …

How enabling is ICT?

In February, 100-odd people got together at the quaint little town of Baramati. All had a common goal: to exchange ideas on the use of …

"We hope to encourage alternative lifestyles"

Having successfully brought the plight of the peasants and tribals of Narmada valley into international focus, MEDHA PATKAR continues her crusade …

We want to ensure an NGO in every village

Anna Hazare's name is synonymous with rural development and people's power. Hazare had once again hit the headlines in May by undertaking a fast …

The great experimenter

For ages, Indian farmers have practised ecofriendly farming by using local resources to improve soil fertility and control pests and diseases. …

The water bearer

ANNA HAZARE bids a heavy-hearted farewell to the late Vilasrao Salunkhe, better known as 'pani baba'. Salunkhe's revolutionary concept of '…

Sarpamitras to get ID cards in Maharashtra

Some voluntary snake rescuers were found involved in smuggling snakes or keeping them in captivity, prompting forest department to fix …

Lavasa exposed

By its looks, the place could be mistaken for Portofino, a fishing village-cum-resort in Italy—multi-coloured buildings crowd a waterfront …

Are community reserves the answer to conservation?

The 2002 Amendment to the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972) -- the bible of the conservation movement -- calls for a new category of …

IT's underbelly

India produces about 400,000 tonnes of electronic waste each year, growing exponentially. Handling this is a great challenge. What adds to it is …

The negotiators

Of India's 18 major rivers, 17 are inter-state. In all cases, the water is intensely fought over. In all cases, there seems no resolution. In …

Impotent plan?

In August 2005, the Indian Parliament passed the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (nrega). The latest avatar of state-financed employment …

There's nothing august about Mumbai

July 26, 2005: It began raining at 11 am. In the next 24 hours, India's most populous city received 944 mm of rainfall. The resultant flood …

Elementary failure

Since the Right To Education Act came into force on April 1, 2010, India has been witnessing an experiment that involves parents in enforcing a …

Unhealthy countryside

It was once associated with the rich and urban. Today, hypertension is fast spreading in rural India. This is a cause for concern because …

Wealth of forests withheld

Forest departments across the country owe millions of rupees to communities. For 20 years communities toiled under the Joint Forest Management …

Nothing to bank on

The government’s much-hyped Direct Benefit Transfer programme has hit a roadblock. Banks have failed to meet the huge demand for opening …

Long yarn

The cotton story is a tangled tale. In many parts of India, farmers are committing suicide. It's been a while Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and now …

How government is subverting Forest Rights Act

Does this official data betray a conspiracy? Only 1.6 per cent of the 2.9 million claims approved under the Forest Rights Act recognise community …

Rights without benefits

Over 1.3 million tribals and forest dwellers have got rights over the land they had been using for years under the Forest Rights Act. This can, …

Flat in 20 days

Global climatic anomalies allied with local weather conditions produced the most freakish hailstorms in central and north India in February and …

Organic thread

Even as Bt cotton invaded Indian fields in the past few years, some farmer groups kept pushing for organic cotton. In 2009-10, production in …