Opening up, but tread softly

April 2003 saw two diverse regions in India take a similar decision. Both partially opened the door to tourism in hitherto protected belts. One …

Need or greed?

The Union Ministry of Finance has recently alleged that green clearances are holding up the country’s infrastructure development and growth.…

Private affairs

The invitation was innocuous. The Confederation of Indian Industry (cii) -- the grouping of the large and most powerful industries -- was …

Mining firms set up shop in Orissa

Lanjigarh block, Kalahandi, Orissa, May 17: At its summit, the northeastern ridge of the Niyamgiri hill range has a bald patch, typical of …

Gentle on critical pollution

After declaring 43 industrial areas in India as critically polluted and imposing a moratorium on their expansion, the Union Ministry of …

Deafening Noise

Constant exposure to noise can make one deaf. The major culprit is road traffic. Can one avoid noise? It’s difficult. Checking it, however, …

Polavaram fraud

The Polavaram dam on the Godavari could displace 400,000 people and submerge nearly 4,000 hectares of forestland. Most of the people threatened …

Lives of others

Wildlife is more of an academic concern except when the charismatic tiger is wiped out from a protected forest or our favourite fish vanishes …

The hunt for benefits

India is hailed as a pioneer in implementing the third objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity—fair and equitable sharing of …

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 …

Cabinet signs death warrant for green panels

In one fell swoop the Union ministry of environment and forests is preparing to disband several key committees set up under section 3 (iii) of …

Bureaucratic coup

Administrative officers wrest control of the environment ministry, relegating scientists to the sidelines

Forest ministry favours intrusion

The biggest threat protected areas across the country face right now is from their purported protector -- the Union ministry of environment and …

Pink bollworm resistant to Bt: Monsanto

Commercial interest behind claim, says Centre’s research institute

Mission impossible?

The sheer scope of the biodiversity action plan may militate against its successful implementation

What killed the chirp?

A study confirms modern buildings, pesticides and mobile towers are responsible for decline in sparrow population

Reform for reform’s sake

Without bottom-up rehauling National Environment Protection Agency will be more of the same

Centre ignores certifying agency

Private players set up forest certification body even as the ministry, which manages 90 per cent of the forests, gives it a cold shoulder

‘Scrap 24 dams, save Ganga’

Wildlife Institute of India report warns against ecological impact of dams in Uttarakhand

Forestland diversion for roads, railway lines made easy

MoEF waives requirement of obtaining gram sabha certificates for linear projects. Will it dilute forest rights of people?

Gaps galore

BRANCHING OUT: JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT IN INDIA Nalini Sundar et al • Oxford University Press • New Delhi • 2001 • 289pp

Controls off for diesel generators

Key environmental clause deleted from rules governing diesel generator sets barely six months after implementation

Near ready for take-off

Environment ministry panel clears Navi Mumbai airport; hotel and golf course put on hold

MoEF challenges penalty on it for allowing industries to function near Kaziranga

Appeal to Supreme Court says Assam government responsible for implementing notification on no-development zone around national park

Colonial hangover persists

Forest Act Amendment Bill maintains the forest department as the supreme controlling agency