Green fund rules must be withdrawn, Ramesh tells Vardhan
The ex-environment minister writes to the current one saying the new rules make for a fit case to move a privilege motion against Vardhan
People's cure to climate woes
Ecologically vulnerable Nepal has framed its climate change adaptation plan with the help of communities
How to make citywide sanitation plans: Bangladesh man shows the way
City sanitation planning provides a sound data base for practical decision-making on city sanitation
Win some, lose some: States miffed with Centre for seeking afforestation land to 'develop' Andamans
States give the cold shoulder to Andamans & Nicobar Islands that wants them to compensate for development in its territory
Court digest: Major environment hearings (Jan 25-Feb 1)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Climate smart agriculture proposed at COP 22 raises concerns
Climate smart agriculture has not been defined, giving way for industrial agriculture to be promoted under its name
Two for tangle
Development takes backseat in Northeast as two Central agencies try to outcompete each other
Faridabad administration moves to save sacred grove
Forest department directed to prepare a case for conserving Mangar Bani on Delhi outskirts and halting march of real estate
The legendary Gandhian
Pakistani social scientist Akhtar Hameed Khan, is remembered, on his first death anniversary, for his achievements in the field of urban management
People's initiatives
Orissa and UP villages once again prove that people are better managers of natural resources than today's obdurate governments
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 …
Push to include access to energy in UN development goals
Speakers at a consultative meeting in Delhi call for finding sustainable and affordable technological solutions for making energy accessible to …
Eucalyptus, acacia and teak, not Sal: Why CAG is critical of Odisha’s afforestation efforts
There was an ‘acute shortfall’ in achieving plantation targets in Odisha due to lack of coordination, working plan, improper …
Why social health activists in India live a life of uncertainty
More than 0.87 million ASHAs in India are facing salary issues, lack of incentives and exclusion from social safety schemes
We need our slaves
India tops the list of countries with huge numbers of modern slaves. But there is little outrage or concern here over what is an everyday reality
When birth control means business
Government’s scheme to give monetary remuneration to health workers for counselling couples on family planning may just backfire, says …
Not being kept in loop: Odisha’s sarpanches on CM’s power decentralisation move
Several sarpanches who were given powers of district collectors alleged their administrative or financial roles were not spelt out clearly
US fights climate change impacts on its military assets
Around 7,500 of its defence installations across the world are vulnerable to impacts like sea level rise, storm and snow melting
DRDA faces axe
District Rural Development Agency in conflict with Constitution; committee suggests its abolition
Uprooted for the sake of compensatory afforestation
To compensate for forest land diversion for Parsa coal block, Chhattisgarh government identifies 16 villages without approval from gram sabhas