Green fund rules notified: Some hits, major misses

The rules of the Compensatory (Afforestation) Fund Act 2016 are better than the draft but not impactful

NGT has imposed a fine of about 80,000 crore so far on states for not disposing of sewage and garbage

If this amount was to be deposited by the states, it would be 48% more than the CAMPA fund.

India’s urban floods: Why we need to look at nature-based solutions

Solutions to reduce the loss of lives and livelihoods from urban floods; Can be exercised by individuals and local govts

Court Digest: Major environment hearings of the week (August 26-30)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal through the week

When climate comes unhinged, we need to re-think how to build our cities

While reducing carbon emissions is key to tackling extreme weather events, there are various ways to make cities more resilient

First white paper for holistic flood preparation in the works

Paper will be the outcome of a workshop organised recently to deliberate on India’s flood preparedness

'Inclusive urbanisation is the answer'

S Janakarajan, professor at Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), conducts research on urban and peri-urban issues, disaster management …

A billion strong or weak?

Recently, India crossed the one-billion population mark. The question on everyone's lips is what does the future hold for babies born this …

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 …

Socio Economic and Caste Census could leave rightful claimants out of BPL list

Activists point out several drawbacks in the inclusion and deprivation criteria

Subansiri dam: green tribunal issues notices to NHPC, government

Petition seeks minimum flow in the river to protect Gangetic dolphins and other life forms

Unravelling the food mess

Reaching food to people who need it the most has remained one of the most stubborn problems in India. The public distribution system (PDS) is in …

The ideal gap

A two-and-a-half-year gap is ideal between births for the health of the babies

Grim reality of India's poverty dip

Slums as self-confrontation

The attempt to free cities of slums will only make them invisible  

An environment engineer shows how sanitation safety planning helped Kochi Municipal Corp

Nearly 4.2 bln people do not have access to safe sanitation; sanitation safety planning is a risk-based technique that can help mitigate health …

Despite flagship schemes, financial inclusion and skill development 'failed'

108 districts out of 112 show disappointing negative growth between July 2018 and Feb 2019; youth from marginalised districts ignored

Global South water-sensitive cities: Focus should be inequity in access, functionality and reusability

Cities of Global South cannot copy-paste frameworks and solutions emerging from the Global North

Meet the Kerala farmer who preserves genetic diversity of rice

He received the National Plant Genome Saviour Award for his efforts towards conserving 45 varieties of rice seeds

International community resents the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill

International organisations say there are absolutely no provisions in the Bill to safeguard the rights of forest dwelling communities

If we’re smart about water, we can stop our cities sinking

As more cities sink, rethinking how we use groundwater can ease pressure on precious aquifers

States violate community forest rights as Centre delays implementation of CAF Act

States exploit the delay in the drafting of rules for the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act to assert rights over land claimed by communities …

Alcohol brands now targeting women and youth, says report

Expresses concern over alcohol brands being advertised in violation of rules

World Population Day: call to end India's target-based approach to family planning

Two-child norm is endangering women's lives and skewing sex-ratio, say activists

Hunger games – it’s the real India show