Articles
Jan 19 2015
ORGANIC FARMING
What binds every family in this Kerala Panchayat
ORGANIC FARMING : What binds every family in this Kerala Panchayat
The thrust on chemical-free cultivation of vegetables that started as an experiment in the 90s has now evolved into a culture in Kerala’s Kanjikkuzhi Gram Panchayat. P N Venugopal traces the growth and success of this initiative so far.
Jan 19 2015
AIR POLLUTION IMPACT
A jaundiced view of the Taj
AIR POLLUTION IMPACT : A jaundiced view of the Taj
The pernicious threat of pollution looms large over India’s most celebrated heritage structure and one of its most prominent emblems, the Taj Mahal, for decades now. Darryl D’Monte shares the findings of a recent study indicating that the ravages of pollution continue unabated.
Jan 16 2015
WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Empowering rural women: Moving beyond 50 percent
WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT : Empowering rural women: Moving beyond 50 percent

April 2015 elections to Karnataka’s gram panchayats will see a high representation of women, given 50 percent reservation at all tiers, but how can one ensure real authority for women in local governance? The recently proposed amendments to the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act may hold some answers.
Jan 16 2015
MAN & NATURE
The trail of a disappearing culture
MAN & NATURE : The trail of a disappearing culture

Sunanda Bhat’s award-winning Have You Seen The Arana is deeply relevant in today’s world, as it explores the deep connectedness between man and nature, and the struggle of little-known people to preserve it in the face of many onslaughts. Shoma A Chatterji reviews the film.
Jan 14 2015
ART & INNOVATION
Blending theatre with nature
ART & INNOVATION : Blending theatre with nature
In Assam, a unique innovation by a passionate tribal theatre enthusiast succeeds in taking the art from the confines of the auditorium into the lap of nature, creating a near-cosmic experience for the performer as well as the audience. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.
Jan 13 2015
MATERNAL HEALTH
Barefoot auditors ensure health for tribal mothers
MATERNAL HEALTH : Barefoot auditors ensure health for tribal mothers

In the tribal villages of Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, committed social workers are improving the health and lives of mothers and children by spreading awareness about the needs of women and girls. Dilnaz Boga brings you their stories.
Jan 12 2015
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Farming for self-reliance in Kalahandi
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE : Farming for self-reliance in Kalahandi
The struggle to feed themselves and their families round the year drives millions of farmers in remote rural areas to desperate measures. Abhijit Mohanty’s story shows how sustainable agriculture has helped farmers in Odisha’s backward Kalahandi district pull themselves out of poverty and food insecurity.
Jan 09 2015
YOUTH & UNEMPLOYMENT
The false promise of a demographic dividend
YOUTH & UNEMPLOYMENT : The false promise of a demographic dividend
Much is made out of the proportion of youth in India’s population and what it could mean for its economy and progress. However, statistics and trends in education and employment within this group do not paint a promising picture, points out Kannan Kasturi.
Jan 07 2015
POWER PROJECT IMBROGLIO
What ails Sikkim’s Teesta hydropower project?
POWER PROJECT IMBROGLIO : What ails Sikkim’s Teesta hydropower project?

The 1200-MW Teesta III hydroelectric project has already seen years of missed deadlines and huge cost overruns, but more serious threats loom ahead as the promoter fights its own internal battles. Soumik Dutta has more on the various problems plaguing the project.
Jan 07 2015
TERROR BOAT CONTROVERSY
What the maritime 'non-incident' on New Year’s Eve tells us
TERROR BOAT CONTROVERSY : What the maritime 'non-incident' on New Year’s Eve tells us

The recent episode in which a mysterious boat was intercepted by India off the coast, and blew itself up, may or may not have anything to do with Pakistani terror, but has important implications for national security strategy, external relations and domestic political dynamics. Firdaus Ahmed explains.
Jan 06 2015
LAND ACQUISITION ORDINANCE
What the new processes mean for the dispossessed
LAND ACQUISITION ORDINANCE : What the new processes mean for the dispossessed
The recently promulgated ordinance amending the national law related to land acquisition dilutes several clauses of the earlier legislation that were meant to protect the rights of holders. Kanchi Kohli summarises the key changes brought in by the ordinance.
Jan 05 2015
BLOG: RESISTANCE & RECONSTRUCTION
Will 2015 be a year of hope?
BLOG: RESISTANCE & RECONSTRUCTION : Will 2015 be a year of hope?

Will the synergies between the politics of resistance and grassroots initiatives towards reconstruction of the damages wrought by ‘development’ be reaped effectively enough in the year ahead? That is what Ashish Kothari will track in his new blog.
Jan 05 2015
BRICS DEVELOPMENT BANK
A critical role for India at the helm of a new order
BRICS DEVELOPMENT BANK : A critical role for India at the helm of a new order
India’s decision and actions in appointing the first president of the BRICS New Development Bank will signal its thrust on social and environmental sustainability, not only within the new financial order but also domestically, writes Sunita Dubey.
Dec 30 2014
DEVELOPMENT DEFICIT
“We don’t need toilets, give us electricity and water”
DEVELOPMENT DEFICIT : “We don’t need toilets, give us electricity and water”

Total Sanitation Campaign, MGNREGS and other government schemes are unheard of among villagers at Dinesh Nagar, Assam who live with a perennial lack of food, pure water, and health amenities. Nilotpal Bhattacharjee wonders if they will ever find deliverance from despair.
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Dec 27 2014
FOREIGN INFLUX
SC verdict puts the spotlight on Bangla immigrants in Assam
FOREIGN INFLUX : SC verdict puts the spotlight on Bangla immigrants in Assam
Should foreign immigrants in Assam enjoy Indian citizenship as outlined by the Assam Accord and endorsed by Section 6A of the Citizenship Act? Or do they pose a threat to constitutional sovereignty and integrity? Tanvi Bhatikar reports on a recent court ruling that focuses on these questions.
Dec 24 2014
AGRICULTURAL DECLINE
Rest in peace, food self-sufficiency
AGRICULTURAL DECLINE : Rest in peace, food self-sufficiency
Ironically at a time when food shortage is being widely perceived as a potential global concern in the near future, policymakers seem to be doing everything that would take agriculture further down the path of ruin. Devinder Sharma highlights the findings of a recent NSSO report to substantiate that.
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Dec 24 2014
CHILD SEX RATIO
When tribal India too begins to favour its sons
CHILD SEX RATIO : When tribal India too begins to favour its sons

Tribal societies and groups belonging to the Scheduled Tribes in India are traditionally known to have been relatively gender-unbiased, but recent reports and statistics point to a deteriorating child sex ratio in these communities, too. Shambhu Ghatak analyses the findings.
Dec 23 2014
VEHICULAR AIR POLLUTION
Will banning older vehicles clean the air in Delhi?
VEHICULAR AIR POLLUTION : Will banning older vehicles clean the air in Delhi?
Is modernisation of transport the sole answer to air pollution problems in Delhi? In view of the NGT's proposed ban on older vehicles on the streets of Delhi, Sarath Guttikunda draws attention to several problems that need to be addressed for a healthier environment in the NCR.
Dec 22 2014
HLC REPORT ON ENVIRONMENT
Missing the woods and the trees
HLC REPORT ON ENVIRONMENT : Missing the woods and the trees
Ever since the report of the Subramanian Committee, set up to review and amend key environmental legislation, was leaked, several questions have been raised regarding its real implications for the environment. Darryl D’Monte explains some of the most critical concerns.
Dec 19 2014
CULTURAL NATIONALISM
Where veterans refuse to give up, what does the future hold?
CULTURAL NATIONALISM : Where veterans refuse to give up, what does the future hold?
The increasing power and influence of veterans of the Indian army, known for their natural affinity towards the right wing regime in power, holds important implications especially when one considers the extent of its permeation into the serving structure. Firdaus Ahmed explains.