Articles
Dec 18 2014
THE COSTS OF DEVELOPMENT
When one man stood up against a 35-storey giant
THE COSTS OF DEVELOPMENT : When one man stood up against a 35-storey giant

'Quarter Number 4/11' tells the story of a factory worker’s failed struggle to retain his home in the face of forced eviction by a high-profile real estate development in the heart of Kolkata. Shoma A Chatterji traces the narrative that is a stark commentary on development trends within the country.
Dec 17 2014
OP-ED: PREPARING GEN-NEXT
Why ‘skilling’ India must focus on schooling
OP-ED: PREPARING GEN-NEXT : Why ‘skilling’ India must focus on schooling

The thrust on vocational skills and values among the youth has more often looked at solutions based on extraneous skill-development modules. E S Ramamurthy explains why a more skilled future workforce must entail fundamental reforms in schooling.
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Dec 15 2014
SEX WORKERS' LIVES
Where dignity is the first and most pressing need
SEX WORKERS' LIVES : Where dignity is the first and most pressing need
While debates over legalisation of sex work and rehabilitation of women in the trade continue without much tangible impact, sex workers themselves carry on the fight to win legitimacy, safety and social security. Pushpa Achanta brings us some voices from the twilight zone.
Dec 15 2014
CYBER CRIME
How to avert the dangers of being an Internet user
CYBER CRIME : How to avert the dangers of being an Internet user
A recent UGC-sponsored seminar on the incidence of cyber crime, hosted in Kolkata, drew attention to the safeguards to be adopted as also the right procedure to be followed in order to obtain redress. Amrita Mukherjee reports.
Dec 11 2014
SWACHH BHARAT
Those brooms may not be enough to clean our waste!
SWACHH BHARAT : Those brooms may not be enough to clean our waste!

The success of ‘spot fixes’ and initiatives by independent resident-collectives or organisations in cleaning up urban spaces and dumping spots has been noteworthy, but a long-term plan for solving waste issues in Indian cities needs more. Pooja Ramamurthi explains.
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Dec 10 2014
AIR QUALITY INDEX
How much do you know about the air you are breathing?
AIR QUALITY INDEX : How much do you know about the air you are breathing?
Red, yellow and green are not just about traffic lights any more. Colour coding the air quality in cities is a critical step towards dissemination of pollution data among citizens. But does India’s air quality index satisfy all the necessary conditions for optimal use? Sarath Guttikunda has more.
Dec 09 2014
BIODIVERSITY
The tiny creature that has made the Assam zoo famous!
BIODIVERSITY : The tiny creature that has made the Assam zoo famous!

On 15 November, the Assam State Zoo opened its doors to three pygmy hogs, becoming the only zoo in the world to house this critically endangered species. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports on an ongoing project that’s trying to save the animal and its habitats in the face of all odds.
Dec 08 2014
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN KERALA
Are too many ‘gramasabhas’ posing a challenge to governance?
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN KERALA : Are too many ‘gramasabhas’ posing a challenge to governance?
As the Kerala government takes steps to re-inspire citizens to engage in grassroots level governance, P Mohammad Nizar draws attention to certain critical issues that must be addressed for the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the state to be effectively revitalised.
Dec 05 2014
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
‘Lighting up’ the lives of the poor
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY : ‘Lighting up’ the lives of the poor

A renewable energy project covering three of Odisha’s most backward villages has gone beyond the immediate promise of providing electricity, bringing about perceptible and deeper changes in the quality of lives of the local people. Abhijit Mohanty reports on the project.
Dec 04 2014
BHADRESHWAR THERMAL POWER PROJECT
A continuous struggle between ‘power’ and the people
BHADRESHWAR THERMAL POWER PROJECT : A continuous struggle between ‘power’ and the people
In yet another contested environmental approval decision, a 300-MW power plant in Gujarat has been granted changes in technology, relaxing certain original conditions, without any public consultation. Kanchi Kohli reports on the grievances of the local people.
Dec 03 2014
NEW INITIATIVE
Defining, celebrating and protecting our rivers
NEW INITIATIVE : Defining, celebrating and protecting our rivers
India Rivers Week held in November 2014 was a first-of-its-kind gathering in New Delhi, which celebrated rivers and those trying to protect them, while charting out a road map to mitigate the threats they confront. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports on the proceedings.
Nov 30 2014
INDIAN SPIRITUAL GURUS
Devotion and deception in the land of 'Godmen'
INDIAN SPIRITUAL GURUS : Devotion and deception in the land of 'Godmen'
Baba Rampal is the most recent in a long line of Indian religious gurus who have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Revathi Siva Kumar looks at a long list of Indian ‘godmen’ over the ages and tries to explain the influence they exert on a mesmerised flock.
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Nov 29 2014
SUBRAMANIAN COMMITTEE REPORT
Finding the right reasons for reform
SUBRAMANIAN COMMITTEE REPORT : Finding the right reasons for reform

The High Level Committee constituted to review key environmental laws has apparently focussed on a wide range of issues and mechanisms; however, as long as the focus in on speed, and not environmental outcomes, the reform process may be futile, writes Manju Menon and Kanchi Kohli.
Nov 29 2014
CITY PLANNING
Who decides where your city ends?
CITY PLANNING : Who decides where your city ends?
As Bengaluru is proposed to be split up into different municipal corporations, Mathew Idiculla explains why it is important to examine how decisions regarding cities and their boundaries are taken.
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Nov 27 2014
FAMILY PLANNING POLICY
Sterilisation deaths: What’s new, after all?
FAMILY PLANNING POLICY : Sterilisation deaths: What’s new, after all?
The death of 14 women in Chhattisgarh following botched sterilisation procedures has rightfully led to furore across the country. But a detailed, historical analysis of family planning as it has evolved, by Shoma A Chatterji, exposes an inherent and sustained gender bias in policy as well as practice.
Nov 26 2014
DR. VERGHESE KURIEN MEMORIAL LECTURE
Why Raghuram Rajan has lost patience with defaulting promoters
DR. VERGHESE KURIEN MEMORIAL LECTURE : Why Raghuram Rajan has lost patience with defaulting promoters
“We need a change in mind set, where the wilful or non-cooperative defaulter is not lionized as a captain of industry, but justly chastised as a freeloader on the hardworking people of this country,” said the RBI governor in his recent lecture at IRMA, Anand. An unedited transcript of his speech:
Nov 26 2014
CLIMATE ACTION
A time to take up the reins
CLIMATE ACTION : A time to take up the reins

The official Indian response to the recent US-China climate deal is characterised by its historical stance on differentiated responsibility and over-reliance on coal energy. Sunita Dubey calls for an urgent re-assessment of its position and stresses the need for stronger commitment.
Nov 24 2014
COUNTERFEIT DRUGS
Why the Chhattisgarh sterilisation tragedy may happen again
COUNTERFEIT DRUGS : Why the Chhattisgarh sterilisation tragedy may happen again
With a recent drug sample report confirming the presence of rat poison in medicines administered to Chhattisgarh’s hapless tubectomy victims, it is yet another wake-up call for India to address the threats posed by its $4.25-billion fake drugs market. Tanvi Bhatikar lays out some stark facts.
Nov 24 2014
THE URBAN VISION
Are there smarter ways to run our cities?
THE URBAN VISION : Are there smarter ways to run our cities?
The ruling government has allocated 7,060 crores of rupees for smart cities, but do our realities allow for westernised ICT-driven smart cities? Darryl D’Monte dwells on what would really make our cities smart, based on deliberations at the second Urban Age conference.
Nov 22 2014
NAXALISM IN KARNATAKA
Where the fight against extremism is far from over
NAXALISM IN KARNATAKA : Where the fight against extremism is far from over
The Karnataka government’s attempts to reintegrate Naxals into the mainstream through the provision of a surrender and rehabilitation package have met with only limited success. Akshatha M reports on the realities on the ground.