Fifty-five years of 'development' have spurred on unplanned urbanisation, extensive industrialisation, and the building of a series of big dams. In the process, India has landed bang in the middle of an ecological crisis. We have lost half our forests, poisoned our waters, eroded our lands and rendered millions homeless, resourceless and more impoverished. Three of our cities are amongst the 15 most-polluted cities in the world. Several of our plant and animal species are extinct. Why and how has this happened? And how can the situation be remedied? What is the difference being made by government legislation and people's movements for the environment? More...

A history of forest regulations

A backgrounder on forest governance and forest management legislations in pre-independence and independent India, leading up to the Forest Rights Act 2006 More...

India’s culture of conservation

A brief history of conservation in India, from the administration of Emperor Ashoka to official policy and community conservation in contemporary India More...