Category Archives: Ecology and Environment
Goa’s New Eco-Tourism Zones Come Under Fire
The tiny state of Goa, ‘discovered’ as a charming, unspoilt holiday destination in the 1970s, has grown into one of the country’s best known tourist destinations both for domestic and foreign visitors. What began as a trickle of discerning holiday seekers who revelled in the peace and quiet of Goa’s many beaches, heritage homes and […]
Are Projects For People, Or People For Projects?”
SEZs typically create a few thousand jobs for outsiders while displacing thousands more who are currently surviving on the land. Most SEZs will use the land’s resources to produce goods for outside markets which no locals can buy and which provide no value addition to their lives. A public hearing on the Mangalore Special Economic […]
Eminent Domain, Absolute Doubt: Crusade For Goa’s Comunidades
Under Portuguese rule there were 223 comunidades, or independent village republics, in Goa. The people of each comunidade were absolute owners of its lands — from hilltops to coasts. A people’s movement is now challenging the Indian state’s right to walk in and exercise eminent domain powers and jurisdiction over these lands.
Five Years After SEZs: Chronicle Of Revenues Foregone
SEZs, touted as the silver bullet for India’s economic ambitions, appear to have lost their sheen as the Direct Tax Code threatens to withdraw the exemptions offered them. We have only just begun to realise how many thousands of crores of revenue have been foregone due to tax holidays granted to SEZs, says Manshi Asher, […]
How Government Agencies Fast-Tracked Lavasa
Lavasa, the picturesque planned hill station being developed by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) near Pune, is facing charges of illegal land acquisition and environmental violations and construction has been stayed pending an inquiry. This article says that the focus should be not on the misdemeanours of the corporation but on the collusions and oversights of […]
Environmental and social management framework of National Ganga River Basin Authority: a consultation draft
This document in two volumes deals with the Environmental and Social Management Framework of National Ganga River Basin Authority established by the government for comprehensive management of the river.
Environment And Development : Background & Perspective
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 […]
Transferring 26% of mining profits to local populations
The Indian government is thinking about giving local people a stake in the resources mined from their area by offering them 26% equity or payout of profits. But will government implement profit-sharing any more effectively than it implements the rehabilitation of the displaced?
SC Notice To Centre, Goa Govt For Cancelling SEZ Land Allotment
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the Goa government for cancelling land allotment for seven special economic zones to firms, including realty player K Raheja group, and directed them to maintain the status quo.
Villagers Join Battle Against Yamuna Pollution
Animal carcasses are not to be dumped into the river, washermen should not use chemicals to wash dirty clothes, the river bank is not to be used as a toilet and no polythene bags — these are among the measures villagers in Rajpura, in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, have planned as part of their […]