Dunu Roy director of the Hazards Centre has been locked in combat with some vocal representatives of resident welfare associations (RWAs) over their right to shape plans for Delhi's future. The clash has taken place in cyberspace, with furious emails flying back and forth following the Delhi state government's proposal to give RWAs the right to be consulted on plans, suggest modifications and perhaps even veto those plans that they find inconvenient. April 2008

Corporate social responsibility or CSR has come to be regarded mostly as a farce. . Indian companies put a little money into CSR to make themselves look good. It is important for them to be seen as caring. For the record, CEOs pay the usual lip service to development and working for the community. CSR with a nudge and wink has now become commonplace. But what about those companies that want to go beyond corporate charade and really make a difference? How do they make CSR work?

T-Zed Homes, a housing complex on six acres of Varathur Road in Bangalore has new age apartments built by Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd (BCIL), Asia's largest green building company.

Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, is blessed with rivers. But what's the use? Each and every river and canal is filled with poisonous muck which seeps into groundwater. The Janhit Foundation in Meerut has carried out several studies which show that Uttar Pradesh's groundwater is loaded with dangerous carcinogenic chemicals. Towns and villages are becoming infamous for particular chemicals.

If you have been stuck in those endless traffic jams in Gurgaon you may have wondered what the problem is. Three young men, sachin, Sumit and Satish have the answer: Gurgaon has no public transportation plan. The three have filed right to information (RTI) applications wanting to now what the plan is and drawn a blank.

IF you have been stuck in those endless traffic jams in Gurgaon you may have wondered what the problem is. Three young men, sachin, Sumit and Satish have the answer: Gurgaon has no public transportation plan. The three have filed right to information (RTI) applications wanting to now what the plan is and drawn a blank. They have met senior officials, including, most recently, the Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon, and come away without a clear answer. With its skyscrapers, shopping malls and plush offices, Gurgaon is often described as India

Eleven years ago, Pathampara, a 90-minute drive from Kannur, made headlines when it stopped petitioning the government for electricity and instead began generating its own power from a very small facility using the flow of a local stream to run a turbine.

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