At a time when the whole world is looking for an effective model of good governance, it was really a pleasant surprise to come across a document from South Africa entitled, State of the Public Service Report 2008, published by the Public Service Commission of South Africa. It was further encouraging to know that this document is being published annually since the last seven years.

It is difficult to predict what the cities of the future will be like. But we can predict the future of our cities big and small because we live in them and know from one day to the next the direction in which they are headed. In a sense we are co-travellers with these cities on a journey in which we are as responsible for what happens to them as we are victims of their decay.

The way cities are created determines our quality of life and forges our behaviour, our values for centuries. If land is saved for a great park it will provide joy to millions for hundreds of years. If park land is not saved but built upon, there will be much less joy in society. Latin American urbanisation is the most recent the world has seen.

On June 13 when Dr GD Agrawal, the eminent 76-year-old environmental scientist started a fast unto death to protest indiscriminate dam building on the Bhagirathi Ganga river, many wondered whether his gesture would be in vain. The government, by and large, turns a deaf ear to such protests. Two groups, who could not be more unlike each other, took up the cause. The Alumni Association of IIT Kanpur and the All India Association of Sadhus met the Union Government and lobbied with the state government of Uttarakhand. And, surprisingly, Dr Agrawal scored a major victory.

A creative partnership between a farmer and a scientist has resulted in the creation of a disease tolerant bee strain that promises to revive bee-keeping in south Karnataka, Goa and Kerala. The bee strain is tolerant to the dreadedviral disease, Thai Sac Brood (TSB). The bees are also much more productive and focused in producing honey. Bee-keeping in south India began flagging in 1992. TSB struck that year. It first hit the Koynadu bees in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. In the span of two years, the virus wiped out entire colonies of bees in many parts of southern India.

Delhi is a city so crazy about cars that it puts some 270,000 new ones on its streets each year. In Lajpat Nagar you will find hardcore worshippers of combustion engines. There are families that own two and three cars with a scooter and a motorcycle thrown in for good measure. It is here that the Reva, the world's most popular electric car, has finally made a full-fledged debut in its flamboyant colours. The Reva has at least a thousand takers in London and is getting noticed and picked up in other environmentally conscious cities of Europe where it has been test marketed.

The National Highway (NH) -60, part of the government

On June 13 when Dr GD Agrawal, the eminent 76-year-old environmental scientist started a fast unto death to protest indiscriminate dam building on the Bhagirathi Ganga river, many wondered whether his gesture would be in vain. The government, by and large, turns a deaf ear to such protests. Two groups, who could not be more unlike each other, took up the cause.

In the blazing afternoon heat, a group of Van Gujjars listened solemnly as speaker after speaker spoke about the hardship people face when they are displaced from their traditional habitats to make way for special economic zones, special tourism zones, national parks, sanctuaries and dams. The Van Gujjars are a Muslim pastoral community.

Has the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system introduced on a 5 km retch in south Delhi on April 28 been a success or a failure?