Five years air monitoring study was carried out to assess the primary air pollutants present in the ambient air in Chennai city during 1999-2003 at two different sampling stations.

In this paper we illustrate the socio-economic dynamics of peri-urban zones of Indian Metropolitan cities, which are at the heart of the current urban liberalisation. For this, we study the impact of the water purchasing agreement the Metropolitan water board signed with some farmers of peri-urban areas of Chennai (formerly Madras).

Definitions and indicators play an important role in determining success. In the context of the Millennium Development Goals, the global target of reducing the proportion of population without access to improved sources of water is expected to be met. A major contributor to success is India, where the proportion of population with access to water has increased from 68% in 1990 to 86% in 2002.

In November 2004, the Coastal Action Network (CAN) approached the Madras High Court, seeking a stay on SSCP public hearings. Their petition was dismissed. The court said: Before parting with the above cases, we would like to mention that we should not obstruct the scientific and technical progress of the country in the name of environment protection. No doubt, the environment has to be protected, but at the same time we must never overlook the basic aim of our country, which is to make India a powerful and modern industrial state. Today the real world is cruel and harsh.

The outward expansion of larger metros, gradual changes in land use and occupations have transformed the rural hinterland into semi-urban or ‘peri-urban’ areas.