THE Himalayan yew Taxus baccata is in the news. Researchers at the University of Kansas have found that the yew contains the anti-cancer drug, taxol, in sufficient quantities for it to replace

This report remains one of the few chronicles of the ecological change taking place in the Indo-Gangetic plains - India's most densely populated area. Focussing on the recurrent problem of floods in this region and describes the nature of challenge posed by ecologically sound development and suggests new ways of looking at policies.

The four recent major earthquakes of the Himalayan Convergence Zone, viz., the Kangra earthquake of 1905, the Bihar-Nepal earthquake of 1934, and the two Assam earthquakes of 1897 and 1950 were assigned magnitudes greater than 8 by Richter. Although estimates of areas vary, it is agreed that an extended rupture with its long dimension parallel to the local strike of the Himalaya was involved in each case.

The traditional Indian strategy of resolving conflict by non-cooperation, the satyagraha, has been revived in the Chipko, or "Embrace the Tree", the movement to protect trees from commercial felling. This paper traces the development of the philosophy and the non-violent resistance activities from the beginnings of Chipko in the early 1970's in Garhwal to its present role throughout most of India. It is unique in that it is based not on the politics of the distribution of wealth but on that of sustainable ecological stability, and it is dominated by women.

Brief studies of microearthquakes in four separate parts of eastern Afghanistan reveal a high level of seismicity over a broad area. In general, the activity is not concentrated on well-defined faults, nor does it define new faults, but seismicity on or close to the Chainart and Sarubi faults attests to their activity. First motions of P waves are consistent with left- and right-lateral strike-slip motion, respectively, on these two faults.

From Kashmir to Burma, where tigers once lived amid lush forests, a vast tract of land has been laid bare by the timber industry. In its wake have come landslides, drought and yet further poverty. The only hope for the hill people is a Ghandian like movement which villagers have adopted to thwart developers.

This film produced by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) explores increase in flood affected areas in India and analyses the Himalayan floods. It presents an agenda for change and shows how the country can combat the growing problems of floods.

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