Despite good laws and even better intentions, India causes as much pollution as any rapidly industrialising poor country

A HEREDITARY Hindu priest, Veer Bhadra Mishra is wont, shortly after sunrise, to totter down the stone steps of his temple to the Ganges river, and there perform a three-part ritual. He touches the sacred water. He dips himself in it. He cups it in his hands and drinks it.

Norilsk Set To Avoid $178 Million Pollution Suit RUSSIA: April 10, 2008 MOSCOW/ST PETERSBURG - Norilsk Nickel appears likely to avoid a $178 million pollution suit after the head of Russia's environment agency on Wednesday disowned a claim filed by his outspoken deputy. Rosprirodnadzor head Vladimir Kirillov told reporters his agency had not brought any suit against Norilsk, the world's largest nickel and palladium miner and the subject of rival merger proposals by Kremlin-linked billionaires.

Despite the recommendations of the planning commission, the Yamuna was somewhat sidelined in this year's budget.

World Conservation Union (IUCA) has praised the crisis management efforts undertaken in Madhya Pradesh to check deaths of alligators.

Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJE) has raised questions about environmental implications of yesterday's land deal in NOIDA, which is being termed as the biggest land deal in the entire country.

A plan of Rs 25,000 crore for Maharashtra for the year 2008-09 was on Wednesday approved by the Planning Commission at a meeting in New Delhi. The approval was given during today's meeting of Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh with Planning Commission deputy chairman Dr M S Ahluwalia. This year's plan is Rs 4,800 crore higher than the previous year, an official release said here. The Planning Commission expressed satisfaction over the performance shown by the state government in various sectors and the formation of the minority welfare department in the state. The chief minister had demanded allocation of Rs 210 crore for Youth Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in October at Pune. He had also demanded Rs 400 crore for the Mithi river beautification project. Complimenting the State on satisfactory growth rate and fiscal performance, Ahluwalia said Maharashtra was poised to exceed the projected national average growth rate of nine per cent for the 11th Plan (2007-12). He, however, stressed the need to improve urban infrastructure, irrigation and agriculture during the Plan. He further said the Centre was keen to improve connectivity with Mumbai. Also, the Western Freight Corridor Construction Work was likely to begin this year. He also drew the attention of the state towards depleting forest cover, rural poverty and child sex ratio. It was pointed out that state needed to step up efforts in the power sector for encouraging investment.

cauvery river is heavily polluted. A recent study has found high levels of dioxins and furans in the drains joining the river. The study has implicated Chemplast Sanmar, a local company into