GIVEN the state of pollution in Indian cities and rivers, most people would conclude that nothing is being done to control pollution. But figures have an unusual knack of belying common thinking.

GLOBAL bicycle production rose by more than 5 million in 1992 but world automobile production remained almost stagnant at the 1991 level of 35 million. In 1992, 100 million bicycles were produced the

India faces an acute double burden of disease. While nutritional and communicable diseases remain serious, non-communicable diseases are on the rise, says the eighth report of the World Health

Living conditions remain abysmally poor in India, with a big difference between urban and rural areas. Nearly three-quarters of urban households lived in pucca houses, compared to only about a

THE ACHIEVEMENTS are quite remarkable. But the challenge that still remains is quite daunting. During the 1980s, 20 developing countries halved their under-5 death rates -- the number of children

EMISSIONS of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides play a key role in the formation of acid rain and consequently, the acidification of soils. Production of nitrogen oxides leads to ozone build-up in

THE INDIAN National Congress -- the political party that led the country to independence -- had as its election symbol during the 1950s two bullocks, to symbolise the relationship between animal

IS INDIAN industry becoming more pollution-intensive? Consider the production levels of some of the most polluting industries: Gross output of the paper and paper products industry and related

IS THE Indian economy becoming more and more environment-intensive? The greater the use made of energy and materials by an economy to produce goods and services worth one unit of its GNP, the greater

ACCORDING to the department of ocean development there are 40 heavily polluted areas along the Indian coast. Marine pollution problems, though localised, occur off most metropolitan cities and