In search of sustainable growth

By Shankar Sharma
24 Jun 2011


The policymakers say that to eradicate poverty, India needs to grow at the rate of 9 percent for the next 20 years. But why ignore the long term social, economic and environmental impacts on the vulnerable sections of our society of environmentally unsustainable ways to growth?

The ‘expert group on low carbon strategies for inclusive growth’ which was set up under the Planning Commission to develop a strategy for India’s 12th Five Year Plan has released its interim report recently.

read more @: http://www.d-sector.org/article-det.asp?id=1651

Lying down for Justice

By S. G. Vombatkere
14 Jun 2011

Hundreds of children are opposing the government plan to acquire lands and forests for the Posco plant. This unique action by children is a warning to the policy makers to reconsider their development strategy before it is too late to make a course correction.

The people and especially the children of Dhinkia, Gadkujang, Govindpur and Nuagaon villages in Jagatsinghpur District in Odisha have shown how people matter over governments' plans for development of business corporations at their cost. The children “illegally” lay down on the hot earth in the blazing summer heat and refused to move to allow entry to government officials to take over forest land and their villages for the POSCO mega-project.

read more @: http://www.d-sector.org/article-det.asp?id=1644

Unhappy! So what?

By Sudhirendar Sharma
31 May 2011

The social pressure to feel happy has made people more miserable. The market is the sole gainer of this desperate search for happiness, offering unending items and services to make the consumer feel better.

Recent research suggests that happiness may not be bliss, as people who strive for happiness may end up being worse off. Says June Gruber of Yale University, who published the research findings in Perspectives on Psychological Science: "doing things with the expectation that these ought to make you happy can lead to disappointment and decreased happiness." Conversely, being unhappy shouldn't be thought of as a universally bad thing.

read more @: http://www.d-sector.org/article-det.asp?id=1636

Green projects with red results

By Pandurang Hegde
23 May 2011


Mini hydel projects, initially considered by environmentalists as green alternatives for power generation, have become threat to fragile ecosystems. The lure of high returns on investment, in addition to various incentives, created a mad rush among private players leading to destruction of natural forests.

The growth of economy as well as maintaining high GDP growth rate is directly linked to the availability of power. So, successive governments give a push to increase power production.

read more @ http://www.d-sector.org/article-det.asp?id=1621