Conservation and Development

Analyzing the ever-growing battle between environmental conservation and development goals.

Revival of Endangered Species Habitats Reflects Nagaland’s Commitment to Biodiversity Conservation

Nagaland has adopted a community-driven approach to preserve species like the Chinese Pangolin, Western Hoolock Gibbon, Blyth’s Tragopan, and the Great Indian Hornbill. What lesson can be learnt from such an approach?

Projects in Protected Area: How Development Politics Fragments Conservation in the Sanjay Gandhi...

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a one-of-a-kind national park located inside the city of Mumbai. How have developmental projects inside the protected area impacted the people, flora, and fauna?

Tragedy of the Commons: How a Flawed and Racist Metaphor Continues to Dominate Environmental...

The Tragedy of the Commons is one of the most influential ideas in environmental thinking. But, a deeper look at the metaphor reveals that community governance of commons, as opposed to privatisation, may in fact be the answer to governance woes.

Infrastructure Projects In and Around Protected Areas Need to Be Held Financially Accountable

This is Part Two of #FinancingDevelopment, a series analysing the finances behind India’s development journey, in collaboration with the Centre for Financial Accountability. Read...

In Rajasthan, a Public Land Protection Cell is Removing Encroachments, But Challenges Abound

A 2019 order passed by the Rajasthan High Court called for the formation of a Public Land Protection Cell, a district-level conflict resolution institution to investigate cases of encroachments on common lands. In this two-part series, The Bastion investigates the efficiency of these unique Public Land Protection Cells through interviews and information received via Right to Information applications. Part 1 uncovers the types of conflicts that occur on these “commons”, and how a delayed start to these cells and slow disposals might be plaguing their functioning.

How India’s Private Infrastructure Projects Risk Economic Stability, Environment, and Public Welfare

This article is the first of #FinancingDevelopment, a series analysing the finances behind India's development journey, in collaboration with the Centre for Financial Accountability. In India,...

Profits, Protection, and People: Is Legalising Sand Mining in MP’s Chambal Sanctuary Worth it?

The Madhya Pradesh government has justified denotifying 350 hectares of the Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary for legal sand mining as a way of preventing wasteful expenditure from monitoring, while also improving local livelihoods and protecting the environment. How valid is this reasoning?

Catching Environmental Crime

Environmental justice movements and institutions face hard questions when it comes to accountability: who is actually responsible for environmental crimes? How should they be...
Blindspots 2

Finding A Middle Ground: Wildlife vs Human Rights Conservation

If you were to study global environmental protection movements today, there's one common aspect you might find. Each of these movements, regardless of geography,...

When Conservation, Community and Education Come Together: Kaas Plateau’s Sustainable Ecotourism Model

Over the years, influx of tourists during the flowering seasons has caused vehicular pollution and destruction of plants and shrubs at Kaas Plateau. To address these issues and conserve Kaas’s biodiversity, the local stakeholders came together to devise a sustainable ecotourism model.