-Hindustan Times The Chennai floods have thrown up some fundamental flaws in our system of urban planning. Across India, city after city has experienced floods, while some others live with the fear of impending disasters. In Mumbai, flooding was caused by wrong developments at the Bandra estuary and negligence along the Mithi river, and in Uttarakhand the disaster was caused by unplanned regional development and the unholy nexus between the land...

-The Pioneer Pollution alarm bell might be ringing aloud in Delhi, but several other cities are also facing similar grim situation due to rising air pollution and its impact on the health of the citizens. Recent data available from the Government shows that number of people suffering from respiratory diseases believed to be associated with air pollution exposure has shot up from 3.16 crore in 2012 to 3.48 crore in 2014. The...

-The Hindu Experts and NGOs say Nairobi outcomes favour rich countries and effectively end Doha Round. In the backdrop of a political intrigue surrounding the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) final Ministerial Declaration at the recently-concluded meet in the Kenyan capital, Commerce Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, is likely to make a statement in Parliament tomorrow on what the ‘Nairobi package’ means for India. The minister will be making her statement amidst claims by international trade...

-The Hindu The WTO Nairobi meet — which was expected to produce by noon local time (2.30 PM IST) on Friday a Ministerial Declaration to liberalise global trade — stretched into overtime with the developing and the developed world failing to bridge their differences over farm issues as well as on whether to continue with the ongoing 14-year-old Doha Round talks. Hectic parleys were on between member countries, during the last day...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: New hotels and motels should have at least two rooms "preferably on ground floor" for wheel-chair users and every theatre, movie or assembly hall should have provision for a minimum of six seating spaces for such persons. These are some of the guidelines that have been prescribed by the urban development ministry for architects and those who own or manage such public spaces to make...