Himanshu Upadhyaya chronicles the unchecked financing improprieties around Madhya Pradesh's Maheshwar Hydroelectric Power project.

Neeti Deewan reports on how determined women ended a four-year long drought in two Madhya Pradesh villages by deepening a pond on their own in a few months.

2004 saw many victories for the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy, giving them and their supporters more hope. Both courts in India and the US ruled to bring justice closer and campaigners pressured a reluctant Central government to finally act on their behalf. Kavitha Kuruganti reports.

Meena Bai Mehra, 45, is a bangle-seller and also a first time village council member. She, along with 34 other elected women were recently the first batch of students at a leadership academy in Amarwara, Madhya Pradesh. The journey for these women from voicelessness to confidence is a tough but chartable one, finds Madhu Gurung.

Around 80,000 children in Madhya Pradesh are suffering from severe malnutrition. So stark is the situation that one evaluation report has said that even if the children were saved, they may go blind due to lack of vitamin A. Sachin Kumar Jain chronicles continuing negligence in government departments in M.P.

Thousands of women in Madhya Pradesh were elected in the last panchayat elections; since then, the story has taken a dismal turn. More than 1,300 women sarpanchs face false charges of corruption. About 50 have been removed from office through forced no-confidence motions. They have been threatened and humiliated. Shuriah Niazi reports.

Monies allocated for rehabilitation of persons affected by the Narmada dams have traveled a different path than to the people. A recent audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General has confirmed significant corruption in rehabilitation works in Madhya Pradesh and a culture of impunity amongst state officials, finds Himanshu Upadhyaya.

Why did police use force and evict tribal villagers in Ghateha, M.P. on 19 April, when it was clear by all accounts that their land claims had not yet been legally settled by the state government, one way or other? Aparna Pallavi investigates, even as villagers remain absconding for fear of persecution.

Despite the tall claims made by the state government and an increase in attendance in the schools, children at many places are simply not getting mid-day meals at all, or are getting it in insufficient quantities. Shuriah Niazi did a reality check.

With the state government abdicating its responsibility to rehabilitate dam oustees on cultivable land, middlemen and officials in Madhya Pradesh have connived to create a huge land scam that has been forced into the light in the courts. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) carried out a comprehensive performance audit on the diversion of forestland for non-forest purposes in Madhya Pradesh. The result: exposure of significant cases of violations and the virtual non-execution of compensatory afforestation measures. Himanshu Upadhyaya has more.

Women of the Muslim Haila community in Madhya Pradesh continue to be manual scavengers and are subjected to inhuman treatment despite the law prohibiting it. But they are now determinedly fighting back, reports Shuriah Niazi.

In late August, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a judicial inquiry on allegations of large scale corruption in distribution of compensation to families affected by Sardar Sarovar/Narmada Project. Himanshu Upadhyaya tells the continuing story of a scam.

Twenty years ago Sehore was a very livable town. It had a beautiful microclimate and was surrounded by forests and water bodies that never dried up. Today it is becoming a village again, finds Kalpana Sharma.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that excluding canal oustees from the R&R policy applicable to its dam projects is discriminatory and unconstitutional. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.

It is 23 years since the Indira Sagar project was cleared and 17 for the Omkareshwar dam, but in neither case is there a rehabilitation plan in place. The construction, however, continues. Kanchi Kohli reports.

The stilled waters of the river that always sustained them have now become polluted. Yet, this muddy river is their only source of drinking water, bringing with it illness and disease. Neeta Deshpande's concluding article in this series on uprootment and survival in the Narmada valley.

Beneath Jairam Ramesh's recent turnaround on a 400 MW MP hydel project, was a series of interventions by Digivijay Singh with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Himanshu Upadhyaya digs deeper.

The CAG recently suggested that there may be huge losses to the government from improper allocations of coal bocks to companies. All eyes are now on the next set of allocations to be made. Kanchi Kohli reports.

An independent committee appointed by the state validates and upholds most of the objections raised by civil society against attempted privatisation of water supply in Khandwa. Shripad Dharmadhikary, Rehmat and Gaurav Dwivedi discuss the report.

Panchayats of Madhya Pradesh provide reservation of up to 50 per cent for women, but the participation of women in governance has gone beyond such new roles. Shirish Khare reports on how women leaders are transforming the very traditions and symbols of grassroots politics.

The situation that Maheshwar Project is in, brings sharply into focus the issue of accountability of those responsible for the decisions that impact millions of people, involve thousands of crores of rupees and vast natural resources. Shripad Dharmadhikary hopes that Maheshwar would also offer a chance to demonstrate how those liable for the mess can be held accountable.

A social audit of the Corporation of Delhi finds public money is routinely redirected away from the purposes it is intended for. But citizens can monitor its uses, as Parivartan shows.

Delhi's Right to Information Act (RTI) is increasingly being used by citizens to pressure offiicials into delivering on projects and services says Arvind Kejriwal.

Varupi Jain visits Delhi's famous Panchkuian furniture market, where the city's plan for its Metro transit system threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of traders.

In ensuring that Delhi's roads and lanes are stiff with quality, citizens are facing stiffer resistance from the muncipality's officials, says Arvind Kejriwal

Another ongoing story on the pressure being created by citizens using the Right to Information Act in Delhi, this time on the Public Distribution System's (PDS) ration shops.

Varupi Jain sums up the threats to and opportunites for the development of Delhi's Pahar Ganj.

Arvind Kejriwal on how over one hundred and fifty citizens have filed applications seeking information about PDS ration records in Delhi's Food and Civil Supplies department.

A thriving Sunday book market on pavements competes handily with trendier retailers, but must fight off the system too. Varupi Jain reports.

Sex sells, but prevention of rape does not. Planners who take deterrence seriously could contribute in creating women-friendly urban environments, says Pratiksha Baxi.

This Delhi non-profit's initial success in effective enforcement of Delhi’s Right to Information Act has woken up the establishment just as much as it has informed citizens, reports Varupi Jain.

Varupi Jain investigates the lives of these hard labourers at New Delhi Railway Station, and finds a constant struggle for livelihood.

Varupi Jain traces the life of household and other waste in India and Germany, and finds both hope and apprehension.

Varupi Jain reports on the steady progress in transparency in Delhi's public distribution system.

Attitudes among consumers long used to pilferage and non-payment of bills, has made early attempts at privatisation only of limited use. Ranjit Devraj.

New Delhi's citizen crusaders for the state's Right to Information law are now taking their methods and inspiration to other localities, reports Varupi Jain.

Millions of Indian kids are out of school because the places that were reserved for them by law were instead given to others like you and me. That may be about to change, says Ashwin Mahesh.

A Supreme Court directive on providing parents relief from high tuition comes with an addition - a reminder that these schools are required by law to reserve 25% of their seats free for poor children. Varupi Jain reports.

Delhi's High Capacity Bus System promises enormous gains, but has been a long time coming. Dr. Geetam Tiwari of the IIT-Delhi sheds some light on the project and the difficulties in the making it happen.

Ration shopkeepers won't divulge their records, Food Department officials wont file complaints, and the police wont act on their own or accept complaints from the public. But the cycle of corruption can still be broken.

The displacement of the Panchkuyian Road furniture market by the construction of the third line of the Delhi Metro has caused much uproar for almost a year. Many threats and agitations later, the market is still physically in place but hardly anymore a place to be in. Varupi Jain reports.

The State Council for Educational Research and Training in Delhi has taken a surprisingly different approach in its preparation of text books for students in classes 6-8. Dipta Bhog was coordinator of the team for Civics books.

Unmindful of clear urban development guidelines, the Delhi municipality is replacing greenery lined pavements with tiles, followed by a yearly ritual of retiling with newer designs. Kanchi Kohli writes about the unchecked concretization.

Sewer cleaners must be provided instruments to check poisonous gases, blowers to throw out polluted air, torches, gloves, etc., say government rules. But with Delhi municipal authorities ignoring safety measures, 10 workers recently died in a span of just one and a half months, reports Pankaj Chaturvedi.

In the sixth incidence of recent violence against citizens exposing corruption, Santosh (20) was attacked murderously on 30 December 2004. The Delhi government is not pursuing the wrongdoers, and has instead projected the violence as an issue between an NGO and shop owners. Varupi Jain reports.

Employees of the Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have been celebrating recently. The Padma Shri award, the Stockholm Water Prize and the Chameli Devi Jain award have come in quick succession. Ramesh Menon tracks the growth of CSE and Sunita Narain, its director.

Part of the Aravalli range, the Delhi ridge is an icon of greenery and part of the capital's heritage. But over the years, much of the ridge has disappeared, with the most recent threat coming from swanky hotels and malls. A multi-stakeholder board is supposed to protect the ridge, but is fraught with conflicts of interest. Deepa A reports.

Many Delhi roads in July-August are dotted with thousands of water-carrying, orange-clad kanwarias, devotees of Shiva. Their long journey from Haridwar finds logistical support from the government and society alike. It is a reminder that the values of mutual support and service do exist but have not penetrated deeper, notes Varupi Jain.

24/7 water for an Indian city? Unclear motives of the Delhi government in applying for a World Bank loan, possible hiccoughs in the supply anyway, and questions about the World Bank's role itself are irking a number of local NGOs and civic groups. As they increase pressure on the government to change course, Varupi Jain reports.