Author: D’monte Darryl
Place: New Delhi
Publisher: Centre for Science and Environment
Year: 1985
Pages: 285
Subject: Environment
Sub-Subject: Environmental Studies
Keyword: Environmental Controversies, Development Policy, Ecological Concerns, Pollution Studies, Sustainability
Classification: 307
Shelf: C6R5
Accession No: B959
Contents: Preface & Acknowledgements, Abbreviations, Development or Environment, Storm over silent valley, Ecology, Energy, Economics, Threat to the Taj, Monumental mistake, Furore over a fertiliser factory, Factories on farm land, What are the Alternatives? Walking on two legs
Abstract: This book offers a detailed account of three major environmental controversies in India that significantly shaped the country’s development policy: the Silent Valley hydroelectric project in Kerala, the Mathura oil refinery near the Taj Mahal, and the Thal-Vaishet fertiliser plant. The Silent Valley project was halted due to ecological concerns, while the Mathura refinery was approved after extensive studies on pollution’s effects on monuments. The Thal-Vaishet plant, the world’s largest urea producer, began operations in 1984 despite environmental objections. The title, inspired by Jawaharlal Nehru’s description of large infrastructure projects as “temples of today,” reflects a critical examination of the costs of such development. The book explores the conflict between economic growth and environmental preservation, revealing how some projects, initially viewed as symbols of progress, became sources of environmental degradation and public disillusionment. Based on two years of thorough research, the book is a pioneering effort to document how decisions regarding major industrial projects are made in developing countries. It argues that development and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive and presents alternatives that harmonize both goals. Ultimately, the book challenges the assumption that economic advancement must come at the expense of the environment.