Book review: Prakash Chand Kandpal, Environmental Governance in India: Issues and Challenges
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556119844595 |
| Published date | 01 June 2019 |
| Date | 01 June 2019 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
590 Book Reviews
Prakash Chand Kandpal, Environmental Governance in India: Issues and
Challenges. New Delhi: SAGE, 2018, 255 pp., `350 (paperback). ISBN:
978-93-528-0711-6.
DOI:10.1177/0019556119844595
The present model of development around the world is based on urbanisation and
industrialisation. This inevitably contributes to exploitation of natural resources
as well as environmental pollution. Such a developmental pattern is affecting the
survival of humankind on the planet. It becomes, therefore, imperative to identify,
analyse and mitigate the impact of human beings on environment. In this scenario,
the idea of environmental governance becomes essential to understand.
The book Environmental Governance in India: Issues and Challenges authored
by Prakash Chand Kandpal provides a contemporary view of the challenges of
environmental governance around the world. In addition to reviewing environ-
mental governance in global context, the book comprehensively explains the readers
the dynamics of environmental governance in India as well. The book is divided
into three sections, namely, (a) Environmental Governance: A Global Perspective,
(b) Environmental Governance in India and (c) Urban Environmental Governance
and Politics in India. These parts further span over 10 chapters containing a wide
range of topics covering every concept related to environmental governance with
in-depth understanding.
The book explores the challenges of environmental governance in India and the
role of the state, judiciary and civil society. The first section begins with explor-
ing the origin of environmental governance at the global level in response to the
environmental degradation caused by mankind. Subsequently, it explains the
environment versus development discourse. The second section comprehensively
discusses the structure and dynamics of environmental governance in India. It
also discusses the role of legislature and judiciary in forming institutions and
policies in India to prevent the environmental degradation. The book specifically
analyses various legislations made in response to environmental degradation
occurring in India as a developing nation. Moreover, it also discusses the crucial
role of judiciary in safeguarding the rights of people to have pristine environment.
In addition to this, the book also discusses the role of civil society in protecting
the environment for people when state fails to do so.
In the last section, the book reviews the impact of urbanisation on the natural
resources consequently leading to environmental degradation in cities of India.
It also discusses various policies and legislations introduced in the Indian cities
to face the challenges of environmental pollution. It also reviews the politics and
resulting conflicts of people’s rights to work over environmental protection in the
capital city. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to explaining the role of
the judiciary in environmental protection in Delhi and overviewing the process of
rehabilitation of workers and their families at Bawana Industrial area.
The chapter scheme is fairly attractive as it helps in the understanding of the
problem and relevant concepts and theories. The best part is the description of
topics with case studies and examples that makes it a complete knowledge bank
on the subject.
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