While the west worries about global warming, India faces an immediate environmental crisis that threatens many millions of Indians whose livelihoods depend on the land. The country's forests, farmlands, air and water are deteriorating rapidly. Industrial development and over-exploitation are taking a heavy toll. Until recently, India tried to escape the twin traps of poverty and underdevelopment through a policy of 'big is beautiful'. Massive industrial and hydro-electrical projects were seen as the path to economic salvation. But India today has a legacy of polluted water, degraded farmland and disappearing forests. The dilemma facing the country is stark: how can India develop without destroying its natural resources? Can its future be greener as well as richer? Narrated by Roshan Seth. Producer Charles Bruce
Executive producer Narendhra Morar ● TELETEXT SUBTITLES: page 888