Environmental Consciousness and Urban Planning makes the reader aware of the human and environmental implications of development strategies; it questions the standards through which we measure social development. The tract discusses the urbanisation of India within a global context. The rapid growth of urban population, and the expansion of urban spaces at the cost of agricultural land leads to environmental problems and deterioration of the quality of human life. Through a searching critique of existing systems of urban planning in India, the author argues for an alternative planning approach which would be more functionally viable, environmentally compatible , and aesthetically pleasing.
M. N. Buch, eminent social scientist and presently the Chairman, National Centre for Human Settlements and Environment, Bhopal.