Paper short abstract:

Here four case studies: illegal coal; a century of fire; Himalayan water; and deltaic sand show that state- and central-level party politics need re-assessment in the light of the relations between criminal activity and parties. .

Paper long abstract:

.The regulation of natural resource extraction and use is widely

understood to be weakly enforced by the Indian state.

Less attention has been paid to the relationships between

the flouting of laws regulating natural resources and party political

funding and behaviour. Four case studies: illegal coal; a century of fire;

Himalayan water; and deltaic sand show that state- and central-level

party politics need re-assessment in the light of these relationships.