Stakes and Stakeholders : Response to Vehicular Pollution in India

The paper revises the idea of stakeholder responsibility, citing a current case of environmental pollution in New Delhi, India. It argues that given the considerable differences among various groups of passive or active stakeholders, interests disintegrate with the passage of time. The case reveals through relevant examples and illustrations that the efforts made by weak and unorganized stakeholders can rather quickly be frustrated by much more organized corporate and political interests. The former, however, do have the strength of political articulation envisaged through the electoral process. The interesting question is whether the stakeholder as citizen is poised at an important historical moment. Does she have the potential individually or collectively to negotiate with organized parties with more active stakes in the issue?