-The Times of India Monday's blackout in nine northern states following a grid collapse was a disaster waiting to happen. With most states in the region facing perennial shortages of power, they are prone to drawing more than their share from the grid, leaving it precariously poised. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are notorious among load despatchers for their wanton disregard of planned drawal. All are agricultural states and also house...

-The Hindu “Study these four men washing down the steps of this unpalatable Bombay hotel. The first pours water from a bucket, the second scratches the tiles with a twig broom, the third uses a rag to slop the dirty water down the steps into another bucket, which is held by the fourth. After they have passed, the steps are as dirty as before… They are not required to clean,” but...

-DNA It would be sad if the ghastly violence at Maruti Suzuki’s (MSIL) Manesar plant on July 18, 2012, in which a HR manager died, were to be understood simply as a ‘murderous workers’ vs ‘rational management’ kind of an incident. There is a history and a context to this violence, and how that is understood, and acknowledged, by India Inc. will indicate how serious we are about preventing such incidents...

-Down to Earth Tribal affairs ministry's draft rules under Forest Rights Act give more authority to the community in the process of settling forest rights In a much awaited move meant to ensure effective Enforcement of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006, the Union tribal affairs ministry has proposed amendments to the rules under it. The draft rules, issued on July 20, aim at giving more authority to the community in the...

-The Hindu While government pushes for affirmative action in private industry, players differ on the methodology to be followed Even as P.L. Punia, Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes said that reservations for marginalised communities in the private sphere should be mandated, industry members differed on the strategy for affirmative action. While everybody acknowledged the problems faced by marginalised communities and the need to find solutions, they did not agree on the way...