-Down to Earth   Scientists in Bihar find a plausible link between pesticides and breast cancer "There were no apparent risk factors. I had no family history of breast cancer, married early, had a baby whom I breastfed. Above all, I followed a healthy lifestyle. The only thing that could have led to my cancer could be environmental factors-exposure to pesticide residues through food and pollution," narrated Niti, a young breast cancer survivor,...

-Down to Earth G Nammalvar was one of a kind, a messiah of farmers who was revered as a saint-teacher by his followers. He was an agriculture scientist, a graduate of Annamalai University, who left a government job at the research station at Kovilpatti when he realised that he could do nothing for the resource-poor farmers who depend on rains to cultivate their parched land. Thus began an odyssey of half...

-Live Mint UPA govt hasn't succeeded in improving learning outcomes in India's schools, says the report New Delhi: Despite levying a tax to fund education and enacting a law to ensure access to education for all children between the ages of 6 and 14, the government hasn't succeeded in improving learning outcomes in India's schools, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) published on Wednesday. The quality of learning-as measured...

-The Telegraph Jamshedpur: Residents of 23 villages in Seraikela-Kharsawan have alleged that Kandra-based thermal power plant Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Limited (APNRL), which started production over a year ago, is ruining their lives with the toxic fly ash it generates, creating yet another conflict between industry and community. The Adhunik power plant, located at Padamdih village in Kandra along Tata-Kandra road, only 15km from Jamshedpur, commissioned its first two phases of...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The rift between the Prime Minister's Office and the Congress is once again out in the open over passing of a landmark legislation to prevent diversion of funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes/Tribes, a core constituency that Congress has lost steadily. The latest bone of contention - the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and Tribal Sub Plan Bill 2013 - is ready for the consideration of the Cabinet. While...