Every fifth person who kilLED himself in Maharashtra in 2009 was a farmer, recent suicide data says, nailing the state for most farm suicides for the tenth year in a row. Nationwide, 17,368 farmers kilLED themselves in 2009, 7% more than the count in 2008. The data is part of National Crime Records Bureau`s annual report of deaths and suicides across the country. Overall, India reported 418 accidental deaths a day...

The Centre has decided to send a team of the Planning Commission to the State to find out the reason behind large number farmer suicides. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told this to a group of Youth Congress leaders from the State, LED by president Pradip Majhi, who met him in Delhi on Saturday. The delegation told the Prime Minister that more than 2,000 farmers had committed suicide in Orissa during last 10...

The Trinamul Congress, an ally of the Congress-LED UPA government, has decided to hit the streets from tomorrow to protest the rise in prices of petrol and other commodities. The Trinamul announcement today came minutes after CPM labour arm Citu declared a three-hour state-wide public transport strike from 12 noon to 3pm tomorrow to protest the fuel price hike. A Citu protest rally will also be held in Esplanade at 1pm...

Winter in the Indian capital is a season of mists, minus the mellow fruitfulness. The air becomes charged with toxic emissions and particles that cannot disperse due to a meteorological phenomenon calLED "atmospheric inversion". According to B.P. Yadav, scientist with the meteorological department, atmospheric inversion is caused by a warming of the upper layers of the atmosphere, trapping colder air on the surface and, with it, vehicular and industrial emissions. "The immediate...

Biometric cards for free medical care VS puts the blame on unscientific spraying Says Centre should give matching relief Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on Friday inaugurated the disbursal of enhanced pension and biometric cards to persons afflicted with serious ailments and permanent disabilities suspected to be caused by the aerial spraying of Endosulfan on the cashew estates of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) in the district. The biometric card will make them...