In the past six months, five-year-old Shivam has learnt a useful lesson, that perseverance is a great leveller - of shoes. Shivam is both the means and the end of his father's dream to give him a good life. Masseur Prem Pal Singh, 37, who left his UP hometown years ago, has seen enough of DAKSHinpuri's poor lanes, and been pushed around often enough to know the value of education,...

Endosulfan, the pesticide which is widely believed to be responsible for thousands of deaths, diseases and devastation, was able to save its own life largely because of India’s questionable efforts at global forums. The controversial pesticide has been in news for a long time because of its harmful effects on humans, wild life and the environment. Obviously the $100 million industry is going out of the way to defend the...

Until now, endosulfan was the scourge of DAKSHina Kannada. Now, even as a debate rages over a ban on this chemical pesticide, fresh cases are surfacing in Uttara Kannada district. At least 10 cases have emerged in Bhatkal. Many organizations are demanding case studies to check whether the people of Belke, Gorate, Yalvadikavur and other villages in Bhatkal have been affected by the excessive use of endosulfan. The use of this pesticide...

Sharad Pawar says many states had asked him not to ban the pesticide Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is rooting for endosulfan just before the fifth Conference of Parties (COP) of the Stockholm Convention meets in Geneva from April 25 to April 30 to decide the fate of the pesticide. There seems to be a pattern in Pawar’s resistance to banning endosulfan. Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on February...

Former Chief Justic of India KG Balakrishnan does a U-turn on disclosing his assets. Justic Balakrishnan has informed the Inecome Tax Department that he does not want to disclose his assets because it is not related to public welfare in any way.   Under intense pressure, former CJI and the current NHRC chief had early this month agreed to publicise details of his assets. The ex-CJI has faced allegations that he has wealth that...