-The Hindu   ‘What is the basis for raising dam height?' Even as the official-level Narmada Control Authority (NCA) asserted that all project-affected families facing displacement at the present height of the Narmada dam had been "resettled," several people still living in the submergence villages arrived here on Tuesday from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat seeking a hearing from the Central government. The oustees, many of who are struggling for the last 29 years,...

-The Hindustan Times   Faridkot: When it comes to paddy transplantation, the migrant labour from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and some other states, contributes a lot to meet the acute labour crisis in the region. It is another possible reason that, perhaps, distracts the farmers from the direct sowing of rice (DSR), otherwise, if the migrant labour is not available for paddy transplantation, farmers may be forced to shift towards the technique. "A large...

-The Hindu   Farmers being imparted information on the nature of soil in addition to the kind of fertilizers to be used Sangareddy (Andhra Pradesh): Manaiah, a farmer from Sadashivpet in Medak district, has decided to cultivate cotton in the current kharif season and has already submitted his soil sample at the testing laboratory located at the district headquarters. Welcome advice Early this month, Mr Manaiah received a short messaging service (SMS) on his mobile...

-The Hindu   Although meant to function as watchdogs, human rights institutions in India are treated as subordinate departments with scant regard for their autonomy or statutory character A change in the occupancy of 7, Race Course Road, is spelling change in the composition of statutory bodies in India. With the Governors of various States, the office-bearers of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of...

-The Hindu   We need freeways, but we also need forests. Crimes against women have been constantly in the news. But crimes against nature remain largely unreported. Given the current climate, with the Intelligence Bureau claiming that non-governmental organisations like the crusading international environmental group Greenpeace, are detrimental to India's progress, and with the ubiquitous ‘foreign hand' making a serendipitous comeback, such crimes are likely to become invisible, noticed only by those who have...