If environmental degradation disturbs you and you are averse to reading technical manuals and copious volumes on the subject, there is some good news for you.    A recently published book from Gene Campaign entitled Coping with Climate Change is doing the rounds among environmentalists, civil society activists, public servants and researchers. Edited by Dr. Suman Sahai, the book has been written in a coffee book style to make easy serious...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Faced with complaints of overpricing of medical devices like cardiac stents and implants, the government seems to be finally getting its act together. According to a government official, in a string of measures to regulate the industry under the Draft National Medical Device Policy, it has recommended creating an autonomous body — the National Medical Devices Authority (NDMA) — pricing control for medical devices by including them...

-The Telegraph Guwahati: Union minister of chemical and fertilizers Ananth Kumar announced here today that the Centre would set up generic medicine units in at least 100 government hospitals in Assam and supply such medicines at 50 to 60 per cent less than the market price. "We will sign a memorandum of understanding with the state government next week and Rs 2.5 lakh will be spent on construction of each unit in...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: As online shopping catches up, you could buy medicines too with a click of the mouse for which the health ministry is evaluating a proposal. The drug quality regulator is framing guidelines and mechanism to monitor such sale. The proposal is expected to be taken up for discussion in the drugs consultative committee meeting next month, a senior regulatory official said. At present, the Drugs & Cosmetics...

-The Indian Express New Delhi: Nothing encapsulates all that’s wrong with Delhi’s air than Kaushambi, the 600-acre swathe of concrete on the edge of the National Capital Region. A garbage landfill, two inter state bus depots, a state highway, a national highway and two industrial estates: 30 years after work began on this integrated township on the edge of Delhi, Kaushambi is today a cauldron of toxic air housing at least 25,000...