-PTI The Orissa government today asked forest and revenue officials to drop encroachment cases against tribals to whom land titles have been given under the forest rights Act. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary B K Patnaik, official sources said. The meeting decided that there was no point in continuing encroachment cases against persons who had been alloted forest land under the Act. "The cases must...

Six years of RTI’s existence has empowered the Indian citizen as a  proactive partner in governance like never before since Independence. But the government has not been able to digest it, ever since its implementation. Instead of trying to dilute or scuttle the Act, it’s time the government abides by Section (4) norms of ‘suo motu’ disclosure Apart from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose innocence and ‘clean image’ stands exposed thanks...

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Orissa government asking it to submit a detailed report on the alleged "man-made" floods in the last in August-September.  The disaster had officially claimed over 80 lives and damaged houses and agricultural lands in 21 districts.  The NHRC's direction came following petition filed by Bhubaneswar-based India Media Centre, a voluntary organisation.  Water resources secretary, chief engineer of irrigation department and Hirakud...

-The Hindustan Times   A day after he quit Team Anna, activist Rajendra Singh accused Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal of autocratic behaviour and expressed unhappiness over politicisation of the India Against Corruption campaign.  In an exclusive interview to HT, Singh said, "I have left the core team. But I will continue to campaign against corruption in various spheres of life."  Singh, a Magsaysay award winner for his work on water conservation in Rajasthan,...

The year 2010 endured 950 natural disasters, 90 percent of which were weather-related and cost the global community well over 130 billion dollars. From wildfires in Brazil to record rainfall in the United States to the severe drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, it has become clear to many that quick and radical decisions need to be made about the world's future.  One of the biggest advocates of this position...