-The Business Standard Forest Rights Act being reinterpreted to avoid amendment Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is discussing possible ways to do away with the mandatory requirement of securing consent from tribal gram sabhas (village councils) before cutting down their forests for industrial purposes. The deliberations, on among various ministries, are for zeroing in on such a way that the requirement is removed without...

-The Hindu Police lathi-charge agitators after group clash Bhubaneswar: It was people's resistance that forced the Administration to put off a public hearing on environmental clearance for coal mining at Machhakata in Chhendipada Block of Odisha's Angul district on Thursday. The State Pollution Control Board along with the local Administration had made arrangements to conduct the public hearing despite strong opposition to mining in the coal block allotted to Mahaguj Collieries Limited, an...

-Down to Earth The true potential of the Fifth Schedule was diluted right at its conception Incontrovertibly, the object of creating the Fifth Schedule was to make a special instrument for the welfare and advancement of the Scheduled Tribes. It was formulated for the implementation of the Directive Principle that the State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of ...... the Schedules Tribes, and shall protect them from...

-The Hindu Hyderabad: ‘It is a long-felt need and a great boon for children'. Senior paediatricians also pointed out that the government should seriously think about introducing MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella), Typhoid and Rota virus vaccine. It is said better late than never! From this October, health authorities will finally roll out pentavalent vaccine in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh under the National Immunisation Programme. This one single vaccine shot will provide...

-Down to Earth Health department officials would interact with the public and elected representatives to understand and redress grievances relating to public health facilities If you are not getting the benefit of health schemes you are entitled to or local health establishments are showing casual approach, there is a forum for you to redress your grievance. Karnataka has launched the one-of-its-kind "health adalat" for such aggrieved persons on September 2. State health and family...