High-decibel exchanges on genetically modified (GM) brinjal, potentially India’s first edible biotech crop, have sparked concerns among sections of scientists whether its fate now hinges on emotions rather than science. The last of a series of public consultations called by the Union environment ministry ended today in a packed auditorium at Central College, Bangalore, after four hours of debate, punctuated at times by shouts and sharp verbal exchanges. At one point,...

Dr U Jaikumaran is breathless with excitement over the phone. “The next five days will be hectic and crucial in our war against hunger. We have to transplant rice on 300 acres in just five days.” Dr Jaikumaran, a professor at the Kerala Agriculture University (KAU), has been building a Food Security Army (FSA) – men and women in green uniforms organised into nine regiments and 24 battalions – who are...

After taking the historic step of putting details of their assets and liabilities on the Supreme Court’s official website, some of the judges had to scurry for cover in the face of looming threat from cyber criminals and had to change their bank account numbers. Speaking at a national consultative meeting on launching of cyber law enforcement programme on Sunday, Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said, "We had put on...

In an attempt to control the rising prices of rice and wheat, the State Government has decided to sell them at Rs. 17 and Rs. 14.70 a kg, respectively, through its cooperative societies. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies H. Halappa told presspersons here on Wednesday that each family coming under above or below poverty line categories was eligible to purchase 25 kg of these commodities at a time. Identity cards...

An international private-social group foresees India’s water demand exceeding availability by a factor of two by 2030. Time is now for India to take on the daunting task of formulating a unifying national water policy.  The 2030 Water Resources Group is a consortium of private-social sector organisations formed in 2008 to provide insights into emerging world-wide water issues. In a report, “Charting our water future” issued in 2009, the group...