-The Pioneer Raipur: A farmer from Chhattisgarh showed 69 varieties of turmeric he has grown in his field to the agriculture experts and officials of Punjab in a fair organised near Mohali, said in an official statement issued here on Monday. Large number of farmers, agriculturists, and officials visited the fare on the second day of the Pragatisil Punjab Krishi Sammelan. In the fare, Chamar Singh, a progressive farmer from Basna area of...

-Down to Earth RTI reponse of Union health ministry shows states with better health track record have reported higher number of vaccine deaths How accurate is the enumeration of deaths caused by the five-in-one pentavalent vaccine in India? Reports from different states show information about adverse events following immunization (AEFI) is not very reliable. It would be difficult to reach any conclusion about the efficacy of the vaccine on the basis of...

-The Hindustan Times A "progressive Punjab agriculture summit", scheduled in SAS Nagar from February 16 to 19 is a welcome step. The event comes close on the heels of an earlier summit on industry. Together, agriculture and industry form a strong fulcrum for Punjab's economic growth and prosperity. However, at present, both are in a grip of crisis; and perhaps unable to face the future challenges/opportunities on their own. It calls for...

-Outlook Delhi faces frequent pollution emergency which could lead to health hazards, a recent study has found after the city's air quality was monitored on the same benchmark as that of Beijing or United States. A study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted between October 1, 2013 and January 31, reviewed the state of air quality reporting by monitoring agencies in Delhi and Beijing. "If we apply the air quality classification...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Eight years after the RTI Act was enacted, a reality check reveals that accessing information in most parts of the country is a long wait. While most states do not have enough commissioners and the pendency of appeals has only increased, in several other parts of India, the process of hearing appeals has become non-functional. RTI activist Sunil Ahya, who commissioned the survey by connecting with information...