The self-esteem of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), the activist group formed by Medha Patkar 22 years ago, may suffer a severe dent with the Supreme Court on Wednesday “discrediting” the organisation for making false statements. The observation, part of a judgment by a three-member Bench, led by Justice J M Panchal, follows an earlier caution that it may be “blacklisted” from representing the farmers of Narmada valley in any court. The...

Even as the Planning Commission stood by its decision to nominate Binayak Sen to its steering committee on health, there is a loud note of disapproval from Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who has questioned the rationale behind the appointment, saying the rights activist is still facing trial. “The people of Chhattisgarh do not approve of the appointment,” he said. “He has not been absolved of the charges by the court...

India has so far failed to get any assurance from the European Union to reconsider the ban on herbal medicines, even though the issue has been raised with the EU several times. The ban came into effect on May 1, 2011, following a new EU regulatory procedure approved seven years back. According to the EU Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive, a herbal medicine company needs to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of...

Company trying to avert a shutdown over non-compliance of PCB norms Company chief to meet PCB chairman tomorrow ‘Immediate shutdown not technically feasible' The Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) unit here, which has been slapped with a closure notice by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB), is hopeful of averting a shutdown over the deficits in complying with the board's pollution control norms. K.K. Dhar, general manager of the public-sector unit which manufactures endosulfan...

Within weeks of getting bail from the Supreme Court in connection with charges of sedition, human rights activist Binayak Sen has been made member of the Planning Commission's Steering Committee on Health, which will advise the panel on the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2012-2017). Binayak Sen, who was released on bail from the Raipur jail last month, will, based on his experience of having worked as a paediatrician in Chhattisgarh's tribal belt,...