-The Hindu The State govt. has ordered transplantation from June 20 The Punjab government’s decision to delay the start of paddy transplantation across the State by five days this year will not affect the acreage under the crop as compared to last year, said State Agriculture Department officials. “We don’t see the decision of delaying the start of paddy transplantation hitting its acreage. We are expecting farmers to sow paddy [basmati and non-basmati...

-The Times of India PATIALA: In a move aimed at preventing ‘desertification’ of Punjab by saving more than 24 lakh million litres of Water in just five days, the state government has issued a notification to delay the paddy sowing by another five days. The five-day delay would be saving enough Water to meet all requirements of the state (including domestic and industrial) for over one and a half years. The notification has...

-Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) The Law Commission Report no. 267 of March 2017 on Hate Speech states that “Hate Speech” has not been defined in any law in India. However, legal provisions in certain legislations prohibit select forms of speech as an exception to freedom of speech. The term “Hate Speech” has been used invariably to mean expression which is abusive, insulting, intimidating, harassing or...

-Down to Earth Waste pickers recycle almost 20 per cent of India's wastes. Yet they are unrecognised, face discrimination and are not entitled to government schemes India produces about 5.31 million tonnes of waste each year and is facing an unprecedented solid waste management crisis. Coupled with an upward trend in industrialisation, rural migration, spending and an increasing propensity for capitalist consumption, the amount of waste generated in India will continue...

-TheWire.in Our progress in conserving natural heritage, environmental stability and ecosystem services is measured solely through the lens of tree cover. It shouldn't. India’s non-forest ecosystems are biting the dust in the absence of a holistic conservation policy. In place of the latter, we have a new National Forest Policy that outlines the use of forests in legally binding terms. First drafted by the British to maximise timber production, this policy was revised...