-The Hindu   At this point, when there is an overflow of emotions on the Mullaperiyar dam issue, the priority cannot be going into the merits of the arguments pressed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Suffice it to note that Kerala fears for the safety of the 116-year-old dam situated in Idukki district and wants a new dam to be built in its place. Tamil Nadu's stand is that the dam, which...

A fresh wave of farmer suicides has been reported in several states, pushing families deeper into poverty. A coalition of farm-sector organisations said it had identified over 700 cases this year, but state government officials said they were still verifying the incidents. “Vidarbha in Maharashtra has emerged as the epicentre of farmer suicides again. There have been 680 suicides in just 6 districts in 2011,” said Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan...

-PTI   With the Mullaperiyar dam issue continuing to dominate Kerala's agenda, state Advocate General K P Dhandpani is today expected to explain to the cabinet his position on the controversy generated by some submissions made by him in the high court on the matter.  As campaigns are on in full swing in Idukki district where the dam is located, CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan is holding a one-day fast at Vandiperiyar, pledging...

Five States did manage a significant decline in the average number of farm suicides between 2003 and 2010. However, more States have reported increases over the same period. The television story was genuine and sensitive. At least 90 farmers, it said, had committed suicide in two months in Andhra Pradesh. These were cotton growers. Actually, last year, Andhra farmers killed themselves at the rate of 210 each month on average, according...

-The Hindu   The Full Commission of the National Human Rights Commission will hear on Monday a petition filed by some Kerala MPs alleging a “threat to life and liberty” of the people of the State and seeking its intervention in the Mullaperiyar dam row. The MPs, including P.T. Thomas and K.P. Dhanapalan (both Congress) and Jose K. Mani (Kerala Congress-M), claimed that the entire State was panic-stricken over the possible collapse of...