-The Hindu About two lakh from Odisha working in brick kilns live in sub-human conditions Ranga Reddy district: Birubak and his wife Varanasi, together with their five-year-old daughter Seema are paid just Rs. 600 to Rs. 800 a week. Hailing from Odisha, they have a 14-hour work-day that starts at 4 a.m. They just have time to eat the little food that Varanasi can prepare, wash utensils and grab just two to four...

-The Hindu Considering the knowledge of English as a mark of social advancement and that of the vernacular as backwardness disenfranchises significant sections of society In a village in Ghazipur district that borders Varanasi, there is a young man who teaches English and "personality development" to the sons and daughters of local shopkeepers, farmers and truck drivers. The classes are held from 6 to 8 in the morning and again in the...

-The Hindu Guwahati: An indefinite curfew was clamped and the Army was called out in Assam's silk village Sualkuchi on Saturday after a protest by weavers turned violent. They were opposing procurement by local traders of mekhla chadors (traditional attire of Assamese women) made of silk from Varanasi. Three persons sustained bullet injuries when police fired rubber bullets at the protesters. Earlier, the police tried in vain to control the situation by resorting...

-The Telegraph Sualkuchi: The sound of wood striking wood was missing, as was the sight of intricate and colourful patterns on silk taking shape on the loom. This silk town, around 35km from Guwahati and on the North Bank of the Brahmaputa, seemed to have lost its raison d'etre - producing silk products of fame - after the invasion of similar products bearing the name of another town on the bank of...

-PTI Varanasi: The responsibility of cleaning and maintenance of 12 ghats located along the river Ganga will be given to seven NGOs, a senior official said. The ghats including Dasaswamedh Ghat, Sheetla Ghat, Rajendar Prasad Ghat, Prayag Ghat, Manmandir Ghat, Meer ghat, Munshi Ghat, Bhonsle Ghat, Guleriya Ghat, Ganesh ghat and Shivala Ghat will be taken care of by the NGOs for a period of three years, Divisional Commissioner Chanchal Kumar Tiwari...