-The Hindu Environment Appraisal Committee which flagged concerns over project has now ‘recommended’ it ‘for grant of terms of reference’ for EIA studies The Environment Appraisal Committee (EAC) - Infrastructure I of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has flagged serious concerns about NITI Aayog’s ambitious project for Great Nicobar Island (‘NITI Aayog vision for Great Nicobar ignores tribal, ecological concerns’, The Hindu, March 21, 2021). The committee has,...

-The Hindu Making it compulsory to open a bank account in Delhi among others acts an impediment, they say The amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) enacted last year that among others made it compulsory for NGOs to open a bank account in Delhi has crippled the work of many organisations who are unable to receive foreign funds. Registered NGOs can receive foreign contribution for five purposes — social, educational, religious,...

-The Hindu Preventive vaccination, data analysis, behavioural changes crucial, say epidemiologists Recurring waves of coronavirus infections are inevitable if existing practices such as expanding India's vaccination drive and following COVID protocol are not adhered to, say experts. Earlier last week, Principal Scientific Advisor K. VijayRaghavan had said, “A phase three is inevitable, given the higher levels of circulating virus.” “There is, however, no clear time-line on when this third phase will occur. We should...

-The Hindu 12-member team to go beyond present crisis, prepare road map for transparent budgeting with States The Supreme Court has constituted a 12-member National Task Force to streamline and ensure the “effective and transparent” allocation of liquid medical oxygen on a “scientific, rational and equitable basis” to States and Union Territories fighting COVID-19. The apex court had expressed its dissatisfaction at the Centre’s earlier “oxygen-for-bed” formula. This “rough-and-ready” arrangement, as the court...

-The Hindu India continues to register the highest number of recorded deaths daily in the world. India recorded 4,03,626 new COVID-19 cases until 11.37 p.m. on May 8. As many as 4,091 new deaths were also registered. The country has so far reported a total of 2,22,95,911 cases and 2,42,398 deaths. Maharashtra reported 53,605 infections, followed by Karnataka (47,563) and Kerala (41,971). Maharashtra also recorded 864 casualties, followed by Karnataka (482) and Delhi...