-The Third Pole Villagers in India's Greater Noida district could be the latest victims of groundwater contamination with reports of increased cancer cases spurring investigations and concern about the situation elsewhere in the country The perils of groundwater contamination were again in the spotlight recently when media reports about drinking water causing cancer surfaced from five villages in an industrial belt on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi. As medical experts...

-World Bank Adequacy in three basic nutritional areas show reduced stunting even in poorest districts New Delhi: Stunting (Described as low height for age) in Indian children, 6 to 24 months of age, could be dramatically reduced if children receive three things that are critical for good nutrition - adequate feeding, health care and environmental health, says a new World Bank report which analyzes data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)...

-The Hindu "Rs. 40,000-crore component is for the whole country" The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is not going to restrict the implementation of MGNREGA to a few pocket of the country, the new Minister for Rural Development Chaudhary Birendra Singh, said on Tuesday. Mr. Singh was responding to questions over whether the government was planning to restrict the scheme's implementation to only tribal and poor areas - 2500 blocks of all States -...

-Down to Earth Study finds that black carbon and ozone pollution in India has significantly cut wheat and rice yield The levels of smog and air pollution in India have become so severe that crop yields are taking a hit. Scientists recently analysed yields for wheat and rice alongside pollution data, and concluded that the crop yields have significantly reduced. They have attributed the decrease in yield to two air pollutants-black carbon...

-The Economic Times For one who had worked so closely to frame the world's largest job guarantee programme, known as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, it's not easy to see it succumb to pressure. It's no wonder that economist-cum-activist Jean Dreze will raise his voice against this, along with eminent academics such as Pranab Bardhan and Maitreesh Ghatak. Dreze says corruption related to NREGA and leakages - its...