-IPS News ROME: Jassiben, a self-employed potter from Nana Shahpur village in western India, loves summer despite the heat waves and frequent power cuts, because summer days always mean great business. "Poor people like us do not have refrigerators, so they store drinking water in the earthen pots that keep the water cool," says Jassiben, who uses only one name. "This year, the demand has been so high, I am selling at least...

-The Hindu ALAPPUZHA: The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) formally declared the Kuttanad below sea-level farming system as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) at the International Forum on GIAHS held at Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan from May 29 to June 1. Sources said agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan attended the conference, though an earlier decision was to send a delegation to the Forum. The government is expected to declare the...

-The Hindu Nestham, an NGO, in association with Nabard, conducts a training programme for women members in preparation of mango jelly VIJAYAWADA: Nestham, a non-governmental organisation, in association with Nabard, conducted a training programme on preparation of mango jelly for 120 members of women's self-help groups at Sitharampuram, Kotha Edara, and Krishnavaram villages in Agiripalli mandal of Krishna district. Under the Micro Entrepreneurship Development Programme (MEDP) of the Nabard, the NGO mobilised women...

-Outlook The LARR bill must plug gaps that allow ingress of misery for the affected The UPA's proposed land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (LARR) bill contains several provisions which seek to improve upon the existing land acquisition law. Anyway, the present law has clearly run its course, with people no longer willing to submit to coercion by the state. The enactment of a new land acquisition law, in order to make...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Despite the Supreme Court's order, the village councils, or gram sabhas of the Dongria Kondh tribals may not be able to decide upon their traditional and religious rights against the mining interests of Vedanta. A narrow interpretation of the SC order by the tribal affairs ministry promises to turn the district administration into the final decision-making body and the village councils of the tribals as...