As part of a drive against encroachment on government land, a big herd of cattle was pushed into agricultural fields in Raigarh to stampede the crops cultivated by Dalit farmers. The panchayat in Chicho-umariya village, 240 km east of Raipur, has defended the incident, which took place on October 30 and has created tension in the area. Local BJP leader Kartikram Pradhan, who also allegedly performs the role of sarpanch-pati (husband of...

-DNA   Four RTI activisits have been butchered and six have escaped murder attempts, as authorities continue to wink at the culprits. DNA profiles the heroes who are fighting a not so appreciated battle for upholding democratic values. Manisha Goswami Manisha Goswami, a resident of Vapi, has been waging a lone battle against the pollution spread by industries in Vapi. In the latest case, Goswami had moved an RTI application seeking information about a...

Study commissioned by Supreme Court calls for output cut after finding extensive damage to biodiversity, air quality A Supreme Court commissioned study on iron ore mining in Karnataka’s Bellary district has suggested production of the steel-making raw material should be cut by as much as 40% to prevent environmental degradation. The environment impact assessment (EIA) report, prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), has recommended that the district...

The NTPC has changed its stand and decided to scout for land for its power project in Burdwan’s Katwa, taking on an unpalatable task that reflects Trinamul’s clout at the Centre. “We had requested the Bengal government to acquire land for us. Now, we have agreed to acquire land on our own,” a senior official of the central power utility said. The NTPC needs to acquire around 550 acres. Power department sources...

To control inflation and ensure long-term economic growth, India needs to harness the creativity of the large number of its farmers and entrepreneurs, especially in rural areas. The latest WPI inflation data show primary articles inflation in double digit, driven mainly by food inflation which remains stubbornly high at over 9 per cent. The high food prices are the result of structural factors with shortages getting aggravated as demand continues to outstrip...