-PTI In view of unsatisfactory progress by schools in meeting the March 31 RTE deadline, an education forum today indicated moving to court for ensuring legal entitlement under the Act and demanded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention in the matter. RTE Forum, a platform of national education networks and teachers, among others said they would demand that the Prime Minister convenes a meeting of chief ministers to ensure efficient implementation of...

-The Indian Express In what could be a slight setback to the government's programme to bring safe and adequate drinking water to all rural households, only around 67 per cent of the targets have been met under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) in 2012-13, as against the over 90 per cent achievement figures in the previous three financial years. These figures, up to March 19, have been made available as...

-The Hindu Bangalore: In an open letter to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Commissioner, Amnesty International India has demanded that the BBMP ensure that those affected by its forced eviction of around 1,200 families from the Economically Weaker Section Quarters in Ejipura are immediately provided with essential medical services, drinking water, access to sanitation and basic housing, “in line with international human rights standards”. Amnesty International said that it is particularly worried...

-The Hindu In a small town in Karnataka, government-school students are working to ensure that their schools meet the infrastructure norms of the RTE Act. Can this model be replicated elsewhere in the country? Kishore Mahadevaiah, a Std VII student, is describing his ideal school. “The school should be very clean and neat. In every class, there should be teaching and learning materials and sports materials and qualified teachers. And there should...

-The Hindu Expose comes close on the heels of arresting two BIS scientists Chennai: A joint surprise check conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has revealed shocking violations of basic safety parameters in packaged drinking water units in and around Chennai. A special team comprising CBI investigators and BIS scientists conducted simultaneous checks on the units at random last week and found that the...