Proposes inter-ministry contribution for prioritising the issues   Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh has presented a plan to various Central ministries to contribute to the cause of drinking water and sanitation, saying that investment for a healthy population was as important as investing for defence. Mr. Ramesh, who also holds the Drinking Water and Sanitation portfolio, on Tuesday had his proposals ratified at the National Drinking Water and Sanitation Council which...

-IANS Over 100 NGOs from across India will come together on one platform with government and industry representatives this week to discuss the issue of large number of environment and Forest clearances issued in the last few years. Organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the two-day event Feb 24-25 will see discussion on clearance processes, whether these processes are working, and what they aim to achieve. According to the CSE,...

-IBN   In the densely Forested Kaimur hills in Rohtas, villagers are now the Bihar Police's first line of defence against Maoists. The tribals in Rohtas district in Bihar who till yesterday didn't know much beyond sowing fields or grazing cattle are now being taught to pick up guns and shoot. The police are providing soft loans to the tribals to help them procure weapons and also training them to shoot for...

Central Empowered Committee has recommended cancellation of 49 leases The Karnataka Government has requested the Supreme Court to revoke the suspension of 117 mining leases listed under categories A and B by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The Supreme Court-appointed CEC has recommended cancellation of 49 mining leases listed under Category C, where iron ore was being mined illegally. It has recommended resumption of operations in 45 mining leases listed under Category...

-The Hindu   Fears expressed over misuse of Forest Rights Act Fearing that the Forest Rights Act, 2006, will be used as a populist programme leading to ineligible people benefitting from land grants, the Director-General of Forests has written to all Chief Secretaries of States to exercise restraint in granting land ownership records (pattas). Kaushik Mukherjee, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, said this at the national-level workshop on...