-BBC   An Indian activist who went on a hunger strike in February to protest against illegal mining has died in a hospital in northern Uttarakhand state. Swami Nigamanand, 36, slipped into a coma in May, days after being hospitalised. Officials said the government had banned mining in the Kumbh region as demanded by the activist. But federal Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has blamed the state government for "ignoring" the activist's pleas. A founder-member of...

In his lifetime, Nigamanand, an ascetic fighting a lonely battle against quarrying activities in Uttarakhand, tried to draw the Attention of the national media to an environmental disaster waiting to happen in the state. In his death, the 36-year-old Sadhu, who went into a coma and died on Wednesday following his four-month-long fast in the same hospital at Dehra Dun where Ramdev was admitted, has forced civil society, politicians and the...

-PTI   Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Monday accused the office bearers of Congress and Union ministers of intentionally "defaming" the Lokpal movement and emerging NGO sector in the country. "They (the government) making lot many allegations, including the so-called hidden support and political agenda designed by RSS and BJP, is a sheer humiliation of sentiments of the common Indians. They are trying to demoralise and confuse agitators fighting against corruption and...

-The United Nations   More than half of the world’s estimated 215 million child labourers are engaged in hazardous work which puts them risk of injury, illness or death, the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) said in a new report unveiled today. The report, “Children in hazardous work: what we know, what we need to do,” cites studies from both industrialised and developing countries that indicate that a child labourer suffers...

Govt. wasted two deadlines, while MCD has already finished similar task Commission extends deadline to June 25; Chief Secretary to take stock of situation Sign board telling expenditure under Local Area Development Fund of 70 MLAs to be installed The Delhi Government, which often blames the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the tardy pace of development, has been caught napping by the Central Information Commission in the matter of complying with its order of...