-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Centre's plan to install nearly a million solar-powered water pumps for irrigation in the next three years through a 30 per cent government subsidy appears fiscally unrealistic, energy researchers cautioned on Thursday and called for alternative financing strategies. The researchers with the New Delhi-based Council on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW) have estimated that the 30 per cent subsidy on solar irrigation pumps would cost the government...

-The Hindu Bengaluru: Aadhaar, an identity number issued to all Indians based on their biometric and demographic data, faces a potential threat from cyber criminals which can cripple the economy, according to a white paper done by the Institute for Development and Research in Banking, which is affiliated to the Reserve Bank of India. “Thanks to Aadhaar, for the first time in the history of India, there is now a readily...

-The Indian Express Pesticide Management Bill should address the anomalies that prevent state governments from booking large pesticide companies. “Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter,” goes an old African proverb, which is also apt to describe the state of the world’s farmers. Farmers are like the hunted lions who need their side of the story told and their sacrifices, agony, courage and fears...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Haryana does not have much area under forest cover — most of its land (80%) is under cultivation — but it still diverts more forest land than any other state for non-forestry purposes, such as construction, infrastructure and industrial projects. Along with Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra, Haryana accounted for more than 50% of the total diversion of forest area (56,069 hectares or 560.69 sq...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has shelved Delhi Development Authority's new building bylaws which exempt realty projects from undergoing environment impact assessment (EIA).   In a detailed judgment dated December 8, published on Wednesday, NGT also stayed the Union Environment Ministry's notification of December 9 which exempted real-estate projects (up to 1,50,000 sq m built-up area) in the country from undergoing EIA and obtaining environmental clearance (EC). Aimed at...