-The Economic Times The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its performance audit of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), highlighted deficiencies such as less effective regulatory control on medical x-ray units and lack of inspection of few types of radiation sources that have greater hazard potential, among others. These need urgent correction. CAG should not have offered advise on the possible structure and constitution of a regulatory body when...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Reports of children taking extreme steps or running away from home after being disciplined stare at us from newspapers every other day. Yet, in a shocking finding, a study tells us that almost seven out of 10 sets of parents hit their children in Mumbai. Across India, 65% parents admit they are not averse to spanking their kids. The widespread prevalence of spanking belies attempts to provide...

-The Business Standard SC decision to seek views on GM crops welcome  The Supreme Court’s decision to seek views of different stakeholders before considering a 10-year moratorium on field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops, as suggested by the technical committee it had appointed, is welcome. The committee’s recommendation had caused widespread disquiet among the scientific community, a section of the seed industry and farmers. If the recommendation was accepted by the...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Pre-primary admission to non-state board schools in the city that usually start in the end of October or beginning of November has been postponed at least till December over continuing confusion on the latest amendment to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. "There are confusing and contradicting views and we are not sure how or when to conduct our admission session. We have yet to decide the...

-The Economic Times The Supreme Court on Monday refused to ban open field trials on genetically modified crops despite a court-appointed expert panel recommending a 10-year halt on them.  Hearing a public interest litigation filed by anti-GM food activist Aruna Rodrigues, a two-judge bench of the apex court instead invited views of all the stakeholders on the expert panel's report.  Rodrigues had sought the court's intervention to stop the field trials until a...