-The Times of India There's a new trend of chief ministers, particularly those with national ambitions, aggressively peddling their respective 'development models'. Interestingly, CMs from the same party at times indulge in one-upmanship. The question is: How are people in their states actually faring? How does one know whether one 'model' is better than another? One way is to look at how much a person spends on an average every month;...

-IANS LUCKNOW: The death toll in the flood fury in Uttar Pradesh climbed up to 152 on Monday as most rivers continued to flow over the danger mark and heavy rains added to people's woes. Over five lakh people have been displaced. However, the government is yet help villagers who have been deprived of their livelihood due to waters claiming their lands. Ten rivers in the state - Sharda, Ghaghra, Ramganga, Ganga, Yamuna,...

-The Hindu Boards are understaffed, have little time for meetings, inspection or regulation, says study Mumbai: Environmental protection seems to be in shaky hands with political appointees nominated to head state pollution control boards (SPCB) in some places. In one case, the educational qualification of the chairperson was tenth standard. In Karnataka, for instance, the chairperson of the SPCB is Vaman Acharya, a senior BJP leader. In Himachal Pradesh, it is Kuldip Singh...

-The Times of India SAMBALPUR/BHUBANESWAR: Wails of bereaved mothers filled the wards and corridors of VSS medical College and Hospital on Saturday as nine babies died at the hospital in the past 22 hours. While hospital authorities attributed the deaths to a host of reasons, locals put the blame on long uncontrolled exposure to light therapy at the sick newborn care unit (SNCU). "The high number of deaths is shocking. But the...

-The Telegraph What happened in Bihar won't happen in Jharkhand, promise mandarins. Jolted out of slumber by the midday meal tragedy at a government primary school in Saran that claimed 23 children earlier this week, the lone food-testing laboratory of the state in Ranchi is considering an expansion of its ambit to cover all cradle kitchens. If lab officials are to be believed, a proposal to keep regular tabs on midday meals being...