Agriculture department confirms high pesticide residues THE country’s regulators have failed to check the flow of pesticides into the food chain, suggests a monitoring report of the Department of Agriculture and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, the country’s premier institute. Fruits, vegetables, poultry and milk are all laced with high pesticide residues —much above the maximum residue limits (MRL) set by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954. Samples of...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Total Matching Records found : 3167
Threats shadow activists by Pallavi Singh & Maitreyee Handique
At least 10 RTI applicants have been killed over the past two years, with many others facing threats in their bid to expose corruption On a Republic Day when India celebrated 61 years of justice, equality and liberty, Amar Nath Pandey says he encountered the darkest moment of his life. In late evening on 26 January, a lone assailant leaped from the folds of darkness in the street outside his house in...
More »Lokayutka probe into MLA fund ‘misuse’ interference: UP House
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution that is being seen as an attempt to influence the Lokayukta’s probe into charges of misuse of MLA’s local area development fund by two ministers. Interestingly, the resolution was moved not by the ruling party, but by Pramod Tewari, the leader of the Congress in the Assembly, and it was adopted by voice vote, without even a demand for division. However,...
More »Experimenting with the right to work by Sreelatha Menon
The law providing 100 days of wage employment has been heard more for its abuse than its benefits in the five years of its existence. However, we take a look at some positive examples of district authorities experimenting with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Except in the case of Sikkim, the examples show the law being implemented entirely by the district authorities rather than the local Panchayat. In...
More »UP farmers reap a bitter harvest by Samarth Saran
Roza Mandi, the biggest grain/paddy market in Shahjahanpur distrtict of Uttar Pradesh, is always bustling with traders, farmers and mill owners. However, there is one spot in the market where there is not much activity. And that is the government procurement centre, where farmers are supposed to sell their crops. Amrish Tiwari, a farmer from Shahjahanpur, harvested 1,000 quintal of paddy crop this season. Considering he should have sold around 850...
More »
