Genetic approval committee rejects transgenic groundnut INDIA’S Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has rejected a request by University of Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru to conduct trials on transgenic groundnuts for commercial development in difficult terrain. The university wanted to conduct trials for drought and salt tolerance. GEAC noted that transgenic groundnut expresses transcription factors— proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences—namely DREB2A, DREB1A, DREB1B and PDH45, to improve its stress tolerance. DREB2A...

Recently, Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai wrote to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, expressing concern at alleged atrocities committed on tribals. While top officials of the Forest Department have rejected the “allegations” as baseless and ill-informed, a recent case in the Barwani district justifies Mr. Pillai's concerns. When Valsingh Sastia, an Adivasi, decided to repair the roof of his house before the monsoon, he had little idea that it would land him...

Coimbatore: The Forest Department is embarking on a mission to ensure education for tribal communities. It has joined hands with organisations to impart skills to adults and women for economic upliftment while students are being encouraged to opt for school and college education, by ensuring funds availability for the same. Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, R. Kannan and District Forest Officer, I. Anwardeen mooted these schemes and they are yielding rich dividends...

The Centre on Wednesday constituted a four-member committee to ascertain the status of implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and other rehabilitation measures taken before granting final approval for diversion of Forest land for the establishment of the Integrated Steel Plant and Captive Port by Posco-India at Jagatsinghpur district in Orissa. This follows complaints from the local people regarding violation of the...

Acting with determination and firm action, it should be possible for India to step up its agricultural growth rate to 10 per cent. The 11th Five Year Plan seeks to achieve 4 per cent growth rate in agriculture by the end of the Plan period. The Planning Commission is working towards an overall 9 per cent to 10 per cent growth rate. But the target of 4 per cent growth rate is...