-The United Nations Governments must urgently act to reduce the health and environmental hazards posed by the increase in use of chemicals in industries worldwide, says a United Nations report launched today, which stresses that more sustainable management policies are needed to address this growing risk. Produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Chemicals Outlook report argues that a shift in the production, use and disposal of chemical products from...

-The Times of India How are members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes faring in the government hierarchy? At the very top level of the government bureaucracy, out of a total of 149 secretary-level officers, there were no SC officers while there were only 4 ST officers, as of March 2011, according to a reply given by the MoS in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy.  At the next rung of additional...

-The Hindu More than a political consensus, it is hard data on the absence of marginalised sections from the higher bureaucracy that will give legitimacy to the measure The decision to amend the Constitution to ensure reservation in promotions for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes has been the subject of much scrutiny without paying sufficient critical attention to the discourse of the Supreme Court on the issue. While the Court...

-The Times of India If the proposed legislation providing reservation to SCs and STs in promotion in government jobs gets the mandatory Parliament nod, it will pave the way for filling as many as 16,864 vacancies incentral Services. These vacancies were supposed to be filled through promotion to members of SC and ST community, but pendency persisted in the absence of clarity in policy.  Officials in the ministry of personnel believe that...

-The Hindu “Give them identity cards, ban begging” The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has recommended issuing identity cards with unique serial numbers for the abandoned and destitute women who make Vrindavan their home. Submitting a rehabilitation plan before the Supreme Court on Monday for the destitute women living under pitiable conditions in Vrindavan, NALSA also demanded a ban on their begging. The proposal says it is first necessary to improve the condition of...