Ignoring widespread concern over the safety, efficacy and cost of pentavalent vaccines, India’s central health ministry has, this month, approved inclusion of the prophylactic cocktail in the universal immunisation programme in seven of its provinces. Pentavalent vaccine doses, a cocktail of five antigens in a single shot, confers immunity against five paediatric diseases - diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), with the last one considered particularly...

Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yedduruppa might face CBI probe for his role in illegal mining The Supreme Court has allowed 45 iron-ore mines in Karnataka to resume operations. The decision came after the apex court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) found that there was no illegality or only minor ones in their operations. The mines include those of the National Mining Development Corporation (NMDC), Mineral Enterprises Limited and Mysore Minerals...

-The Hindu The Karnataka High Court-appointed committee on malnutrition among children will submit a report to Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen by June 15, committee chairman N. K Patil has said. The eight-member panel visited Bidar on Monday and held discussions with officials. “Officials tell us that there are 68,000 malnourished children in the district. However, NGOs tell us the number is not less than 71,000. We have instructed the District health officer to...

-The Business Standard One correction - and more to come? Several developments in the Supreme Court over illegal mining of iron ore in Karnataka indicate that only the first chapter of a long-running story has been brought to a satisfactory end. The whole story offers a valuable insight into practices of governance and ways of doing business in India. The first chapter began over half a decade ago, with a report by...

-The Economic Times At the peak of Anna Hazare fever last year, anybody disagreeing with his message or prescription was branded pro-corruption. Over the last few weeks, anybody expressing disappointment at the Supreme Court upholding the Right to Education (RTE) Act is being branded anti-poor or elitist. This is unfair and unnecessary: dissent is not treason. The supporters of Anna and RTE have similar traits: impatient, intellectually certain and more interested in...