Two years ago, when I told some of my more cynical fellow-tribals from the journalistic fraternity that I was about to complete a textbook on media ethics, they smirked. Media ethics? That’s an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, they said glibly. What became apparent to me then was that the image of the journalist in India has taken quite a battering. There are many among the aam admi who still...

In spite of all the claims made by the State Election Commission (SEC) to ensure peaceful elections, violence marked the third phase of polling in the panchayat elections. Two persons died on Friday, taking the toll in panchayat poll-related violence to 26. Two others, meanwhile, died after consuming liquor allegedly distributed by a candidate for the post of pradhan in Bijnor district’s Nahtaur. The State Election Commission said by 6 pm nearly...

The state government is all set to introduce a scheme to check the problem of iodine deficiency among pregnant women. This deficiency is known to cause grave consequences to newborns, ranging from mental retardation, brain Damage to lower IQ. Under the new scheme, expected to roll out by January next, free iodised salt will be distributed to pregnant women. Iodine is a vital micronutrient, and is consumed mostly through salt....

An Indian government panel has recommended that environmental clearances for a steel plant to be built by South Korean company Posco be scrapped. The $12bn plant in Orissa is India's largest foreign investment project. Critics of the project say it will exhaust iron ore deposits in 20 years. India earlier rejected plans by mining giant Vedanta to extract bauxite in eastern Orissa state saying it would Damage the local environment. A panel of India's...

The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has given clearance to the department of atomic energy to set up a neutrino observatory  in Bodi West Hills reserved forest in Theni district in south Tamil Nadu. However, the approval is subject to conditions that the project does not entail cutting down trees or causing Damage to the forest cover. The MoEF  has also insisted on measures to minimize the effect...