Women in Chennai can feel safer about venturing out alone; government statistics are on their side. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report on crime in India in 2009, Chennai ranks 34th among 35 cities across the country when it comes to crimes and offences committed against women. While Delhi, Hyderabad , Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Mumbai take the top five slots, Chennai is penultimate on the list, followed by...

In the middle of a debate about corruption in high places, the curse struck in a macabre manner from the base of the pyramid on the eve of the celebration of the republic. An additional collector was burnt alive in daylight by a gang that sprinkled kerosene on him after the 44-year-old officer caught their aides pilfering fuel from a tanker in Maharashtra’s Nashik today. The prime suspect, who has a history...

The coal ministry has rejected the Planning Commission’s suggestion to allow phased extraction of coal from prohibited areas saying that the robust demand for coal from expanding steelmakers and power generators fast outpaces the plan to mine in stages. The Planning Commission had mooted the idea of phased coal mining in about 203 coalfields, that were earlier declared out-of-bounds for mining by the environment ministry. But strong mining potential at the restricted...

The recent spike in vegetable prices, due partly to erratic supplies, could well have been averted if the novel concept of “relay cropping” in vegetable farming had become popular. This system allows growing three to seven crops of different vegetables on the same patch of land over a period to ensure a steady and regular flow of vegetables to markets. This innovative approach, significantly, has been conceived and successfully put into practice...

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre on a public interest litigation seeking disclosure of all taped telephonic conversations of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia . A bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SS Nijjar on Monday sought a response from the government on why the tapes containing conversations between Radia and various politicians, businessmen and journalists should not be made public. It Posted the matter for further...