Tribals living in and around the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa's Kalahandi district are up in arms once again. The Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, an organisation of tribals that has been opposing Vedanta's alumina refinery, on Saturday said it would intensify the agitation. The announcement came a day after a group of pro-Vedanta organisations approached the Orissa High Court challenging a recent order of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests withdrawing the terms...

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Dindigul police have undertaken a joint initiative to create employment opportunities for tribals, especially women, in the Kodaikanal region. The initiative is aimed at ensuring that the tribals do not support anti-social elements or Naxalites due to lack of sustainable livelihood. The KVIC is also expanding this initiative in southern districts such as Theni and Kanyakumari, K. Krishnaswamy, Director, KVIC Madurai Division, told...

Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) on Thursday issued fresh threat to all communities residing in the Bodo belt, security forces or “other Indian communities” warning of more “heinous and horrible results” if they make “any mistake or crime against the NDFB.” The fresh warning came after three days of serial killings by the outfit in which 24 civilians, majority of them Hindi-speaking people, were killed...

Assam's fragile peace was shattered on Monday when tribal separatists killed at least 18 Hindi-speaking people, including eight bus passengers, in three separate attacks in the northeastern state of Assam, officials said. Eight people were also injured in the attacks. A police spokesperson said heavily armed militants of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) fired at a bus near Bhoimari village in Sonitpur district, about 250 km north of Assam's...

Off With Their Rights...     * As many as 3 lakh slum dwellers in Delhi were evicted before the Commonwealth Games     * When a family is evicted, each member loses many rights—the rights to livelihood, shelter, health, education etc     * Of some 60,000 beggars on Delhi streets, more than 50,000 were removed for the Games *** Forget the razzle-dazzle and the hype over the recently concluded Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Delhi. The human...