Carbon Copy A freshly passed amendment to the Forest Conservation Act has created a stir among ecologists, parliamentarians and stakeholders. With several contentious provisions, the amendment reveals an afforestation push where rights and justice take a backseat to commercial interests. This week, amidst a raucous monsoon session, the Indian Parliament saw the passage of several consequential pieces of legislation in quick succession. Among them was the contentious amendment to the Forest Conservation...

-The Hindu There should be differentiation between pet animals, draught animals, commercial animals for food, animals for performance and entertainment, and Zoo animals, says head of Poultry Federation of India As the last date to submit views and opinions on the draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill ended on December 7, questions have been raised, particularly by poultry farmers and farmers, on the lack of clarity in defining cruelty and...

-Newsclick.in The government appears to be blithely indifferent to the devastation caused by its food grain mismanagement. The latest available data shows that the allocation of wheat for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS)— the ration system as it is known—has fallen dramatically this year. This has naturally led to a drop in offtake, that is, the distribution to needy families. Till October 2022, 115 lakh tonnes of wheat was allocated from...

-Hindustan Times WHO will be updating the list of priority pathogens—agents that can cause outbreaks or pandemics—to guide global investment, research and development, especially in vaccines, tests and treatments, the UN health body announced. India is working on a plan to effectively combat public health emergencies and disease outbreaks in future, according to people familiar with the matter, even as WHO on Monday announced it will be identifying pathogens that could cause...

-Livemint.com Most companies flagged a sluggish rural demand in the September quarter that impacted their quarterly volumes. However, most expect some form of recovery in demand in the second half of the financial year New Delhi: September quarter earnings of fast moving consumer goods companies helped Zoomed in on the demand environment in rural markets that remains squeezed due to high inflation. Most companies flagged a sluggish rural demand in the September quarter...