Articles
Apr 20 2007
50 YEARS OF KERALA
A red dawn that set too soon
50 YEARS OF KERALA : A red dawn that set too soon
50 years from the scene of action, it can be safely said that the 28-month long EM Sankaran Namboodiripad government of April 1957 laid the foundation stones of present day Kerala. Whether the merits of the maiden government's reform attempts were consolidated in the following five decades is another story altogether, writes P N Venugopal.
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Apr 19 2007
OPINION
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Are judges over-reaching?
The Constitution has clearly drawn the Lakshman Rekha for both the Legislature and the Judiciary to maintain their independence in their respective functioning. But what happens when either judges or lawmakers cross this line? Pradeep Baisakh presents an overview of that much maligned term, judicial over-reach.
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Apr 18 2007
MAHARASHTRA: SUGAR PRODUCTION
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Sugar co-ops face a downturn
Maharashtra's sugar cooperatives helped raise hundreds of thousands of farmers out of high-risk choices, and brought a measure of economic security to the sugar belt. But over the years, big farmers have hijacked the original premise of the cooperative movement, and the region's prosperous past is now fading. Gagandeep Kaur reports.
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Apr 17 2007
JOBS IN THE NORTH EAST
Looking beyond the chicken's neck
JOBS IN THE NORTH EAST : Looking beyond the chicken's neck
The economy in the North East is still largely based on subsistence-oriented farming. There is plenty of frustration arising out of inability to meet modern aspirations. What are the options for people to engage in productive work and earn more money? Surekha Sule has more.
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Apr 16 2007
ENVIRONMENT/PUBLIC FINANCE
Arunachal wildlife protection: fence eats crop
ENVIRONMENT/PUBLIC FINANCE : Arunachal wildlife protection: fence eats crop
A grim picture emerges out of a performance audit of the Arunachal Pradesh government's work on 12 protected areas. The Comptroller and Auditor General's recent report is a telling comment on the state's commitment to wildlife protection. Himanshu Upadhyaya has more.
Apr 14 2007
NUCLEAR SAFETY
What ails nuclear safety?
NUCLEAR SAFETY : What ails nuclear safety?
In-depth field studies in nuclear power plants worldwide have shown that they have common features that are essential for reliable operation. DAE's operations do not exhibit these characteristics. Instead, secrecy invoked in the name of national interest is the norm, leading to avoidable risks, writes Ashwin Kumar.
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Apr 13 2007
AGRICULTURE
Fungus threat to Indian wheat advancing
AGRICULTURE : Fungus threat to Indian wheat advancing
Stem rust, the worst of the three rusts that afflict wheat plants, has made a comeback. Wheat crops in Africa have been at its mercy and the fungus has already broken into the middle-east. India is directly in its path, scientists predict. Sudhirendar Sharma has more.
Apr 12 2007
OPINION
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Whose budget is it anyway?
Newspapers' coverage of the Union budget left little doubt where their class interests lie. The majority of those covering the budget had no clue what it all means for the aam aadmi, or even who this mythical creature might be. Naturally, their hapless readers too were left similarly wondering, writes Ammu Joseph.
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Apr 11 2007
OPINION
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And now for a commercial break
Knowing that big money is undermining the game as a whole, and pussyfooting around it, just isn't cricket, writes P Sainath.
Apr 11 2007
WATER HARVESTING
Going home with more than theerth
WATER HARVESTING : Going home with more than theerth
The devotees of historical Veera Narayana Temple at Gadag now have an important lesson to take home along with their theerth and prasad. That if they harvest rainwater falling on their land into the mother earth's womb, they won't have to suffer in the summer. Shree Padre reports.
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Apr 10 2007
FARMER SUICIDES
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And meanwhile in Vidarbha
There have been some 250 farm suicides in just the first three months of this year. Things could be a lot worse after June. And, as always, the farm suicides are a symptom of the crisis, not its cause. They are its outcome, not its engine, writes P Sainath.
Apr 09 2007
CENSORSHIP AT SCHOOLS
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Sex education and survival tools
The recent decisions of several state governments to ban sex education in all schools concern everyone, particularly women. In this age of the knowledge economy, we cannot believe that people's access to information on any subject, including matters relating to sex, can be controlled, says Kalpana Sharma.
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Apr 08 2007
OPINION
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Lessons from the cotton debacle
For 40 years, nearly 17 million cotton growers have been subsidising the textile industry. If only these farmers had got the right price for the cotton they produced, the number of their suicides would have been far less. Instead, cotton prices have been on a steady decline thereby acerbating the farm crisis, writes Devinder Sharma.
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Apr 06 2007
WATER AND SANITATION
Taking stock of watsan
WATER AND SANITATION : Taking stock of watsan

India's progress on ensuring water and sanitation for all its citizens is painfully slow; indeed, the country now lags neighbours Pakistan and Bangladesh on this front, and a long road still remains to be travelled. Darryl D'Monte reports on a recent meet to discuss the challenges.

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Apr 05 2007
DARK CORRIDORS
Breaking the silence on child abuse
DARK CORRIDORS : Breaking the silence on child abuse
Tulir, a Chennai-based NGO has been doing pioneering work in bringing to attention the widespread sexual abuse of children -- as high as 42 per cent in one Chennai survey. In 2006, Tulir was honoured with an International Award. Ambujam Anantharaman has more.
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Apr 04 2007
SLUMS
A model for sanitation for the urban poor
SLUMS : A model for sanitation for the urban poor

A systematic, participatory effort to map and understand the need for sanitation in Sangli's slums has helped Shelter Associates bring about a change in the mindset of civic officials and residents alike. Its director, Pratima Joshi believes this is a model that can be replicated in many other cities. Rasika Dhavse reports.

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Apr 03 2007
VIDARBHA SAGA
Cooking numbers as agri-volcano builds up
VIDARBHA SAGA : Cooking numbers as agri-volcano builds up
Using a deviously devised method, Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is claiming that 75 per cent of Vidarbha farmer suicides are not due to indebtedness at all. Meanwhile, the toll has crossed 250 this year and is rising. Jaideep Hardikar reports.
Apr 02 2007
HEALTH/CHILDREN
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Malnutrition rampant, may trigger crisis
"India should be worried." Experts reiterate that child malnutrition is not only responsible for 22 per cent of India's disease burden - and for 50 per cent of the 2.3 million child deaths in India -- but is also a serious economic hazard. Neeta Lal reports.
Mar 31 2007
MID-DAY MEALS
Hunger persists, attendance record patchy
MID-DAY MEALS : Hunger persists, attendance record patchy
Without a serious commitment from the government, and plagued by operational difficulties in managing its sheer size, the plan to improve school attendance through the provision of lunches for students has gone awry in Uttar Pradesh. Puja Awasthi reports.
Mar 30 2007
NUCLEAR PLANTS
Nuclear safety: A poor record
NUCLEAR PLANTS : Nuclear safety: A poor record
Although as yet in India, there has not been a severe accident leading to core meltdown or large radiation exposures to the public, on measures of occupational exposure to workers, and compliance with standards for accident prevention, Indian nuclear plants perform poorly, writes Ashwin Kumar.
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