Articles
Jun 06 2015
MAGGI CONTROVERSY
Food Safety: The devil could be elsewhere!
As the country boils over in outrage against Nestle following the detection of dangerous levels of lead in its popular Maggi brand, Sarika Agarwal takes an objective look at the possible real sources of contamination and the core issues related to food safety.
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Jun 05 2015
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SPECIAL
Is environment protection on our agenda at all?
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SPECIAL : Is environment protection on our agenda at all?
At a recent conference hosted by the environment ministry, attendees adopted several resolutions with a purported view to developing India’s environmental future. Kanchi Kohli analyses some of these and their real, likely portent.
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Jun 04 2015
AFSPA WITHDRAWAL
The quest for justice continues in Tripura’s dawn of hope

Tripura’s revocation of the AFSPA is certainly a positive move from a human rights perspective. But it leaves unaddressed the issue of justice for those whose lives were torn apart by the excesses under the Act, writes Anjuman Ara Begum.

Jun 03 2015
TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT
Reversing fate through love for land, forests and water

Abhijit Mohanty brings us the story of certain tribal villages in Koraput district of southern Odisha that have successfully overcome the challenges posed by denudation and inadequate irrigation and have etched out a path towards food security and well-being.

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Jun 02 2015
COMPOSTING SCAM IN BENGALURU
What's in that compost you are using: burnt waste?

A citizen’s probe unearths a racket in which toxic burnt waste is sold to farmers in the garb of vermicompost; what’s more, the packaging indicates involvement of a composting firm under the government. Shree D N and Akshatha M report from Bengaluru.

May 31 2015
CLIMATE CHANGE POLITICS
Looking beyond ‘Chindia’s’ common cause on climate
The joint statement by India and China on climate change at the end of PM Modi’s recent tour of the country has expectedly created considerable hype. Darryl D’Monte takes a balanced view of its import and the real challenges for India in the face of global climate politics.
May 29 2015
ANTI-MUSLIM BIAS IN THE MILITARY
How deep does our prejudice run?
ANTI-MUSLIM BIAS IN THE MILITARY : How deep does our prejudice run?
Several recent media reports as well as scholarly literature point to a deep-seated communal bias in certain sections of Indian society. Firdaus Ahmed looks closely at the military and its mutations to explore if it can remain insulated from similar prejudicial leanings.
May 27 2015
DATA REVOLUTION IN THE ERA OF CENSORSHIP
It’s not only books and films that are censored!
DATA REVOLUTION IN THE ERA OF CENSORSHIP : It’s not only books and films that are censored!

In the shrill discourse over freedom of speech, the selective publication, and even overt suppression, of actionable development data is often overlooked. Amid calls for a next-gen data revolution, Biraj Swain highlights this and other challenges that lie in its path.

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May 26 2015
THE DONGRIA KONDH HABITAT
Securing tribal rights means understanding them first

The recent letter from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, urging states to recognise the habitat rights of vulnerable tribal groups under the FRA, is a welcome move. Meenal Tatpati, Rashi Misra and Subrat Kumar Nayak analyse the Dongria Kondh experience to underline what is necessary to do so effectively.

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May 25 2015
FOOD VENTURE
Kerala pioneer eyes new horizons for jackfruit industry
A new food processing company in Kerala proposes to market innovative products, the success of which could well place the largely neglected jackfruit in the focus of attention of bigger players in the state’s food processing industry. Shree Padre reports.
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May 25 2015
SEX WORKER REALITIES
Workers, not beggars
SEX WORKER REALITIES : Workers, not beggars

Recent incidents, where sex workers were detained by the police and subsequently forced into a state shelter for beggars, are symptomatic of the continuous harassment faced by them and a basic lack of understanding of their realities. Pushpa Achanta elaborates.

May 22 2015
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
The real challenges to sustainable development

With the expiry of the MDGs which guided global development till 2015, the international community is now negotiating Sustainable Development Goals for 2016-2030. Prahlad Shekhawat summarises the ensuing debates and explores a way forward.

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May 19 2015
PATRIARCHY AND MASCULINITY
A Man Cannot Tolerate Failure
PATRIARCHY AND MASCULINITY : A Man Cannot Tolerate Failure

The age-old notions of patriarchy and masculinity, which suppress and disempower women, have an equally damaging effect on men’s behaviour and psyche, leaving them ill-equipped to handle failure. Rimjhim Jain reports.

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May 18 2015
STREET VENDORS
A futile struggle for the right to trade

Legislation for street vendors mandates registration of all vendors and allocation of spaces for them by the state in designated zones. Navya P K interacts with street vendors in Delhi, and finds a reality that is in stark contrast to what the law holds.

May 17 2015
OPINION
A rocky road for Gram Swaraj
The Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act Amendment Committee suggested reforms in the 1993 legislation to realise the ideal of decentralisation in letter and spirit. Nandana Reddy, a core member of the committee, holds the state accountable for the manner in which it has dealt with the report and proposed amendments.
May 15 2015
VAW IN INDIAN CINEMA
Should films have statutory warnings on violence against women?

A 90-second video put together by a group of women activists demands a pop-up statutory warning on screen every time a woman is assaulted or abused. Shoma Chatterji critiques the video, raising several questions over its content as well as the stance that it takes.

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May 14 2015
GROWTH VERSUS IDENTITY
Why the Dongria Kondh rejected development in the Niyamgiri Hills
The 2013 rejection of the bauxite mining plan in Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills by the local tribal gram sabhas is hailed as the first successful environmental referendum in the country. Meenal Tatpati and Rashi Misra visit the region to find out what led the people to oppose the proposed ‘development’.
May 12 2015
PACKAGING & THE ENVIRONMENT
Not everyone wants a plastic-free future!
PACKAGING & THE ENVIRONMENT : Not everyone wants a plastic-free future!
A petition filed by an NGO before the NGT seeks a phasing out of the use of plastic bottles and multi-layered plastic packaging, but there is a strong opposition to the proposal from a significant section of stakeholders belonging to the industry. Devanik Saha reports.
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May 11 2015
CYBER SAFETY
Keeping your child safe in the age of the Internet
It’s a big, bad world out there on the social network and a recent study finds nearly 73 percent of urban children aged 8 to 13 active on such sites. Supriya Unni Nair tries to understand the role of adult influencers in keeping the children safe online.
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May 09 2015
BLOG: RESISTANCE & RECONSTRUCTION
MHA: A Ministry for Hounding Activists?
BLOG: RESISTANCE & RECONSTRUCTION : MHA: A Ministry for Hounding Activists?
The recent government crackdown on Greenpeace in particular, and the activism sector in general, reeks of arbitrariness and illegitimacy, says Ashish Kothari in a scathing critique. The question is will the people give in to the state’s tactics?
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