Articles
Aug 31 2007
ACCESS TO CREDIT
Empty fields stare at farm widows
ACCESS TO CREDIT : Empty fields stare at farm widows
In Vidarbha, widowed women farmers have been hit hard by lack of viable farm credit. Quite a lot of women find themselves unable to carry out farm work in the absence of credit. Caught between fear and despair, their options are limited. Aparna Pallavi reports.
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Aug 29 2007
AGRI CRISIS
Relief cows are milking Vidarbha farmers
AGRI CRISIS : Relief cows are milking Vidarbha farmers

The Maharashtra government claims that a huge transformation is taking place in Vidarbha; the milk collection has risen 37 per cent. Distressed farmers, who were given the 'princely' cows as relief, feel otherwise. Jaideep Hardikar does a reality check.
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Aug 28 2007
IN PICTURES: WESTERN GHATS
Paradise lost..almost
IN PICTURES: WESTERN GHATS : Paradise lost..almost
Paradise Lost…almost! is a report on the Western Ghats written by Sudhirendar Sharma. The report follows the trail of destruction in the ghats and engages with those who have been engaged in the task of reversing the dominant trend. An IN-PICTURES feature.
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Aug 28 2007
DAM SAFETY
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Here a breach, there a breach
Incidents of cracks, breaches and outright collapse of dams have been reported often in the last few years. But the country's water resources establishment maintains an ad-hoc attitude, responding to each disaster as it unfolds, often to little effect. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.
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Aug 26 2007
HEALTH HAZARDS
Producers sneak into Indian delegation, endorse DDT
HEALTH HAZARDS : Producers sneak into Indian delegation, endorse DDT
How did two major operators in the POPs manufacturing-sector become part of India's official delegation to a conference which aims to eliminate their production and use? P N Venugopal reports on the embarassing, but unabashed capture of officialdom by a manufacturer.
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Aug 23 2007
WOMEN
Adivasi women turn turmeric traders
WOMEN : Adivasi women turn turmeric traders

In this small sleepy Orissa village with a population of barely 400 adivasis, where there is no electricity and harsh conditions prevail, there is something remarkable about the women. Their level of awareness, their attitude and their personality have undergone a dramatic change in the last few years. Pradeep Baisakh has more.

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Aug 22 2007
INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL
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1-2-3, the new arms race
India claims that with the recent nuclear cooperation deal it has inked with the US, the global order has been changed. And it is right. It has upset the non-proliferation regime and re-configured forces, possibly leading to a renewed arms race, writes Sandeep Pandey.
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Aug 21 2007
WOMEN
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Grounded till thirty
The government recently imposed a ban on women under 30 emigrating for domestic work and caregiving. But instead of stopping women who want to migrate, it is likely to put them at greater risk to trafficking and exploitative treatment - the very concerns that have driven the ban. Rita Manchanda has more.
Aug 20 2007
OPINION: BROADCAST BILL 2007
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Whose media are they anyway?
The draft Broadcast Bill does not reflect a nuanced understanding of the complex and contentious issues relating to media ownership. At the same time the objections raised by India's media industry do not acknowledge the fact that media regulation in most 'mature democracies' includes restrictions on media ownership, writes Ammu Joseph.
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Aug 19 2007
RURAL ECONOMY
How about a fruit ice cream?
RURAL ECONOMY : How about a fruit ice cream?
Charles and Nirmala Sequeira were simply looking for something different to do. Little did they think that, many years later, their decision to start selling ice cream made from local fruits would catch on with customers, and open a new channel for value addition for local produce. Shree Padre reports.
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Aug 18 2007
FREEDOM FIGHTERS
The last battle of Laxmi Panda
FREEDOM FIGHTERS : The last battle of Laxmi Panda
Countless ordinary Indians sacrificed much for Independence without a thought of reward. Much of that generation has died out. Most others are very old, and several are ailing or otherwise in distress. Many in rural India, like Laxmi Panda, have lost much and gained little, writes P Sainath.
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Aug 17 2007
EDUCATION
Caste discrimination persisting in U.P. schools
EDUCATION : Caste discrimination persisting in U.P. schools
On Independence day, a District Magistrate in U.P. handed over three teachers of a primary school to the police, during a surprise school visit. School children are among the worst sufferers in the state; they continue to pay for a system they neither moulded nor understand. Puja Awasthi reports.
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Aug 16 2007
REGULATING GM CROPS
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GEAC's poor record of regulation
How does one countenance a regulator that does not adhere to the law of the land and is also unable to protect the interest of one group against another? The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, says Bhaskar Goswami, itself needs to be regulated to ensure it plays a balanced role.
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Aug 15 2007
OPINION/MEDIA
Public missing in Broadcast Bill debate
OPINION/MEDIA : Public missing in Broadcast Bill debate
There is much wrong with the draft broadcast regulation legislation and the good news is that it is unlikely to be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session. The bad news is that in the renewed tug-of-war between the government and the broadcast industry, the public is in danger of being left out once more, writes Ammu Joseph.
Aug 14 2007
EDUCATION
In conflict zone, a battle to secure futures
EDUCATION : In conflict zone, a battle to secure futures
With large parts of the state experiencing regular conflict between insurgents and security forces, and also between various ethnic groups, children in Assam, many of them forced into relief camps, face the risk of losing all access to education. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.
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Aug 13 2007
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Catalysing rural jobs through targeted training
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION : Catalysing rural jobs through targeted training
In the major metros, a range of new vocational courses is helping high school students find jobs in the rapidly industrialising sectors. What about job-seekers in small towns and rural areas? Padmalatha Ravi reports on two NGO-led training innovations in Tamilnadu and Karnataka.
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Aug 12 2007
UNDER-TRIALS
Clear the jails first
UNDER-TRIALS : Clear the jails first
There are 250,000 people languishing in jails waiting for the courts to hear their cases. But far from facilitating the release of those who have been detained for years, the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act is a reversal of many Supreme Court decisions, writes Colin Gonsalves.
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Aug 10 2007
URBAN ENVIRONMENT
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Is the remaking of Mumbai sustainable?
A self-styled Remaking of Mumbai Federation (ROMF) has spun out a Rs.60,000 crore plan for redeveloping the city, which includes housing the urban poor in skyscrapers. Experiences show that this does not work for the poor, notwithstanding redevelopment's own merits. Darryl D'Monte scrunitises ROMF's proposal.
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Aug 09 2007
WATER AND FOOD SECURITY
Fresh water scarcity demands fresh ideas
WATER AND FOOD SECURITY : Fresh water scarcity demands fresh ideas
A growing world population has led to rising demand for fresh water to ensure a growing supply of food and to meet rising nutrition demands. Where will this water come from? A new publication co-sponsored by CGIAR sheds some light on the narrowing options. Sudhirendar Sharma reviews the report.
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Aug 08 2007
ENVIRONMENT
Will Mittal Steel be a raw deal for Orissa?
ENVIRONMENT : Will Mittal Steel be a raw deal for Orissa?
With Mittal Steel moving into India, it becomes even more important to look at the firm's poor environmental and social track record around the world in its rise to become the world's largest steel maker. There are crucial lessons for the governments of Orissa and Jharkhand, but are they listening, asks Sunita Dubey.
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