30 health clinics in East Champaran face action for performing illegal hysterectomies

The role of private clinics empanelled under the state health insurance scheme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), in Bihar is under the scanner following large number of complaints. Many clinics have been accused of performing illegal hysterectomies on poor patients to avail the benefit from the insurance scheme.

Parties to Stockholm Convention endorse agroecology as the best alternative to endosulfan

At its sixth meeting, the Conference of the Parties (COP6) to the Stockholm Convention agreed that the best alternative to the hazardous pesticide endosulfan is agroecology. The Convention is a global treaty to protect public health from persistent organic pollutants (PoPs), The parties agreed to list insecticide Endosulfan in Annex A of the Convention, thereby ending production and use of endosulfan, apart from use for specific pests on a limited number of crops.

Rotterdam Convention meet: no consensus on including herbicide paraquat in the prior informed consent list

After having reversed its stand on the inclusion of white asbestos under Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, India has now opposed the listing of paraquat as a severely hazardous pesticide formulation in the same category.

MoEF halts civil work to raise level of Dhari Devi temple for Alaknanda dam

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on Friday issued orders to stop the work to raise the level of the Dhari Devi temple. The temple will be submerged when the Shrinagar Hydro-Electric Project gets completed. The stop work notice was issued to the developer, Alaknanda Hydro Power Co Ltd (AHPCL).

Pakistan elections: health on agenda

Pakistan is conducting its 14th parliamentary elections this Saturday. In a country fraught with tremendous political and social instability and terrorism, healthcare has so far been a low priority. Pakistan spent just 0.27 per cent of its GDP on healthcare for its 180 million people in 2011-12. The country ranks fifth among high burden tuberculosis countries. About 1.6 million cases of malaria occur annually.

Haiti cholera victims threaten to drag UN to court for compensation

In one of the worst epidemics in recent history in which over 8,000 people have died, cholera victims in Haiti have given the United Nations (UN) 60 days to begin talks on compensation. Else, they will drag the world body to court.

RTI activists’ murders: Jairam Ramesh demands prompt action, compensation to families

Union rural affairs minister Jairam Ramesh has expressed great concern over recent crimes targeting Right to Information (RTI) activists in Bihar.  In a letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ramesh  demanded the immediate arrest of those who murdered the RTI activists  and compensation package for the families of deceased activists.

MoEF challenges penalty on it for allowing industries to function near Kaziranga

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has exhibited great readiness in notifying eco-sensitive zones around all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the country. But the ministry does not seem to be as committed about implementing these notifications.

Green tribunal bans use of gas, electronic cutters in dismantling machinery in Delhi's Mayapuri scrap market

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned the use of gas or electronic cutters in dismantling heavy machinery like generators, tankers and transformers in Mayapuri junk market in west Delhi, one of India’s biggest market for used automotive and industrial spare parts.

SC asks Centre to decide on grant of iron ore licence to POSCO

In a major setback to POSCO’s plan to locate its mines close to its proposed steel plant near Paradip in Odisha, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central government to take a call on the grant of iron ore mining leases in the state. A private mining and marketing firm, Geomin, along with several other mining companies had alleged that the Odisha state government favoured Korean steel giant POSCO while granting prospecting and mining licence.