Chaos in the iron age

Also Cover Story:  Bellary to bleed again Goa next Bellary case file Infographics: function minesgraph() { var popurl="http://www.downtoearth.org.in/themes/DTE/htm/mines_20130515.htm" winpops=window.open(popurl,"","width=500,height=775,scrollbars=yes") } Mines produce more than permitted Photo Gallery: Burdened by mines Goa after mining ban  

A compromised consensus

AFTER 19 months of intense negotiations between the ruling United Progressive Alliance government and opposition parties, the Land Acquisition (Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Bill of 2011 is close to being passed by Parliament. On April 18, the government claimed that all major political parties have reached a “broad consensus” on the Bill.

Ganga saga part II: redesign dams, not rivers

Engineers require re-training, not the Ganga. This is where I had left our conversation last fortnight. Why did I say this? The inter-ministerial committee I participated in as a member was discussing how much the ecological flow—the water that should be left in the river for ecosystem and livelihood purposes—should be at all times. How much water is needed for the river to be a river; and not a drain?

Trial and error

In the past eight years, 2,868 deaths have occurred during clinical drug trials across India. But only 89 have been attributed to such trials and compensation has been paid in 45 cases, said the Union health minister on March 5 in Parliament.

Long road to justice

With most political parties having set their sights on the 2014 national elections, the Congress-led UPA government is surely hoping for a repeat of the 2009 miracle. A good part of the credit for the 2009 victory has been given to progressive legislation like the employment guarantee Act. It is no surprise then that the Congress is looking at more such pieces of legislation before the country goes to the polls.

Desperate for dam

Land grab fallout

Blog Intro:  Scramble to buy land in foreign countries to grow more food leaves more people hungry Scramble to buy land in foreign countries to grow more food leaves more people hungry

High-speed derailment

Saharias face exile, again

Illogical formula

THE hue and cry in recent months over failure to protect the interests of drug trial victims has finally forced the government to act. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Union health ministry has drafted a formula to compensate drug trial-related injuries and deaths.