Order of the High Court of Uttarakhand (WPPIL No. 202 OF 2024 with WPPIL NO.174 OF 2024) in the matter of mining operations in Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand. The order was passed by the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court Guhanathan Narendar and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari. In compliance with the …
Our world did change in 2003. The US war on Iraq made sure that the rules of 'engagement' were changed, perhaps for a long time to come. The change I see most visible is that the world has become overtly aggressive and rude. And it is not just the US. …
from April to August this year, almost 300 children fell prey to malnutrition in just two blocks (Akkalkua and Taloda) of Maharashtra's Nandurbar district. The nightmare has been recurring in the entire region since 1995, with the death toll crossing 12,000. Although even studies commissioned by the authorities identify malnourishment …
The new-age highwayman is the toll tax collector. So believes the All-India Motor Transport Congress (aimtc), which has asked for abolition of the levy. It wants a standard charge of 5 paise per litre of fuel to replace the notoriously corrupt system that earns the Union government Rs 300 crore …
Corruption charges are flying thick and fast against Kerala forest minister K Sudhakaran and the state forest department (fd). The opposition Left Democratic Front (ldf) has accused Sudhakaran of accepting bribes worth Rs 5 crore in a softwood auction involving the now defunct Mavoor unit of Grasim Industries Limited (gil). …
Transparency International Global Barometer Survey Who’s the most corrupt of them all? “If you had a magic wand and you could eliminate corruption from one of the following institutions, what would your first choice be? ” The overwhelming answer seems to be political parties. So says the corruption watchdog Transparency …
The Bush administration's agenda aims to savage the United Nations, destroy the foundations of an emerging global community and ignore increasingly shrill alarms from an overstressed natural world. It is manifested in us attempts to sabotage constructive efforts in environmental negotiations, as Anju Sharma points this out in "Shucks & …
Oscar Olivera of Bolivia is something of a mascot for anti-globalisation movements across the world. During the recent Asian Social Forum meeting in Hyderabad, Olivera spoke in Spanish. And in spite of the tediousness of translated messages, his dozen-odd speeches found eager listeners in the 15,000 participants at the meeting. …
Public Advocacy The motives behind public service ads are not always as transparent as the messages themselves. Take the example of these two ads culled from The Philippine Star. The one below takes to task corrupt politicians for offering protection to squatter communities thereby keeping them "in the rut." The …
the future of the Tawa Matsya Sangh (tms), Madhya Pradesh's highly acclaimed federation of fisherfolk cooperatives, is at stake. The Madhya Pradesh (mp) government is contemplating taking over the management of the Hoshangabad-based body. tms comprises local people who were displaced during the construction of a dam on Tawa river. …
In 1985, the Union ministry of non-conventional energy sources (mnes) introduced improved chulhas (fuelwood-based cooking stoves) to primarily conserve forests, reduce pressure on rural women who collect fuelwood and to protect their health against indoor air pollution. Called the National Programme on Improved Chulhas (npic), it formed a part of …
According to a poll survey conducted by Transparency International, a global coalition body against corruption, the police department is the most corrupt public institution in Bangladesh, followed by the lower judiciary. The study was conducted among 3,030 Bangladeshis between November 2001 and May 2002. It found that respondents had to …
People have for long been usurped of their rights over forests by industrialists, the timber mafia and corrupt officials. One such instance of misuse of power is the controversial khair wood allotment case in Himachal Pradesh (HP). Shimla Special Judge M D Sharma has issued summons to former HP chief …
in a district where not toting a double-barrelled gun or revolver is considered a violation of the dress code, the word ‘fraud’ was redefined with astounding audacity. Without firing a single shot (quite uncommon in this trigger-happy territory), three junior officials of Bijnor defrauded the government of Rs 100 crore …
Africa is reeling under a double whammy. As if the erratic weather pattern that has led to a widespread famine was not enough, corruption and mismanagement has compounded the people's misery. Two seasons of crops have been devastated, first by flood and then by drought. The continent is grappling with …
a team comprising secretaries of the forest and revenue departments has been set up to file a detailed report on the rampant land-grabbing in the forests of the Mathikettan region in Kerala. The Union ministry of environment and forests has also taken stock of the situation. Earlier, the state government …
I never thought I would be writing an article about airports. But I am provoked to repeat what we know and to say what would not be said often in connection with the sorry state of our public spaces. The Indian Express has published a series on - needless to …
With an aim to root out corruption, Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi has banned allocation of public land to individuals. Environmental groups have welcomed the ban but expressed scepticism about its effective implementation as that would affect a key channel of cash ahead of the forthcoming general elections. Earlier, in …
