Think India Foundation

Tamil Nadu loses battle in green court

Chennai : The green court for south India was opened in Chennai on Friday. On the first day, this National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chennai circuit court, heard six major cases and disposed two of them including the three-year-old Pallikaranai case.

Setting aside the environment clearance given by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to the Chennai Corporation to set up an integrated waste management plant in Pallikaranai marshland, the court said, “The state of Tamil Nadu has no jurisdiction to grant environment clearance of this nature. Guindy national Park is located within 10 kms from the Pallikaranai project site.” Read more

Source : deccanchronicle.com

Cops wait for complaint to curb illegal parking at Galleria

Gurgaon : Facing criticism for not lodging an FIR against a contractor, who has been running a parking lot in Galleria Market illegally, the city police on Thursday put the ball in the court of developer under whose area the vacant land falls. Last week, the Sector 29 police station had refused to register a complaint filed by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) against the contractor, Sanjay Dagar. Apart from Huda, residents of DLF City also complained before the police commissioner KK Sindhu. 

On Thursday, the police commissioner said the department cannot take action against the contractor until the land owner files a complaint. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

1.5L illegal structures to go legit in Gujarat

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat government has cleared a major proposal to regularize an estimated 1.5 lakh illegal structures in urban areas constructed on so-called new tenure lands, which the government distributed free of cost to the poorer sections of people, especially landless, during the land reforms days.

According to sources, people bought such lands in large numbers in Eastern Ahmedabad and urban areas of Vadodara and Bharuch districts, mainly in the former Gaekwad ruled areas to build structures without bothering to pay up premium to regularize their titles. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Budget 2012: Education sector expects another big push

India has one of the world's largest education systems, including 1.3 million schools, 30,000 colleges and 542 universities. According to the Education Division at Technopak Advisors, the size of the public education sector is $40 billion and the private sector amounted to $60 billion in 2011. In last year's budget (2011-2012), Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee allocated Rs 52,057 crore for the sector. 

This year, members of the sector again expect a big push in expenditure especially related to the effective implementation of The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE Act). "It (RTE Act) is a big challenge for the government. Many issues like setting up of neighbourhood schools and infrastructure require money," says Dhiraj Mathur, Leader of Education at PwC India. Read more

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Can’t single out DSC for e-way woes: Commuters

GURGAON: The National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI's) intention to terminate its agreement with the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway concessionaire, DSC Ltd, is likely to add a fillip to those who have been campaigning to remove the toll plazas altogether.

A good number of commuters, frustrated with the way lanes are managed despite repeated protests, are hopeful that the Delhi high court hearing of the NHAI-concessionaire case, scheduled for March 1, will be sympathetic to their problems. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

HUDA fails to possess its plot for 21 yrs, gets HC notice

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has failed to take the possession of plot in Faridabad that it had ‘resumed’ from a private party 21 years ago. The plot was earlier allotted to the private party in 1991.

Questioning ‘the magnanimity’, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday asked HUDA to explain why it had not taken back the possession of the plot. A division bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and A N Jindal gave HUDA two months to submit its report. The directions came after HC dismissed a petition filed by the private party, M/s Printers Engineers Company, terming it as “gross abuse of process of law.” Read more

Source : indianexpress.com

Centre to adopt ‘true blue’ poor of Badals, not all

Chandigarh Food Security Bill: Punjab’s 66% population in, 34% out

With both the incumbent government and Opposition Congress promising to take the state’s populist blue card scheme of subsidised atta-dal to another level despite empty coffers, the upcoming Food Security Act may force a rethink.

While it will bring down Punjab’s subsidy burden by taking the tally of Centre’s poor up, it will benefit only those the ongoing economic census identifies as poor. So, many of the “undeserving” beneficiaries enjoying largesse of the Parkash Singh Badal government may have to depend on the new regime to adopt them as its own. Read more

Source : expressindia.com

MEG helped protect heritage structure: BBMP

BANGALORE : The Sappers official says the land around it was acquired by the Indian Army

BBMP officials candidly admit that but for the MEG fencing, the property would have been converted into another slum. File photo: K. Murali Kumar

By “encroaching” upon the property of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Madras Engineering Group and Centre (MEG) had “helped” the civic authority protect the watch tower constructed in the 16 Century by Kempe Gowda II. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

BDA lets housing complex crop up inside a ‘park’

Babus, IAS officials allow illegal conversion of 7.9 acres of land, ignore alteration of building plan by developer

The apartment blocks coming up on Bannerghatta Road will have 301 flats

Bangalore : Corruption has crept so deep into the BDA and the state administration that a 7.9-acre piece of land originally meant for a park now houses a residential complex and the owner of the plot has even sold the area marked in the building plan ‘sanctioned’ by BDA as the approach road.

After hearing a private complaint about the discrepancies, in which a few senior IAS officers have also been accused of giving the go-by to the rules, the court directed Lokayukta police to investigate the matter and submit a report before March 30. Read more

Source : bangaloremirror.com

Leprosy, TB-afflicted persons can now contest in Orissa local body election

BHUBANESWAR: Leprosy-affected and persons suffering from tuberculosis, who have been debarred from contesting election for the urban local bodies so far, will get an opportunity to fulfil their dreams. The State Cabinet on Tuesday gave assent to the Housing and Urban Development Department proposal for amendment of the Orissa Municipal Act, 1950, and Orissa Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, to enable people suffering from the two diseases to contest election.

The decision to amend the Act regulating election to the urban local bodies was taken on the recommendation of the Rajya Sabha petition committee. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Will impact fee resolve CG Road's problem?

Ahmedabad : Though the state government has issued notification for regularising unauthorised properties in the state, lack of complete clarity on parking deficit issue still worries CG Road shop owners.

More than 50 commercial buildings on CG Road have a parking deficit of more than 25% or 100 square metre, so the final decision will be taken by a committee to be formed for this purpose. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Industry doyens give thumbs up to Bihar dvpt, credit Nitish for progress

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that though the state’s interest had been ignored by successive central governments since Independence, the spirit of the people had not been dampened and they had set the course for development with social justice under NDA rule.

Speaking at the conclusion of the three-day Global Summit on Changing Bihar, Kumar singled out agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy. Read more

Source : firstpost.com

Designed to kill: Trees versus development

For sustainability and natural balance of the eco-system, forest cover of one-third of land area is considered desirable.

In pre-independent India, green cover was in the vicinity of about 40%. Today, we have depleted it to nearly 23%, most of it under the pretext of development and mainly to cater to ever increasing consumerism. As per quick estimate, human habitation over the globe account for only 6% of surface. The scary part is that even with only 6% space occupied for habitation, we feel the pinch of resource scarcity. It implies that we have perhaps consumed the resources of remaining 94% for sustenance of the six. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Indian minister 'shocked' CO2 emissions cuts seen as U.N. goal

NEW DELHI (AlertNet Climate) - India's rural development minister has slammed a United Nations report which includes reducing C02 emissions as a development target agreed by poor countries, saying it was a "mistake" and that the international body was "sending the wrong signal".

In this 2010 file photo, India's former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh gestures during a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi

Jairam Ramesh, a former environment minister, was India's voice - echoing that of many developing nations - in refusing to commit to legally binding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions in international climate change negotiations. Read more

Source : trust.org

Companies must fight climate change

Leaders from across the world gathered in Durban in December last year to find common ground on what is currently the most important challenge facing humanity: climate change. With virtually no headway made since the Kyoto Protocol, there is precious little time left for all nations to act before we reach the point of no return. Governments across the world must give a clear signal that they are committed to a legal deal on climate change that puts the world on track to a low-carbon economy. 

While both developed and developing nations put forth their arguments keeping in mind their respective economic interests, it is important to note that businesses can, and must, play a vital role in building a greener world. Today, businesses across the world are committed to green growth and building a 'sustainable' global economy as it will ensure their future growth. There is a unique opportunity for businesses from developed and developing nations to collaborate and develop low-carbon technologies and business models. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Going green, with a large side order of mercury

Despite the growing popularity of energy-saving fluorescent lamps, little has been done to address the issue of the safe disposal of the dangerous waste they generate.

A shop keeper displays the new generation energy saving compact fluorescent lamps at Parsh electrical appliances store on the electrical and sanitary street of Troop Bazar in Hyderabad. File photo: Mohammed Yousuf

Steady release of mercury into the air, soil and water poses a significant health risk. But, it appears, not for policymakers in India. Annually, a large amount of this toxic, complex metal is simply dumped into municipal landfills or released into the air from a “green” source — the millions of fluorescent lamps that are at the forefront of efforts to reduce power demand and carbon emissions. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

Abuse of minors on rise, experts call for more legal teeth

Delhi's penchant for crime is well known and it's not safe for kids as well - not even in the 'safe confines ' of home. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, among India's top 35 cities, Delhi headed the list of crime against children with a whopping 42.9% in 2009. A Union home ministry report almost echoes it - against the national average of two cases per one lakh population, the crime rate against children in the capital is 16. The same Crime in India 2009 report puts the number of rape of minors at 296 and incest at 11 in Delhi.

Senior policemen, who have seen the city grow since the Asiad days, blame unfulfilled social aspiration. "Children are the most vulnerable and naive. They become easy target of people who are otherwise craving for something which they cannot achieve in real life," said a senior officer of Delhi Police's special unit for children. "Nithari was just the tip of the perversion iceberg . Child pornography and child sex workers attract the 'highest chunk of customers' ." Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

AMC board passes Rs 4,511-cr budget

Ahmedabad : The Ahmedabad municipal corporation general board passed its budget for 2012-13 along with four other budgets for V S Hospital, Ahmadabad Municipal Transport Service, Municipal School Board and M J Library on Thursday.

The Rs 4,511-crore AMC budget has a capital project component of Rs 2,607 crore, which includes previous year’s revenue surplus of Rs 1,140 crore. This year, there is no ward-wise allocation for capital works, but there will be priority budget of total Rs 355 crore for the six corporation zones. Read more

Source : expressindia.com

Now, you can legalise your illegal construction in Ahmedabad

Gandhinagar : Finally, as promised to the Gujarat High Court, the Gujarat government on Saturday issued notifications for regularisation of unauthorised constructions in the state.

The notification fixes rates of fees for regularisation of all kind of construction in the state. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Elections give a respite to illegal riverbed mining in Uttarakhand

Dehradun (ANI) : Corruption-free rule if voted to power again topped the agendas of leading political parties during the campaigning last month for the assembly elections on January 30th. Other promises included, predictably, uninterrupted power supply and employment for the local youth. 

The effect of the Uttarakhand elections 2012 will only be known in March. In the meantime, an unlikely set of beneficiaries have been the residents of Tailihat village in Garur Mandal of Bageshwar District in Uttarakhand, located on the banks of a local river - Gomti. They were given the gift of peaceful nights; for, as even an amateur politician knows, campaigning and elections are no time to get one's hands dirty with illegal river bed mining. Read more

Source : newstrackindia.com

PIL against windmill work in Jaisalmer dismissed

JODHPUR/JAISALMER: The Rajasthan High Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking prohibition on setting up of windmills on pasture land in Jaisalmer. Terming the petition as frivolous, the court refused to consider the land referred to as pasture area.

Earlier on 24 December last year, the court while admitting the petition filed by an NGO, Libra India, had issued notices to revenue department, district collector, Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RREC) and windmill companies with regard to the allotment of the common land, more specifically known as "Charagah" land for establishing windmills in the district and had stayed the setting up of the windmills on this land. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

New grid of governance

As campaigning in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election peaks, the electorate of India's most powerful civic body - the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) - fired a warning shot across the bow of all political parties yesterday. The Congress-NCP alliance received a sharp rebuff while the Shiv Sena-BJP was denied an absolute majority. The message: govern or go.

When Parliament reconvenes for the budget session next month, no further time should be lost in finalising governance legislation that cuts a clean swathe across electoral, judicial, police and political reforms. The parties that obstruct the creation of this new architecture of good governance could lose further ground in both state assembly and general elections. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The right to vend

With national urban policies repeatedly failing to improve access to cities and protect the livelihood rights of those who live in them, the hope and effort of more than 10 million street vendors lies in pushing the government to enact a Central law to secure their rights. But where policies have failed, will a new law help? The recent national consultation on urban street vending has made it clear, despite four decades of struggle, that hawkers and mobile vendors still find Indian cities reluctant to include them. While cities are willing to accommodate on-street car parking, they view handcarts used for vending and providing services on roads as a hindrance. As a result, the low income, self-employed street vendors often face harassment and the threat of eviction. 

To correct this unfair situation, a national policy on urban street vendors, formulated in 2004, recommended that states and local bodies register street vendors, issue identification cards, and amend legislation to mitigate their vulnerability. The key proposal was to formulate Town Vending Committees at the ward level with vendor representation to identify areas for hawking. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

Soon, you can regularise your unauthorised construction in Gujarat

Gandhinagar : The state government is all set to notify the rules for the implementation of the much awaited Act for regularization of unauthorized constructions.

The formal announcement and the notification is likely to be issued on February 20, sources in the state government indicated. The move will regularise nearly 25 lakh unauthorised constructions in the state, out of which around 5 lakh are in Ahmedabad city alone. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

No construction activity is allowed without permission in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: The Town and Country Planning Department Haryana has informed  the general public that the Urban areas and controlled areas stands declared around towns of Kurukshetra, Ladwa, Pehowa and Shahabad, where in no construction activity is allowed without permission of the Town and Country Planning department.

While stating this, a  spokesman of department said that though a lot of publicity  in this regard had been made from time to time, some persons were carving out the illegal colonies and selling plots to the public by  hiding the facts about the illegal status of the colony. Read more

Source : punjabnewsline.com

Come May, e-waste rule will become highly demanding

CHENNAI : The instruction manuals that usually come with your cell phone or television set most often lay down ways to properly discard these consumer items but do all of us read them? Come May, electronic device manufacturers might have to put in more efforts to ensure their ‘take back' schemes work better, as they will be responsible for the safe disposal of electronic and electrical goods that they produce.

As per the E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2010, which will come into effect in May 2012, manufacturers of electronic goods, under the Extended Producers' Responsibility (EPR), will be responsible for recycling, reducing levels of hazardous substances in electronics and setting up collection centres. Bulk users such as large corporations, banks, insurance companies, government agencies and educational institutions will also need to keep a record of their e-waste disposal. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

‘Over 80,000 street children deprived of education in Gujarat’

Gandhinagar : More than 80,000 street children in the state’s urban areas are not going to school and around 25,000 of them are from Ahmedabad, according to a survey conducted by the state government for the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

Gujarat primary education secretary R P Gupta, when contacted, said, “Recently as a part of the implementation of the RTE Act in the state, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSY) has conducted a survey of children not going to schools in rural and urban areas and found that around 80,000 street children in urban areas of the state are denied of school education.” Read more

Source : indianexpress.com

50 years on, lack of amenities continues to plague Salt Lake

KOLKATA: It was 50 years ago that then chief minister of Bengal, Bidhan Chandra Roy had laid the foundation stone of the township. Five decades on, Salt Lake still lacks various civic amenities that are essential for the development of a township.

Two years back, Trinamool Congress took over the reins of the Bidhannagar Municipality and made numerous promises. The civic authorities had earlier submitted a list of civic issues, that needed to be looked into, to the state urban development department. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Experts advise against vertical development of Delhi

Developing the Indian capital vertically is neither scientific nor in line with the character of the city, say planning experts.

Commenting on union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath's idea of vertical growth of the city, they said housing in the capital city should avoid following models of Singapore and Shanghai. Read more

Source : dayafterindia.com

'RTE Act going MGNREGA way in state'

GUWAHATI: Coming down heavily on government inaction with regard to violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, in Assam, well-known intellectual Hiren Gohain slammed the state government for failing "severely" to ensure free and fair education for children up to 14 years in Assam.

Speaking at a seminar organized by city-based NGO Sangrami Krishak Shramik Sangha (SKSS), Gohain said the RTE Act was a historic act passed by the Centre, but in the state, it has met the same fate as the central employment guarantee act, MGNREGA. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Priorities for BMC poll winners: Slums, roads, water

In a day, we will know which party or alliance will control the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the body responsible for the running of the city of Mumbai. Rs 21,096.56 crore is what the BMC budgeted to spend in 2011-2012, and, considering the problems citizens of the metro face in the context of the responsibilities of the BMC, one wonders where the money has gone.

The mushrooming of illegal encroachments across the city needs to be a high focus for the winners of the high-stakes battle. Reuters

Here’s a look at the top concerns of Mumbaikars that the BMC needs to alleviate: Read more

Source : firstpost.com

Breathalyzer tests for women too in Mysore

MYSORE: City traffic cops conducting special drives to check drunken driving cases will begin subjecting women vehicle users to breathalyzer test to know the amount of alcohol in the driver's breath.

Perhaps, so far, no woman vehicle user in Mysore has been booked for driving under the influence, according to a traffic police officer. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Young lawyers bridge justice gap

CUTTACK: In a novel initiative to take legal services to the doorsteps of the sections who have no capacity or access to justice delivery systems, a band of lawyers have fanned out to the villages in several districts of the State.

About 20 young lawyers have been enrolled under the Young Lawyers Fellowship Programme of the Union Government and the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) to not only provide legal aid services to the marginalised and victimised sections but also to identify people, who are in dire need of such assistance. They would be working in the districts of Cuttack, Ganjam, Balangir, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Khurda, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh and Nabarangpur. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Govt to set up panel to study status of women

NEW DELHI: At a time when crime against women is steadily increasing and there is evidence of continued marginalization of women, the government is setting up a high level expert committee to report the socio-economic, political and legal status of women in India and evaluate the impact of government schemes. 

The committee - to be notified shortly - will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ruma Pal. The 15-member panel will examine the overall status of women including the socio-economic, health and nutritional, legal and political status disaggregated by rural and urban populations, economic and social position. The analysis is expected to take into account cross-regional differences and focus on inequalities both within and outside the household. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Govt may unveil food security bill in upcoming budget

New Delhi : The government is likely to account for the National Food Security Bill in the upcoming general budget for 2012-13, food minister KV Thomas told HT — a move that will set the ball rolling on the much-anticipated welfare legislation of the ruling coalition.

According to financial projections, India's expenses on food handouts will likely rise by 2.2%, much lower than analysts have projected, Thomas said. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

Mining Axe Falls on Orissa Forests

BHUBANESWAR: Illegal mining, urbanisation and smuggling have taken their toll on forests of Odisha in the last few years. The latest Forest Survey of India (FSI) report confirms it. The India State of Forest Report, 2011, reveals that Odisha has lost at least 41 sq km of very dense (VD) and moderately dense forests (MDF) between 2007 and 2009.

The 2011 assessment takes into account satellite imagery of the period 2008-2009. According to the FSI report, the State’s very dense forest cover has declined from 7,073 sq km to 7,060 sq km whereas moderately dense forest has declined more __ from 21,394 sq km to 21,366 sq km. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Centre asks state to provide more public lavatories for women

BHUBANESWAR: The building bylaw in Odisha is set to undergo certain modification, keeping the "comfort" of women in mind. Taking strong note of inadequate toilets for women in public buildings and at workplace, the Union urban development department has asked the Odisha government to modify the existing building norms and make way for more number of lavatories for the fair sex.

In a letter to the state housing and urban development department on January 31, the town and country planning organization (TCPO) under Union urban development department has described the present scenario, involving availability of toilet facilities for women, as a "matter of concern". "There is a huge gap between what is available as essential toilet facilities and what is desirable," TCPO's chief planner mentioned in the letter. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

It will not stop at Rs 60,000 crore

How economically sustainable is food subsidy? The cost could even be double of what the government estimates

Food deprivation and malnutrition are completely unacceptable and everything has to be done to eliminate such an evil. The prevalence of malnutrition in a country like India is in itself a cause for serious concern since malnourished children may jeopardise India’s favourable demographic dividend (as per independent estimates, close to 60 per cent of India’s population is in the age group of 15-59 years). However, the question is whether we can afford to have a food subsidy bill (FSB) and if such an endeavour is economically sustainable. This paper tries to argue that the fiscal viability of the proposed FSB is not clear and the delivery outcomes could be highly compromised given the governance weaknesses and ineffective delivery mechanisms in place. Read more

Source : indianexpress.com

India woman leaves home for lack of toilet

A newlywed woman in a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has won her struggle to have a toilet at her husband's home.

Anita Narre refused to go to her husband's home until he built a toilet

Anita Narre left husband Shivram's home two days after her marriage in May last year because the house had no toilet.

She returned eight days later after Shivram, a daily wage worker, built one with savings and aid from villagers. Read more

Source : bbc.co.uk

Derecognise Virat's school, HC tells CBSE

NAGPUR: In an unprecedented order, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Central Board Secondary Education (CBSE) to cancel recognition of Central India Public School in Wardhaman Nagar whose student Virat Zade was crushed under the school bus. The nine-year-old boy alighted from the school bus in front of his Hudkeshwar residence but went under the bus to retrieve his tiffin box after it fell there. The driver seemed unaware of the boy. Virat was run over and killed on the spot. The January 9 incident incident created a huge uproar among the citizens, especially the parents.

A division bench comprising justices PB Majmudar and Prasanna Varale asked the CBSE to file compliance report on derecognizing the school. "How can the school be so reckless? It's their primary duty to ensure that a pupil reaches home safely after school," the bench said. "Schools can't just mint money," the judges observed while severely reprimanding the school headmaster, who was present during the hearing. The court took serious cognisance of media reports and took up the case as a suo motu PIL. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Madhya Pradesh govt gives rights to landless

Bhopal: The government approved on Monday to legalise accommodations of landless persons made on government land on the cities’ outskirts. Those persons who have not got land rights for such occupations from April 14, 2004 to December 31, 2011 would be eligible.

In a cabinet meet chaired by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan persons who have made such dwellings on private land will also be given land rights. Read more

Source : daily.bhaskar.com

To check road mishaps in West Bengal, govt to set up council led by CM

Alarmed at the increasing number of road incidents in West Bengal, the state police has proposed to set up of a Road Safety Council, headed by the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, to ensure better traffic regulation and management along the 2,263 kilometer long National Highways and 2,764 kilometer long State Highways passing through various districts.

The proposal came after a state police’s report revealed that 28,726 have lost lives in road accidents between 2005 and 2010. Read more

Source : indianexpress.com

TRAI likely to issue biz guidelines for new operators

Hyderabad: To protect mobile users' interest in the backdrop of cancellation of 2G licences by the Supreme Court, telecom regulator TRAI is likely to come out with fresh guidelines on the business modalities to be followed by the companies that have lost licences, according to sources.

     
As the companies, which have invested billions of dollars in infrastructure, are set to lose the existing licences in four months, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is examining the issues such as selling recharge coupons and fresh connections by these service providers, sources close to the development said. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

Soapy milk, toxic apples: India's sour food safety record

Before dawn every day he joins hundreds of wholesale traders at Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, a sprawling, chaotic market where trucks blare Bollywood music, porters haul huge brown sacks of fruit and vegetables and hawkers ply tea and cigarettes.

His own trade is in rosy red apples, laced with calcium carbide.

Bhim says he's been adding chemicals to his apples for years to artificially ripen them after a long journey from the Himalayan foothills, despite being told that it causes cancer. Read more

Source : reuters.com

PHED, discom staff most negligent

Jaipur: In public grievance hearings, conducted by district collectors on implementation of the Public Service Guarantee Act, it has surfaced that government officers of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the power department are most negligent.

The district collector of Jaipur, Naveen Mahajan came to know about several such cases of negligence on the part of government officers during a hearing on grievances in the district’s panchayat samitis. Read more

Source : daily.bhaskar.com

MGNREGA Luring Away Labour From Farm Fields: Study

BANGALORE : Besides creating labour shortage in the agriculture sector, cost of farm production increased by upto 20 per cent in Karnataka after implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the Centre’s flagship programme aimed at alleviating poverty, revealed a new research study.

The study by Institute for Social and Economic Change Bangalore, stated that after implementation of the job scheme, in majority of villages shortage of labour in agriculture was observed during kharif sowing season of July, August and September. The scheme came into operation in February 2006. Read more

Source : news.outlookindia.com

BDA sites: Karnataka CM asked to file objections

Bangalore, DHNS : The High Court on Friday gave two weeks to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and others to file objections in a PIL challenging the allotment of housing plots by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to the chief minister.

The petitioner, K G Nagalakshmi Bai, had approached the court seeking criminal action against the chief minister for construction of a building in contravention of bylaws. According to the petition, Gowda was allotted a 50x80 feet site in HSR Layout  and he had approached the BDA, seeking permission to amalgamate the adjacent site owned by MLA D N Jeevaraj. The BDA, however, rejected the permission. Read more

Source : deccanherald.com

'CCI scrutiny of foreign takeovers may not be effective'

New Delhi : Ministry of corporate affairs is exploring possibilities of amending the Competition Act to exempt deals in the sector from the current turnover and deal size thresholds

The government’s attempt to strike a balance between public health concerns and need for foreign direct investments (FDI) by empowering the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to monitor all foreign takeovers of Indian drug firms may have no impact. Experts feel all domestic takeovers, irrespective of the turnover, deal size or the status of the acquirer, need to be brought under strict scrutiny. Read more

Source : business-standard.com

What happens to the millions of gadgets we discard?

Miraj Malik deals with the after life. His days begin with a casual stroll around the dusty lanes of Seelampur - a Delhi suburb - inspecting the latest cold cargo that's been picked up from across the National Capital Region (NCR) and unloaded by hundreds of trucks the previous night. 

Malik dabbles in cadavers of computers and sundry gizmos. He runs 18 shops in Seelampur - one of India's biggest "organised" unorganised market for scrapped electronic devices - where they are dismantled, glass and plastic parts are sifted out from metals, which, in turn, are separated to be sold to metal hubs like Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

It’s not rocket science

In a slum along the Mysore Road in Bangalore, the headquarters for the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation, or Isro, dozens of dish antennae jut out from crowded rooftops. They pick up signals directly from one of several home-grown satellites, making 24/7 television possible and spurring direct-to-home services.

“The cable guys stopped servicing our area because nobody would pay,” says S Sudhir, a resident who maintains a public toilet in Bangalore. “Now we can buy recharge TV coupons for even a day’s viewing. This is easy on the pocket.” Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com