Full Coverage: India

30.04.2007 A Bushman spokesperson has appealed to the Indian government to respect an order of the Indian Supreme Court that has asked for closure of the Andaman Trunk Road that will harm the Jarawa tribes.

30.04.2007 A report by ActionAid reveals that the business practices of UK supermarkets are forcing women workers in the cashew industry in India to live in acute poverty and work in unhealthy conditions.

24.04.2007 New Delhi based organisation Citizens Research Collective has compiled data and information on Special Economic Zones (SEZs). SEZs are specially demarcated areas being promoted by the Indian government to boost economy but are also creating social resentment because of large scale displacement.

24.04.2007 The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) signed an agreement with soft drink multinational Coca-Cola to collaborate on projects to improve community access to water and sanitation in India and Nepal.

20.04.2007 Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), on April 18, 2007, released its latest publication entitled, 'Sewage Canal: How to Clean the Yamuna'. CSE also premiered a 32-minute video on the subject, 'Faecal Attraction: Political Economy of Defecation', which explodes various myths about river cleaning. At the release function, Sunita Narain,director CSE, pointed out that money and technology cannot revive the Yamuna, and other approaches would have to be adopted.

20.04.2007 The findings of the survey done by WHO in six states of India, distinctly states that health costs are out of the reach of the poor and made them more vulnerable to ill-health. In fact for many, poverty has been exacerbated due to debt and selling of assets for the meeting of health expenses.

20.04.2007 Food security can ensure physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for a healthy life. But startling food insecurity and poor health indicators make it essential to bring these issues to the fore. Indian Social Institute intends to build capacities for achieving food security and ensuring healthy living through a 2 day workshop on Food Security and Health Promotion: Approaches and Strategies" from April 27-28, 2007 within its premises at Indian Social Institute, 10 Institutional Area, Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003.

20.04.2007 KRITI: a development research, praxis and communication team will be releasing a Hindi version of their publication From Thought to Action: Strategies to combat Violence against Women, entitled Aurato ke Khilaf Hinsa: Dhrishtikon aur Rannitiyan at the Amphitheatre, India Habitat Centre, on the 4th of May 2007 from 6.30 pm onwards. The book shares findings from an in-depth field-based study and suggests possible interventions.

20.04.2007 The concept of Community Radio (CR) is indeed exciting as it gives voice to the voiceless and reinforces democracy. It provides the traditionally marginalised communities to have a mechanism of change in their own hands. Sushmita Malaviya in her article talks about the involvement of various organizations in CR, their work and the challenges ahead.

19.04.2007 Kolkata-based NGO, Center for Social Market (CSM) is initiating a series of seminars - Climate Conversation - on Climate Change in the Indian cities of Kochi and Kolkatta in June 2007. The organisation feels the need for the civil society organisations to interact with policymakers to raise awareness on climate change and security issues.

19.04.2007 Controversial plans to mine over 4,000 acres of farm and forest land in India have come under further criticism after people affected by the giant project were effectively barred from attending a public hearing.

18.04.2007 The headquarters of Mizzima News Agency in New Delhi, India, run by exiled Burmese journalists was shut down by the Delhi Police and municipal authorities who claimed that the office was conducting "commercial activities" from a residential area.

18.04.2007 In this paper, presented at the national workshop on Gender Budgeting as an effective tool for women's empowerment, organised by the Equity Foundation Patna and the Planning Commission of India on 15th April, 2007, Dr. Vibhuti Patel, Director, PGSR, SNDT Women's University Mumbai, shares a detailed analysis of the state of gender budgeting in India.

17.04.2007 Greenpeace India has launched a national campaign for a ban on the incandescent light bulb and has asked for legislation for its implementation. It hopes to fight climate change in India as well as tackle IndiaÂ’s energy crisis.

16.04.2007 The Central Information Commission (CIC) on Friday directed the Department of Bio-technology (DBT) to make public the data generated from the tests carried out with genetically engineered crops by agro-biotech companies. This RTI is in response to an appeal petition filed by Greenpeace.

16.04.2007 Balraj Puri from the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) says that terrorism in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has dwarfed the human rights of orphans, widows, handicapped, weaker sections, displaced persons and many others. He says that it is a high time that people took notice of these rights also.

16.04.2007 Anti-poverty agency ActionAid is calling on central government to prevent the state from violating environmental guidelines and denying the voices of local people in a hearing on projects proposed by Korean steel giant POSCO which are set to displace seven villages.

16.04.2007 Well known activist Medha Patkar released a report - Dalits & The NCMP - which has been published by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan. The report highlights the status of Dalits in the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) with a focus on livelihood, education and budgetary resources. Read press release by WNTA

16.04.2007 In this paper on Education and Health of Girl Child presented at a symposium organized by The Indian Academy of Pediatrics Child Abuse, Neglect and Child Labour (IAP CANCL) in Mumbai on 12th January, 2007, Dr.Vibhuti Patel, Head of Department of Economics at SNDT University Mumbai, reports on the situation of the girl child in urban India.

16.04.2007 An Indian NGO, Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA), plans to organize a 3-day international conference - Youth & Democracy in South Asia, in the West Indian city of Pune.