More HIV Treatment Centers (October 04, 2006)
The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) announced that it has increased the number of free anti-retroviral treatment (ART) centers from 54 to 91 complete with specially trained doctors, counselors, and laboratory technicians.<More>

Tiger Skin Trade Flourishing in China (September 29, 2006)
Two non-Governmental organizations asserted that despite international condemnation and demands, trade in tiger and derivative products continue unabated and overtly in China for costumes and medicines and suppliers are mostly Indian poachers.<More>

SC Halts Genetic Foods (September 27, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) asked the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to halt approvals to genetically modified products till it can determine that these foods have been sufficiently tested and safe for human consumption.<More>

Torture, Censorship, and Repression in ‘Azad’ Kashmir (September 26, 2006)
Human Rights groups say that in so-called ‘Azad’ (free) Kashmir , largely closed to international and independent scrutiny, the Pakistani Government represses democratic freedom, stymies the press and media, and uses torture as instrument of administration.<More>

New Polio Campaign in UP (September 23, 2006)
Facing sharp criticisms from all quarters on failure to curb spread of polio in Uttar Pradesh (UP), the Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss now says that it “will launch a massive campaign” to “win the battle with the virus.<More>

India Claims to be Yaws-Free (September 22, 2006)
India ’s Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss claimed that Yaws, a common chronic infectious disease occurring mostly in the warm humid topical regions, has now been eliminated from India but eradication will take another two years.<More>

Forests Threatened by Elephant Training Camps (September 15, 2006)
Environmentalists say that while elephant training camps brings eco-tourism, they also increase population around these camps, create a shortage of fodder, and compromised the well being of elephants who are now unemployed because of mechanization.<More>

Polio Back Again (September 15, 2006)
The number of polio cases reported in the first 8 months of this year was 283 compared to 66 for 2005 with most from Uttar Pradesh and 69% of the victims being Muslims even as UN Secretary General warned that India is inadvertently exporting the virus.<More>

Complaints about AP Uranium Hearing (September 15, 2006)
The Movement Against Uranium Project (MAUP) has faulted Andhra Pradesh (AP) Pollution Board (APPB) hearing on uranium mining in the state as a “mockery” through a “private rather than a public meaning.”<More>

SC Fines Coal Unit for Environment Damage (September 12, 2006)
The Supreme Court fined India’s largest coal producing company for using forest land in and ruled that all companies using forest land are required to pay a Penal Compensatory Afforestation cost and amount of Net Present Value to continue operations.<More>

Integrated Forest Management Planned (September 12, 2006)
In the next 5 year plan, India plans an Integrated Protection Scheme to increase interfaces with communities, communication, and surveillance of forests and wildlife to facilitate their conservation and protection.<More>

New Dangerous TB Strain (September 12, 2006)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a new drug-resistant Tuberculosis (TB) spreading in several countries and continents including the United States , Eastern Europe , and Africa that could greatly compromise AIDS treatment programs.<More>

Special Education through Satellite (September 08, 2006)
The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) have signed separate agreements with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to set-up boost distance education oriented at the disabled, parents, and trainers.<More>

Study Says Human Gut Hosts HIV (September 08, 2006)
A new study by researchers from the University of California revealed that the human gut hosts twice the amount of HIV virus as a person’s blood stream confirming medical suspicion that current anti-retroviral therapy alone is insufficient to cure an individual.<More>

HC Says No to Yatra Subsidies (August 29, 2006)
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) has restrained the Federal and State Governments from subsidizing Yatra expenses for the Haj and other pilgrimages leaving politicians using these sops as ways to create and retain vote banks in quandary. <More>

Diluted Wildlife Bill Passed (August 23, 2006)
After promising major reforms, the Federal Government greatly diluted the Wildlife Bill in a bid to appease the tribal lobby and passed the Wildlife Bill in great hurry that could greatly affect conservation efforts and endangered species.<More>

Ramdoss Absolves Cola Companies (August 23, 2006)
Expectedly, Federal Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss absolved the cola companies in the Lok Sabha that pesticide levels in their products were “within the permissible levels” and called an independent report “inconclusive."<More>

Activists Trying to Coerce a Tribal Bill (August 22, 2006)
Tasting success with stopping the Government’s plan to rightfully amend the Right to Information Act, activists are now targeting the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2005, also known as the Tribal Bill (TB), to bulldoze through Parliament.<More>

Contrarian HIV Estimates in New Survey (August 22, 2006)
A study of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) has proposed a contrarian view that the number of those living with this infection may be a third lower than current estimates of 5.2 million but warned that a nation-wide survey is required for a more accurate estimate.<More>

Whale Deaths in Ramanathapuram (August 14, 2006)
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park (GMMNP) has reported 10 whales washed ashore in the last 7 ½ months between Mandapam and Pamban compared to 95 whales washed ashore from 1841 to 1995 and wants an expert panel to study this phenomenon.<More>

Kerala Ban Cola Production, Industry Cries Foul (August 14, 2006)
Following reports from a prominent Non-Government Organizations on high pesticide residue in commercially available colas, the State Governments of Kerala banned the production of aerated colas by Pepsico and Coca Cola.<More>

Unchecked AIDS Will Deplete Workforce (August 10, 2006)
Confirming results of a recent study by 3 premier institutions, International Finance Corporation Principal Strategy Officer Sabine Durier warned that India’s booming economic growth will decelerate drastically if it does not check spread of HIV-AIDS.<More>

SC Allows “Toxic” Ship-Breaking (August 07, 2006)
The Gujarat Maritime Board said that the Supreme Court has granted them permission to break up the 11-storey Blue Lady, believed to be laden with asbestos and other toxic materials, in the Alang ship-breaking yard in Western Gujarat.<More>

Unusual Clouds over Antarctica (August 03, 2006)
Australian scientists say that extreme weather conditions are producing unusual cloud formation, called stratospheric clouds, over Antarctica that could lead to “chemical changes” capable of destroying “vital stratospheric ozone.”<More>

Food Bill Passed as Pesticides Makeup Colas (August 03, 2006)
As a prominent Non-Government Organization (NGO) reported high levels of pesticide and toxins in soft drinks, the Rajya Sabha passed a Bill to consolidate laws relating to food and establish a regulatory body for the food-processing sector.<More>

Meghalaya Coal Mining Excesses (August 02, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) accepted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) requesting intervention to stop rampant coal mining and limestone quarrying off natural caves in Meghalaya claiming that the Federal Government has not responded to their pleas.<More>

Who Supports Right to Education Bill? (August 02, 2006)
Several state governments are angry at the Federal Government’s plan to pass on financial responsibility of implementing the Fundamental Right to Education for children in the six-to-14 age group out of State Budgets.<More>

India Wants Bird Flu-Free Label (August 01, 2006)
In order to resume exports of profitable chicken meat and eggs, India is considering asking the Organisation Internationale d’épizootie (OIE) (also known as the World Organization of Animal Health) to gain a avian influenza (bird flu) free status.< More >

Digital Record of Bio-Resources (July 28, 2006)
Department of Biotechnology under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology has produced a set of CD based information called “Jeeva Sampada” which is the first digital documentation of India's vast bio-resources covering over 39,000 species. <More>

Collateral Damage of HIV - AIDS (July 25, 2006)
A recent study by three premier institutions predicted that a continued unchecked spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic can adversely impact macro-economic parameters including growth rate, educational levels, and labor shortages. <More>

Government to Respond to Reservation Lawsuit  (July 24, 2006)
The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court (SC) justifying the Government’s decision to reserve seats for the so-called Other Backward Classes (OBC) in higher educational institutions under the 93^rd Amendment. <More>

“Tigers Forever” Initiative (July 22, 2006)
US-based Wildlife Conservation Society announced a “Tigers Forever” initiative as a venture capital investment funded by nature-loving businessmen that expects biologists to provide a guaranteed return of 50% increase in tiger population in key area. <More>

Thailand Tamil-Brahmi Inscription (July 17, 2006)
A team of Thai and French archaeologists found a shred of pottery dating back to the 2nd Century Christian era (CE) with three letters including the characteristic Tamil-Brahmi letter ‘Ra’ attesting the prevalence of Tamil civilization and extent of maritime contacts. <More>

ADB Fund for Bird Flu (July 14, 2006)
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has disbursed more than USD 11 million to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).<More>

PM Says Narmada Should Not Stop (July 11, 2006)
Through a signed statement, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Supreme Court (SC) that there is no real case for stopping the Narmada Dam virtually debunking a politically motivated report by his Cabinet members.<More>

Focus on Children with AIDS  (July 11, 2006)
National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) Director-General Sujatha Rao said that her organization has “finalized the treatment protocol for pediatric AIDS” and “awaiting Government clearance” to “train doctors to start the program in medical colleges.” <More>

Increased Heroin Flows from Afghanistan (June 30, 2006)
Narcotic trackers say that an unwanted and unanticipated side-effect of the Indo-Pak peace process that has increased foot, rail, and road traffic between the two nations is the upsurge of smuggling of heroin from Afghanistan.<More>

Tribal Rights Bill will shrink Forests Further (June 30, 2006)
Satellite imagery shows that human habitation in and on the periphery of forests, encroachment, and illegal logging has reduced forest cover in 11 of the 28 forests and the proposed Tribal Rights Bill (TRB) legalizing forest dwellers land rights will exacerbate this scenario.<More>

AIDS Campaign Launched (June 29, 2006)
A joint operation by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have launched a 5-year Youth Unite for Victory on AIDS (YUVA) plan aimed at reaching out to adolescents and youth.<More>

Army to Hunt Poachers, Safeguard Forests (June 20, 2006)
The Ministry of Environment and Forests briefed Army Chief J.J. Singh about a new proposal, apparently supported by non-Government organizations, to amend relevant laws that will empower the Army to track and kill poachers.<More>

Indian woman faces high risk of AIDS (June 20, 2006)
New survey data show that a majority of HIV-infected women did not report a history of multiple partners, intravenous drug use, or blood transfusions and seem to have been infected through sex with their infected husbands.<More>

Diabetes and Fizz Soda (June 12, 2006)
After introducing a plan to curb smoking in movies, Federal Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss is now asking movie actors and cricketers to stop being brand ambassadors to aerated drinks to curb obesity and diabetes among children.<More>

Central Tobacco Authority Being Planned (June 08, 2006)
Federal Minister of Health Anbumani Ramdoss said that a Central Tobacco Authority (CTA) with unprecedented powers to implement the provisions of the Tobacco Act is being planned and revealed in the next couple of months.<More>

Oil Slick Threatens Goa (June 07, 2006)
As oil patches from the Panama-registered MV Ocean Seraya which broke into two after hitting a rock during a recent storm system began washing up on the popular tourist beaches in Goa, environmentalists warned of larger dangers of an oil slick.<More>

YSR Cries after Spilling Milk (June 06, 2006)
After giving free electricity and causing near total depletion of ground water resources in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhkara Reddy said he was concerned that several districts in the state are facing the grim reality of turning into a desert. <More>