Social Issues

In the agriculturally-rich Hanumangarh district of northern Rajasthan, the seepage of water from the Indira Gandhi Canal into about 30 villages of Pilibanga and Rawatsar blocks is set to decide the depth of support to different political parties in the Assembly election. Two generations of farmers, facing the problem for …

The Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Nand Kumar Sai, has said the Centre may like to revisit its decision to lift the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) system from 29 islands of Andaman and Nicobar, after the death of U.S. citizen John Allen Chau. Mr. Sai, who is …

Kolkata NGO compiles 35 cases of sexual assault More than 100 differently-abled women and girls have raised allegations of sexual harassment in West Bengal since 2012, a city-based NGO working for the rights of the disabled said. Thirty five cases of sexual assault on differently-abled girls and women were reported …

Thirty-four years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, survivors continue to demand proper rehabilitation, adequate compensation and proper medical treatment for ailments caused by the toxic leak.In what is termed as the world’s worst industrial disaster, over 15,000 people were killed after methyl isocyanate leaked on the intervening night of December …

Church sceptical of link, contends allowing liquor sales hasn’t curbed drug use The quantity of heroin seized in Mizoram has increased steadily since 2014 when the State government replaced total prohibition with controlled prohibition. While enforcement officials attribute this trend to the 2013 countrywide ban on the sale of painkiller …

The Army will definitely witness an increase in the number of women officers in the coming years, but it is not yet ready to cast women in combat roles, the Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, said on Friday.“You will see an increase in the role of women …

The Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to examine sexual harassment at the workplace may consider amending the law to ensure workplace safety, according to government sources. The GoM headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to meet soon, said a senior Home ministry official, who spoke on condition of …

UNESCO report says that 80% of seasonal migrant children in seven cities lacked access to education and 40% were likely to end up in work Literacy levels in rural households of India dip with seasonal migration, the UNESCO global education monitoring report 2019 has observed, bringing out the educational challenges …

‘The community can’t be included in SEBC category’ A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a new Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category under which Marathas will be given reservation, organisations of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) said on Monday that this was an attempt to give …

UNESCO report says that 80% of seasonal migrant children in seven cities lacked access to education and 40% were likely to end up in work Literacy levels in rural households of India dip with seasonal migration, the UNESCO global education monitoring report 2019 has observed, bringing out the educational challenges …

‘The community can’t be included in SEBC category’ A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a new Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category under which Marathas will be given reservation, organisations of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) said on Monday that this was an attempt to give …

Sabarimala Ayyappa temple witnesses one of the worst crisis in its history Unlike the heavy rush witnessed during weekend holidays for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, the holy hillock saw only a moderate pilgrim flow this time around. This is mainly due to the restrictions imposed by the police on pilgrim movement …

The Sabarimala temple opened on Friday for the annual 62-day pilgrimage season amid unprecedented security arrangements following protests against the entry of women to the temple even as the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) decided to move the Supreme Court seeking more time to implement its order allowing entry to women …

There cannot be a complete ban on use of word “Dalit” in media, the Press Council of India, the body that regulates print media, has ruled. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had issued an advisory to all media outlets to not use the word “Dalit” to refer to members belonging …

People opt for development, says Modi; launches projects for Rs. 2,400 cr. in Varanasi The people of the country are taking decisions based on development and not “politics of vote bank”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Monday.At an official function in his Lok Sabha constituency, the Prime Minister …

Landfall likely on Thursday between Cuddalore and Pamban Cyclone Gaja is likely to cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore district and Pamban, in Ramanathapuram district, in the forenoon of Thursday As on Monday evening, the cyclonic storm lay over the Bay of Bengal, about 720 km east-northeast of Chennai …

Tech giant moves to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week. “We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the …

‘Implementlaws against harassment’ Demanding implementation of laws pertaining to sexual harassment in workplaces and constitution of designated committees, a group of journalists on Saturday gathered at Parliament Street in solidarity with the #MeToo movement. Applauding the courage of several women who have spoken about their traumatic experiences at their workplace, …

Sex-selective procedure done by nurse A suspected sex-selective abortion, performed by a nurse, proved fatal for a 28-year-old woman, R. Ramuthai, of Uthapanaickanoor, near Usilampatti in Madurai district, on Tuesday. Police suspect the victim, a mother of three girls and seven months pregnant with a fourth child, could have opted …

Cleric had allegedly stopped students from singing anthem The Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled the registration of a madrasa in Maharajganj district after the students of the institution were allegedly stopped by a cleric from singing the national anthem on Independence Day. Sedition charges Maulana Junaid Ansari, who allegedly prevented …