Category: News

States utilising District Mineral Foundation fund fail to identify beneficiaries, finds CSE study

NEW DELHI: Even as a whopping Rs 18,467 crore has been collected from 20 minerals bearing States of the country under the most ambitious District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scheme till May this year, not a single trust that is constituted at the district level has so far identified its beneficiaries, the mining affected people.

The latest study on mining States conducted by New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have collected over 72 per cent of the total DMF fund. Odisha topped the list with Rs 4,453 crore, followed by Chhattisgarh with the collection of Rs 2,746 crore, Jharkhand Rs 2,696 crore, Rajasthan Rs 1,782 crore and Madhya Pradesh Rs 1,610 crore. Read more

Courtesy: The New Indian Express

Does Raising Questions on the Rights of Adivasis Make Me a ‘Deshdrohi’?

This short note was written by Fr Stan Swamy after the Jharkhand authorities filed a case of sedition against him for supporting the adivasi Pathalgadi movement.

Over the last two decades, I have identified myself with the adivasi people and their struggle for a life of dignity and self respect. As a writer, I have tried to analyse the different issues they face. In this process, I have clearly expressed my dissent over several policies and laws enacted by the government in the light of the Indian constitution. I have questioned the validity, legality and justness of several steps taken by the government and the ruling class. Read more

Courtesy: The Wire

CSE releases detailed assessment of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scheme

New Delhi, July 31, 2018:“The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scheme is a people-centric vision of natural resource governance where people’s right to benefit has been put at the forefront. If developed and implemented well, DMFs not only have a huge potential for improving the lives and livelihoods of some of the poorest communities, they could also be a model for inclusive governance,” Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment(CSE), said while releasing CSE’s 2018 assessment report on the scheme here today.

People First: District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Status Report, 2018, as the assessment is titled, comes as the DMF scheme enters the fourth year of its functioning. CSE has assessed its effectiveness through an analysis of DMF administration in 12 mining states in the country. An in-depthanalysis has been done of the investments in 13 districts in the five top mining states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. These five states account for more than 72 per cent of the total DMF accrual in the country. Read more

Courtesy: CSE

 

NGO proposes sustainable model to develop highways

Nagpur: On an average, 22km of roads are being built in the country by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) every day, causing huge environmental damage. Friends International, a city-based biodiversity conservation NGO, has proposed sustainable and environment-friendly model for highways development.

Biodiversity consultant DR Chinchmalatpure said the current practice of building highways involves excavation of hard strata to be used as bed material. “As a general practice, this material is extracted from nearby hillocks and highland ranges, which play crucial role in maintaining ecological balance,” says Chinchmalatpure. Read more

Courtesy: The Times of India

Ganga fitness boards

“Innocent persons are drinking and bathing in the Ganga out of reverence and respect. They don’t know that it may be dangerous to their health. If cigarette packets can contain a warning saying it is ‘injurious to health’, why not the people be informed of the adverse effects (of river water)?” a bench headed by NGT chairperson A.K. Goel said. Read more

Courtesy: The Telegraph

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