Category: Women and Children

A six-year-old kindergarten student in Uttar Pradesh has petitioned the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against a poultry farm near his school, seeking its closure on the grounds that foul smell from the unit is causing breathing problems among children in the area.

Arjun Malik, from Shaamli, in his petition against Highteck Layer Farm and the state of Uttar Pradesh, stated that despite several notices by the state Pollution Control Board and protests by the locals, the poultry farm had continued operation.

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Courtesy: Yourstory

Environmentalists yesterday staged a protest outside the High Court in Pretoria in support of an application to stop coal mining activities inside the Mabola Protected Environment, near Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga.

Eight civil society and community organisations, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, brought an urgent application to stop Indian-owned mining company Atha-Africa Ventures from commencing with any mining and related activities without environmental authorisation and local planning approval.

The application was postponed until today for a possible settlement agreement.

The coalition consists of groundWork, the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of SA, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, Birdlife SA, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Federation for a Sustainable Environment, Association for Water and Rural Development and the Bench Marks Foundation.

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Courtesy: The Citizen

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu conducted a video conference with the Collectors and Project Officers of the seven Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) here on Tuesday. Minister for Health Kamineni Srinivas was present.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the Chaparayi incident in which 16 persons died after consuming contaminated water.

Mr. Naidu asked the officials to spread awareness among the tribal population about health habits and hygiene.He announced 105 crore would be released to meet the drinking water needs of the ITDAs.

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Courtesy: The Hindu

With less than 59% literacy among the tribal communities as per the 2011 Census, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) is focussing on improving their education and health aspects, said TRIFED Chairman and Managing Director Ganta Ramesh Kumar here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the final day of his three-day visit to Chittoor district, Mr. Kumar said the schemes introduced under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs would target promoting the marketing of forest produce, skill development and improving the livelihood of the tribal community. “Schemes focussing on self-employment would encourage individuals as well as groups to develop their talents/inclination such as agriculture, horticulture, fisheries etc. On June 25, we organised a training programme in making incense sticks – ‘Amma Padmavati Agarbatthi’, for nearly 30 people hailing from tribal communities,” he said.

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Courtesy: The Hindu