Commission’s term ends on October 16, Ministry denies it third extension
The Centre is not extending the tenure of the Justice M.B. Shah Commission, inquiring into illegal mining in seven States. With its tenure ending on October 16, the one-man panel will have to wind up within two weeks, without a thorough probe into irregularities in one of the severely mined States, Chhattisgarh, a source in the Commission informed The Hindu .
Gram sabha at Taraimarh adjourned due to lack of quorum as villagers stay away
On a wet and windy Saturday evening nearly 350 km north of the State capital, Raipur, a non-descript village registered a historic victory against Bharat Alumunium Company Ltd (Balco), an affiliate of India focused global miner, Vedanta.
Youth arrived in SUVs to take part in the hearing for supporting the Jindal project
Young men – some locals and some from far-flung areas – arrived in hundreds of SUVs to demand setting up of Jindal’s coal mines in Tiklirampur on Wednesday. Some of them told The Hindu that they were asked by employees and contractors of Jindal Group to participate in the public hearing for environment clearance.
It is an exercise by State government to hand over 350 hectare of land to JSPL
Standing on the edge of a monstrous, black gorge, 72-year-old Kaniram, a Birhor tribal, stretched his left hand to point at the mud thatched house that he had in the hill slope. However, one could only see waves of unending charcoal coloured hills in the backdrop.
Petition challenges concessions given to mining giants by Chhattisgarh government
July has been a bitter month for the mining tycoons of the country. In the first week, the CBI pulled up JSPL (Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.) chief Naveen Jindal, who allegedly misrepresented facts in the coal blocks allocation scam, while the Dongria Kondhs, a primitive hill tribe, came together to obstruct a mega project of Vedanta Alumina in southern Orissa.
Water contamination in flood-affected panchayats of Abujhmarh in Narainpur district of south Chhattisgarh may result in a huge death toll, it is feared.
The secretary of one of the affected panchayats, Kamluram Netam, has told journalists of Narainpur that several panchayats of the area are “severely affected and the death toll will go up.” So far, more than 20 persons have died due to water-borne diseases, the locals said. Many are sick and it is not clear whether any medical support has reached the affected panchayats.
Private hospitals refuse treatment under government insurance schemes
The Chhattisgarh government has had to accept yet another setback while trying desperately to rope in private players to strengthen public health care services. At least 20 major private hospitals have refused to provide treatment under the Chief Minister’s health insurance scheme — Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana (MSBY). Reportedly, they are also not following guidelines to provide treatment under the national health insurance scheme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), and are charging money from the patients.
