Iodine deficiency diseases on the rise againIDDS, or Iodine Deficiency Disorders, have never been on the government list of priority health issues. Till now, that is. A recent cross-country study by the Directorate General of Health Services, Indian Council of Medical Research and state health directorates have thrown up alarming figures.
CPI(M)-backed society is building a mangrove theme leisure park in Kannur
The project will destroy the mangrove forests in the area
It was cleared despite a forest department recommendation that the area must declared
ecologically fragile
Opposition leaders and environmentalists up in arms
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The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala is for all practical purpos
A report has deemed 335medicinal plants threatened
The cause: their use in ayurvedic medicines, for which there is a growing global demand
Guggal, from which gum-resin is used in ayurvedic medicines, is virtually extinct in India
One corrective initiative from the government is the setting up of 29 medicinal plant conservation areas (MPCAs)
A Rs 630-crore Nati
Last week, the central government celebrated five successful years of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and its outreach programmes. But an international report from the voluntary group Save the Children, to be released on May 3, comes as a dampener. The figures show India topping the global list for child mortality under five years.
Delhi may well be bringing its citizens world-class infrastructure, thanks to the Commonwealth Games (CWG). But the human cost of development and the long-term impact on the poorer sections are either being underplayed or overlooked. As work races to meet the October deadline, stories abound of violation of labour laws, use of child labour, shabby living conditions, even deaths.
