- जलवायु एवं प्रकृति न्याय फोरम, दिल्ली  राजस्थान के बारां जिले के स्थानीय लोगों ने 500 किलोमीटर से अधिक की यात्रा करके प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के लिये ज्ञापन दिया है, ताकि प्राचीन, जैव विविधता से भरपूर शाहबाद के जंगल में 1.19 लाख पुराने पेड़ों और अनगिनत अन्य छोटे पेड़ों और झाड़ियों को कटने से बचाया जा सके। ऐसा इसलिए हो रहा है क्योंकि सरकार ने हैदराबाद की ग्रीनको एनर्जी प्राइवेट लिमिटेड नामक एक निजी कंपनी को बारां जिले के शाहबाद ब्लॉक में 408 हेक्टेयर वन भूमि पर ‘पंप स्टोरेज प्रोजेक्ट’ स्थापित करने की अनुमति दी है।

By A Representative   Utthan, a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering vulnerable communities, has been awarded the prestigious First Prize in the Climate Change Award 2024–25 by the Climate Change Department, Government of Gujarat. The award, which includes a prize of ₹1 lakh, recognizes Utthan’s transformative work in empowering small and marginal women farmers through climate-resilient agricultural practices.   The organization has successfully transitioned 5,000 women farmers to sustainable farming methods and brought 3,300 acres under climate-resilient practices.  Over 99% of participating farmers have adopted eco-friendly techniques like seed treatment, bio-inputs, water-saving technologies, and agroforestry. Additionally, input costs have been reduced for more than 80% of farmers, while the initiative has also fostered climate entrepreneurs producing bio-inputs and offering tool rental services.   Utthan’s initiative aligns with India’s comm...

By Nava Thakuria*   The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India, recently drew national and international media attention for two incidents, but both for wrong reasons. The group of  572 islands, where  38 are inhabited, with the landmass of around 8,249 square kilometre woke up to an incident where a foreigner was caught for visiting a restricted island and also a local journalist was found dead in the last week of March 2025. News broke from Port Blair (now renamed as Sri Vijaya Puram), the capital abd largest township of the territory, that Ukrainian-American national (identified as Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov) reached North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean to make contact with the uncontacted Sentinelese people.

By Gajanan Khergamker   The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, alongside the repeal of the colonial-era Mussalman Wakf Bill of 1923, marks a significant legislative recalibration in the governance of Islamic charitable endowments in India. Touted as a reformative measure aimed at transparency, inclusion, and social justice, the Bill introduces sweeping changes—including the digitisation of property records, mandatory audits, and, most contentiously, the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council.

By Harsh Thakor*  Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Friday at the age of 87 after a prolonged battle with health issues. According to medical reports, he succumbed to cardiogenic shock resulting from an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a severe heart attack. Additionally, he had been struggling with decompensated liver cirrhosis in recent months, which significantly worsened his condition. Manoj Kumar was not just an actor and filmmaker but an institution who set standards that continue to shape Indian cinema. His films were not merely cinematic spectacles but profound reflections of patriotism, social justice, and human endeavor. His influence has left a lasting imprint on generations, preventing commercial cinema from being diluted. His towering screen presence, distinctive charm, impeccable timing, moral conviction, and ability to understate characters were hallmarks of his craft. He effectively p...

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ  On Sunday 23 March, Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of Rome's Gemelli Hospital, for the first time since his hospitalization and before leaving the facility where he had been since 14 February.  During this period his he was very serious for many days. He greeted those present, imparted his blessing and gave the 'thumbs up' to the nearly three thousand people gathered in the square below who were applauding his appearance and release from hospital. He is now back in his residence at Santa Marta in the Vatican. For his deep faith, his resilience and the strength ‘not to give up’, we celebrate Pope Francis!

By Bharat Dogra  Water scarcity for many months in a year is becoming a significant problem in many rural communities of the world. In many areas it has become a survival issue and several communities are forced to abandon their habitations for a considerable time of the year mainly because of water scarcity. Many others are able to maintain their settlement only if the timely arrival of water tankers can be ensured. In other places communities are having to struggle very hard to quench the thirst of their farm, dairy and other animals. In a larger number of communities people are saying loud and clear that water has emerged as their biggest constraint as many other development initiatives cannot progress or even start due to water shortage.

By A Representative  A significant initiative aimed at conserving and enhancing urban biodiversity in Bhuj was launched on March 25, 2025, with the release of the book Trees of Bhuj  and the launch of the web portal treesofbhuj.in . The initiative is spearheaded by Home In the City (HIC), a collective of non-profits dedicated to creating a more sustainable and inclusive city.

By Harsh Thakor*  Following recent encounter killing of Maoists, a statement from the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has surfaced, outlining conditions for a ceasefire. The group has demanded the suspension of anti-Naxal operations and the halting of new security force camps. The statement, dated March 28, 2025, and purportedly issued by Abhay, a spokesperson of the Central Committee of Maoists, emerged just before Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Chhattisgarh.