All stories by Nitin Sethi
CAG audit of GST reveals systemic flaws, not just glitches
Rediff.com28 Aug 2019The CAG audit and other data suggests it could be far from the efficient new alternative that was once conceptualised. A conclusive review remains elusive till the government begins to release more granular and comparable data on the complex backend of GST to a deeper scrutiny, by researchers, auditors and the public.
'Climate change could push up cereal prices by 29%'
Rediff.com16 Jul 2019A report authored by UN's panel of scientists from across the world on climate change and sent to the governments of 197 countries has ominous news on the climate change front.
Reimagining environmental governance won't be easy
Rediff.com30 May 2019Successive governments focused on altering the clearance processes but largely gave a pass to the second, and essential, element of environmental regulations for monitoring pollution levels and how industries followed conditions laid down for clearances.
Realty hits green hurdle as NDA's reforms end up in court
Rediff.com16 May 2019The ease with which city-level master plans are altered and land-use patterns changed without considering carrying capacities or the overall environmental footprint of urbanisation in different states has already created water and air pollution crises in several emerging and existing cities.
Caution: You are still being watched!
Rediff.com24 Mar 2019The government claims the existing safeguards under the law are adequate, lawful, towards a legitimate purpose and provide for a "proportionate interference" in citizens' right to privacy, reports Nitin Sethi.
Tribal eviction: 'SC order a setback for conservation in India'
Rediff.com28 Feb 2019Calling the Supreme Court order 'unjust' to the tribals as well as against the interest of wildlife conservation in India scientists have demanded cancellation of SC order
Tribal eviction: Even BJP-ruled states told to file petition against SC order
Rediff.com26 Feb 2019Party president Amit Shah tweeted that BJP-ruled states will soon be filing review petition against the SC order and care will be taken to safeguard the rights of the tribals and prevent eviction.
Will Rahul be able to help tribals facing eviction?
Rediff.com25 Feb 2019The Congress president has written to party chief ministers, asking them to file a review petition against an SC order regarding mass-scale evictions of tribals and other forest-dwellers.
Major setback for Ramdev
Rediff.com28 Dec 2018The judgment could impact not only Ramdev's widespread ayurveda and herbal products business, but also that of many other pharmaceutical, ayurveda, herbal and cosmetic product manufacturers.
Does TN govt's decision to permanently close Sterlite hold water?
Rediff.com5 Jun 2018When it closed close down the copper plant at Thoothukudi in 2013. Its orders were held illegal by the NGT on procedural grounds
Modi @ 4: How 'swachh' is our Bharat?
Rediff.com30 May 2018While household toilets are only one part of the large challenge for the government, having liquid and solid waste management facilities, along with water delivery across the entire country, is a trickier one.
Did NDA govt help Vedanta's Tuticorin factory?
Rediff.com25 May 2018The environment ministry till May 2014 (still under UPA) ordered that cases like Vedanta's expansion plans need to consult people. But in December 2014, the NDA government reversed this position and in March 2015 the environment ministry extended Vedanta's environmental clearance till December 2018. This it did even while the question of the need for public hearing by projects in different kinds of industrial parks was being contested in the courts. This allowed the company to carry out construction.
No govt deadline to implement long pending forest policy
Rediff.com3 Apr 2017The fact that the government has no specific deadline to impose this policy was revealed through a response to an RTI application in February 2017.
Govt leniency to help projects without green clearance
Rediff.com24 Mar 2017Projects to pay for clean up if environmental damage is found
Pilot study in 3 UTs shows why cash in lieu of PDS won't work
Rediff.com3 Feb 2017The research found that 50% of the people were receiving either nothing or less cash than they were entitled in lieu of the subsidised grains that were stopped under the pilots starting from September 2015 till May 2016.
Changes in tribal rights and green rules 'save' 130 mines
Rediff.com18 Jan 2017The changes were made to several regulations in a coordinated manner by the environment ministry, the tribal affairs ministry and the mines ministry over a year.
When Bill Gates did a U-turn on demonetisation
Rediff.com18 Nov 2016We are certainly for digitisation. I do not have opinion about demonetisation. I still don't, says Bill Gates.
Govt curtailed work under MGNREGA through WhatsApp chats
Rediff.com26 Oct 2016Instructions from the Union rural development ministry to the state officials on the WhatsApp group show that the chat was also used as an off-record avenue for the Union government to pass instructions, which it could not have done through formal channels, keeping the law in mind.
How Centre's WhatsApp messages crashed MGNREGA
Rediff.com26 Oct 2016Centre's off-the-record instructions through WhatsApp and a squeeze on funds brought the rural work programme to collapse after a roaring first half of the year.
Despite India's objection, Pak's climate change project gets approval at GCF
Rediff.com15 Oct 2016India tried to block the project at the fund's board meeting in South Korea, but later agreed to approve it with new condition, reports Nitin Sethi.