Stay updated with the latest Other news, articles, and insights from trusted sources. Explore in-depth coverage and expert analysis on Other topics.
Hyderabad: The Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to impose a complete ban on paraquat dichloride, a herbicide blamed for thousands of deaths among the farming community. Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who introduced the resolution, warned that paraquat was highly toxic, causing fatal lung and organ damage if ingested, with no antidote available. Despite restrictions requiring officer permission for purchase, he noted the chemical remains easily accessible online. Government whip Jatoth Ramachandru Naik pressed for an immediate ban, citing suicides and environmental harm, and referred to 12 deaths in Bodrai Thanda, Dornakal mandal, within a year. Members across parties echoed concerns, pointing out that nearly 2,000 farmers and farm workers die annually in the state due to accidental exposure or intentional consumption. The resolution seeks a total ban on the manufacture, import, sale, transport, storage, and use of paraquat.
Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 1 (ANI): Assam has set a new record in paddy procurement by procuring nearly 7 lakh MT of paddy during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said, 'We are proud to announce the successful conclusion of Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 with a record paddy procurement of 6.97 lakh MT -- the highest ever.' In Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2022-23, the state procured 5.92 lakh MT of paddy, and in 2023-24, the state procured 3.14 lakh MT of paddy. 'This remarkable achievement reflects our commitment to e ...Read More >
Majuli (Assam) [India], June 28 (ANI): Majuli, the river island district in Assam, has marked a significant milestone as its indigenous organic red bao paddy makes its debut in the global market. In a historic development, the first consignment of this unique variety of rice has been formally exported to countries in Central Asia and Europe, bringing smiles to the faces of Majuli's farming community. Also Read | Long-Awaited Relief for Retired Government Employees? 8th Pay Commission May Reduce Commuted Pension Restoration Period from 15 to 12 Years. The export initiative has been spearhead ...Read More >
New Delhi: Economic think tank GTRI on Saturday cautioned that allowing genetically modified (GM) farm products from the US under the proposed trade pact would have implications for India, as it may affect the country's agri exports to regions like the European Union. India and the US are negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to the E ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Wednesday banned the sale of paraquat herbicide, which is claimed to have resulted in many deaths in the state, with immediate effect for 60 days. This is the maximum period a state can ban an agro-chemical under the provisions of the Insecticide Act of 1968, and can extend the ban for another 30 days. A permanent ban on the use of pesticides or herbicides can be imposed only by the Central government. On March 30, the Telangana Assembly had already passed a resolution requesting the Central government to ban Paraquat. Agriculture minister Tummala Nagesw ...Read More >
New Delhi: Firecracker emissions may have contributed between 30% and 40% to the city's pollution on Diwali, with calm conditions primarily worsening the impact and delaying recovery, say experts. According to Gufran Beig, founder of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) and chair professor at National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), a preliminary visual analysis of data indicates that pollution levels rose steeply between 9 pm on Monday and 5 am on Tuesday, when firecracker emissions accounted for over 70% of the total pollution, before decreasing as the sun ...Read More >
New Delhi: Economic think tank GTRI on Saturday cautioned that allowing genetically modified (GM) farm products from the US under the proposed trade pact would have implications for India as it may affect the country's agri exports to regions like the European Union. India and the US are negotiating an interim trade pact, which is expected to be announced before July 9.The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that allowing the import of GM products such as soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed would affect India's agricultural exports to the Eur ...Read More >
Despite unseasonal rainfall, pollution levels refuse to drop with BKC, Malad, Deonar, all in the 'very poor' AQI category The festive fervour in Mumbai on Tuesday was marred by excessive pollution and smoggy air. As the Diwali festivities continued, the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) plunged deeper into the 'very poor' zone, with thick smog settling over key neighbourhoods stretching from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to Byculla and Malad. Despite the unseasonal showers across the city in the even ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi's air is now moving in tandem with farm fires in Punjab. When stubble-burning cases in Punjab shoot up, Delhi-NCR's air quality index (AQI) tends to jump into the "very poor" band within a day. When the burning slows, the air briefly improves. When the fires pick up again, the AQI climbs back. This pattern is clearly visible in daily data between October 16 and October 26. In this chart, each date shows two bars. One bar is the number of stubble-burning incidents Punjab reported the previous day. The bar next to it is Delhi's AQI on the following day. The idea is simple: doe ...Read More >
Meerut: Three men died after allegedly consuming liquor in Meerut's Daurala area on Friday evening. The deceased has been identified as Ankit(32) and Jitendra (45), while baburam (60) succumbed during treatment. As per reports, all three fell seriously ill after drinking the alcohol and were immediately rushed to a private hospital near a toll plaza. Police said doctors have not yet confirmed the cause of death. "The exact cause of death is not clear. Postmortem examination is being conducted and viscera has been preserved for forensic analysis." The preserved samples will be sent to a for ...Read More >
By Pooja Menon and Sumit Saha (Reuters) -Corteva shares fell about 4% on Monday after a report the U.S. agrichemicals company was looking to separate its seed and crop protection chemical businesses stoked concerns about potential operational disruption and value dilution. The combined business model has historically delivered strong synergies, including co-developed seed traits and crop protection products, as well as bundled solutions for farmers. Corteva's potential split of its seed and cr ...Read More >
With Delhi grappling with the season's worst air quality, there has been a surge in the number of patients with respiratory issues at city hospitals in the past two days, according to doctors. Resurgence of health issues has been noticed in patients whose conditions had stabilised, they added. Doctors pointed out that persistent dry cough, fatigue, and difficulty inbreathing were common issues facing people ofall ages. Thesewere particularly severein the elderly, children, and those ...Read More >
Entrepreneur and managing director of Homestays and villas and Mangalya destination weddings, Siddharth Bakaria, was the latest victim of the horror show that the city has turned into. Delhi's air and its declining quality have unfortunately become the hallmark of the general discourse of the country towards the end of the year and almost all throughout Winter. Lungs are Burning To no one's surprise, the Winter of 2024 is no different, with the landlocked capital city breaking the most undesirable records, very early on in the season. According to reports, Delhi and its neighbouring region ...Read More >
Majuli (Assam) [India], June 28 (ANI): Majuli, the river island district in Assam, has marked a significant milestone as its indigenous organic red bao paddy makes its debut in the global market. In a historic development, the first consignment of this unique variety of rice has been formally exported to countries in Central Asia and Europe, bringing smiles to the faces of Majuli's farming community. The export initiative has been spearheaded by the Majuli Agro Organic Farmer Producer Company Limited, under the Assam Department of Horticulture and Food Processing. With full cooperation from ...Read More >
Every October, as the festive season lights up homes across India, the skies above Delhi-NCR turn grey with smog. This year, the Air Quality Index (AQI) has already crossed the 'very poor' mark in several areas, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). PM2.5 levels in the city are currently hovering around 250-300 ug/m3, nearly five times the safe limit prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). While stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and low wind speed are key contrib ...Read More >
MUMBAI: Even as India recorded a marginal improvement in air quality in 2025, cities across the country -- including Mumbai -- continue to grapple with pollution levels far exceeding global safety norms, according to the latest World Air Quality Report released in March.India's annual average PM2.5 concentration dipped by 3% to 48.9 µg/m³ in 2025, still nearly ten times higher than the WHO guideline. The country now ranks as the sixth most polluted globally, behind Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tajikis ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: The government has issued orders imposing a temporary 60-day ban on the sale, stock, distribution, manufacture and use of Paraquat and its formulations across the state. According to orders issued by the Agriculture and Cooperation department on Tuesday, the move comes after the state government on Monday adopted a resolution in the Assembly urging the Central government to impose a complete ban on the sale and use of Paraquat dichloride. Citing feedback and reports from various sources on the adverse effects of the chemical pesticide Paraquat and its derivatives/formulations on h ...Read More >
New Delhi: With the completion of eight years, implementing the goods and services tax (GST) -- one of the country's biggest tax reforms, India has broken all the stereotypes by showcasing a perfect balance between Centre and state administrations and coming together to make decisions and resolve issues as well. Back on July 1, 2017, the GST was rolled out with a promise that the country will bring 'one nation, one tax' by merging various indirect taxes under one umbrella. As of today, it is part of every common man's daily lives; from a cup of tea to a car almost everything he/she buys has a ...Read More >
In the 2016 Bollywood hit Pink, a scene introducing Amitabh Bachchan's character shows the actor emerging from his home on a winter morning into Delhi's smog-filled streets, wearing a mask. The mask and Delhi's smoggy air feature in other scenes of the film but are of little relevance to its plot. Yet, it is one of the rare examples of mainstream Indian films taking notice of the deadly air that makes many parts of India dangerous to live in every year. The toxic air pollution and recurrent wi ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Telangana assembly adopted a resolution on Monday urging the central govt to impose a complete ban on the sale and use of Paraquat dichloride for weed removal in farming. Introducing the resolution, minister Tummala Nageswara Rao stated that Paraquat is responsible for many suicide deaths in villages across Telangana, as it is widely available and inexpensive.He emphasized that, given the seriousness of the situation, the rising number of fatalities, and the negative impact on soil ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Teenage student Aniksha is relieved to be back in class in India's capital - even if the choking smog that prompted her school to close last month has yet to dissipate. New Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan area is home to more than 30 million people and is blanketed by a thick and acrid haze each winter. Get exclusive content with Gulf News WhatsApp channel The public health crisis has grown steadily worse over the years and weeks-long school closures across the capital, aimed at shielding vulnerable children from the harmful skies, are now an annual occurrence. But for th ...Read More >
Gurgaon: City hospitals reported 16 burn injury cases on Diwali night, with most patients sustaining minor burns. Four were referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi for specialised treatment. The Sector 10 Civil Hospital treated 12 burn patients, including eight adults and four children.The pollution spike also led to a surge in respiratory and eye-related cases, with around 170 treated for breathing difficulties and 150 for eye irritation, coughing.Doctors said the toxic air worsened overnight, ...Read More >
A new survey reveals 82% of Delhi-NCR residents know someone suffering serious health issues attributed to long-term air pollution exposure. This comes as Delhi's AQI reached 498, in the 'severe' category, exacerbating a public health crisis and raising concerns about affording medical treatment. NEW DELHI: As toxic smog continues to engulf the national capital region, a new survey has found that 82 per cent of Delhi-NCR residents have at least one person in their close social circle suffering f ...Read More >
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched Kisan Kavach, the first-of-its-kind anti-pesticide... Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched Kisan Kavach, the first-of-its-kind anti-pesticide bodysuit, to protect farmers from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure. The indigenous innovation marks a transformative step in ensuring farmer safety. The bodysuit developed by BRIC-inStem, Beng ...Read More >
The National Capital Delhi continued to reel under hazardous air conditions on Tuesday as the city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 378 at around 7 am, placing it in the 'very poor' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The National Capital Delhi continued to reel under hazardous air conditions on Tuesday as the city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 378 at around 8 am, placing it in the 'very poor' category, according to data from the Ce ...Read More >
Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 4 (ANI): The saying 'talent needs no introduction' found a fitting example at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, where wrestlers from Karnataka's Siddi community have made a powerful statement on the mat. Their success is no longer just about medals--it reflects the emergence of an entire community as a force in wrestling. Of African descent, there are about 50,000 Siddis in India, of which one-third live in Karnataka. Out of the nine wrestlers representing Karnataka at KITG 2026, four belonged to the Siddi community. Three of them clinched gold while ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Mar 30 (PTI) The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution urging the Centre to ban the herbicide paraquat dichloride (24%), citing its lethal impact on human health and biodiversity. State Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who moved the resolution, called on the Centre to take immediate steps to implement the ban under relevant laws and initiate stringent action against violators. The resolution sought a ban on the manufacture, import, sale, transport, storage and use of paraquat in the interest of public health, farmers' welfare, environmental conser ...Read More >
Congress MP from Warangal Kadiyam Kavya raised serious concern in the Lok Sabha over the widespread use of the highly toxic herbicide paraquat dichloride, urging the Centre to impose an immediate ban. During Zero Hour, Dr. Kavya highlighted that the chemical is severely harming soil, water and sand while posing grave risks to human health. She expressed alarm over its misuse as a 'dreaded drug' in suicides, noting its lethal nature with no known antidote and near-100% mortality rate in consumpti ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a major agricultural reform aimed at doubling cotton production in the country, the government is planning to legalise the controversial herbicide-tolerant (Ht) Bt cotton (HtBt cotton). The expert committee on HtBt cotton seeds has given a positive recommendation for its commercial cultivation to the top biosafety regulatory body, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), after analysing three years of biosafety data. Environmentalists are concerned that the approval may lead to farmers indiscriminately spraying Glyphosate, a controversial herbicide used to eliminate w ...Read More >
Chennai, August 1: Actor, music director and producer G V Prakash Kumar, who has won the National Award for Best Music Direction (Songs) for the Tamil, Telugu bilingual film Vaathi, has called the honour "a blessing for the second time". Taking to his X timeline soon after the 71st National Awards were announced, G V Prakash expressed his gratitude to the jury and the selection committee of the National Awards and the entire team of Vaathi. G V Prakash wrote, "A blessing for the second time. I'm truly overwhelmed and deeply grateful to receive the 71st National Film Award for Best Music Direc ...Read More >