The Government of India obviously believes in governing through Groups of Ministers (GoMs) for major policy issues (the Finance Minister, PranabMukherjee, is a very overworked man – he heads not less than 35 GoMs) while the Prime Minister remains amazingly silent on critical issues, breaking that maun very rarely. The other thing it does is…
A national level conference on ‘Cost Effective Sustainable Sanitation- An Indian Experience’ was held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi from 28th to 30th June 2010. Manik Ch. Boruah, Assistant Programme Manager, C- NES participated in the conference and represented C-NES ; the conference was organized by the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASH) …
The Caravan-Panos South Asia Special Assignment Fellowship programme is designed to encourage in-depth coverage of important topics in South Asia. Applications are invited from journalists and writers with over five years relevant experience to work either on a freelance basis over a few months, or fulltime for five weeks on a single assignment. Selected candidates…
Here is the full text of 9th Kamala Saikia Memorial lecture delivered by eminent development journalist of India, Usha Rai today (August 9, 2010) in Guwahati. The program was organized by Journalist Kamala Saikia Memorial Trust in association with Guwahati Press Club at Vivekananda Kendra in the city. Dear fellow journalists and friendsI am not a public speaker and…
==================================== CSE's Fortnightly News Bulletin (August 5, 2010) ==================================== An e-bulletin from Centre for Science and Environment, India, to our network of friends and professionals interested in environmental issues. Scroll to the bottom of this page for information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe. ---------------------------------------------------------------- You would be aware of the February 2001 study done…
During the rainy season, rural Indian states find themselves cut off from the mainland and basic services like medical care. That’s when a team of doctors from a clinic boat are most welcome guests in remote villages.One hundred thousand people live in the district of Nalbari, but there is only one functioning medical center. Sixteen-year…
The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) is a pioneer of the Right to Information campaign. The following is a link to an interesting discussion it has developed on the role of Information Commissioners. C-NES Managing Trustee Sanjoy Hazarika is a member of CHRI's Executive Board. Email alert: Are Information Commissioners in India barred from sitting on…
Empty streets, shuttered shops, children playing street cricket and alonely motorbike whizzing past Guwahati’s normally busy GopinathBordoloi road on a Monday morning. A familiar “extended” weekend,thanks to a 12 hour Bharat bandh called on July 5th by the Oppositionagainst the hike in fuel prices. For some privileged groups, it was merely an additional break and…
On 21st June 2010, an event was organized by Intel to discuss the role of ICT in the development of NER, release the position paper and announcement of the MoU between North Eastern Council and Intel. it was a multifaceted event that elicited great response from the stakeholders in NER and the media. Mr. Handique,…
The past one month I have been working with C-NES, although I have never thought very highly of NGOs having worked with two before I have found most of them on the whole quite unnecessary, unorganized and in one case lacking substantial motive. You see the initial gusto which characterizes a pertinent issue usually fades,…