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Dear Reader,
In September 2021, the Indian Parliament increased the upper gestation period for legal abortion to 24 weeks, from 20, through an amendment to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. A year later, last September, the Supreme Court of India affirmed the legislation in a case which came up before it. This was seen as having set a trend towards progressively expanding abortion rights in India.
However, the Court seems to be going against the very grain it had set. In a recent case, on October 16, in “X vs. Union of India”, a 27-year-old married woman sought approval for aborting a 24-week pregnancy. She pleaded mental health and other challenges for her prayer. This time, however, the Court declined the petitioner’s plea. Supreme Court Observer argues that this was a significant step backwards for abortion rights in India, as the Court has seemingly reversed its path towards the woman being the “ultimate decision-maker” in reproductive choices.
In Kashmir, saffron is a way of life and livelihood, an integral part of the culture and economy. Therefore, more than a decade ago, in 2010, a multi-crore National Mission on Saffron (NMS) was launched which promised to institute, among other things, a reliable sprinkler irrigation system in Kashmir. This was slated to improve saffron productivity and transform the lives of saffron growers in the Valley.
However, as Kashmir Observer reports, things have not gone according to plan. Lethargy in implementation and the lack of access to allocated funds has meant the pipes and borewells that were built, mostly lie unused and defunct. This is when Kashmir, like other parts of India, has borne the full brunt of climate change events – poor and unseasonal rains, long dry spells and unpredictable fluctuation in temperatures, playing havoc with farming.
For more than two decades now the fight to save the Yamuna has been a losing battle. Recent promises by political incumbents in the national capital, Delhi, had raised hopes that an effective and sustainable solution to rampant pollution of the river would be found. But the hopes that were kindled have been dashed once again. The Probe brings you the story of the Yamuna, especially in Delhi, which continues to be troubled waters.
Cutting trees to build a road is now a sanctioned practice which seldom raises an eyebrow, largely due to the futility of the fight – running to courts, the financial strain and the emotional cost. However, Article 14 tells us a happy story of how a small citizen group in Hyderabad took on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to save more than 900 banyan trees. The Court’s ruling, which preserved the trees, the story says, could serve as a template for citizens in India to take the road to saving the trees.
For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.
Warmly,
Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF
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