Postpone Nayara Energy public hearing: Gujarat environmental NGO writes to CM

By A Representative
Gujarat’s top environmental NGO Paryavaran Mitra has taken strong exception to the proposed environmental public hearing of the Nayara Energy Ltd in Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka districts, organized by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), scheduled for July 28 and 29, citing the current restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a letter to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, NGO director Mahesh Pandya said, on June 25 it had drawn the attention of the Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka district collectors, as also senior GPCB officials towards the need to postpone the hearing, “but, no action has been taken by them regarding this.”
“Our experience suggests that during such public hearings anywhere between 50 and 5,000 people participate”, the letter stated, adding, the decision to hold the public hearing is particularly surprising, as cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls etc. remain closed in view of the pandemic, and there are restrictions on on large social large gatherings.
“Even in a tragic event like the death of a person only 20 persons are allowed to remain present”, the letter said, adding, “During wedding, only 50 people are allowed to.” Against this backdrop, the NGO said, the GPCB has clearly “violated” the state home department order, issued on June 30 by seeking to go ahead with environmental public hearing.

Beyond the 'silent relocation' narrative in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts

By Dr. Mohammad Asaduzzaman* In recent years, a narrative has emerged from the rugged and forested terrain of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), portraying the region as the site of a “silent relocation” — a mass forced migration of Bangladesh’s non-Muslim ethnic communities into neighboring India and Myanmar.

Ram, Bam and Bengal: Memories of a Left turn toward the Right

By Rajiv Shah The BJP ’s massive electoral win in West Bengal is being interpreted across political persuasions — except, of course, by the BJP itself — as the result of the alleged deletion of around 90 lakh voters from the electoral rolls during the controversial intensive revision process. This may well be true, given my own experience in Gujarat regarding the shoddy manner in which electoral revisions have often been conducted. In West Bengal, there also appeared to be a political angle to the exercise. But I am not interested in discussing that here, as enough has already appeared in the media on the subject.

India's housing boom hits a wall: Prices soar, buyers struggle

By Rajiv Shah India's residential real estate market recorded near-flat growth in the January–March quarter of 2026, with sales volumes dipping year-on-year even as property prices hit a historic milestone — crossing ₹10,000 per square foot for the first time.

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