Counterview

By Jag Jivan    A technical regulatory notice issued by India's Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) in April 2026 has drawn sharp criticism from public health advocates and farmers' organizations, who warn that proposed relaxations in pesticide residue testing could compromise food safety and public health. The notice invites comments on recommendations from the Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residue (SPPR) under FSSAI , proposing the adoption of a " Crop Grouping " framework for setting Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs)—the legal ceiling on pesticide residues permitted on food crops.

By Bharat Dogra  Sanitation has long been a weak link in the development of peri-urban areas, and the small town of Khamnor in South Rajasthan reflected this reality until about five years ago. Garbage lay scattered across the town, often clogging water sources and creating an unhealthy environment.

By Dr. P.K. Gupta*  Medical education in India has undergone a profound transformation over the last four decades. What was once a system primarily driven by merit and public service has increasingly become a marketplace where financial capacity often determines opportunity. The rapid expansion of private medical colleges since the early 1990s has undoubtedly increased the number of seats, but it has also introduced commercial incentives that critics argue have weakened the traditional values of professionalism, academic excellence, and social responsibility in medical education.

By A Representative  The Silicosis Victims Association in Morbi has filed a formal complaint with the District Collector accusing Gujarat authorities, particularly the Director Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) office , of failing impoverished workers who have contracted silicosis after years of exposure to silica dust in Gujarat's ceramic manufacturing hub . The association alleges that even as factory owners continue to profit, workers are left to cope with a debilitating and incurable lung disease with little institutional support, despite protections available under the Factories Act and the Gujarat Workers' Welfare Rules .

By A Representative   Dr. Arun Gupta, convener of Nutrition Advocacy for Public Interest (NAPi) and a former member of the Prime Minister's Council on India's Nutrition Challenges, has drawn attention to a commentary that dissects the food industry's standard arguments against regulating ultra-processed foods (UPFs). 

By A Representative   A coalition of health professionals, workers and public health organisations under the banner United Organisations for Action Against Privatisation of Health Services, Madhya Pradesh has strongly opposed the Madhya Pradesh government's reported decision to hand over 18 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the districts of Rewa, Dewas and Guna to private institutions.

  By Jag Jivan    Nine out of India's ten hottest cities globally are located within the country's borders, with the majority concentrated in Uttar Pradesh and the surrounding plains, according to climate and energy expert Soumya Dutta, who has spent three decades studying climate change, environment, rivers and energy issues while working with communities across the world. In a recent detailed discussion, Dutta sought to explain why Indian and South Asian cities are becoming unbearably hot and who bears the brunt of this crisis.

By Dr. P.K. Gupta*   India proudly claims a doctor-to-population ratio of 1:811—better than the WHO benchmark of 1:1,000. We have 812 medical colleges churning out over 126,600 MBBS graduates annually. Yet, millions remain without adequate care, while hundreds of thousands of trained doctors and nurses are either unemployed, underemployed, or fleeing abroad.

By Harsh Thakor*  On June 25, 2026, Wang Quanying, believed to be the last surviving veteran of China's historic Long March, celebrated her 105th birthday in Sichuan Province. The occasion was marked by a tribute that bridged history and memory: she was presented with two digitally restored portraits depicting her as a teenage Red Army soldier. Smiling warmly at the images, Wang gave a thumbs-up, a simple gesture that reflected a life shaped by extraordinary hardship, resilience and commitment.

By A Representative   In a detailed representation submitted to the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) on June 25, 2026, public policy expert Dr. Donthi Narasimha Reddy has urgently drawn the attention of the regulatory authorities to what he describes as a critical regulatory vacuum governing pesticide‑coated seeds and seed processing units across India. 

By A Representative  Public health expert and Nutrition Advocacy for Public Interest (NAPi) convenor Dr Arun Gupta has called on the Union Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and Information and Broadcasting to urgently implement a ban on advertising of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), warning that India can no longer afford delays in addressing a growing obesity and non-communicable disease crisis .

By A Representative   In a comprehensive representation addressed to the Secretary of Power and senior Union officials, prominent Power and Climate Policy Analyst Shankar Sharma has called for an urgent paradigm shift in India's power sector, warning that a failure to implement a holistic National Energy Policy could lead to unmitigated ecological and social disasters. 

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  Like many other celebrated narratives of modern development, agriculture in India is becoming increasingly distressed. Ironically, this deterioration continues to be hailed by society, governments, and corporate interests as a sign of progress. The critical question is: if farming continues along its present trajectory, how long can it survive? More importantly, will this crisis not eventually threaten human existence itself?

By Dr. P. K. Gupta   Medical education in India was once regarded as a noble pursuit characterized by merit, discipline, rigorous training, and dedicated teaching. Over the decades, however, profound structural, economic, and institutional changes have transformed both medical education and healthcare delivery. The consequences of these changes deserve serious examination.

By Dr P.K. Gupta  Medical admissions through NEET began in 2013, championed by Hindi-speaking states at a time when private medical colleges in those regions were still few. That landscape has since transformed beyond recognition. The exponential multiplication of both private and government medical colleges across northern India has hollowed out whatever rationale once existed for a single centralized test. What remains is a system that serves not merit but money.

By A Representative   The advocacy group Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSA India) has expressed deep concern over the recent deaths of 12 workers in separate industrial accidents in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Surat, Gujarat, calling for urgent strengthening of occupational health and safety measures across the country.

By A Representative  Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSAI) organized a national conference on occupational and environmental health at Gandhi Bhavan in Bhopal on World Environment Day, bringing together representatives of labour organizations, public health experts, environmental activists, and community members from across the country to discuss pressing concerns related to workers’ health, environmental degradation, climate change, and public health. Participants from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Assam, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan attended the conference, which featured four thematic sessions on occupational health, environmental health, climate change, and water and global warming. The conference stressed that occupational health and safety continue to be major public health concerns in India, particularly for workers employed in industries, mining, construction, domestic work, and other informal s...

By A Representative   For millions of women who menstruate every month, the simple act of bleeding has become a battleground for fundamental human rights. From refugee camps in war-torn regions to informal settlements hit by climate disasters, menstruators face discrimination that activists say goes far deeper than access to pads. Radha Paudel , a nurse and activist from Nepal who founded the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation , argues that dignified menstruation is not merely about hygiene products but about the very rights that define humanity. "Dignified menstruation is rooted in right to dignity, right to freedom, right to equality and right to non-discrimination," she said.  "It means no matter whether menstruating persons are in the evacuation camp or refugee camp or camps for the war-affected population, or any climate or manmade disaster relief camps, we need to prioritise the needs and priorities of menstruators." Paudel challenges what she ...

By Rajiv Shah   A comprehensive investigative report published by BehanBox and authored by Sarasvati Thuppadolla reveals the pervasive, systemic caste-based discrimination faced by Dalit Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) across rural India. Even though India’s one million ASHA workers were collectively honored by the World Health Organization with the Global Health Leaders Award in 2022 for their pivotal role in reducing maternal and infant mortality, their marginalized caste identity frequently dictates the harsh terms of their acceptance by the communities they serve. 

By Dr. Gurinder Kaur  India is currently in the grip of intense heat waves, with most of its cities experiencing exceptionally high temperatures. According to global air quality and temperature data, 97 of the world's 100 hottest cities on May 22, 2026, and all of the 100 hottest cities on May 23 were located in India. Maximum temperatures in these cities ranged between 44°C and 48°C. The scale and intensity of this heat underline a growing environmental crisis that can no longer be ignored.