Responding to concerns expressed by farmers with respect to labour shortage, Punjab Chief MinisterAmarinder Singh on Saturday announced advancement in the paddy nursery sowing and transplantation dates by 10 days. The paddy nursery sowing and transplantation operations will now commence on May 10 and June 10, respectively. The agriculture department had earlier fixed May 10 as the date to begin sowing of paddy nursery and June 20 for paddy transplantation, during the current kharif season. The farmers had raised concerns about meeting the cultivation/sowing requirements in view of the labour shortage resulting from migrant labourers returning to their homes in view of the COVID-19 crisis. Describing these concerns as "understandable", the chief minister said it was in the interest of farmers to push the dates ahead by 10 days. Underlining the need to adopt the latest practice of Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR), as well as mechanised paddy transplantation technologies, the chief minister .

Five people were discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after recovering from the novel coronavirus infection, health officials said. Those discharged include two women and a five-year-old boy, an official informed. So far 43 people have been discharged while the number of active cases in the state is 16, he added. "Two women and a boy from Kabirdham, two men from Durg and Surajpur were discharged after two consecutive tests were negative for the infection. They will be kept in a quarantine centre as a precaution before they are allowed to go home," a public relations officer of AIIMS Raipur told PTI. Chhattisgarh COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 59; New cases nil; Deaths nil; Discharged 43; Active cases 16; People tested so far 23,629.

Hockey India employees will have to review their health status on 'Aarogyasetu' App before starting for office and they can travel only if their status is 'safe' or 'low risk', according to an advisory issued by the sports body. The Hockey India advisory outlined the preventive measures which all its employees need to be follow at office to contain the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. The highly-contagious disease has so far claimed nearly 2000 lives and infected over 59,000 in the country, forcing the government to enforce a lockdown till May 17. "With reference to the directive issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India ... All the staff members should download 'Aarogyasetu' App on their mobile phones immediately," the advisory said. "Before starting for office, they must review their status on 'Aarogyasetu' and commute only when the app shows 'safe' or 'low risk' status. "The staff members

A Nagpur municipal corporation (NMC) health official was attacked on Saturday by two men after he clicked photos of a woman who was roaming on a road with two children without wearing face masks, police said. The injured official is identified as Sanjay Karihar (47), a police official said. He said the woman called up two men, who came to the spot in Seminary Hills area and attacked Karihar. The accused are identified as Vinod Shahi (42) and Rajesh Shahi (37), the official said. A case was registered against them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). No arrest is made yet.

Retail jewellery chain Senco Gold and Diamonds on Saturday said it has reopened 11 stores in green and orange zones in four states -- West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Karnataka -- after getting the clearance from authorities. Further, the company plans to start operations across all locations in a phased manner after getting clearance from the concerned government authorities, it said, and added that the company will follow all safety measures while reopening the stores. Commenting on the development, Senco Gold and Diamonds Executive Director Suvankar Sen, in a statement, said that the company will ensure contact-less shopping experience by using new-age technology and emphasising on digital payments. On safety measures to be followed at stores, the company said it will ensure delivery of sterilised and sanitised jewelleries to customers. The company will also ensure sanitisation of jewelleries after every display to customers. To provide 'contactless experience' to customers, the ...

The first patient to receive plasma therapy as an experimental treatment for coronavirus infection in Uttar Pradesh died following a heart attack on Saturday. The patient, a 58-year-old doctor, was admitted at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) here. The doctor, who was on ventilator since the last 14 days, died on Saturday evening following heart attack, KGMU Vice Chancellor M L B Bhatt said. Since he had high blood pressure and diabetes, he was under the continuous observation of doctors in the isolation ward, Bhatt said. The patient was in a stable condition. His lungs had improved, but he later developed urinary tract infection. Two reports of his samples came out as negative (for COVID-19) today, the vice chancellor said. He, however, suffered a heart attack around 5 pm. Despite all efforts, he could not be saved, he said. The doctor from Orai in Uttar Pradesh was administered plasma therapy at the state-run KGMU on April 26. He was administered the plasma donated by a ..

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav was discharged from a Lucknow hospital where he was admitted after he complained of stomach and urine-related issues. The Samajwadi Party founder, admitted to Medanta Hospital on Wednesday, was discharged on Saturday afternoon and he is fine now, party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said. He had gone to the hospital for a routine check-up but the doctors admitted him for observation, Chaudhary said. Chaudhary said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met him on Friday and enquired about his health.

All the state universities in West Bengal will implement the academic calendar in their respective institutions within a month after the lockdown is lifted, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said on Saturday. Chatterjee, who earlier in the day held a videoconference with vice-chancellors of all the state universities, told reporters at an online press conference that the VCs have decided on how to conduct the classes and the final semester examinations. "The academic calendar, including examinations, will be put into effect within a month after the lockdown is lifted," he said. Chatterjee said the institutions have also received the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines in this regard and the issue came up in the meeting held during the day. He had earlier said that the UGC guidelines reflect the recommendations made by the state government on issues such as conducting terminal examinations in the post-lockdown period. "The faculty members of the universities .

Mizoram became coronavirus-free with the discharge of the lone COVID-19 patient from a hospital on Saturday, officials said. It now shares a similar status with four other northeastern states -- Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Mizoram Health Minister Dr R Lalthangliana said the state's lone COVID-19 patient, a pastor, was discharged from Zoram Medical College (ZMC) on Saturday afternoon after 45 days of intense treatment. He was discharged from the hospital after four consecutive tests turned negative, the minister said. The pastor, who is in his early 50s and working under the Baptist Church of Mizoram, returned to the state from Amsterdam on March 16. He was pursuing higher study in theology in the Netherlands capital. He tested positive for novel coronavirus on March 24 and was admitted at ZMC along with his wife and two children. The pastor's wife and children were discharged from the medical college on March 28 after they tested negative for COVID-19. The state ..

Nearly 3,000 patients were provided assistance for treatment and medicines by the Srinagar district administration in Jammu and Kashmir through its helpline amid teh coronavirus-driven lockdown, officials said. The IVRS-based call centre was inaugurated by Lt Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on April 17 and it replaced a series of helpline numbers launched in March aimed at attending to health emergencies on priority during the lockdown. A dedicated fleet of 10 vehicles and a team of 12 professionals have been deputed on the job round-the-clock for attending to issues related to health emergencies, demands related to dialysis, chemotherapy, diabetes and other such ailments, the officials said. Apart from the IVRS call centre, they said four mobile numbers have also been made available. Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary empanelled 13 dialysis centres across the city for providing dialysis services, the expenses of which are borne by the district administration. Most ..

Key to successful investing is to identify your risk profile and invest accordingly.

Says it would have been great if the Budget had provided tax holidays to international sporting events

As coronavirus closures continue to put businesses on life support, a record number of people are filing jobless claims to overwhelmed state labor departments. WSJ explains why some states are struggling under the historic load. Photo Illustration: Carlos Waters/WSJ

Wonder Land: Progressives invented moral trumping as a political weapon against their enemies. Now they’ve exhausted it. Images: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty images Composite: Mark Kelly

The South Korean company behind the hit video "Baby Shark" is hoping to expand its empire with films and merchandise while pursuing the next viral sensation. Its strategy aims to beat competitors in an increasingly crowded space for children’s attention. Image: Pinkfong

Covid-19 is commonly compared to the regular seasonal flu, but one has proven to be more dangerous than the other. WSJ’s Gerald F. Seib explains why the coronavirus is treated more seriously than the flu. Photo: Zuma Press

Uber and Lyft are aggressively cutting costs as fewer people take rides, UnitedHealth will offer customers $1.5 billion of help and discounts, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin moves to ease lockdowns amid economic challenges. WSJ’s Jason Bellini has the latest on the pandemic. Photo: Josh Edelson / AFP

As Congress considers another round of aid to offset the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Republican lawmakers are starting to worry about the long-term effects on the federal deficit. WSJ’s Gerald F. Seib explains. Photo: Eric Gay/AP

April’s jobs report shows record-high job losses and unemployment, low-risk businesses in California reopen for curbside pickup today, and testing will increase at the White House. WSJ’s Jason Bellini has the latest on the pandemic. Photo: John Locher/Associated Press

Ratings agency Crisil today said the upcoming payment banks (PBs) will largely focus on the underbanked areas like the East, Northeast and Central regions, and the existing lenders should not worry about them. "We do not expect them to ...

By James Herron Here’s your morning jolt of news, insight and analysis on the global energy business. Send us tips, suggestions and complaints: ben.winkley@wsj.com and james.herron@wsj.com Click here to receive this morning email newsletter SOLAR WARS The usually tranquil world of European renewable energy just got exciting, as a plucky band of rebels led by […]

Dipa Karmakar, the first female Indian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, will be performing one of the sport's most dangerous and difficult moves in Brazil in August. Photo: Karan Deep Singh/The Wall Street Journal

At the world's biggest ship-recycling yard at Alang, India, life is becoming harder as fewer ships arrive. Here's why. Photo: Karan Deep Singh/The Wall Street Journal

Clif Bar & Co. is among only 5% of U.S. employers that offer a child care center on-site or near its offices. Kate Torgersen, an 18-year employee, explains how bringing her three children to the company's "Base Camp" child care center has benefited her as a working mother. Photo: Tim Hussin for The Wall Street Journal

The transcript of President Trump's call with Ukraine shed light on a method for classifying documents that's even more top secret than top secret. WSJ spoke to a former National Security Council official to understand the intricacies of the White House server security system.

Women are less likely to delegate than men and that might hurt their careers. WSJ's Michelle Ma explains why women have a harder time passing off work to others.

Every developed country built the infrastructure of its cities only during the last 100 years, often in response to crises of plagues or fires. If we learn their lessons, then we could build our infrastructure with the participation of the people, says Ramesh Ramanathan.

Summiya Yasmeen reports on the contours, content and debate about environment education in India.

Textbooks for 800 schools in eight states were revised after a study on the teaching of environmental concepts. A Pune-based institute has recently begun an evaluation of the revisions, reports Rasika Dhavse.

Climate change is already affecting millions of people; many are forced to do the things that everyone else should be doing too - conserve forests, curtail excess use of water, and roll back pollution. Ramesh Menon reports.

A conservation program to protect Manipur's state flower is limiting the loss of its habitat, but community-wide efforts are needed to sustain the efforts in the long run. Kanchi Kohli reports.

Governments in India have been using key provisions in environmental regulations to create and protect 'Ecologically Sensitive Areas'. Recently, the Supreme Court also pressed a state government on an ESA commitment. Kanchi Kohli reports on the practice and challenges.

Who decides if livelihoods or habitat should be the focus of conservation efforts? In a remote island in the Sunderbans, fisherfolk whose seasonal dry-fishing dates back many generations find themselves competing with mangroves and the Environment Ministry's changing stance on national security. Sunita Dubey reports.

What we do know is that the temperatures are rising and that weather patterns throughout the globe are being disrupted as a consequence, says Fred Pearce, one of the best-known environmental journalists and the author of Global Warming. Pearce recently spoke in Mumbai. Darryl D'Monte chaired the discussion.

Public participation and decision-making to safeguard the environment have been highly contentious issues in modern India. Sunita Dubey traces this to the prioritisation of development over conservation, and to lessons drawn from the wrong precedents.

Unmindful of evidence that Nalwa Sponge Iron Limited had started civil works for its expansion without environmental clearance, officials rush through a public hearing to review the new project. An operation that is already violating regulations is given the merit of due process for its expansion under the same law, notes Kanchi Kohli.

The governing body meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity was held in Brazil in March. Since being one of the most pro-active countries in the formulation of the CBD, India has been gradually losing its leadership role in the last few years. Kanchi Kohli elaborates.

On 6 September, the water of the Periyar, Kerala's largest river, suddenly changed colour into red. Eloor remains a glaring example of unchecked corporate crimes against neighbourhood communities. It also highlights the apathy of the state's apex pollution watchdog, writes M Suchitra.

Why is the world's largest democracy hesitant to apply the core principles of democracy in its environment regulatory processes? Sunita Dubey traces this to its many origins in colonialism, the role of the state, international treaties, and a strong nexus between industry and government.

Despite rejecting yet another appeal brought before it, the newly reconstituted Environment Appellate Authority accepts that the rules for environment clearances and project monitoring must be strengthened. Kanchi Kohli reports that this may mark a welcome new direction for the organisation.

Jyotsna Sitling's gargantuan assignment involved ridding a buffer zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in Uttarakhand of mountain-high piles of plastic and non-biodegradable waste, dumped by pilgrims over the last three decades on their way to Hemkund Sahib. She elicited the help of the community and did it, reports Neeta Lal.

How did two major operators in the POPs manufacturing-sector become part of India's official delegation to a conference which aims to eliminate their production and use? P N Venugopal reports on the embarassing, but unabashed capture of officialdom by a manufacturer.

A conservation legislation like Biodiversity Act is being implemented as an access legislation. The Environmental Impact Assessment notification which is has great potential for people's involvement is today a mere clearance formality. Kanchi Kohli says the Ministry of Environment must revisit its original purpose.

India's only environment and widlife film festival will be held this year from 12 to 16 September in the capital. This year, the theme is 'climate change', focusing on the impacts on water, agriculture, health and other areas due to our changing climate.

Even as the IPCC's latest assessment speaks of the need for technocratic solutions to the challenge of global warming, the United Nations Security Council has signalled that this will be an issue of importance to questions of political stability and peace too. Gopal Krishna reports.

Bureaucratic control of river flow by a single agency is responsible for recurring disasters. The management of ageing dams is driven by fear as much as anything else, and this in turn causes other risks. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.

The formal count of the number of tigers in India's 28 tiger reserves is expected to be announced on 31 December 2007. The report could help formulate policies of land use as well as accentuate the debate on rehabilitation of forest dwellers in favour of wildlife conservation, writes Malini Shankar.

Kerala’s Left-dominated 141-member legislative assembly adopted a resolution on 11 July urging New Delhi to withdraw the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification of 2006. The resolution says the notification is “against the interest of Kerala State, nature, environment and people.” M Suchitra reports.

Twenty-one families were relocated from the core area of Sariska Tiger Reserve to a newly built township last year. The signs are that this has gone off well both for the people and the forests, reports Malini Shankar.

Impact assessment studies to understand the consequences of large dam projects have been de-linked from the actual implementation of the projects, thus diluting their value, writes Shripad Dharmadhikary.