Child Deaths From Cough Syrups Point to Drug Safety Failures
At least 22 children have died in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan since September after consuming Coldrif, a cough syrup found to contain fatal levels of diethylene glycol, a harmful chemical found in products like coolants and industrial cleaners. The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern about the failure of India’s domestic drug regulatory system to enforce proper screening and manufacturing standards for medicines sold within the country.
Gujarat Bridge Collapse Reveals Culture of Neglect in Indian Governance
At least 11 people were killed and five seriously injured after the Gambhira Bridge in Gujarat’s Vadodara district collapsed into the Mahisagar River on the morning of July 8. The incident lays bare a longstanding culture of neglect and carelessness that defines public infrastructure governance across much of India.
Study Warns of Major Earthquake Risk in North, Northeast India
A new geological study finds that, contrary to earlier belief, the Indian Plate beneath the Tibetan Plateau is breaking and twisting deep below the surface. The discovery has serious implications for understanding earthquake risks across South and East Asia, including Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal and China.
India Plans to Limit Nuclear Liability to Boost Trade and Energy
The Indian government has proposed to ease its nuclear liability laws, driven mostly by commercial and geopolitical goals, according to Reuters. The move involves a shift in how legal responsibility is assigned in the event of a nuclear accident, raising concerns that public interest may have been sidelined.
Delhi Earthquake: Why a 4.2 Quake Felt Strong; What Comes Next?
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck the Haryana-Delhi-Uttar Pradesh region early on Feb. 17, at 5.36 am, sending tremors across the National Capital Region. Occurring at a shallow depth of 10 km, the earthquake felt stronger than expected and led to concerns about the possibility of aftershocks, and whether it could be a precursor to a larger event.
Was the Delhi Railway Station Stampede a Preventable Tragedy?
The stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on the night of February 15, which claimed 18 lives and injured several others, points to a failure on the part of both the railway authorities and the government to anticipate and prevent overcrowding during the Maha Kumbh period.