By Bharat Dogra  A recent study by Prof. Rajni Yadav and Anand Narain Singh from the Soil Ecosystem and Restoration Ecology Lab of the Botany Department of Punjab University has drawn attention to the neglected issue of the great harm caused to soil microorganisms by chemical pesticides . Their research paper, titled 'Effects of Pesticides on Agriculture Essential Soil Microorganisms,' has been published in ACTA Scientific Agriculture. 

By Bharat Dogra  In times of climate change , it has become increasingly important to avoid felling an excessive number of trees. Of course, it has always been important to save threatened trees to the extent possible. Sometimes, however, conditions arise where some trees must be cut — and in such situations, it is advisable to plant at least three trees in place of every one axed, ensuring that at least one or two survive. 

By Rajesh Kumar  A discussion on the challenges facing the labour movement in the era of corporate capitalism was held at Rajendra Bhawan in Delhi by the Youth Socialist Initiative (YSI) on the occasion of International Labour Day and the birth anniversary of socialist leader Madhu Limaye.

By A Representative A recent public hearing in New Delhi brought into focus the structural exploitation faced by Dalit women sanitation workers employed across public and private institutions, with participants documenting widespread violations of labour rights, unsafe working conditions, and systemic exclusion from social security frameworks.

By Harsh Thakor*  The recent arrest of activist Satyam Verma has prompted debate over its implications for the trade union movement and the broader climate for dissent. A group named the Satyam Verma Rihai Manch addressed a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on 28 April 2026 regarding the arrest of Verma—described as a journalist, translator and public intellectual—along with six others: Aditya Anand, Rupesh Roy, Akriti Chaudhury, Srishti Gupta and Manisha Chauhan.

By Nadim Ahamad*  Nearly 140 years ago, on May 1, 1886, workers in Chicago, USA, launched a strike demanding the right to “ 8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest, and 8 hours of recreation .” That movement was a historic struggle against the brutal working conditions of the time, where laborers were forced to work excessively long hours. During that very struggle, on May 4, 1886, a bomb exploded at a rally in Chicago’s Haymarket Square , triggering violent clashes between police and protesters. Several workers were killed, and many others – along with their leaders – were arrested.