The state government is contemplating hiking stamp duty to generate revenue to complete irrigation projects across Maharashtra which is reeling under severe water and agriculture crises. What has compounded the problems for the state is the long dry spell because of delayed monsoon which led to a loss of kharif crop last month. Deputy chief minister RR Patil said, "We will require Rs44,000 crore to complete all irrigation projects in the state.'

Property deals are being registered at sub-registrar's office in Thane

At least 10 flats in Garden Estate in Thane have changed hands, with official sanction in the form of registration of the sale, in gross violation of a Supreme Court order to maintain status quo on private forest land. All these property deals are getting registered at Thane sub-registrar's office.

Maharashtra government's plan of increasing the percentage of forest land cover will cost the citizens dear. The plan will levy carbon cess on motorists for the carbon dioxide exhaled and green cess on municipal corporations for using forest resources for drinking water.

With the effects of global warming already being felt worldwide, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has jumped on the bandwagon to save the environment and to earn a few carbon credits while they are at it.

The civic body now plans to replace the bulbs on street lamps to light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. These new bulbs not only help conserve power but are also eco-friendly.
In a letter to the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), BMC explained the benefits of the LED bulbs as compared to the sodium vapour ones being used now.

Mumbaikars may wake up to another wet spell on Monday as the weather bureau has warned of very heavy showers in the next 48 hours.

"Intermittent rain or thundershowers with possibility of heavy to very heavy rain in parts of city and suburbs is expected during next 48 hours,' K Sathidevi, deputy director of Regional Meteorological Centre said.

A landslide at Kapaswadi in Kurla injured one Wasima Sheikh Hassan, who was taken to Sion Hospital. The civic authorities have asked people living in the affected area to move to safer places.

The state initiating an inquiry against an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinic that allegedly duped a childless couple has raised concerns whether stringent regulations for nursing homes and clinics offering Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) need to be brought in.

Pandurang Mhaske

Municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak shot down Shiv Sena executive chief Uddhav Thackeray's appeal to cut the water connection in highrises and construction sites in the city.

In view of the water cut in the city, Thackeray had recently appealed to the state government asking them to cut the water connection in highrises as well as the construction sites. This came in response to minister Ajit Pawar's demand that the water supply for agricultural purposes should be stopped.

NAGPUR: A frail looking lady Kalawati Bandurkar from Vidharba, who was referred to by Rahul Gandhi, is facing a tough time as her Jalka village is faced by 12-hour power shortage.

Kalawati is so poor that she cannot afford to get power connection in her house. Living in abject poverty, Kalawati finds it difficult to even meet both the ends.

This is the woman Rahul Gandhi spoke about in his speech during the trust motion in the lower house of the Parliament.

Devinder Sharma

Flood gates for farm imports are being opened. In what appears to be a deliberate effort to integrate Indian agriculture with the global economy, the government is removing import duties on agricultural commodities.

Menaka Rao

He won a case against a co-operative society that promised water supply after mortgaging his land

After fighting for about 10 years, a Nashik-based farmer, Punja Gaikwad won a case against an

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