BHUBANESWAR: WITH four districts affected by pest menace and the farmers panicking the Agriculture Director, Arabinda Padhi, announced that the situation is under control and it has not assumed an endemic form.

Pest attacks on paddy crops have been reported from several western Orissa districts. While three blocks of Kalahandi district are severely affected, reports coming from Boudh, Nuapada and Sonepur said paddy crops are damaged by swarming caterpillar or

BHUBANESWAR: All set to launch the Rs 2- a-kg BPL rice scheme from August 1, the State Government today decided to issue temporary ration cards by July 25 to those beneficiaries who have lost their cards.

A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik discussed the modalities of delivery of the specially subsidised rice to the beneficiaries and major part of the discussion was on how to check diversion from the public distribution system (PDS).

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Centre has made additional allocation of 40,800 tonnes of chemical fertilisers for July, the State is still facing a shortage of 30,000 tonnes of complex fertilisers.

The additional allocation was made following a request from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan.

The Department of Fertiliser of the Ministry has communicated to the State Government about additional allocation of 8,800 tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) as against a requirement of 25,500 tonnes for July and August.

It's not the NH-60 for which people residing in northern region of Balasore have to face flood fury time and again, but the bridges on the NH, which have proved more a bane than a boon for people.

KORAPUT: Tension gripped Hindalco Maliparbat mines following a group clash between two groups of workers. Six persons were injured. Police have arrested 18 persons and forwarded them to court.

The first-ever biodiversity strategy and action plan of Orissa has called for identification and documentation of critically endangered species and ecosystems of the State.

Degradation and fragmentation of the wild habitats is the consequence of all human-related perturbations which have led to loss of species, populations as well as community and even eco-systems, it said.

BHUBANESWAR: As inflation has touched almost 12 percent mark and prediction of an erratic monsoon doing the rounds, it seems, crop yield in this kharif season may be less than expected.

With rise in petroleum prices, farm inputs have gone up but if the monsoon plays truant, then the production would be affected much.

BHUBANESWAR: With increasing clamp down on sponge iron units over pollution issues, the manufacturers in Orissa have pleaded for a little more time for adoption of proper practices and infrastructure.

The sponge iron industry in the State is only eight years old and is making gradual improvement in putting in place mandated systems, practice and equipment for control of pollution, they said.

BHUBANESWAR: The Government today slammed the Centre for the rising cost of the thermal power in the State.

Even as the State is endowed with one-fourth of the coal reserves of the country, the thermal generating power stations, both in Central and State sectors as well as the captive generating plants, are experiencing acute coal shortage due to the discriminatory policies adopted by the Cent

BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa Government is leading by example.