WOW ! That is what you would probably say when someone pays you for your garbage. It is also a new system

Two years ago, when Gujarat was battling floods across the state, residents of Raniyari village in Jhalod taluka of Dahod were fighting in their own battle. They cornered the surpervisor of Machhannala Dam

In an important development, the International Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has chosen at least two chemical producing companies where they will be sending chemical engineers and chemists from African countries to get formal training in handling chemicals used for making chemical weapons.

The problem of air and water pollution in the vicinity of Kharikat canal is so complex that even the committee formed by AUDA and AMC to resolve the issue in 2002 expressed helplessness before the Gujarat High Court then. A division bench headed by Justice BC Patel was surprised to know that the committee made a grievance before the court, as authorities rendered no assistance to it for carrying out court's directions. However, the issue continued to be debated in the High Court and directions were issued time and again.

Four months ago, Dimple Gandhi booked a 2bhk flat at Ishwarnagar along the Kharicut canal for Rs 11 lakh. Today, the apartment costs nothing less than Rs 18 lakh. The reason: The flat now overlooks a small patch of garden developed on a slab over the canal by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Soon, many like Gandhi will be grinning thanks thanks to the Gujarat government's plans to give a 20-km stretch along the canal, that's currently treated as an open sewerage, a green facelift.

The "Friends of Zoo" scheme launched by the Kamala Nehru Zoological Park is going beyond its usual list of donors. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) authorities have sent letters to leading cricket stars, superstars like Amitabh Bachchan and socialites in the city like Geet Sethi and even those outside the state to adopt animals in the zoo. AMC has also resolved to increase the adoption limit from the present one year to 10 years. This period can even go up to the lifetime period of the adopted animal.

See an injured animal or bird writhing in pain, just call up the newly launched Navkar Animal helpline and help will be on the way to treat them that too free of cost! On Sunday, Navkar Treatment Centre, in association with Mahendra Shrimali, an animal lover, launched a dedicated Navkar Animal Helpline in Ahmedabad for animals in distress.

Not just elephants, even cobras and pheasants have found admirers in children. These new-found attractions have rekindled kids' interest in animals, reports Paul John They may not be celebrities in the Kamala Nehru Zoological Park, unlike Ashok, the elephant, Devi, the hippo, and Raja, the tiger, but these ubiquitous creatures sure do elicit the curiosity of kids who visit them. Meet the cobra, pheasants, emus, lovebirds, badgers, pythons and Nicobar pigeons who are now the new-found attractions for adoption among kids.

In what appears to be the fallout of infighting to gain pride control, a lion cub's carcass was found from Dudhala Nes area of Raydi range of Gir (West) on Monday morning, by a team of forest officials. With the process of dispersal at its peak, show of strength for control of territory as well as pride is a common occurrence among male lions of different prides.

In an astounding revelation, top state economist YK Alagh has calculated that Gujarat's land will become 70 per cent urban by the middle of the next decade. Addressing the annual convocation of Dharmasinh Desai University, Nadiad, on Saturday, Prof Alagh said, "Already, there are 2,018 villages in Gujarat which should be stopped being categorized as rural, yet they are governed by village panchayats.' He stressed on urban planning in these villages.