JAIPUR: A survey report with quantifiable data on the backwardness of 82 tribes in the state was presented to the state government by the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. The report is a comparative study on the social, economic and educational status of more than 91,000 families.

The report has been prepared on the directions of the Rajasthan High Court while hearing a PIL after the state government had granted a special 5% reservation to the Gujjars in the state.

JAIPUR: Following a Supreme Court directive in April this year to demarcate and notify buffer zone around the Ranthambore and Sariska tiger reserves within three months or face the heat, the state forest department has made giant progress in the matter.

According to sources in the forest department, work in this regard at both the tiger reserves is nearing completion. The final report is yet to be prepared but a meeting has been held and the areas to be demarcated as buffer zones have been identified.

JAIPUR: Even though a good two years have passed since the state government announced its first-ever forest policy in 2010, the notification is still awaiting active implementation.

The Rajasthan State Forest Policy 2010 had acknowledged the importance of Orans that are considered repositories of rich biodiversity and an excellent example of people's religious faith linked with conservation. The aim of the forest policy was to preserve ecological balance through increasing vegetal cover which would help in reducing soil erosion and consequently dust particle in upper stratosphere.

JAIPUR: After the March 22 crackdown against illegal gravel mines in Mewat's Pahari region resulting in the arrest of 97 people, some politicians had approached chief minister Ashok Gehlot against

AJMER: Wildlife census in the district began on Sunday morning and teams of forest department went to about 150 water holes to identify animals in different regions. In the first six hours of the census, small animals including snakes and cobras were spotted, but no trace of panther is found in jungles. There is a possibility of panthers being in Jawaja, Pushkar and old Beawar forest regions. For the last four years, panthers have not been reported in the census, but there are reports of attacks by the beast in some regions.

JAIPUR: In an effort to curb unsafe mining, the state government has decided to conduct training in mines safety in the 19 silicosis-affected districts. The training to lease holders will be imparted by the department of mines and geology in collaboration with the director general of mines safety (DGMS).

The department of mines and petroleum has recently issued a notice to the director of mines and geology department asking it to prepare a schedule for such a training programme in co-ordination with the DGMS and to intimate the same to all mining lease holders in the state. The department's orders follow the intervention of the Mine Labour Protection Campaign (MLPC).

JAISALMER: Situated 80 km away from Jaisalmer district headquarters, 12 villages in the Thar region are busy scripting a success story.

With the help of NGO Sambhav, the villagers repaired 500-year-old 'baoris' or stepwells near Diprasar pond, some 10 km from the Ramgarh area. The hard work of the villagers has paid off and their water woes are now a thing of past.

JAIPUR: Following the empowered committee's directions that was constituted to develop Pink City as a world-class city, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) on Monday will start its anti-encroachment drive in the Walled City area.

During the 10-day drive JMC is targeting to remove temporary encroachments from the roads and verandas in the Walled city area. The authority, however, is not planning to remove any permanent encroachments during this drive.

Jaipur: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has criticized the state government for its underassessment and non-recovery of revenue worth Rs 588.18 crore in the financial year 2010-11. The report, placed on the floor of the assembly on Thursday, finds several lacunae like the absence of input check controls and lack of monitoring in government departments.

The major underassessment made by the government were in mines, geology and petroleum department. During the test check by the CAG, it was found that minerals were diverted contrary to the conditions of leases.

Mushrooming multi-level residential buildings and absence of a proper government policy to provide water connection to these complexes are leading to a grave situation in the city.

Since the civic authorities are not providing water to residential complexes, the private builders are digging borewells to meet the demand, putting extra pressure on the depleting groundwater level. Yet, the state government is far from making a concrete policy on it and departments are passing the buck.