MUMBAI: An initial report of the fifth HSBC Mumbai Bird Race has thrown up some findings that may be a cause for concern.

Several species, some of which are intermittently seen and others regularly sighted in the region between November and March, were not spotted this year. Six of these species (see box) were commonly sighted in the past few races.

MUMBAI: The 43 deaths in Modasa town of Gujarat's Sabarkantha district over the last fortnight due to hepatitis B underlines how widespread this viral infection really is.

"It is one of the biggest public health challenges,'' said gastroenterologist Dr D N Amarapurkar of Bombay Hospital.

MUMBAI: Impressed by the success of the pilot project launched at the tribal Surgana village, Nashik district in June 2007, the Centre is now considering the extension of the home delivery system of foodgrains under the public distribution scheme (PDS) throughout the country in a phased manner.

MUMBAI: Wildlife enthusiasts, including amateur bird-watchers and ornithologists, are busy revising the differences between a Ruddy Turnstone and a Desert Wheatear for the fifth edition of the HSBC Mumbai Bird Race to be held on Sunday.

NAVI MUMBAI: Cycling seems to be the best way to look after yourself as well as the environment.

Around 150 students of Lokmanya Tilak College of Engineering at Koparkhairane organised a Cyclothon on Sunday, when they cycled a 44.4-km stretch, stopping at various stations, malls and traffic islands to spread the message of global warming and fast depleting fuel sources.

MUMBAI: Acting on the directives of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), which were issued during the approval of the Rs 434-crore Byculla zoo makeover plan last year, the BMC has completed a survey to ascertain the number of trees there.

MUMBAI: Cidco, which is developing the Navi Mumbai international airport, has asked the consultant not to proceed with the detailed report of the project as the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) is yet to give its clearance.

MUMBAI: To protest against the BMC's plan to chop and relocate trees for the Nepean Sea Road widening project, school students on Tuesday will hug trees in the area reenacting the erstwhile chipko movement. The widening of this road will require relocation of 54 trees while 99 others will have to be chopped.

Five years ago, in what seemed to many as a scam in the making, a plan to exploit part of the huge 226-acre Mahalaxmi racecourse for commercial purposes created a major uproar among citizens. Civic activists, environmentalists and NGOs got together to oppose the plan, which they said was yet another attempt by the builders' lobby to grab one of the last major open spaces in the island city.

MUMBAI: With a budget of Rs 6,653 crore - a little more than last year's Rs 6,200 crore the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority(MMRDA) will be focusing on completing existing or already-announced projects like the Sewri-Nhava Sea Link and the metro rail, as well as transforming the city into a hub for research and development.