Ahmedabad: Central effluent treatment plants are posing a serious threat to the health of human beings in the state. In hazardous and polluted clusters of Gujarat, the central effluent treatment plants (CETP) are expected to treat industrial sludge to prevent its harmful effect on human and other forms of lives.

But, CAG, in its latest report, has found 12 CETPs doing just the opposite. The report is critical of Vapi, Ankleshwar, Nandesari, Kadodara, Sachin and Jetpur.

Ahmedabad: In the last three years, 139 lions including 54 cubs have died in the state. Of the 139 deaths, 42 are males and 43 females.

Ahmedabad: Lions and leopards killed at least 10 persons in Junagadh district in the past one year. The state government has revealed that 1,966 attacks on cattle and 60 attacks on humans have been reported in the same period.

In a written reply to a question by MLA Dhirsinh Barad, the government said that in the 60 attacks, 10 people died and 52 were injured in the year ending January 31.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pulled up the Gujarat government-run Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) for financial irregularities and undue favour to select companies such as Reliance Industries Ltd and Adani Enterprises Ltd. According to its report for the year ended March 2010-11, GSPC incurred losses of a little more than Rs 5,000 crore during 2006-2011 for exploration activities at its oil and gas block in the Krishna-Godavari (K-G) basin.

Ahmedabad: While shifting the Asiatic lions from critically endangered species category to endangered species in its Red List, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at the same time has also cautioned the forest department against poaching threats to the species.

The IUCN Red List report stated that the subpopulation of lions is increasing and is considered stable now in Gujarat. The number of lions is also reported to be spreading beyond the boundaries of the protected sanctuary of Gir to satellite townships.

IUCN Shifts Asiatic Lions From Critical Category To Endangered Species

Ahmedabad: The roar of Asiatic lions in Gujarat just got louder. The conservation efforts of the state are now reflected not just in the growing numbers of the big cats but also in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Ahmedabad: Here’s one more reason for Amdavadis to feel proud of their city. After the TOIIMRB survey ranked Ahmedabad as the most liveable city in the country recently, it has now got special mention at the recently concluded Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize (WCP).

Instituted by the Singapore Redevelopment Authority, WCP is a biennial international award recognizing individuals and organizations for outstanding contribution to creating vibrant, liveable and sustainable urban communities. The awards will be given away in the upcoming

A tree census being conducted by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has come up with this stark data. The city with its population of 55.71 lakh has a meager tree count of 4.40 lakh. That means 0.08 tree per head and just 9.45 trees per hectare. To provide a clearer picture, if Amdavadis were to hunt for natural shade, each tree - big or small - will have 12 to 13 persons vying for a small piece shade.

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court has directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to formulate a policy for regulation of quarry business and crushing of stones with observation that the state government cannot control the activity.

Acting on a PIL filed by farmers from Sabarkantha district of north Gujarat, a bench of acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala ruled that stone crushers should not be allowed to operate within one kilometre radius from a residential colony.

Government Tells Assembly That Birds’ Numbers Dropped By 25%

Ahmedabad: Vulture population in Gujarat has dropped to a new low of 1,065 during the last five years. The count recorded in 2007 was 2,539 and ever since then, a sharp decline is seen. The count further dropped to 1,431 in 2008 and the May 2010 count showed that there are just 1,065 vultures in the state. The state government in a reply to a question posed by Karjan MLA Chandu Dabhi said that the vulture count in May 2010 was 1,065,