The City traffic police, in association with the Transport Department and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, will conduct a joint drive to reduce air pollution in the City and encourage vehicle users to get bi-annual emission checks done.

Commissioner of Police B G Jyotiprakash Mirji said special checks would be held this month, as March is observed as pollution control month.

The core area of the Nagarahole National Park, encompassing grassy swampland surrounded by bamboo groves, has been completely devastated by the fire that broke out early this week.

The air in the critical tiger and elephant habitat is hazy with smoke from smouldering embers. Forest watchers and temporary staff roped in from the local tribal community are still stomping out small flames emanating from the destroyed vegetation.

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday rapped the State Women and Child Welfare department in connection with children’s death due to malnutrition in Raichur district.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna, took the State government to task for not releasing funds to provide milk and egg to the undernourished children.

Process still in its ‘nascent stages’; price yet to be fixed

Tata Steel may have claimed that the land acquisition process for its integrated steel plant at Agadi in the taluk had been completed. But the land acquisition officers and farmers beg to differ. While the officers say that the process is in its nascent stages, some farmers say it has not even started.
Tata Steel (Corporate Services) Vice-President Partha Sengupta had, a few days ago, stated that the land acquisition had been completed.

Verge of extinction

The dwindling numbers of blackbucks in the State’s only blackbuck sanctuary in the protected forest at Maidanahalli village of Madhugiri taluk in the district has caused concern among wildlife enthusiasts. The report of the blackbuck census conducted by the Forest department in association with the city-based Wildlife Awareness Institute (WAI), which was released on Monday, has revealed shocking figures.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is all set to chop down 66 trees and 154 saplings at Shamanna Garden near RPC Layout for the construction of a railway under bridge (RUB).

Having faced the wrath of civil society organisations and green brigades over the felling of 17 trees along the Sankey Tank Road for road-widening, the Palike has seemingly pre-empted hues and cries concerned people’s groups may raise this time around, by issuing a meeting notice to all the stake holders.

Chennai-B’lore-Coimbatore- Ernakulam route will also cover Mysore

The Indian Railways has given a go ahead for conducting a feasibility study on its most ambitious plan to introduce high speed train on the Chennai-Bangalore-Coimbatore- Ernakulam route.

Public sector miner NMDC Limited has got an unforeseen domestic opportunity, especially in Karnataka, in the light of the final report on illegal iron ore mining submitted by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to the Supreme Court early this month.

The CEC has classified the over 150 mines in Karnataka, where iron ore production had been stopped on the directives of the apex court, into three categories. Of these, close to 50 mines categorised under class-C for alleged gross violations have been recommended for cancellation.

With India’s apex court set to announce its final verdict anytime on the fate of illegal iron ore mines in Karnataka, the country’s largest iron ore producer NMDC is eying a major opportunity in th

World’s largest steel producer ArcelorMittal has made some headway in India by getting possession of about 1,827 acres for the proposed 6 million tonne plant in Karnataka.