Madhya Pradesh has maximum area covered under forest among all the other states in the country, an RTI query has revealed.

A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, has recommended ‘forest clearance' for Mahan and Chhatrasal coal mines. But this comes with some riders.

New Delhi The group of ministers (GoM) on coal has approved conditional environment clearances to the Mahan and Chhatrasal coal mines projects. The projects would now go to the cabinet for final clearance.

The decision came after the GoM in its meeting in March had asked the environment ministry to form an expert panel to evaluate the impact of mining in the two mines on environment.

A police head constable, Mahendra Singh, lost his life on Tuesday in Dholpur when he tried to stop a truck carrying illegal sand from Madhya Pardesh. The truck ran over the gead constable, resulting in his instant death. The incident occurred when two policemen, Mahendra and Virendra, noticed four trucks entering from Madhya Pardesh.

According to police sources, one of the trucks ran over Mahendra Singh and the driver of the truck disappeared after the incident, while three other trucks also sped away from the scene.

The Supreme Court has pulled up the Centre for not being serious about cleaning up the toxic waste lying around for the past 28 years at the defunct Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. At a special hearing by the Court's Vacation Bench on Monday, the Judges asked if the Government's attitude stemmed from the fact that the victims were poor.

“You are not sure even after 28 years. It is because the people affected, and living in Bhopal, are poor. It is a failure on your part to deal with this,” said the Bench, consisting of Justices G.S. Singhvi and S.J. Mukhopadhyay.

The apex court on Monday pulled up the Centre for not being serious on disposal of toxic waste lying in the defunct Union Carbide India Ltd plant, now represented by DOW Chemical Company, in Bhopal

The representatives of five Bhopal gas survivor organisations on Sunday urged the Group of Ministers on Bhopal to take a long term view in dealing with the issue of hazardous waste and toxic contamination linked with the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.

The demand raised by the Bhopal gas survivors acquires significance as the GoM will be meeting on Monday to discuss the issue of disposal of 350MT of toxic waste as directed by the Supreme Court. The Apex Court has listed the matter on May 28 and will be awaiting the decision of GoM on solution for disposal of 350 MT of Union Carbide waste.

Cooperative Minister Shri Gaurishankar Bisen has directed that maximum quantity of certified seeds should be made available to farmers with a view to increasing agricultural production.

A two-judge bench of Jabalpur high court on Friday admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding allotment of land to the private Chirayu Hospital in the state capital and served notices on the Madhya Pradesh government asking for a reply within four weeks.

The high court bench comprising Justice Rakesh Saxena and Justice S.C. Sinho on Friday responded to the PIL by Mr Tarun Gupta, secretary Parishram Samaj Kalyan Samiti by issueing notices to six state departments — these are departments of revenue, housing and environment, capital project administration, Medical Council of India and Chirayu Charitable Society.

Despite the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) having green signaled the `300-crore Project Cheetah, which involved translocating African cheetahs from Namibia to Palpur Kuno Sanctuary in M