A recent incident of alleged poaching of a Great Indian Bustard -- the State bird of Rajasthan listed in the “critically endangered” category -- near the famous Sam sand dunes in Jaisalmer district has shocked environmentalists who have blamed poor wildlife management and lack of protective measures for the crime.

Some hunters travelling in two vehicles allegedly shot dead a Great Indian Bustard in broad daylight in Sudasari area forming part of the Desert National Park on December 20 and took away the dead bird. A shepherd saw the act and complained to the forest authorities.

JAIPUR: Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said that the new land acquisition law would ensure that state governments have little say in land acquisition process. The bill is to be tabled in the parliament which will ensure that the rights of farmers could be protected.

Ramesh, who was on a day's visit to the state to unveil the statues of martyrs, Ashok Verma and Kailash Meena at Bassi tehsil, addressed public gatherings and said the new bill will ensure the government do not force their way for land acquisition.

Jaipur: Buoyed by the success of solar water pumps in the first phase, the state government is set to roll out a number of such pumps in the next phase.

With farmers able to save electricity and fuel in as many as 14 districts, the state horticulture department will be distributing 3,000 solar water pumps across the state. “We are planning distribute the pumps by the end of the February. The department has already invited expressions of interest from solar pump set manufacturers. Around 12 manufacturers have been shortlisted to supply solar pump

killing by some villager or whether it died a natural death. The carcass had rotted away beyond recognition while it is also suspected that wild animals may have eaten away its flesh. Pug marks of hyenas and that of another tiger were found near the carcass.

“The trap cameras have failed to throw up any concrete picture of the movement of another tiger in the area. We will be changing their position for a better picture,” sources said. The mystery over the death deepened with possibilities that suggest death could be due to any of the reasons. “While there are canine marks on its neck but the marks are not definitive. Scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India suggested that the marks were such as the teeth were sunk in twice in the same area,” sources said.

The oil ministry has approved further exploration in Cairn India's operational oilfields in Rajasthan to increase production.

“The proposal was pending with us for more than one and a half years. According to the existing PSC, the contractors are not prohibited for exploration in producing fields, however, we have given our approvals,” a senior oil ministry official said. "Cost-recovery shall be permitted only after commercial viability of finds are established," the official added. Anil Agarwal earlier wrote a letter to oil minister Veerappa Moily seeking permission to explore remaining potential resources in India's biggest onland oilfield. The company plans to ramp up production from its Rajasthan block to 3,00,000 barrels per day.

A mutilated, maggot-eaten carcass of a tiger was recovered the Gilai Saga-Khadar area of the Ranthambore tiger reserve in Sawai Madhopur district on Sunday morning.

Jaipur:Not only the opposition but the administration too has picked holes in city’s sanitation work.

Taking a strong exception to the muck and dirt scattered during the chief minister’s programme at the Scouts & Guides headquarters located at Ram Niwas Bagh here on Monday, the district collector shoots a letter to the Jaipur Muncipal Corporation (JMC) chief executive officer (CEO), expressing his annoyance and seeking an explanation on the matter.

JAIPUR: Rajasthan will soon become the first state in the country to conduct a tree census. Provisions for a census are a mandatory part the Rajasthan Trees (plantation and protection in urban areas) Bill likely to be introduced in assembly this budget session.

The bill, which has been in the works for a long time, has been given an in-principal approval by the state government. On Tuesday, the state law review committee of the advocate general's (AG) office submitted the final draft and rules of the bill. Chief secretary C K Mathew has also asked concerned departments of law, finance and local self government to finalize the modalities so that it can be presented before the cabinet soon.

JAIPUR: RIICO's efforts to set up a ceramic and glass zone at Ghilot in Alwar got a fillip on Sunday with the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) agreeing to provide natural gas linkage to the project. The announcement came during the CeraGlass-2012 conference, jointly organized by RIICO, CII and ICS.

The zone has been proposed in the 750-acre area to promote manufacturing of ceramic and glass products. S N Kumar, general manager (O&M), JLPL and zonal marketing, GAIL, said, "GAIL will extend the Sultanpur-Neemrana Pipeline to Ghilot to meet the gas requirements of the same and to set up the zone on 750 acres of land."

JAIPUR: The active western disturbances in the state brought fog and ground frost which was visible in the northern and eastern parts of the state on Sunday.