Jaipur: The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) is now tightening the reins on mine owners to safeguard the environment and promote scientific disposal of mining waste. The board will now allow the establishment of marble sawing units only on the precondition that mine owners will effectively reuse marble slurry within a year of getting licence. This step has been taken as marble dust and slurry are hazardous for the environment.

JAIPUR: Though the state government has failed to submit the audited statements due by February 15 for the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), the Union rural development ministry has cleared Rs 576 crore for Rajasthan under the scheme for 2011-12.

The Rajasthan Government's urban bodies signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Ircon International Limited, a railway undertaking, for construction of 12 railway over-bridges and under-bridges across the State here over the weekend.

The Rajasthan Government's Irrigation Department has created additional irrigation facilities in an area measuring 35,906 hectares across the State at a cost of Rs.490 crore during the current financial year.

JAIPUR: Ambiguity looms large over the ring road project in the city. Even a month after the official date of commencement, people's dream for better connectivity still remains on paper. JDA officials claim that half of the problem was already solved after the empowered committee accepted the farmers' demand and said the project will start soon. However, no actual date to start the project has been announced by the authorities.

Elected representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions from 16 districts of Rajasthan attending a workshop here over the weekend said the issues relating to sex selection, gender equality and maternal health were getting priority in panchayat-level health planning with emphasis on utilisation of “untied funds” for a variety of health care services.

Focus Energy Limited, an independent oil and gas exploration and development company, has found huge reserves of gas in the two new wells dug at the "RJ-ON/6" onshore block in the Shahgarh bulge area here. Gas was found at an approximate depth of 3,000 m in one well, and at 3,150 m in the other. This find would help in setting up new power projects, contributing to the state's self-sufficiency in energy sector.

JAIPUR: The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has accepted the demands of farmers during an empowered committee meeting on Tuesday. Farmers supporting the proposed ring road project are happy as their demands were pending with the state cabinet for a long time.

JAISALMER: The interim order of the Rajasthan High Court banning all mining activities near the IAF stations in western Rajasthan has come as a big relief to the Air Force. Though mining continued for two or three more days after the order, the mining department and police stepped in to stop the work.