Visakhapatnam, Sept. 7: An expert study has revealed that groundwater in the coastal areas of the state is slowly turning salty. Unless urgent remedial action is taken, the farmers of the area would face crop failure and attendant financial crisis. The hydro geochemistry study was conducted by a group from the environmental science department of the Gitam University.

Vijayawada, Sept. 5: The department f mines and geology booked 98 cases against illegal transportation of sand during the current financial year. A special check-post was set up at Nandigama to control unauthorised quarrying and stocking of sand in Krishna district, according to assistant director of mines and geology, Mr Srinivas.

Rajahmundry, Sept. 5: In an effort to ensure coverage of all children in the age group of zero to five years in the pulse polio immunisation drive, health authorities are targeting high risk areas where the children often left uncovered in the immunisation drive to administer the vaccine in East Godavari.

Kadapa Sept. 3: Unable to repay debts, five farmers committed suicide in Kadapa district in last one week. On August 27, three farmers of Kasinayana and Porumamilla mandals committed suicide, and on Tuesday, Ravikumar, 35, of Papireddygaripalle in Obu-lavaripalle mandal and Kondamma, 46, of Lekka-lavaripalle Timmaiahgaripalle in Mydukur mandal committed suicide.

Hyderabad Sept. 4: Several MLCs on Thursday expressed concern over the pollution in Hussainsagar and asked the municipal administration department take immediate steps to control the inflow of industrial effluents into the lake. The Congress MLC Kanukula Janaradhan Reddy raised the issue during the question hour in the Council and said pollution had become a health hazard to the people residing in the surrounding areas.

Guntur, Sept. 3: The district collector, Mr B. Venkatesam, on Wednesday said there would be no scarcity of fertilisers in the district with the beginning of the arrival of stocks to railway yard, Nehru Nagar in Guntur.

The collector made a surprise check of fertiliser stocks being received at the railway yard on Wednesday evening.

Hyderabad, Sept. 2: A rare Black Widow spider was found at L B Nagar and Meerpet in the outskirts of the city recently. The spider is venomous and has been responsible for several deaths in America and Australia.
Wildlife biologists have approached the National History Museums in America and Australia to identify the species.

Ongole, Sept. 2: Like many other compounds, fluoride is good in small quantities and becomes harmful in large quantities. Doctors use fluoride in small quantities for the prevention of dental cavities in children. It is common practice to add very low concentrations of fluoride to tooth pastes and drinking water (less than 1ppm).

Ongole, Sept. 2: Lakhs of villages in India wrestle with health problems because of lack of potable water. But in 21 villages of Prakasam district, it is potable water which is the villain. Water with high fluoride content is turning out to be a slow poison for people in these villages.

Anantapur, Sept. 1: Local MLA, Mr B. Narayan Reddy, said that efforts were on to develop the town with Rs 100 crore. Speaking at the Praja Darbar programme, the MLA said that Rs 70 crore was already released in this regard.