In order to contain the monkey menace in and around the city, the Forest Department is planting saplings of fruit-bearing trees in Basistha area. Sources in the Forest Department said that about a thousand saplings of different fruit-bearing trees had been planted in the area, and plans were afoot to plant more such saplings.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda CHANDIGARH: The Mewat Development Agency has prepared a Rs.76.90-crore district development plan for Mewat district in accordance with the Prime Minister's new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities, Haryana Governor A.R. Kidwai and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Wednesday after a meeting of the Mewat Development Board here.

Jubbal (Shimla): The BJP government chose to celebrate completion of six months in power at Jubbal-Kotkhai today by raising the minimum support price of apple by 50 paise per kg. The BJP had alleged while in opposition that the Congress had overlooked the area during its term. The support price of apple is now Rs 5.25 per kg. Launching a scathing attack on former chief minister Virbhadra Singh for ignoring Jubbal-Kotkhai, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today showered development projects on the area, including a modern marketing yard at Kharapatthar and a helipad near Jubbal.

Employment of 7.49 lakh man-days has been generated, 408 water tanks have been constructed and 214 tanks are under construction under a new initiative taken by Haryana Horticulture Department to integrate a component of National Horticulture Mission with Micro Irrigation.

SUALKUCHI - State Agriculture Minister Pramila Brahma inaugurated the seed village programme on July 1 at Kayatol under Sarulah Agriculture Extension circle of Kamrup district. Addressing the inaugural ceremony Brahma called upon the farmers to take advantage of the scheme and implement the programme so that they could increase their production. She also called upon the officers to inspire the cultivators and help them in their fields.

MANGO exports are likely to rise to 1 million tonnes this year, against an estimated export of 80,000 tonnes last year. The growth in the fruit's export is expected to be driven by Indian mangoes' growing acceptance in the world market for its quality, opening up of Japan's market in recent times and resumption of mango export to the US since the middle of last year, after a gap of 17 years.

New Delhi: Gorging on mangoes is one of the great delights of summer. But the fun was sliced by half this season, no thanks to the surprise summer rains. Wholesale merchants estimate the harvest is down by 40-50%. The unseasonal downpour has made the uncommon varieties such as ratoil

The residents of Khrew and Khanmoh in Pampore Tehsil have expressed serious concern over the increasing number of cement manufacturing factories, which they said have become major source of pollution in the area. Demanding that the factories should either be closed down or shifted to some uninhabited areas, the residents maintained that cement plants continue to affect the growth and production of saffron fields and other vegetations badly.