Malaria and dengue are unpleasant enough individually. However, it’s their joint force that is fearful.

A proposal to privatise water supply and distribution in a few areas in the city has kicked up a row with union leaders threatening to disrupt the daily water supply if the government does not abandon the privatisation proposal. Though privatising water supply was first proposed in 2000-01, during the Telugu Desam regime, it was kept in abeyance following sharp criticism that the then ruling party was dancing to the tunes of the World Bank.

In 2010, privatisation of at least a single operation and maintenance division in the city was mooted, but the unions shot it down. The current privatisation proposal too has been opposed by the Water Works Employees’ Union.

The tourism department has designed special package tours for delegates during the bio diversity summit, which starts from Oct 1

With about 8,000 delegates from 193 countries expected to attend the XI Conference of Parties (COP 11) and the Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in the city from October 1 to 19, the state government is all set to project Andhra Pradesh on the world tourism map. Accordingly, the state tourism department has designed special package tours for delegates including daily evening and week-end visits to historical places and heritage sites in the city.

Vehicular density, construction activity, use of diesel generator sets and loudspeakers blamed

Bangalore, long considered the garden city, now has a dubious distinction. It has been ranked the country’s seventh noisiest city and the tag is bound to worry the citizens, long concerned about rising levels of air pollution and ever-increasing number of vehicles. At 65 decibels, the City’s noise level has exceeded permissible levels in residential and commercial zones.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s garbage vans operate in a manner that is as dirty as the garbage they collect.

Local bodies are preparing a Greater Hyderabad City biodiversity Index, on the lines of the Singapore biodiversity index, with all details of green cover, flora, fauna and urban ecosystems and their management.

Several agencies like the GHMC, State Biodiversity Board, National Remote Sensing Agency and Osmania University are involved in the preparation of the biodiversity index.

While DLF and Omaxe have withdrawn from affordable housing after doing some initial projects, Usha Martin group's realty arm Usha Breco Realty is yet to launch three of the four projects it planned

Over 4,000 suggestions from people uploaded on the web, says Urban Development Minister

Green buildings in the Capital will be allowed to increase their floor area ratio (FAR) as an incentive by the Urban Development Ministry. This is one of the proposals among 23 specific amendments to the Master Plan-2021 for Delhi that have been made by the Union Urban Development Ministry and which will now be finalised for issuing public notice.