BHUBANESWAR: The Mines Directorate seems to have woken up to the occasion after the Opposition brought the multicrore mining scam to the fore.

THE Union environment ministry has adopted an unusual conservation strategy to save the dwindling population of edible-nest swiftlets (Aerodramus fuciphagus) in the Andamans. It has taken them off the Schedule-I list of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which accords the highest protection to a species. The nests of these swiftlets are made of hardened saliva and are taken away

BHUBANESWAR: Vigilance sleuths today raided the Unchabali iron and manganese mines at Joda in Keonjhar district in connection with multi-crore mining scam.

AKSHAYA KUMAR SAHOO
Even as the UPA government maintains silence over the massive "irregularities" in mining activity in Orissa, the Naveen Patnaik government in the state -- which itself faces charges of "patronising" and "shielding" the accused -- continues to employ its vigilance wing to net the "small fishes" allegedly to avoid the public attention.

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Vigilance Department of the State government conducted raids at several places in the course of their investigation into the multi-crore mining scam on Wednesday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged a demonstration here demanding that the probe into the scam should be carried out at a fast pace.

Illicit gem mining by outsiders continues relentlessly in the Sri Lanka Gem Corporation owned lands of Welgahawadiya in Minipe sector.

Unscrupulous elements are taking advantage of the Gem Corporation's failure to auction the land nearly 1.5 acres in extent despite an announcement made by the Corporation some time ago.

AKSHAYA KUMAR SAHOO
It's official now. The Union government has admitted illegal mining of iron ore and manganese in Orissa's mineral-rich Keonjhar district.

Bhavnagar: Forest department officials caught a 19-year-old class XII student with antlers and skull of a blackbuck, a protected wildlife species, on Monday evening.

Poachers have killed two rhinos and robbed them off their precious horns in a span of ten days in Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nagarik daily reported.

A male rhino was found in Temple Tiger area on September 2, while a female rhino was found in Krishnasar Community Forest of Nawalparasi on September 12. Both rhinos were without their horns.

BHUBANESWAR: While the multi-crore mining scam is unfolding everyday, national BJP president Rajnath Singh today deputed a party delegation to visit the mines-rich Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts to assess the illegal mining.