Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR: Seven government officials and a mines operator were arrested by the Vigilance Department of the State Government on Wednesday for their involvement in illegal mining in Keonjhar district.

The accused were produced before a Vigilance court at Balasore during the day. The court remanded them to judicial custody.
Thorough questioning

SALEM: Collector J. Chandrakumar asked the officials from the Mining and Revenue departments to work in close co-ordination to prevent illegal mining in the district.

Participating at a meeting held here recently, the Collector cautioned that stern action would be initiated against persons who were found involved illegal mining of minerals in the district.

Aug. 6: A record 77 MLAs from the Telugu Desam, TRS and Left parties were suspended from the Assembly for a day on Thursday.
They were suspended for disrupting the proceedings and insisting on a House Committee on the Obulapuram mines.
The entire Opposition barring the Lok Satta demanded a House Committee but the government rejected the same on the grounds that the matter was sub-judice.

Taking a tough stand in the face of many issues of illegal mining highlighted in the House Minister for Environment Aleixo Sequeira today declared that air and water consents of illegal mines would be withdrawn within seven days.

KRISHNAGIRI: A forest watcher was injured in firing by an unidentified gang in the reserve forests near Krishnagiri, bordering Andhra Pradesh, in the early hours of Sunday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Just about twenty days after the city zoo lost its huge sand boa, the Government Ayurveda College Research Centre at Poojappura too has lost its red sand boa.

The boa was smuggled out of its cage - under lock and key - from a room, which was also locked, at the snake park maintained by the Ayurveda College.

Residents of Maussakele area are perturbed about illegal gem mining taking place in Maskelioya, which is the main river that feeds the Maussakele reservoir. They warned that the Maussakele reservoir is being endangered with silting due to the illegal gem mining that has been going on for some time with authorities allegedly ignoring what is going on.

BHUBANESWAR: The neglect over Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) by the authorities concerned has come to light once again with `no field visit

Three sandalwood smugglers have been arrested and 343 kg of sandalwood billets valued at Rs 7.50 lakh,seized from them near here, police said today.

Hamid Khan, his wife Yasmeen Khanum and Syed Amjad Khan,who were arrested yesterday, are natives of Bangalore, Superintendent of Police Dr P S Harsha told reporters here today.