PANJIM: Though State Government had initiated a few steps, following disclosure of the magnitude of illegalities in mining by Shah Commission report last week, activists, however, do not seem to be satisfied.

Now that illegalities of mining companies have come in full public view, they expect that mining companies should be compelled to pay back illegal profits cornered by them during last few years.

It is not just the Mithi river that is susceptible to degradation due to encroachment and dumping. There are at least two more rivers and six natural drains in the city that are highly vulnerable and in need of immediate attention, as per a recent study funded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

These are the Oshiwara river, Poisar river, Vikhroli nullah, Mogra nullah, Tilak Nagar nullah, Piramal Nagar nullah, Irla nullah and Safed Pul nullah and are part of the five rivers and 19 natural drains in the city. According to the study, the Dahisar river also needs attention but is not as critical as the others.

Madurai district police have registered over 20 cases and arrested 45 persons so far

The Tamil Nadu Government has posted John Louis as Special Officer, in the rank of District Revenue Officer, to oversee the survey and assessment of granite quarries, now under way, in Madurai district. District Collector Anshul Mishra, who is heading the revenue team in inspecting the quarries and monitoring the progress on a daily basis, said on Tuesday that Mr. Louis, who was earlier serving in Villupuram district, would primarily oversee the surveys being carried out in the granite quarries and the assessments being made by the team members.

It may lead to illegal grabbing of government land: communiqué

Governor H.R. Bhardwaj has returned the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2012 to the State government on the grounds that the “policy of regularisation of encroachment of government land directly encouraged illegal occupation of government land.” According to a communiqué from the Raj Bhavan, the amendment to the Bill sought to substitute the existing section 94C of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 with certain modifications.

District Collector Anshul Mishra has submitted an interim report on the inspection of 175 quarries by 18 teams to the State government, officials said.

The volume, in terms of granite quarrying and monetary angle, which was allegedly carried out in an illegal way by many granite operators for the last one or two decades in Melur taluk, had been unravelled after former Madurai Collector U. Sagayam’s report got leaked to the media.

GUWAHATI, Aug 26 – Asking the State government to plan the rehabilitation of the landless people in such a manner as it does not have adverse impact on the water bodies and wetlands in and around t

Agitation for cultivators’ right to land ownership yet to reach logical end

The death of Bagair Hukum cultivator Thimmaraju at Mekerahalli in Sira taluk of the district on Wednesday has rekindled the agitation in the Bagair Hukum farmers (those cultivating land sans legal ownership). Thimmaraju had consumed poison along with three other farmers who are demanding that they be given title deeds of the land they have been cultivating for over two decades now.

DIMAPUR: Y Patton, Nagaland Parliamentary Secretary for Geology & Mining, I&FC and Border Affairs, has warned that immediate eviction drives should be carried out against individuals and government employees encroaching upon government land.

This parliamentary secretary’s caution comes in the wake of reported random encroachment of land and buildings belonging to the State Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department in Dimapur.

A dedicated team of volunteers to fight for the cause of the river Ganga will be ready soon with a proposed training centre coming up at Bheekampura in Alwar district of Rajasthan offering different courses on the river protection. The “Ganga rejuvenation centre” being opened on Monday will offer five types of training ranging from that of the Ganga sevak (worker) to the Ganga Prabanthak (manager) to Ganga Rishi (saint or expert) free of charge to the aspirants.

“The Ganga now needs warriors for re-establishing the community-driven management of the river.

Ashtamudi Lake was declared a wetland of global import 10 years ago

On August 19, 2012, it will be 10 years since the brackish water Ashtamudi Lake with eight creeks was declared a Ramsar site by designating it as a wetland of international importance. The lake was recommended by the Ramsar Convention’s partner organisations as a wetland of 61.4 sq km. And the lake entered the Ramsar list as site number 1,204.