The target pests becoming resistant to Bt cotton has now emerged as a new problem in parts of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Maharasthra. A study done by the Nagpur-based Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) has suggested the need for proactive six-pronged insect resistance management (IRM) on Bt cotton fields. "Otherwise the development of insect resistance to Bt cotton can significantly diminish the returns and benefits that are currently being derieved from the technology,' it said.

Despite loan waivers, farmer suicides continue unabated Lacking adequate irrigation and remunerative support prices, the Indian farmer continues to suffer at the hands of an uncaring bureaucracy, manipulative politicians and avaricious moneylenders. More than 280 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra's Vidarbha district since January. The government says that more than 100,000 have killed themselves between 1997 and 2005 . In Vidarbha, the main cause of suicide is indebtedness to moneylenders, who often charge interest rates of up to 40 per cent on loans.

Three weeks after local fishermen discovered oysters at the Mahim Bay, scientists have found that the mollusks are of a different variety

Mangoes will taste bitter this season as excessive rainfall and shortage of supply hikes prices The king of fruits may be in town, but it is coming with a big price tag this season. Untimely heavy rainfall in Konkan region has resulted in massive damage to crops and a severe shortage of supply. According to figures available at retailers and wholesalers, the supply of mangoes, especially those of the alphonso variety, is upto 50 per cent less this year compared to last year.

The civic standing committee on Tuesday gave its nod to appoint the Science and Technology Park (STP), Pune as the nodal agency for the execution of eco-housing programme and also to allocate Rs 21.10 lakh for STP, as expenses of conducting workshops and publishing information brochures, among other things. Even though the Science and Technology Park had shown interest in being appointed as the consulting agency and had filed a proposal to this effect moths back, there was some apparent disagreement over fees to be paid to the nodal agency.

A month after the Bombay high court order which declared all houses on private forest land as illegal, embattled chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Wednesday stepped in to protect the estimated one lakh flats of 'innocent' persons on forest lands in the suburbs, especially in the Powai-Bhandup-Mulund-Thane-Kandivli-Borivli belt covering about 1,500 hectares. Another 75,000 flats are under construction in these areas.

Nearly 300 residents of over 10 societies near Charkop lake, a 50-year-old water body, fear that construction on the lake is going to adversely affect them in the coming monsoon. In February, the residents had raised a red flag over partial filling of the six-acre lake for a housing project. Consequently, on February 20, the Mumbai Suburban Collector's office issued a notice to stop the land-filling till further notice and ordered a high-level inquiry into the issue.

The Young Environmentalists Programme organised an event in the Forest Club at Powai on the occasion of the World Earth Day on Tuesday, at which its president Elsie Gabriel spoke about mobilising the environment movement by using the youth as a vehicle. "We at Young Environmentalists Programme believe that Earth Day is an important reminder each year for us to connect, interact and have an impact on our own communities at a local level,' said Gabriel.

The STATE Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed uproarious scenes on the issue of farm loan with the opposition members shouting slogans against the government and demanding more loan waiver for the farmers. The issue of total loan waiver was raised by the Leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam through an adjournment motion who said that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had given a statement saying that more waiver for farmers is not possible. Kadam said in that case the state government should take initiative and come out with a scheme to help the debt-ridden farmers.

ASSERTING that every child has the right to education and that the parents failing to send their wards to schools should be sent to jail, School Education Minister Vasant Purke said the state government would enact a legislation on 'right to education' and introduce sex education from standard ninth from the ensuing academic year.