The State Government and the district administration are initiating a number of measures to ease various problems plaguing the city. Revealing this at a press conference, the Minister for Guwahati Development, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) would be engaging 700 new sweepers within two to three days. "The GMC now has 350 sweepers and the 700 new sweepers would be recruited as muster roll workers, taking their number to 1,500,' he said.

Mumbaikars can smile now. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally assured them that there will be no water cuts before the monsoon gets into its full flow. The civic officials said that till now there is water storage of 54,990 million litre per day (MLD) in the lakes which is sufficient to last for another 15 to 20 days. Hoping that monsoon arrives in the city by that time the city will face no water cuts. According to BMC figures the water levels in the civic lakes have gone down as compared to last year and fears of likely water cuts was being expressed.

Professional help sought for data collection; findings to be part of PMC's Environment Status Report While it is no secret that the unprecedented and unplanned growth of the city has put severe pressure on its various resources, for the first time the Pune Municipal Corporation is coming forward to actually study and assess the impact of the damage on at least one critical area

The health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has drawn up an ambitious plan to combat emergencies during the monsoon. Setting up a control room in Kasturba Hospital at Chinchpokli for uniform diagnosis, investigation and treatment of ailments. The civic body has also called for extra provision of drugs, said Shubhada Gudekar, chairperson of the Public Health Committee.

FPJ investigations revealed that a major part of the saplings and trees have found its way to the farm house owned by a former municipal commissioner The Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) lived to its reputation of being one of the most corrupt civic bodies in the state after yet another major scam stumbled out of its closets. This one being from its Tree Authority (TA).

It's time to rejoice, as the pre-monsoon showers lashed the city since the wee hours, bringing welcome relief to residents. According to the predictions of the weathermen, the showers will continue in spells for another 48 hours. Mr GC Debnath, director of Regional Meteorological Centre Alipore said, "Till 8.30 a.m. the rainfall recorded is 72.4 mm and it is expected the maximum temperature will remain around 32 degree Celsius.'

The solid waste collection work carried out by private firms will now be monitored by officials to check their efficiency. The long tussle between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and DWM, a private company which collects and dumps garbage from three zones of the city, will be sorted out by the installation of a tower which will monitor the work of garbage disposal by DWM.

Despite tall claims by the MCD to contain the menace of stray cattle in the city, a stray cattle went wild and gored a 55-year-old man to death, and injured two people who tried to save victim's life in Prashant Vihar, northwest Delhi, on Tuesday evening. The victim, identified as Gurnaam Singh, was a resident of Sardar Colony Sector16 Rohini. According to the police, a cow in the local area had been acting wild for past few days as it could not see its calf.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) along with city police and Paschimbanga Vijnanan Mancha will observe no horn hour from 11am to 12 noon on 5 June to observe World Environment Day. The move is aimed at sensitising people about noise pollution and its after effect. It may be recalled that a recent survey has shown that many drivers of heavy duty vehicles are becoming deaf because of rampant use to air horn. KMC will request VIPs not to use hooters during the hour. Only Ambulance will be exempted. n SNS

Non -lifting of garbage by the municipal corporation employees has literally converted numerous Patiala colonies into a garbage dump. While the employees blame the residents for dumping garbage at sights not earmarked for it, no efforts are being made to clear the areas. People say heaps of garbage remain dumped on main roads for days and lifted partially after repeated reminders to the local officials.