India’s northeastern state Nagaland has declared independence from the Union oil ministry and invited bids for 11 exploration blocks in the state without involving the petroleum ministry, which has rushed to the home ministry in protest.

The centre was caught napping, when Nagaland invited “expressions of interest” from oil companies after setting up a ministerial group on petroleum, officials in the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, technical arm of the oil ministry, told ET.
“It appears that this action of the state government of Nagaland is ultra vires of the Constitution,” director general of hydrocarbons RN Choubey said in a letter to the oil ministry.

IMPHAL: Manipur was one of the eight States rewarded for significant agricultural productions. President Pranab Kumar Mukherjee handed over to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi a cash of Rs 2 crore, one citation and one certificate in a solemn function held today at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

From among the small State category Manipur and Nagaland have been selected. Officials did not furnish details of the reported glut production in agriculture in Manipur. Because Manipur has been importing even ubiquitous items like rice, flour and all other food items from other States in general and Assam in particular.

SHILLONG: An earthquake of moderate intensity jolted the northeastern region on Wednesday morning. Officials said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property.

Forest cover in the country has decreased by 367 sq km with the green area decreasing in 14 states, says a forest report released here on Wednesday.

According to the India State of Forest Report-2011, forest cover has decreased in 14 states including Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Assam, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and Tripura.

However, the forest cover has increased in Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Andaman & Nicobar.

The forest cover in the country has decreased by 367 sq kms with the green area decreasing in 14 states, as per a forest report released here today.

With the forest cover of 77,700 square kilometre area Madhya Pradesh retain its coveted title of number of state of the country in terms of forest cover, according to Indian State of Forest Report

At least 2300 sq km of Assam’s forest land in areas bordering the neighbouring States is under encroachment.

SILCHAR : A campaign by lovers of nature and environmentalists has been launched to save Barak and its biodiversity due to the clandestine and often open harmful activities of poachers on the upper