Pune July 06 The decision to impose fines and initiate legal proceedings is taken to dissuade builders who dump debris into the rivers, says municipal commissioner

It is an innocuous practice in offices in Uttar Pradesh to order tea from the nearest roadside dhaba. What is not so innocuous is how the tea is carried to these offices

Karunanidhi lays foundation for a barrage across the Cauvery at Kattalai "We continue to suffer and have to struggle, fight legal battles or plead with the Centre to get our share of water.' PRESSING THE BUTTON: Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi laying the foundation stone for the flood prevention and Mayanur bed regulator in Tiruchi on Tuesday. (From left) Transport Minister K.N. Nehru, Law and PWD Minister Durai Murugan are in the picture.

A leader of Indian opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the Union government of India to persuade Nepal government to immediately release water in the Gandak river for irrigation in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. "The Nepal government has stopped the flow of water into the river and hence the canal is running dry affecting agriculture in UP and Bihar," BJP UP unit president Ramapati Ram Tripathi said, according to Indian media reports.

All major rivers and their tributaries marked further rises following continuous moderate to heavy rainfalls and onrush of hilly waters from upper catchments in the greater Rangpur area, officials said on Friday. There is no flood situation so far in Kurigram, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Gaibandha where the rivers marked rises but were flowing one metre to two metres below their respective danger marks at all points, Water Development Board officials said.