Visakhapatnam, Sept. 7: An expert study has revealed that groundwater in the coastal areas of the state is slowly turning salty. Unless urgent remedial action is taken, the farmers of the area would face crop failure and attendant financial crisis. The hydro geochemistry study was conducted by a group from the environmental science department of the Gitam University.

HYDERABAD

Andhra Pradesh is emerging as the uranium and thorium hub of the country with new reserves of these rare minerals being unearthed in Chittoor and Warangal districts. Uranium has been found in Kadapa and Nalgonda districts while thorium reserves have been discovered in Visakhapatnam , Prakasam and Nalgonda districts.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 13: The wildlife wing of the state forests department decided to seek conservation plan for highly endangered species from all the forest conservators on the Andhra Pradesh coast. Responding to a report appeared in these columns,

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 13: The district administration is making all arrangements for distributing forest land to the tribal farmers who have been cultivating there since generations. In the first phase an extent of 60,000 acre in Paderu revenue division alone would be distributed and the process would be launched by the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, during his visit to the district on August 17.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 12: The district collector, Mr Sanjay Kumar, asked the agriculture officials to focus on the drip irrigation. Talking to the officials at a review meeting held here on Tuesday, the collector told them to encourage farmers to cultivate cashew, mango and orange through drip irrigation as per the fertility of the land under state government's Indira Prabha scheme.

Hyderabad, July 23: It will be a double bonanza for farmers and their children. While irrigation projects under the Jalayagnam banner will help the farmers to draw water, the state tourism department's initiative to develop tourism centres at the irrigation project sites will help the wards of the farmers earn a livelihood.

All the irrigation projects would be developed as regional centres of tourist attraction by creating modern entertainment amenities. Of 72 irrigation projects that are under construction in different districts, 34 projects have been identified as tourism centres.

Visakhapatnam July 17: The district administration is yet to take up the cloud seeding project for the region though it has been cleared by the state government recently. Cloud seeding would be carried out in Raiwada region as per the government orders. In its order the state asked the collector to consult Prof. T. Sivaji Rao, director of Environmental studies, and his associates who had earlier carried cloud seeding successfully in the district.

Paderu (Visakhapatnam), July 14: The minister for commercial taxes, Mr Konatala Ramakrishna, said the bauxite mining would be taken up in the Agency soon after all the approvals were given by various departments of the Central government. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Mr Ramakrishna said the clearance was in the preliminary stages and being speeded up by the State government.

Visakhapatnam July 10: The State government's prestigious housing scheme for moderate-income group would very soon become a reality. The housing minister, Mr Botsa Satyanrayana, here on Thursday said that all the proposed houses under the scheme would be handed over to the applicants by 2010 in three phases. A special purpose vehicle Andhra Pradesh Rajiv Swagruha Corporation Ltd (APRSCL) was incorporated recently in this regard to look after the massive affordable housing project.

BS Reporter / New Delhi July 10, 2008, 0:19 IST Oil majors to take call on project after pre-feasibility study by Dec. Billionaire L N Mittal, France's Total and its three other Indian partners will take a final decision to build a $6-billion refinery and petrochemicals complex in south India by December. The decision comes in the wake of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exiting a similar proposed refinery recently, citing non-feasibility of the project.