In yet another instance of animal-human conflict, wild elephants in Meghalaya's West Garo hills are giving the farmers in the area sleepless nights. The pachyderms are descending on the village in hordes and trampling the crops that are ready for harvesting.

The Bishnoi community protested against the killing of 25 Indian gazelles and four peacocks by members of the Babari community, near village Swatsar in Churu district of Rajasthan. Under pressure from the community, the police has suspended one sub-inspector, two head constables and four constables for dereliction of duty.

The Congress(I)-led government in Rajasthan has taken up 120 small projects to expand irrigation facilities in the state.

The Environmental Pollution Control Authority has reiterated its demand for banning new passenger vehicles with diesel engines in the National Capital Region.

The Delhi government launched the Yamuna purification drive in Gurgaon in the second week of October. The drive covers around 15 cities, including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Yamuna Nagar, Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat.

Alarmed over reports of chemical residues found in the Indian tiger shrimps, the Marine Products Export Development Authority has launched a crash campaign against use of antibiotics in the nine maritime states to save shrimp exports from possibly being banned.

Shimla's 120-year-old water tanks that cater to the needs of the hill station underwent a cleaning operation.

The Union government has sanctioned a project for the supply of drinking water free from fluoride, brackishness and iron in Hyderabad. The district administration has prepared an estimate of Rs 20.39 crore for the project. While 50 per cent of the cost will be borne by the Centre, the state government will contribute 40 per cent. Local bodies will contribute the remaining 10 per cent.