-The Hindustan Times Mumbai: Indian companies have acquired land more than nine times the size of Delhi on foreign shores, as cultivable land at home is lost to urbanisation, industry and infrastructure projects. Land Matrix, a global land monitoring initiative that tracks land dealings worldwide, placed India among the top 10 countries that have acquired large tracts of land abroad, primarily for agriculture, in Africa and Asia. The country ranks eighth,...

-The Times of India PANAJI: Six major lakes face a serious threat from pollution and rapid development, as a directive of Bombay high court at Goa to prepare a detailed plan for their protection has been relegated to the backburner. The government had constituted a task force in 2003 after the court issued a few directions to the forest department to protect Carambolim lake and take up the conservation of six other...

-The Hindu ‘No land to rehabilitate 2.5 lakh people in submergence zones' The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has urged the central government to halt the mega Sardar Sarovar Project at its present height of 122 meters which will bring the requisite benefits without uprooting thousands of rural and tribal population from displacement. During their two-day agitation that concluded at Jantar Mantar here on Thursday, representatives of the displaced families led by Medha Patkar...

-The Telegraph Mumbai: Just when India Inc is battling a welter of accusations about crony capitalism, Transparency International has put out a report that will buttress its argument that the CBI-inspired witch hunt to name and shame some of the best-known business barons in the country is "preposterous and unwarranted". The report says Indian companies have the greatest commitment to fight corruption and the best internal systems in place to do so...

-The Indian Express Death toll mounts to 25; government describes situation in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts as "critical" Gopalpur/Srikakulam/Bhubaneswar: The death toll in calamity-ravaged Odisha on Monday mounted to 25 with four more persons perishing in several areas of the State in the aftermath of cyclone Phailin that triggered heavy rains and floods in some districts. The government described the situation in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts as "critical". Relief and rescue operations have been...