-Express News Service The government has decided to ban tourist activity and regulate commercial establishments within a five km radius of the habitat of aboriginal tribes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to the proposal to promulgate the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Amendment Regulation 2012 to ensure that endangered tribes like the Jarawas are protected from “undesirable outside influences”. The decision comes...

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to send an additional 4,000 paramilitary personnel to Chhattisgarh, to strengthen anti-Naxal operations being carried out jointly by the Centre and the State government. The move follows Union Home Secretary R. K. Singh's visit to the state capital, Raipur, on Tuesday. It is learnt that the State government urged Mr. Singh to augment central paramilitary personnel in one of the worst Naxal-affected states....

Travelling to India this summer? Better be prepared against malaria. The World Health Organization (WHO) has alerted international travelers against the active threat of malaria in India. In its latest 'International Travel and Health Bulletin 2012', the WHO has said that malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country at altitudes below 2,000m. The bulletin cautions travelers against malaria infections, especially while travelling to the northeast, the Andaman & Nicobar...

A survey of 71 cities across the country conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has shown that officially 82 per cent of all the water that municipalities of these cities supply comes from surface water resources, and the rest comes from groundwater resources. But of these 71 cities, 11 depend almost completely on groundwater for public water supply. In the remaining, agencies supply water from surface sources by...

With some States defaulting on payment of their share of funds for providing meals to children in government schools, adversely affecting the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the Centre has now asked all States to consider adopting Andhra Pradesh's model ‘Green Channel Scheme.' The A.P. model makes funds available throughout the year. “All States and Union Territories may take the lead from Andhra Pradesh and streamline the release of funds,”...