-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Humble sand is today big business. The boom in the construction industry in the last decade has triggered a huge demand for sand, to meet which contractors, with the help of pliant state officials, have begun a dig-load-sell exercise at a frantic pace. The story of illegal loot of sand in this high-stake business is repeated in state after state. TOI spoke to several officials, activists,...

-The Telegraph Jorhat: Villages near the Doyang hydroelectric project in Nagaland today pledged to protect amur falcons, which are killed every year during their brief visit to the area while migrating from Asia to southern Africa. The villagers trap and kill thousands of the migratory raptors for their meat when they visit the wetlands near the project site in the state's Wokha district between the end of October and beginning of November. Amur...

-The Telegraph A study on a globally endangered bird whose safety once prompted the defence ministry to scrap a surveillance set-up has called for stronger conservation efforts in its only home, an Andaman island, despite a "heartening" increase in numbers. The study on the Narcondam Hornbill, found only on the Narcondam island in Andaman and Nicobar, has emphasised the need to "minimise" habitat disturbance. The island has no human habitation, though it...

-Outlook Maharashtra Witnessed 37 farmer suicides -- the highest among all states -- due to agrarian reasons till March this calendar year, Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar informed Parliament today. Seven farmers in Karnataka committed suicides for the same reason till June this fiscal year while the number for Andhra Pradesh is 3 till July this calendar year and Kerala just one, Pawar told Lok Sabha. No such incidents has been reported from other...

-The Hindu Per capita entitlements under the food security bill will not cover beneficiaries as comprehensively as household entitlements The government hopes to secure in this session of Parliament, approval for the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) so that it can replace the food security ordinance. The NFSB, on which the ordinance is based, guarantees supplementary nutrition services through anganwadis for all children under six, midday meals for schoolchildren, and, very importantly, maternity...