Jharkhand today declared 12 districts drought-hit, acknowledging that poor rainfall had affected crop cultivation and setting in motion usual administrative measures to initiate relief measures on a war footing. At a meeting of the governor’s advisory council, the 12 districts were identified as Latehar, Ramgarh, Chatra, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Khunti, East Singhbhum, Jamtara, Palamau, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ranchi and Jamtara. The Telegraph had reported yesterday that the governor’s council was likely to name the districts...

With rich natural resources, biodiversity, dependable rainfall (annual average close to 2000 mm) and lower use of pesticides, north eastern states of the country could become a hub for organic products cultivation, the demand for which is up in global markets, an independent research paper has said. The paper has also urged the central government and the North Eastern Development Council to create an umbrella policy so that the potential of...

Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is investigating alleged violation of Forest laws by Vedanta Co and Korean steel maker Posco in Orissa, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said a four-member expert group is currently in Orissa looking at all cases of alleged violation by Vedanta Co. An iron ore mining project may comprise both Forest and...

While regretting the effectiveness of the regulatory system, Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, told the Rajya Sabha on Monday that corporate majors Vedanta and Posco were being investigated for alleged violation of government guidelines. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Mr. Ramesh said a four-member Expert Group, which is currently in Orissa, was looking into all cases of violations. “Once I get the report of this group, we...

There's not much you can buy in terms of assets for Rs 1 lakh. But two Delhi businessmen gained access to a multi-crore iron ore mine in Chhattisgarh for just this much. On June 2, 2004, two brothers, Atul Jain and Sanjay Jain, pooled together Rs 1 lakh in Delhi to set up a company, Pushp Steel and Mines Ltd. The same day, the company applied for a prospecting licence...