For “blatant” violation of coastal zone norms The controversial 31-storey Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai is facing demolition, as the Union Environment Ministry issued a show-cause on Friday for “blatant” violation of coastal zone norms. The Society has two weeks to submit a written reply and a further week to meet Ministry officials and make its case. The notice asked the promoters to explain “why the unauthorised structure should not be removed forthwith.” “After...

After Ashok Chavan, it's now the turn of the former Chief Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde, to face trouble for “favours” to the Adarsh Society during his tenure from January 18, 2003 to October 31, 2004, according to a complaint filed on Saturday with the Maharashtra State Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Mr. Shinde has already denied his role in the scam repeatedly. Advocate Y.P. Singh and activist Simpreet Singh told journalists that Mr. Ashok...

The Adarsh housing scam, which has already cost Ashok Chavan his job as Maharashtra chief minister, is sinking to still more embarrassing depths as investigators comb carefully through the claims of its promoters, who invoked the names of Kargil heroes and war widows to extract clearances. Did any Kargil hero actually get a flat in Adarsh? In 2002, the society had listed two members — out of a total of 71...

All horticultural crops will be branded under common logo Agri and horticultural planting material that have been developed by the associate institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) will be branded and will come with a logo soon. If all goes as planned, all horticultural crops will be initially branded under a logo, which has been acquired by Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR), Bangalore. The Bangalore-based institute, which is...

India's telecommunications minister has rejected calls that he resign over claims that licences were improperly allocated to mobile phone firms. Opposition anger over A Raja's alleged role in the sale of second generation (2G) licences has been growing. Mr Raja's ministry issued licences on a "first-come first-served" basis instead of auctioning them, reports say. Federal auditors reportedly estimate billions of dollars were lost as a result. Mr Raja denies any wrongdoing. In May, India's...