-Express News Service   An RTI activist from Union Territory of Diu who had sought information in connection with the construction of an allegedly illegal restaurant and bogus licence issued by Road Transport Office to bike vendors has been allegedly attacked by local politicians and government officers. Jaisukh Bambhania ,39, president of Diu auto-rickshaw drivers’ association, was attacked with sharp weapons and pipes on Sunday night. Later, acid was thrown on him. Bambhania has...

Oppose laying of coastal road Stiff opposition from the locals against acquisition of land for the proposed Posco steel project and the construction of a coastal road from Paradip to the project site has forced the Jagatsinghpur district administration to stop the project work. Residents of Dhinkia and Nuagaon gram panchayats on Saturday held a public meeting to oppose the laying of the road. The road work began near Paradip on Friday. Raising...

-PTI   Fresh efforts by officials to persuade villagers to allow resumption of work at the proposed Posco plant site near here failed, paralysing project related activities for the seventh day on Monday. Discussions were held with residents of Nuagaon in a bid to persuade them to give up their protest against tree felling, ground levelling and other works, Additional District Magistrate (Paradip), Surjit Das said. Three officials of Jagatsinghpur district administration, including Das,...

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday urged Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to consider including the rearing of animals, dairy and coir industries, and water management under the ambit of jobs provided in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA). He wanted the Centre to include livelihood schemes, housing, and toilet construction in the list of works that could be undertaken under the MGNREGA. Mr. Chandy, who met Mr. Ramesh...

-The Times of India   Posco officials and police faced a major stumbling block at Gadakujang village, the site of the company's proposed steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district, as a large number of irate villagers prevented their entry into the area on Thursday. Many agitated villagers prevented the entry of police forces by blocking the road at Gadakujang. Last week, the Posco authorities had started land-leveling works after acquiring about 1,980 acre land...