The phase I of the Godavari drinking water supply project has received the forest clearance, which will pave the way for its implementation by next year.

Works taken up as part of NREGA scheme were found to help maintain ground water levels, aiding crop productivity

The UPA government’s flagship employment guarantee programme can play an important role in conserving natural resources and sustaining water supply and food production, according to a study. Conceived to provide livelihood security for the rural poor, the scheme can also help reduce and counter the impact of climate change in villages, according to the study, “Environmental Benefits and Vulnerability Reduction through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme” by IISc, Bangalore in collaboration with the rural development ministry and the German international co-operation agency, GIZ.

Hyderabad: Six people died and 23 were injured in different incideue to unseasonal rains, thunder and hailstorm since April 1.

An anti-poverty project to transform the lives of ultra poor families has failed to make an impact and increase the net income of the targeted families in Medak district in the State at the end of four years.

The project sponsored by the World Bank and the Ford Foundation was aimed at graduating 426 households from extreme poverty to a more stable state by enabling them establish micro-enterprises through regular cash flows. The households without a male earning member and having ownership of less than an acre of land were selected in 103 villages for implementing the project.

Visakhapatnam:Encroachments in the guise of Forest Rights Act, cultivation and smuggling is shrinking forests. As much as 36.44 sq km of forest area has vanished in the state due to cultivation and illegal felling of trees within a span of one year. Andhra Pradesh forest department has completed collecting data of loss of forest cover during 2010-11 and is set to come out with a detailed report for the year 2012 soon.

Khammam district recor-ded an encroachment of 19.28 sq km forest area, the highest. Warangal, part of Karimnagar district followed with 6.66 sq km and Nizamabad forest circle comprising of Nizamabad and Medak was encroached to the tune of 2.46 sq km.

Hyderabad: As the government is planning to go liberal regarding the environmental violations by bulk drug units, the international community has taken up cudgels against the pollution caused by them.

Professor Hans Lofgren, of the Deakin University of Australia said that he will make a representation to his government to take up the issue and also sensitise the US and Sweden against “exporting pollution”. During his visit to some Medak villages located close to pharma units, Prof Lofgren was “shocked” by the extent of pollution and the sufferings of residents.

Three months after its move to revoke a closure notices issued against 12 highly polluting pharma companies in the city, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has now gone a step ahead

The tourism department has designed special package tours for delegates during the bio diversity summit, which starts from Oct 1

With about 8,000 delegates from 193 countries expected to attend the XI Conference of Parties (COP 11) and the Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in the city from October 1 to 19, the state government is all set to project Andhra Pradesh on the world tourism map. Accordingly, the state tourism department has designed special package tours for delegates including daily evening and week-end visits to historical places and heritage sites in the city.

While the authorities do not hesitate to take action against the common man if he defaults on his monthly water bills, various government departments together owe a whopping Rs 146.38 crore to the

Notices issued to stop all industrial activities with effect from July 23 to complete ongoing batches

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has ordered closure of 12 manufacturing units of different pharma companies, including Aurobindo Pharma, around the city for allegedly violating pollution norms. According to a Board's release, the notices have been issued to the facilities to stop all industrial activities with effect from July 23 to complete the on-going batches.