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• Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh has said that initiatives to recharge groundwater table should be given shape of a mass movement.

• The Union government is planning to convert some major cities into "eco cities'. The cities identified for this purpose include Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, c alcutta, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. The concerned state governments have been asked to draw up management plans for the project, said Babulal Marandi, minister of state for environment and forests.

• The Planning Commission is considering to allocate more funds to encourage production of herbal products.

• The Punjab government is planning to set up the state's first atomic power plant near Patran in Patiala district. According to official sources, the Union government has given its sanction to the project.

• The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to ban plastic bags, which are less than 20 microns, from August 15, 2000. Heavy penalties would be imposed on those found guilty of manufacturing, supplying and using plastic bags.

• The Gujarat chief minister, Keshubhai Patel said that his government would spend Rs 154 crore for development of forest on 29,946 hectares of land spread over four districts- Rajkot, Surendranagar, Jamnagar and Kutch.

• The Maharashtra government is planning to empower local gram sabhas to evolve a comprehensive water management policy. An ordinance to this effect will be promulgated shortly, minister for rural development and water conservation, R R Patil said.

• A nation-wide ban on gutka and other tobacco products, barring cigarettes and bidis, will be declared soon by the Union health ministry. The ban will be implemented by September, 2000.

• The Union government has decided to create an energy efficiency fund and formulate a comprehensive policy on energy conservation to improve conservation efforts in the country.

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