The controversy surrounding the proposed Rs 2,184-crore 700-mw gas-based power project at Bidadi seems far from dying.

The district tops Karnataka in utilisation of funds released by the Union government under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

As Bangalore reels under severe water shortage, the ambitious plan of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to ensure that houses in City adopt Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) seems to hav

With water levels going down in various reservoirs, Bangalore faces acute shortage. Officials have estimated that there is enough water for only the next 15-18 days.

The move will prevent people from encroaching the forest land

One more wildlife sanctuary will dot Karnataka which already has 22 wildlife sanctuaries. The State government has officially declared a part of the Kollegala Range Forest as Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. Off the 1,224 sqkm of the Range forest, 906.18 sqkm (90,618.75 hectares) has been declared as sanctuary.

Units ordered to close many times, but reopened soon after

It is now the seventh year of protest. But, for the residents of Kenchanakuppe, Dasappana Doddi, Kallagopahalli and Thammanadoddi coming under Kenchanakuppe Gram Panchayat, next to Bidadi, the struggle to get the stone quarrying and crushing units closed continues. About 70 stone crushing units dot these areas and licences for these were cancelled in 2007 and 2009, but the activities in some units continue relentlessly.

The Bruhat Bangalore Bangalore Mahanagara Palike is said to be contemplating on dropping bulk garbage generators from its purview to streamline solid waste management.

“We are receiving a lot of recommendations to allow bulk waste generators to set up their own waste-processing units. A final decision will be taken soon in this regard,” said Ramandeep Choudhary, Additional Commissioner, Solid Waste Management.

The much talked-about ‘tree census’ proposal by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has been put on the backburner for want of appropriate guidance.

The Board’s plan to keep tabs on the City’s green cover two weeks ago received good response. But now, it is absolutely clueless on how to go about it.
It is seeking assistance from other departments, including BBMP and the Forest department.

Camera-trapping helps big cat census, conservation

The Forest department is all set to implement the camera-trapping method of keeping a track of tigers in the Yelandur range of the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve. The method is already in place, with 30 cameras keeping an eye on the movement of tigers, other animals and poachers in the Kollegal range of the tiger reserve. There are a total of six ranges in the BRT tiger reserve. The camera-trapping method is seen as a fool-proof mechanism in the tiger census.

People claim forest officials seized honey belonging to them; director says investigation is on