BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has submitted a revised project of Rs 441 crore to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to tackle soil erosion along the coast and strengthen cyclone mitigation measures.

BALASORE: Even as the district veterinary officials have culled nearly 4,000 chicks here, that were illegaly transported from West Bengal, locals are hardly scared of the possible outbreak of bird flu.

Demanding effective implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, a host of voluntary and mass organisations staged a dharna in front of State Assembly here on Friday. They have called for an overhaul of the existing setup.

The State Government has included three slum areas under the basic services to urban poor (BSUP) component of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) during the 2007-08 financial year for construction and upgradation of 1,961 dwelling units.

Even as the dreaded Avian Influenza (H5N1 strain) has come back to haunt India, particularly through the recent outbreak in Assam, the Chilika lagoon has been included in a multi-centre study aiming to identify sources of the killer virus.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government is yet to take a decision on the issue of iron ore mine lease to South Korean steel major Posco.

To a question from Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra (Cong),Minister of State for Mines Pradip Amat said that in December, 2006 the State Government under Section 11(5) of the MMDR Act, 1957 recommended Posco

KENDRAPARA: The nesting ground of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles, Gahiramatha beach in Kendrapara district, is littered with 1,343 dead turtles. Another nesting site at the Devi beach in Puri district too is infested with about 2,000 dead turtles.

PURI: The district agriculture department will soon launch a massive awareness programme to enlighten the farmers about the new agriculture policy of the government which provides a number of incentives and subsidies to purchase seeds, agriculture equipment and machineries.

BHUBANESWAR: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Manmohan Samal justified the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme to the BPL families saying it is to provide relief to the economically weaker sections who are hard hit by the price rise.

ANGUL: Eco-Tourism at Satkosia sanctuary, this year, is expected to yield thrice the revenue of last year to the local community, which manages the nature camps. Nature camps were launched at Satkosia on November 7 this year and this facility would continue till March-end. The revenue so far has been nearly Rs 1.2 lakh in the form of bookings in just 24 days.