Vadodara:The Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) has demanded that Gujarat be declared drought affected and has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit the drought-affected areas of Gujarat

Even while fighting a legal battle in the Supreme Court, the Gujarat Government, with the support of the Centre, is currently engaged in developing a second “interpretation zone” to enable the visitors to see Asiatic Lions in the wild at its only abode in the Gir sanctuary in the Saurashtra region.

A forest department official said the second “interpretation zone”, a fenced area within the sanctuary, was being developed near Ambardi village in Amreli district on the way to the tourist destination of Diu.

Monsanto study says crop in four Gujarat districts showed susceptibility to pest

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) is learnt to have received a report confirming pink bollworm developing resistance to Bt cotton in four districts in Gujarat. The apex regulator of genetically modified (GM) crops is likely to consider these findings by Monsanto and Mahyco scientists in its next meeting.

New Gir interpretation Zone In Amreli District Likely To Be Open For Visitors By Diwali

Ahmedabad: If you have plans to visit Diu at the end of this year, you will able to spend some time with the King of the Jungle on the way at Ambardi in Amreli. The Gujarat forest department is ready with the Ambardi Interpretation Zone. Officials of the department said that the interpretation zone is ready and will be opened for tourists around Diwali this year.

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat government has decided to increase water supply through the Narmada canal-based pipelines, from 80-crorelitres to 120-crorelitres per day, in the wake of water scarcity in Saurashtra and Kutch.

This was decided by the state cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday which was chaired by chief minister Narendra Modi. A government spokesperson said water is being supplied through tankers to 523 villages even as a Rs 133.74-crore contingency masterplan has been prepared for implementation in villages likely to face shortages in the coming days.

As many as 70 people fell ill after drinking contaminated water supplied to their houses by the local body of Talala village here, officials said.

Rajkot: A number of eligible bachelors in the drought-struck Dedan village near Amreli are ruing their luck.

New Delhi: Union agriculture ministry has declared 17 districts of Gujarat consisting 132 talukas as drought-affected.

In a reply to Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani, union minister of water resources Harish Ravat stated that the districts include Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Amreli, Anand, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Junagadh, Kheda, Kutch, Mehsana, Patan, Porbandar, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Vadodara. The minister also stated that, water being a state subject, planning, and execution and funding of water resources projects was within the purview of respective state governments.

The Union Government has declared 17 districts in Gujarat as drought-affected, Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani has said.

AHMEDABAD: The rate at which the swine flu virus has been engulfing a restricted number of districts in Saurashtra has been worrying state health department.