Farmers of Gwalior-Chambal region, who were facing drought-like conditions for the last four year, this year are a happy lot as the rains have come in abundance. Due to heavy rains in Bhind district, rivers including Chambal, Bainsli and Kwari are in spate. The farmers here are happy as they would be able to do agriculture in a better way. They are preparing to sow kharif crops. However, the farmers who had completed sowing during light rains are a little worried. The heavy rains in Bhind district have claimed four lives and it is essential to provide relief to the kin of those killed.

The state government has ayed proposals for setting up three pharmaceutical units with an investment of Rs 275 crore in special economic zones at Indore and Gwalior. The Glenmark group would establish two units - Rs 175 cr - while Teva API India group would set up one over 29 hectares at Gwalior. The latter unit's products would be exported only and the group has three such pharma units in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, sources said today.

With the onset of monsoon in northern Madhya Pradesh, heavy rains lashed Gwalior division and other parts of the state. Although monsoon arrived in the state on time, good rainfall has so far been elusive with most parts receiving light rainfall. A regional meteorological department spokesperson said an upper air cycer built over northwestern Madhya Pradesh was causing rainfall. A cycer built over the Bay of Bengal was developing into a low pressure area following which good rainfall was expected.

Famous geologist Dr. M K Khanna said here that unsafe buildings in our country are more responsible for death than earthquake in our country. We cannot stop the earthquakes in future. But we can definitely limit the death and damage to buildings through earthquake resistant construction. Dr Khanna was addressing a workshop on disaster management organised here by the Science Centre, Gwalior in coordination with National Science and Technological Council, New Delhi.

In the series of Pre-Hault programmes of science express, a speech competition was organised by Science Centre Gwalior in the campus of Maharishi Vidya Mandir, Ratanpur. The students of class IX to XI participated in the programme and expressed their views and ideas on the topic 'Water Conservation'.

1,06,421 women have been extended benefit of Janani Suraksha Yojana launched in the state for promoting institutional delivery.

Plastic garbage is playing havoc with mother earth. From villages to cities plastics are being used in such a way that the whole country seems to be a heap of plastic garbage. A Nagpur based company has taken initiative to use plastic garbage in producing petro products. Dr Jhadgaonkar related to this company, gave information to municipal corporation and MP Pollution Control Board officials about the scheme of converting plastic garbage into petro products. Earlier, this scheme went to bite dust due to the negligence of officials. Now, the work of implementing this scheme has started.

The Municipal Corporation of Gwalior has received consent in principle from the Government of India for its proposal of solar city.

Problems of the drought-affected people in Madhya Pradesh remain as before. Due to scanty rainfall in Gwalior-Chambal division as also in Bundelkhand, the irrigation was not adequate and hence a good harvest is unlikely. On Monday the question of crippling drought situation in Gwalior-Chambal division figured in the assembly. The Opposition alleged that the state government had been a failure in solving the problems of the drought-affected people and walked out from the House. They charged the govt with making big promises to the suffering people but not fulfilling those promises. Instead, to divert the attention of the people, the state government was making excuses and blaming the Central government for the ills. The government was being partial in doling out relief amount to some selected people, the members charged. The government's attention was drawn towards the drying of crops in hundreds of villages under Bhander canal system, Rajghat project in Bhind district. Water Resources Minister clarified that the Rajghat Canal Project is under Uttar Pradesh. As the dam is in MP, so our state has put pressure on the UP government to give authority for its maintenance. Soon a high-level meeting on this issue is going to be held. The opposition should cooperate with the state government in the interest of the state. Indeed, the farmers facing hardships need relief and other government help. They have nothing to do with the politics being played inside or outside the Assembly. Even they are facing the problem of drinking water. They are already facing the problem of their livelihood but their future is also dark. Keeping aside petty political interests, the parties need to come out with ways to help the farmers.