The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has started distributing food assistance to meet the immediate food needs of over 120,000 people affected by rodent attack in Rangamati and Bandarban districts. WFP will continue to assist 25,680 households of the 31 most affected unions of the seven severely affected upazilas for a period of four months, from May to August, 2008, said a press release.
A leading aid group warned yesterday that thousands of young children in cyclone-ravaged Myanmar could starve to death within weeks unless emergency food supplies reach them soon. Save the Children said on its website that the youngsters could succumb to hunger "within two to three weeks". "We are extremely worried that many children in the affected areas are now suffering from severe acute malnourishment, the most serious level of hunger," said Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of Save the Children UK.
Two years ago, when Gujarat was battling floods across the state, residents of Raniyari village in Jhalod taluka of Dahod were fighting in their own battle. They cornered the surpervisor of Machhannala Dam
The irrigation department Multan zone is facing 60 percent shortage of water in all its canals whereas it has become very difficult to fulfil the demand with 40 percent water. The canals, which are getting water turn-by-turn, are also facing shortage of water. According to the sources of irrigation department, if the rains couldn't start within a week in northern areas, then southern Punjab would have to face severe shortage of water because the water level in the dams has already reached to the dead level. Copyright Business Recorder, 2008
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have found that a toxic gas present in air pollution and tobacco smoke plays a significant role in triggering tuberculosis infection. For the study, researchers study focused on carbon monoxide (CO), a colourless, odourless gas present in tobacco smoke, and vehicle and manufacturing plant emissions. CO is also produced naturally in brushfires and volcanic gas.
People of different localities of Sukkur held demonstrations on Sunday in protest against unannounced loadshedding and shortage of water, which has almost paralysed normal life in the city.Irked by hours-long loadshedding and scarcity of water, hundreds of citizens held demonstrations in New Pind, Mughal Colony, Old Sukkur and other areas while shouting slogans against Hesco and the taluka municipal administration.
Malaria vaccine will be clinically tested on humans for the first time in India in two malaria-prone areas in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
Continuous ambient air quality monitoring systems are to be installed at two locations in the city in the first week of next month. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) said the equipment, each costing around Rs.70 lakh, would be installed at IIT-Madras, near the Velachery gate of the campus, and Metropolitan Transport Corporation depot in Alandur. The systems would be installed by the Central Pollution Control Board.
With a parliamentary panel finding misutilisation and diversion of tsunami relief funds, an empowered group of ministers (e-GOM) headed by union home minister Shivraj Patil has undertaken a review of the Rs 10,000 crore rehabilitation scheme. Since 2008-09 is the deadline for implementation of the rehabilitation scheme, the e-GoM issued a directive to the affected states and union territories that the work should be expedited to complete the task within the stipulated time.
The decision of the rural development ministry to keep tabs over the performance of states regarding the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) is giving sleepless nights to the development officers in Uttarakhand. According to a recent report, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Gujarat will undergo
With the death last week of a blackbuck, the species' population at the Karachi Zoological Gardens has been reduced from 28 to a mere three over five years, and there is little hope of any increase since the remaining females have no mates. The female blackbuck was discovered dead about a week ago. It was assumed that she died after colliding with the fence whilst running, since the animal had been healthy and no other reason was apparent, said a source. Zoo officials failed to respond to Dawn's inquiries about the real cause of death.
In a system with a centuries-long tradition of austere leaders laying down the law from behind their palace walls, China's response to the worst natural disaster in 30 years revealed a nation in the throes of political change. The China that emerged from the wreckage of the 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province looked surprisingly modern, flexible and if not democratic, at least open.
Hard pressed by soaring fuel prices, people in Blochistan, the main provider of domestic natural gas, are unable to get the relatively low-priced compressed natural gas. There are only three CNG stations in Quetta and one in Hub and these are unable to cope with the demand. Like in other parts of the country, people in Quetta are fast adopting to alternative fuels, specially CNG.
by S. S. Johl
The World Bank has called for greater investment in agriculture in developing countries and stressed that the sector should get extra priority if goals of halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 are to be realised. In its latest World Development Report on
The companies involved in executing hydel projects in the state in general and Palampur in particular are flouting the agreement on the proper disposal of debris, clay and stones. This became evident as residents of HIMUDA colony, Holta, and adjoining localities were being compelled to consume muddy and contaminated water for the last three days.
A teenage girl and a woman died on Sunday due to a disease caused by contaminated water of Manchhar Lake. Also, about 1500 fishermen of four villages in the surrounding area of the lake have been infected with different water-borne diseases. At least eight people have died during the last three months in four villages adjacent to Manchhar Lake due to water-borne ailments.
PML-N government in Punjab will form a joint working group comprising Water and Sanitation Agency, representatives of government and civil society organisations to ensure safe drinking water in the province. The government will make concerted and coordinated efforts to resolve environment problem including water and air pollution. A comprehensive anti-encroachment campaign would be launched soon.
After four decades carrying millions of New Yorkers, 44 of the city's subway cars are now home to millions of fish. The worn-out cars were dumped on Friday into the Atlantic Ocean, 21 miles off the Maryland coast, to create an artificial reef, designed to attract fish for the state's lucrative sport-fishing industry. "These reefs provide quality habitat for marine life off our coast which benefits not only the environment but also local businesses," said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan.
