The age-old methods of dousing the fire by beating it with blankets of twigs, using soil and water, and setting the forest ablaze from another side, are still being practised in the state and most Indian forests. This is not because of the lack of facilities, but due to uneven terrain.

According to retired forest official SG Neginhal, during the Raj era, fire lines around blocks measuring 1 sq mile were made during December to reduce manmade forest fires occurring during summer and dry seasons. This helped to reduce the extent of fire. The same method is being practised even now. The watcher keeps an eye on the forest from the tower and informs his higher-ups using walkie-talkie sets about the fire for assistance.

If there is one season forest officials and watchers of Nagarahole National Park fear, it is summer which brings back fears of forest fires.

This year, on February 16, about 15,000 acres of forest was gutted in the blaze which kept burning for days. A teenager was blamed for the fires. This did not surprise wildlife expert Sanjay Gubb who believes that most of the forest fires are caused by humans.

The state has finally succeeded in getting an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

The Central government has agreed to sanction one IIT to the state in the 2009-10 plans.

In a recent meeting with the Planning Commission, the state secretary for higher education had raised the issue. After an hour-long discussion, the Planning Commission agreed in principle to sanction an IIT for Karnataka.

"The officials of the Planning Commission have agreed in principle to give one IIT to the state and they will announce it after the Lok Sabha elections," said AS Srikantha, principal secretary, department of higher education.

Police say rackets selling fake degrees are offering even domicile certificates

The crackdown

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the city police, on Friday, busted a racket that was involved in issuing fake degree certificates of various Indian universities, and arrested three persons.

Police said the kingpin of the racket, founder chairman of Mahalakshmi Layout-based Shri Venkateshwara Education Trust, was absconding. The arrested persons, Suresh Kadam (27), Harish (26) and Padmini Srinath (39), were later handed over to the Mahalakshmi Layout police.

His car was involved in an accident that killed four men on Indiranagar 100-Feet Road in January

A fast track court on Friday granted bail to Karthik Somaiah, whose car had fatally mowed down four men on Indiranagar's 100-Feet Road on January 26.

While granting bail, the court ordered Somaiah not to threaten witnesses and to report to the investigation officer every week.

Somaiah's lawyers will receive the release order on Saturday.

The accused had applied for bail before a sessions court as the police have registered a case under culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which can only tried before a trial court.

Nine persons, allegedly belonging to the Ravi Pujari gang, were arrested for making phone calls to extort money from prominent city-based builders, police said on Friday.

A Central Crime Branch (CCB) team of the city police had investigated the case, following complaints registered at various police stations, including those in Cubbon Park and Ulsoor.

Police identified the accused persons as Kaviraj (32), Mohan (27), Shiva (33), Ibrahim (37), Mahesh (26), Santosh (31), Pradeep (28), Azad (32) and Udaya Kumara Hegde (45). While Santhosh hailed from Mangalore, Azad was from Uttar Pradesh.