Jagatsinghpur/Nuagaon/Bhubaneshwar (Orissa), Dec 12: Social activist Medha Patkar, who led a protest rally here, has accused the State Government of forcibly acquiring land for the 12 billion dollar steel plant planned by South Korean steel maker POSCO.
Patkar, on her way to Nuagaon village to meet anti-POSCO activists sitting on a hunger strike, was shown placards by the pro-POSCO activists, who wanted Patkar to go back.
However, a determined Patkar went ahead and entered Nuagaon village and met the anti-POSCO activists.
Krishanakri (Tamil Nadu), Dec 12: Forest Officials in Tamil Nadu are rescuing rock pythons from residential areas and sending them back to their natural habitat.
Krishanakri, 500 km away from Chennai, is among several places in the country, where snake hunting has been banned.
In spite of the ban, snake hunting continues with people clandestinely selling their skins.
"We are catching the pythons because earlier people used to catch them and sell their skin openly. Now that we have banned snake hunting to protect the species, the people bring the snakes to residential areas and smuggle their skin into the market, " said Subramanian, a Forest Ranger, Krishanakri.
Shimla, Dec 12: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami along with the other two Election Commissioners will arrive here today to review poll preparedness for the second phase of Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on December 19.
During two-day visit, Gopalaswamy, Naveen Chawla and S Y Qureshi will hold discussions with the State Election Commission, observers, Director General of Police, District Magistrates and political parties.
The Commission will also hold a review meeting with the observers and other State officials.
Dera Baba Nanak (Gurdaspur), Dec 11: Farmers living on either side of the border that separates India and Pakistan are enjoying an agricultural boom. Thanks to the Confidence Building Measures (CBM) initiated by the two governments.
Farmers living on both sides of the Dera Baba Nanak Sector can now be seen ploughing their fields without fear.
The Border Security Force (BSF) not only provides protection to Indian farmers, but also to their fields.
Kuldeep Singh, a farmer, said, "We were not been able to farm as wild animals used to destroy our crops. But now we can do our work, moreover, BSF personnel also guard us, " he added.
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Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami along with the other two Election Commissioners will arrive here today to review poll preparedness for the second phase of Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on December 19.
