The District Forest Officer, the Nilgiris North, S.Ramasubramanian said here on Tuesday that a wild animal census in the North division would be conducted on May 2 and 3.

About 70 volunteers including students of the Government Arts College and forest staff would participate in the census operations to be conducted by the department in association with the Nilgiris Wildlife and Environment Association.

Councillors urged to tackle problems of the town

In a bid to bring about stake holder participation in raising the standard of hygiene and sanitation in this hill station, a meeting was organised at the municipality here on Thursday. Among the participants were officials and members of the Udhagamandalam municipal council.

Erring traders warned not to flout rules

With the Summer tourist season round the corner and many here particularly those belonging to the green minded sections of society expressing the view that it is the right time to step up the drive against plastics in the Nilgiris, the district administration has asked local bodies to intensify their anti-plastic campaign. In tune with a directive issued by the Nilgiris Collector, Archana Patnaik, civic officials raided a number of shops here on Monday.

Agriculture Minister K.A.

Scars still remain on the hills of Nilgiris, or the Blue Mountains. The brown patches are not only testimony to the hundreds of landslides that killed around 50 people last November, but also of what over-exploitation and the real estate boom has done to the fragile ecosystem of the verdant Queen of the Hills.

However, no one seems to have learnt anything.

Landslides caused by heavy rainfall over the past few days in the Ooty mountain ranges have flattened several hamlets near Coonoor, said officials on Tuesday. They added that 28 deaths were reported on Tuesday, including seven of a family, taking the death toll due to monsoon-related incidents in the Nilgiris district to 42.

Tragic: Fish lying dead in the Ooty Lake on Wednesday.

Earthquakes and tsunamis are the most d c gentle of natural - disasters. They cause least harm when you are r in the open.
Geographically, Tamil Nadu is in a very advantageous position - as prior notice about tsunami can be given at least 110 to 140 minutes in advance for a tsunami e and people will only , have to move a km from the shore - }

By Subhash Chandra N S,DH News Service,Bangalore:

R Haldorai | ENS
Coimbatore
WATTLE and bluegum trees have been found to be felled in 100 acres in Ooty forest and smuggled.