In another sop for election-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Water Resources yesterday included two irrigation projects of the state in the scheme of national projects. The projects are “Sarayu Nahar Pariyojana” and “Restoring capacity of Sharda Sahayak Project”. These projects would thus be eligible for 90 per cent funding from the Centre. The Sarayu Nahar Pariyojana has been under execution by the UP government since 1977, but could not be completed owing to lack of funds.

LUCKNOW: The fact that Gomti's flow and level have reduced drastically has caught the attention of the government which is now mulling to constitute a river conservation unit for its restoration and conservation. The river, reeling under the bane of pollution and encroachment, has its flow reduced to one-third and is in an urgent need of revival.

LUCKNOW: Stressing the need to recognise Gomti as a state river, scientists and activists who have been on a Gomti yatra since March 27, feel that the elevated status might help to bring some positive changes for the river that virtually flows through the state.

Experts are also of the view that restoring Gomti to its pristine glory is not a tough task.

The swamp deer or Barasingha, the state animal of Uttar Pradesh, has become critically endangered and even figures in the IUCN red alerts but ironically no special efforts are being made for its conservation.

Even officials in the UP Forest department admit that no specific project has been launched to save this species apart from some steps that have been taken as part of the save tiger projec

Nine killed, all major rivers flowing above danger mark

LUCKNOW: Nine persons died due to rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday where the flood situation worsened due to a rise in the level of major rivers in several districts, affecting road and railway traffic.

Three persons died in Ramabai Nagar, two each in Badaun and Shahjahanpur, while Bareilly and Pilibhit recorded one de

LUCKNOW: The proposed tiger reserve in Pilibhit, second in UP after Dudhwa, seems to have hit a roadblock.

LUCKNOW: Even as the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee advocated growth in rural sectors of the country, the exemplary efforts of three farmers from Uttar Pradesh were being recognised by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, just a few kilometres away at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, on Friday.

LUCKNOW: Even as Samajwadi Party held demonstrations all over the state to protest against low sugarcane purchase prices (SAP) fixed by the Central and state governments, the activists of Bhartiya Kisan Union held a demonstration in Delhi while farmers in Muzaffarnagar blocked the busy Meeurt-Karnal highway.

LUCKNOW/ BAHRAICH: With their habitat under two meters of water, survival poses a tough challenge to tiger and leopard cubs in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve of Uttar Pradesh. Flood situation in Bahraich and Pilibhit has worsened dramatically over the past three days after Nepal released over 5 lakh cusec of water into Sharda and Ghagra rivers last Tuesday.