The state government has decided to rid 12 tourist and pilgrim towns of load shedding this summer. These destinations have been favoured because they have recorded a minimal distribution loss of about 15%, but at the same time, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited ( MAHADISCOM) has decided to impose load shedding of 2- 3 hours on those towns which have greater distribution loss.

JAIPUR: Rajasthan bagged the second prize in the Comprehensive Development of Tourism category during the National Tourism Awards ceremony on Wednesday. The award was given by President Pratibha Patil at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi to Seema Bahugana, principal resident commissioner in Delhi. In the same category, Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the best state.

Madhya Pradesh bagged the National Tourism Award on Wednesday for developing tourism related infrastructure and programmes and also for Best Tourism Film and Best Tourism Promotion Publicity Material. Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim were among the other winners. President Pratibha Devisingh Patil gave away the National Tourism Awards 2010-11 to 78 awardees across 50 categories.

Presents National Tourism Awards urging tourism industry to ensure culture of hospitality

Quoting the age-old tradition of ‘Athithi Devo Bhava' (Guest is God), President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday urged the tourism industry to ensure that the culture of hospitality that the country is known for is maintained and that the principle of “responsible tourism” is adhered to.

Climate change is altering the face of the Himalayas, devastating farming communities and making Mount Everest increasingly treacherous to climb, some of the world’s top mountaineers have warned.

Apa Sherpa, the Nepali climber who has conquered Mount Everest a record 21 times, said he was disturbed by the lack of snow on the world’s highest peak, caused by rising temperatures.

At a meeting held under Engineering and Auto Expo-2012 at the State capital, a meeting of foreign companies’ representatives and the State Government was also held during which they were given invitation for investment by the Government. For this purpose, they were once again apprised of intensification of industrialisation in Madhya Pradesh during recent years, its objectives and hosting arrangements made by the State Government.

The Uttarakhand forest department will rehabilitate captive elephants being mistreated by owners in resorts around Corbett National Park. The department will also replace the local veterinary officer guilty of providing false fitness certificates to ailing and injured animals. The department has decided to take this action following an inspection undertaken on directions of the National Tiger Conservation Authority which revealed blatant violation of Project Elephant guidelines and exploitation of privately owned elephants near Corbett Park.

SHILLONG: Admitting that the establishment of State Zoo proposed in Umtrew, Ri Bhoi district has encountered road blocks, the State Government has assured that the project would be hopefully completed by 2013.

Claiming that the work is on track, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) VK Nautiyal said, “So far the state forest department has already received an amount of Rs 12 crore from the 12th finance commission. However, we are expecting to get the remaining amount from the 13th finance commission.”

Aizawl: Recently-inducted Governor Vakkom B Purusothaman on Wednesday expressed optimism that the Mizoram government’s flagship programme New Land Use Policy (NLUP) could bring a paradigm shift to the state’s economy.

”This is not a veteran Congressman lauding a Congress government’s policy.

India stole the limelight at the World Tourism Mart 2011 here by wining two global awards — World’s Leading Destination and World’s Leading Tourist Board.

Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai received the awards from Graham E. Cooke, president and founder of World Travel Awards, at the Excel Exhibition Centre where he said India planned to have another five million tourists in the next 2-3 years in addition to the five million recorded this year.