AHMEDABAD: The state government's ambitious Kalpasar dam project, which is estimated to cost Rs 30,000 crore, could lead to earthquakes in the state. This was pointed out by senior scientists taking part in a workshop at the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), Gandhinagar.

Move Comes After TOI Report On 400 Flamingo Deaths

Ahmedabad:Insulate high tension cables or put them underground when they run close to the breeding grounds of the migratory Greater Flamingos in the Khadir region of Kutch. The state forest and environment department issued this order to the Gujarat Energy Transmission Company (Getco) on Thursday, after TOI reported that 400 flamingos had been killed here in the past 10 days because they came in contact with the cables.

Ahmedabad: Greater Flamingos, which fly thousands of miles from Siberia to breed in the warm marshes of the Khadir region in Kutch, are landing into a death trap. In the past 10 days, at least 400 of these graceful birds have been electrocuted by high tension cables near their breeding grounds.

D K Sharma, chief conservator of forests, admitted to at least 130 deaths, but locals and ornithologists have been recording much higher numbers. The flamingos have landed in record numbers this year, with one estimate putting their strength at five lakh, the highest ever.

A quake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit Gujarat at 10.49pm on Thursday. The epicenter of the quake was near Vanthli in Junagad. Tremors were also felt in Saurashtra, Kutch, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar and Amreli.
Director of meteorological department, Gujarat, Kanwaljit Ray told TOI: “The tremor was felt at 10.49pm and measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale at a depth of 10 km.”
People, especially those staying in highrise buildings, rushed out of their homes. However, no casualties were reported. In Ahmedabad, it revived memories of the earthquake of 2001. TNN

New Delhi: The government\'s plan to promote natural gas as a cleaner transportation and industrial fuel may remain a pipe dream, with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) caught in internal strife, unable to allocate city gas distribution projects according to schedule.

GANDHINAGAR: There have been rise in the number of malaria and falciparum cases in the state. In just two weeks, various district and taluka health centres in the state recorded as many as 8,228 confirmed malaria cases, while the number of falciparum cases stood at 2,625.