Site helps peasants discuss prices and plan strategy. Last month, the turmeric farmers of Maharashtra’s Sangli district found themselves in a desperate situation. Oversupply had resulted in prices crashing in the local turmeric market, Asia’s biggest, threatening their livelihood. And with several thousands growing the commodity across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, any meaningful strategy to halt the price crash meant involving a sizeable number of farmers.

The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (Fimi) has suggested to the Government to take up feasibility study of underground mining in Karnataka's Western Ghats. In addition to 2.16 billion tonnes of haematite ore deposits in Karnataka, there is magnetite ore to the tune of 7.8 billion tonnes. “Fimi is ready to support feasibility study between northern boundary of Bababudan Giri hills in Kudremukh up to Goa,” Mr Basant Poddar, Chairman, Fimi-South. “Underground mining is successfully working beneath Johannesburg in South Africa and Stockholm in Sweden.

In a major relief to industries, the state power distribution utility, citing improved electricity supply, has rolled back the weekly power cut industries were facing. A senior energy department official said that the 16 hours of staggering (ie scheduled power cuts) which was in place for industries was withdrawn earlier this month by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited “until further orders” due to a reduced demand and supply gap.

As the city’s wetlands struggle for survival due to persistent construction activity and water pollution, a bunch of nature enthusiasts are hoping to transform some of these lesser known sanctuaries of tranquility into tourist spots. Recently, environmentalists organised walks along several coastal and mangrove areas in Sewri, Bandra, Andheri, Bhandup and Dahisar to sensitise nature lovers and the government to start an initiative to protect and promote the wetlands as tourist spots, instead of letting them fall into the hands of encroachers.

Bringing some degree of clarity to the negotiations on the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power plant, France said construction of the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) plant could start in less than a year’s time. Following the Fukushima nuclear accident and protests at Jaitapur, signing of a commercial agreement between French company Areva and India’s NPCIL was stalled.

Feasibility study for the new suburban Virar- Vasai Road- Diva- Panvel line would soon begin in about a months time. Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation ( MRVC) would be carrying out the work under phase three of Mumbai Urban Transport Project ( MUTP). " The feasibility study would be in two parts - practical and financial. Study will also be conducted on the fast corridor on harbour line project. Both these projects collectively are estimated to cost about Rs 20,000 crores," said a MRVC official on condition of anonymity.

In a city starkly divided between munificent high rises and voluminous slum pockets, disparity in living conditions of Mumbaikars glares starkly at ones face.
While on one hand, aristocrats while away litres and litres of water supplied by the civic body washing away their cars and bathing their dogs, activists inform that, more than twenty lakh people in slums of Mumbai have to pay through their nose to gain equitable access to this quintessential commodity.

In face to face, an election special programme by sister publication Navshakti, we spoke to local residents regarding the issues in the ward as well as what promises the contestants have to make. Ward profile : Ward name : Kamgar Krida Kendra - Dadar Railway Station Ward No. 184 Reservation : OBC Sitting corporator : Snehal Jadhav ( Shiv Sena) Population : 52781 ( SC : 4980, ST : 121) Teething issues : Local residents face a inconvenience due to the fish market located outside Kamgar stadium. Heaps of garbage are found lying around and cleanliness issues are unaddressed.

MUMBAI: Is it possible to make cornea retrieval in all medico-legal cases without legal hassles, the Bombay HC asked the Centre on Monday while hearing a PIL on the underutilization of corneas. A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Ranjit More was hearing the PIL by Sampat Shetty which pointed out that underutilization of corneas has resulted in wastage, and that in the absence of monitoring agency , there was scope for tampering with the waiting lists.