INDIA

• The municipal corporation of Shimla
has finalised a Rs 7.5 crore integrated
waste management plan for the town.
Under the plan, separate arrangement will be made for the disposal of
solid waste, hazardous hospital waste
and sewage.

• A recent study carried out by the
Indian tea industry has revealed that
original Indian tea could regain the
consumer trust in the global market.
The research concluded that Indian
tea was strong, aromatic, flavoury
and economical while its weak points
were inconsistent quality, poor distribution, shoddy packaging and the
absence of quality brands.

• The country's apex court recently directed the Hindustan Paper
Corporation (HPC) in Jagiroad,
Assam, to pay necessary compensation
to those who lost their land due to the
establishment of the Nagaon Paper
Mill, a subsidary of HPC.

• A campaign has been launched in
Madras city to organise the daily disposal of garbage. The campaign is a
joint effort by an NGO Ex nora
international and the city's civic
authorities. Ex nora collects garbage
through a collective effort and then
turns the organic waste to manure.

• India's water table has declined to an
alarming eight metres between the
years 1983-95 according to the report
submitted by the Central Ground
Water Board to the Supreme Court.
Environmental lawyer M C Mehta
contended that the government should stop indiscriminate digging of
borewells.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is starting a unique
rural development communications
project, using the INSAT -2C. It will
serve as a forerunner to its GRAM SA T
programme. The ISRO plans to launch
GRAM SAT, a satellite that will cater
exclusively to the needs of the rural
population for education and training.

• A recent cholera outbreak in the tribal
belt of Udaipur district in Rajasthan
claimed the lives of 17 people while 50
others are in a serious condition.

• The Supreme Court recently laid
down guidelines to make surplus land
available for the shifting of about
11,000 polluting industries from the
residential areas of New Delhi.