After a trial lasting more than two decades, the judgment on Bhopal Gas tragedy, the world’s worst industrial disaster which killed and maimed thousands of people, would be pronounced on Monday.

Renowned forestry and wildlife expert H.S. Panwar asserted here on Saturday that forest conservation and management of protected areas is critical and essential for sustainable development and well-being of people in the forested regions but the forestry sector is handicapped in meeting this mandate.

The Congress party’s decision to nominate Vijaylaxmi Sadho as the party’s nominee from Madhya Pradesh for the Rajya Sabha polls could be viewed as a balancing act to counter inner-party rivalry and manoeuvres of the warring factions within the state party unit.

The Naxalites, who have been using Madhya Pradesh territory as a safe haven in the recent past, are now on a different track and have started targeting development related projects in the state.

A large section within the Madhya Pradesh unit of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has expressed resentment over the party’s decision to announce Mr Chandan Mitra’s candidature for the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh as he is considered an outsider in the state.

A firing incident near the entrance of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve on Wednesday has once more brought this protected area under sharp focus. This tiger reserve in eastern Madhya Pradesh came under the scanner after a tigress was hit by a rashly driven vehicle and killed inside the core area on May 19.

Two sisters, aged 20 and 13, residing at Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh committed suicide by consuming poison on Wednesday as two police constables had taken one of the sister’s inappropriate video and were blackmailing and threatening them.

Deputy leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Chaudhary Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi on Wednesday demanded a judicial probe into the death of Choti Bai Jatav, an old dalit woman, due to extreme hunger and excessive thirst during the Bhind district collector’s public hearing on May 18.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Monday issued an arrest warrant against the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary Avani Vaish in connection with a state government order of 2006 which permits filling of posts reserved for the Scheduled Caste category by those belonging to the general category.

Union minister for urban development Jaipal Reddy said here on Friday that the state government should not take credit for schemes introduced or funded by the government of India. Mr Reddy was addressing the state-level convention of elected representatives of local bodies organised by the state Congress unit to mark the death anniversary Rajiv Gandhi.