The Supreme Court will deliberate on Monday on the potentially explosive recommendations of the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (Epca) to ban registration of new diesel cars in the capital. To reduce the pollution caused by vehicular emissions, the high-powered authority headed by Bhure Lal in its latest report reiterated its earlier recommendation and said "the registration of new diesel-driven private (non-commercial) passenger vehicles should be banned as this will cause an expansion of the problem by creating new use of diesel".

Wapcos announces 30% dividend

State-owned Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) (Wapcos) has announced a 30 per cent dividend even as it achieved Rs 33.3 crore turnover for the year 1998-99. The company has plans for growth and diversification under its corporate plan of 1998-2001, PL Diwan said in his address to the shareholders. The company has been elected on the governing body ofConsultancy Development Centre and on the government council of Consulting Engineers Association of India, a Wapcos release said.

CMC gets major EDI order

Software major CMC has bagged a huge order for electronic data interface (EDI) amidst stiff competition from industry leaders such as Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) and Global Telesystems, opening a new avenue to shore up earnings in the coming years. "We bagged this prestigious EDI order against competition from software major like Global Telesystems and VSNL," Sundara Varadan, head of Indonet unit which is responsible for the work said.

Nafed to widen business

Nafed has embarked upon adiversification plan to widen its business activities in marketing of food products, seeds and fertilisers, besides setting up a second plant for producing bio-fertilisers. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federatio, an apex cooperative of farmers, has also decided to set up more super markets in Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai.