Sweetening the green ministry

A change of guard at the environment ministry was indicated with a subtle change for those visiting Paryavaran Bhawan, headquarters of the environment ministry, on Wednesday. Officials greeted visitors at the reception with sweets to mark the new year. But there was clearly another message in the medium. After all, Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily took additional charge of the environment ministry just last week after Jayanthi Natarajan stepped down, allegedly on account of her anti-industry approach. When an official was asked whether this was a new year special, he promptly responded: "It is a new minister special."