<p>A record 212 people who defend our land and environment were killed last year, reports Global Witness - an international NGO dedicated to preventing extractive industries from infringing on human rights.
Census is carried out in tiger reserves and sanctuaries twice a year Nearly 1,000 persons including forest personnel, nature enthusiasts, environmentalists and members of Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) continued with the wildlife census in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) for the second day on Friday. The five-day census to enumerate the wildlife population in the 958 sq km area of ATR spread over six ranges of Pollachi, Ulandy, Manomboly, Valparai, Udumalpet and Amaravathy began with a training on Wednesday. The field level census commenced on Thursday.
PANJIM: In a fresh salvo fired at the government by the green lobby, environmentalist Ramesh Gawas has charged that the government’s process of revalidating licences of ore traders is illegal and should be scrapped since the giving of trading licences itself by State government is ultra virus. The Mines Department, meanwhile, has maintained that trading of ore was completely legal and that the State government was empowered to make rules under Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act).
Nearly 100 people to be involved in the exercise The five-day census to enumerate the wildlife population is all set to begin in the 958 sq km area spread over six ranges of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) from Wednesday. Talking to The Hindu , Field Director of ATR Rajiv K. Srivasatava said that nearly 100 people including Forest Department staff, NGO volunteers, nature enthusiasts and environmentalists will be involved in the exercise. The staff and other volunteers will be divided into teams of three or four and will be involved in carrying out the census in Amaravathy, Udumalpet, Pollachi, Valparai, Manomboly and Valparai ranges.
Shillong: Meghalaya has tried not once or twice but repeatedly to ban plastic carry bags but the effort has failed miserably. As a result every drain, stream and river are filled with plastic bags and plastic packages which contain a variety of junk food such as potato chips which are laden with trans-fat but which the younger generation is addicted to. Environmentalists despair about the manner in which drains get choked and rivers are polluted by garbage which comprises mainly plastic bags and packages of different shapes and sizes. When these are clogged over a long period they emit methane gas which scientists say poisons the environment.
The second Indian Biodiversity Congress (IBC 2012) held at Bangalore earlier this month has called for a ban on field trials of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in India and a 10-year moratorium on Bt food crops. The three-day event, which witnessed a large turnout of scientists, conservationists, environmentalists, civil society groups and local communities from across the country, stressed the need to bring the regulation of biotechnological processes and products under the purview of the Biodiversity Act. For the purpose, the Department of Biotechnology should be brought within the Ministry of Environment and Forests, it suggested.
The environment organisations have come out strongly against the new move of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to revive the Pathrakadavu hydroelectric project. The project was proposed as an alternative to the Silent Valley project, being taken up now at the Silent Valley buffer zone in Mannarkkad taluk of the District. They said since the area was declared as the ‘buffer zone’ of the unique Silent Valley National Park it would be extremely difficult for the State government to recommend the project to the Centre, as they had to go through a plethora of statutory provisions and formalities.
A recent incident of alleged poaching of a Great Indian Bustard -- the State bird of Rajasthan listed in the “critically endangered” category -- near the famous Sam sand dunes in Jaisalmer district has shocked environmentalists who have blamed poor wildlife management and lack of protective measures for the crime. Some hunters travelling in two vehicles allegedly shot dead a Great Indian Bustard in broad daylight in Sudasari area forming part of the Desert National Park on December 20 and took away the dead bird. A shepherd saw the act and complained to the forest authorities.
SHILLONG: The Megh-alaya People’s Environment Rights Forum (MPERF) has urged Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary to keep on hold his assent to the Meghalaya Forest Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2012, which was passed by the State Assembly recently. In a representation submitted to the Governor on Wednesday, the MPERF requested that the Amendment Bill be sent back to the state government for a ‘detailed deliberation’. The representation also stressed on seeking opinion from technical, legal experts and conservationists besides the general public before deciding either in favour or against the amendment.
PANJIM: About 5,000 mining-dependent people affected by the halt of illegal mining, on Tuesday, held a rally in Panjim, demanding “immediate resumption of legal mining” in Goa and threatening to disrupt
Greens have again locked horns with the State Pollution Control Board here over the alleged pollution of Periyar waters. Environmentalists on Wednesday alleged that the board officials at the environment surveillance centre in Eloor failed to collect samples from near Edayar where discolouration of the river was reported on Tuesday. Purushan Eloor, spokesperson of the Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samithi, said the board officials refused to collect the samples stating that there was only a patch of white discharge near the region close to Merchem company. We had alerted the board officials immediately after detecting the discolouration but they were late to reach the site, he said.
