This Report of the Standing Committee on Water Resources (2021-22) deals with the action taken by the Government on the Observations/Recommendations contained in their Twelfth Report (Seventeenth Lok Sabha) on ‘Flood Management in the Country including International Water Treaties in the field of Water Resource Management with particular Reference to …
With modernisation has come the pressure on the forests. Though almost three-fourths of the country is still covered by dense foliage, the demands from a growing population can put unprecedented demands on them. Be it for construction, fuelwood consumption, infrastructure development, it cannot be underestimated. At the same time, 60 …
T he challenges that Bhutan is faced with are indeed daring, but rather than taking corrective measures, one cannot deny the fact that the government is taking proactive steps to mitigate the evils of development. For instance, air pollution. Though not of the proportion Indian metros like New Delhi are …
The ministry of trade and industry banned the use/sale of plastic carry bags, doma (paan) wrappers and ice cream pouches with effect from June 2, 1999. Any trader found selling/using plastic bags are liable to a fine of Rs 500 for the first offence, Rs 10,000 if caught for the …
On the road to destiny The tradition-bound Himalayan kingdom readies itself to brace modernism In 1958, when the then Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, went to Bhutan on a state visit, the only way he could reach the capital Thimpu was over land. He demanded to be met at the …
At least 50 people were killed and hundreds were rendered homeless in Bhutan due to flash floods and mudslides caused by fierce rains. Lynpo Khandu Wangchuk, the minister for trade, said that rescue workers were still engaged in ascertaining the exact death toll, which according to media was more than …
Vanda griffithii, an orchid species that was last spotted in Bhutan in 1843 have been rediscovered by two botanists. Phillip Cribb and Nicholas Pearce of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, the UK, said they also found 12 species of orchids that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. …
Following in the footsteps of the neighbouring countries, Bhutan too has phased out the use of petrol with high lead content in an effort to check vehicular air pollution. Director general of the ministry of trade and industry Achyut Bhandari said: "Unleaded petrol has been introduced in India and since …
Bhutan's biggest revenue earner, the Chukha Hydro Power Corporation (CHPC) produced a record 1,943.741 million units (Mu) of power in 1999, exceeding its previous year's production by 163 Mu. "We are overjoyed that we have been able to achieve this record generation during the Silver Jubilee Year of His Majesty's …
Engineers in Bhutan will now use eco-friendly techniques to build roads in the country. The National Environmental Commission has introduced guidelines for road and bridge construction. "To do this we have to change our traditional methods like using bulldozers and cutting into hillsides. Instead, we will now use excavators and …
wastepaper usually lands up in garbage bins all over the world. But, of late, in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, it has been finding its way elsewhere
Despite maintaining a frugal lifestyle, people in Bhutan continue to dump huge amounts of garbage indiscriminately. This aspect was highlighted in a paper presented by environmentalist Jorgen S Carle at a two-day course on Environmental Management in Bhutan. Titled
EXPERTS from China, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Nepal reviewed their respective government's policies on water harvesting in the Himalayan region at a workshop at International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (icimod), Kathmandu, on the March 14-16, 1999. Attended by academicians, researchers, government officials, grassroots functionaries and beneficiaries of water harvesting …
Two black Himalayan bears that were caught in traps in Bhutan's Begana and Yoesipang region were released into the forest by team of forestry officials. Officials said that a small male bear which was caught in a crude wire trap in Begana, had its right paw injured. In another incident, …
An horticulture development document worth US $6.5 million has been signed by the government of Bhutan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to improve the livelihood of its rural people who comprise about 85 per cent of the population. The UNDP will assist by providing technical assistance, training equipment, …
Bhutan ranks 155 in the human Development Index, says the Human Development Report 1997, released by the United Nations Development Programme in mid-June. The report shows the extent, severity and complexity of global poverty and proposes a feasible and affordable strategy to eradicate it. On a "human poverty index of …
A trip was recently organised in Bhutan as a part of a workshop on Snow Leopard and High Altitude Survey Techniques. According to the result of the two- week old field trip, the snow leopard population around Lingshi is of medium density (one to three leopards per 100 scl km). …
Two draft documents - Institutionalizing and Strengthening of the Environmental Assessment Process in Bhutan and Environmental Assessment Sectoral Guidelines was released this May by the Bhutan government in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank. The first document sets objectives to provide guidance both for evaluating new projects and existing operations. …
At a recent two-day meeting on the Management of Royal Manas National Park (RMNP) in Bhutan, participants resolved several issues that have been confronting the RMNP. The socioeconomic uplift-ment of the local people residing within the park was discussed by various collaborator& Said park manager Jigme PaIden, "We are not …
The National Environment Commission (NEC) of Bhutan recently hosted a workshop on April 22, to train government officials "to understand the issues of climate change, how they fit in, and how they can contribute", said a NEC spokesperson. One of the objectives of the workshop was "stabilisation of the greenhouse …
Sustainable development is the bottomline of a new package by the UN Development programme's (UNDP) Country Cooperation Framework for Bhutan. The US $33 million-package will be used in programmes for sustainable livelihoods, governance and environment between the years 1997 and 2001. Under these programmes, UNDP will focus on management and …
