- House panel recommends action against officers
The House committee on sale of forest banjar land in erstwhile Mahboobabad taluk of Warangal district directed the chief engineer, Sriram sagar project and the special collector, land acquisition to identify the officials responsible for the land scam and initiate disciplinary action against them. The Warangal district collector has been …
- 3-pronged strategy to boost irrigation
The Andhra Pradesh state government has adopted a three-pronged strategy in irrigation sector aimed at increasing the irrigation potential, removing the regional imbalances and handing over management of irrigation projects to farmers. This will ensure optimum utilisation of available water resources in the state, said Reymond Peter, additional secretary, irrigation.
- Major UK company cancels rainforest contract in response to Greenpeace action
While Greenpeace activists continue to occupy a shipment of ancient Canadian rainforest timber and pulp in Greenock harbour, near Glasgow, as part of an international campaign to save the world's ancient forests, a major UK company has cancelled a rainforest contract. Magnet stores, in a statement issued announced that it …
-Mukerji panel favours cut in interest on forestry loans
The Mukerji panel, set up by the ministry of environment & forests to review the afforestation policy and recommend measures for the rehabilitation of wastelands, has called for a cut in the Reserve Bank's interest rates on loans for forestry-related projects. Such loans, says the panel, should enjoy a repayment …
- WB announces $ 39 million IDA credit for Kerala
The World Bank on Wednesday announced a $ 39 million credit for a forestry project in Kerala aimed at increasing forest products and preserving biodiversity in the State. A PTI report from Washington quoting Mr. Chris Keil, project task leader and a senior forestry specialist in the World Bank's South …
- Dons thrive in jungle dens of Bundelkhand
It is a virtual jungle rule in Bundelkhand. The timber mafia operating in and around the forests of Lalitpur are daring enough to smuggle out entire trains full of wood. While in Terai, the smugglers find it hard to smuggle a truck-load of timber across the border, in Lalitpur, a …
Indonesia's killer smog hits again as fires rage
Thousands of residents of the Indonesian city of Samarinda have fallen ill because of thick smoke from forest fires in East Kalimantan Province. Visibility in the city dropped to 100 meters Sunday, as residents donned face masks to fend off choking smog.
- Replenishing the green cover
Afforestation programmes should take into consideration the needs of the local communities. According to Eva Cheung Robinson, Executive Director, Social Planning and Research, Canada, who has worked as the Programme Coordinator of the agro-forestry programmes in Andhra Pradesh, an important cause of this confrontation is the hierarchical and rigid approach …
- Forest fires roars through Thailand national park
Hundreds of firefighters struggled on Monday to contain a forest fire that has been raging for a week through a national park, threatening wildlife and residents. The blaze at the Khao Yai national Park, 190 km northeast of Bangkok, was being whipped along by gusty winds and has consumed thousands …
- Govt to focus on indigenous species
Minister of state for environment and forest Babulal Marandi yesterday said the government will focus on preserving indigenous species and promoting their growth. He called on the 'swadeshi tree plantation programme,' in line with the swadeshi ideology of the BJP-led government.
- Wildlife expert for steps to maintain ecological balance
There must be a total ban on planting big trees in the existing grasslands in the State's various forests so that the delicate balance of ecology is not disturbed, said Sri Anwaruddin Choudhury, a wildlife expert who has done a comprehensive project on preserving the forests of the State on …
Oil firms continue car maker clash, propose standards for sulfur emissions
Continuing to clash with US car makers over meeting new clean-air standards, the US oil industry proposed differing standards for lower sulfur fuels, depending on the region where they are sold. The proposal, announced after a meeting with the US Environmental Protection Agency, calls for one fuel with 150 parts …
Greenpeace denounces WFP's loggin of intact rainforest valley
Greenpeace denounced the decision by Western Forest Products to begin blasting roads into the intact rainforest valleys of the Mooto-Ingram of the Great bear Rainforest. Western's decision unilaterally ends negotiations with environmental groups and is guaranteed to spark a strong response from the international marketplace.
- Ground water is a fragile resource
Annan : World Water Day - which is celebrated on March 22 was organised by the Indian Water Resources Society (IWRS). The theme for this year was 'Ground Water - The Invisible Resource'. "Ground water is a fragile resource. Growing population and increasing urbanisation and industrialisation are taking a severe …
Kerala timber trade heading for extinction
The timber trade in the Kallayi belt of Kerala, once the largest trading area in Asia and the second largest in the world, is now facing extinction with timber dealers attributing the crisis to a variety of factors.
- Veerappanphobia
Forest guards want AK-47s, grenades: The wildlife wing of the forest department plans to procure sophisticated weapons, including AK-47s and hand grenades for its staff stationed in forest areas frequented by sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. A substantial portion of the 1998-99 budget of the wildlife wing will be utilised for buying …
Maharashtra forest body plans Rs 2,500 cr. bonds
The Nagpur based Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra, a state government undertaking, plans to raise a whopping Rs 2,500 crore through bonds to undertake various forest development works in the state.
- Kashmir to be covered with chinar
As many as 50,000 fruit and ornamental trees will be planted across the Kashmir Valley as part of the "Green Campaign" launched by the Army, in partnership with the state forest department in an attempt to restore its pristine glory. Another 10,000 chinar trees are being planted by the state …
- Slim pickings in tendu-leaf fields
The adivasis in the tribal belt of Bhandara-Raipur-Chattisgarh have only two options: starve or face exploitation by tendu-leaf growers. There isn't a third choice. More than 10 lakh adivasis work in exploitative conditions, picking tendu leaves in fields owned by a few moneybags. Paid a pittance and made to work …
- Action plan to conserve Eastern Ghats in the offing
An action plan to conserve and protect the Eastern Ghats is under the Governments's consideration the Forests Minister, Mr.Pongalur N. Palanisamy, said on Saturday. Participating in the "World Forestry Day" organised by the State Forest department at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation here, the Minister said details of the project …
