Forest fire in Tirumala hills
Large tracts of forest land were destroyed in a major fire in the Tirumala hills this evening. The fire broke out at the first hill of the Eastern side, near Karakambadi, about 10 km from Tirupati.
Water wars may become intense this summer
As different parts of the Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, seem to be headed for an acute water shortage this summer, the discourse on competing claims over water is likely to become more intense in coming months. Many Madurantakam farmers and residents are not willing to let authorities draw "excess water" …
Afforestation project launched
A Rs 2.12-crore Centrally sponsored afforestation project, under the National Afforestation Programme (NAP), was launched by Irrigation and Public Health Minister Thakur Kaur Singh, by planning a tree at Bihu village, about 14 km from Jogindernagar.
Felling of trees continues unabated in Nambor forest
Despite the ban imposed by the Supreme Court on felling of trees and transportation of timber from North-eastern region to other states, illegal felling of trees and smuggling of timber continue unabated. Earlier, Nambor reserved forest was covered by thick flora and fauna. But gone are those days
`Redefine green belt in city areas`
The Commissioner of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) advocated a redefinition of the Green Belt areas in Guwahati in Assam even as he stopped short of giving a complete picture about the total lands under the zone. He also admitted that there have been encroachments and unauthorized constructions in the …
Forest conservator, DFO likely to face minister`s ire
The conservator of forest (CF) and divisional forest officer (DFO) are likely to face ire of forest minister Dhaal Singh Bisen over delay in submitting report of a sixteen month old case related to massive felling of trees in Chaparia forest area.The case came to be known as Chaparia Kand, …
Paucity in the Land of Plenty
Cherapunji is fast heading towards becoming a desert. More popularly known as Sohra, the capital of the rainworld, Cherapunji enjoys an annual average rainfall of 10,000 millimetres and is situated around 1300 metres above sea-level.
Saving the forests
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) announced that it will donate 195,000 dollars to shore up Costa Rica's National Forest Development project. The FAO resources will allow the protection of forests in this country of just 51,000 square km, home to 0.5 per cent of thee planet's biodiversity.
Heaven for mafia
The world-renowned Silent Valley National Park in Kerala is fast turning into a heaven for the ganja mafia. Known as Asia's top biosphere reserve, the Valley is plagued by 'ganja mafia', which is active in the Nilgiri rainforest area, where hundreds of acres of medicinal forest have been denuded for …
Timber smuggling goes on unabated
Despite the ban on timber in the State of Meghalaya and other north-eastern states, large areas of forests continue to be denuded due to the presence of timber mafia operating especially along the international border.
HC stays de-reserving of forest villages in Pachmarhi
A Division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court comprising Chief Justice K Rajaratnam and Justice S S Kemkar ordered the Hoshangabad Collector be personally present in the court and granted a stay on the de-reserving 33 villages from reserve forest area in Pachmarhi, the resort of Madhya Pradesh.
Funds for wasteland development
The Union Rural Development Ministry has released funds for planning and development of wasteland under the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP) in Tamil Nadu during 2003-04. The objective is integrated development of degraded land or wastland based on village or micro-watershed plans.
Revenue villages
The genesis of the problem of forest villages lies in the fact that the people indigenous to the forest lands identify closely with the soil in which they live. Forest villages get created since the populace living there make their abode permanent in thise areas. However, these forest are also …
Tendu pluckers to be paid through forest co-ops
Under the new tendu leaf policy of Madhya Pradesh, payment of wages to the pluckers would continue to be made through Primary Forest Produce Cooperative Societies. This would ensure full payment of wages with transparency. Besides, pruning work would also be done by members of the socieities and van samitis.
No move to privatise water supply: Dikshit
Asserting that there was no move to privatise supply or distribution of water in the Capital, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, declared that efforts were only being made to "rationalise" the system to make it more efficient. The World Bank report has nothing to do with water supply tariff …
Global meet to highlight bamboo potential
The seventh World Bamboo Congress, to be held in New Delhi between February 27 and March 4, plans to highlight the potential of bamboo as fuel for economic and industrial development as well as for creating rural employment opportunity to millions of people in countries with substantial natural bamboo resources …
310 new revenue villages in State
As many as 310 forest villages of Madhya Pradesh would be converted into revenue villages and forest revenue villages and forest encroachments prior to enforcement of Forest Conservation Act, 1980, would be regularised soon.
Dont fell trees, say HC lawyers
The Kerala High Court Advocates Association general body meeting has passed a resolution against felling of trees on the new Kerala High Court premises. The Association expressed anguish over the felling carried out without any substantial reason by the Kerala State Public Works Department authorities. They pointed out that it …
Selaulim water sheme for upcoming industries?
The much hyped augmentation scheme to supply raw water to Khandpur river from Selaulim Irrigation Project through Kalay river has raised eyebrows in Sanguem in Goa. The department has kept as many as five openings with the same diameter pipes as those being used to supply water from Selaulim Irrigation …
Surviving Valleys choppy waters, trout swims upstream
It is the feel good factor once again. Only, this time it is in unlikely Kashmir. And it has nothing to do with the recent peace attempts. For trout farming not only survived, but flourished, during the years of militancy to emerge as the Valley's very own success story. In …
