Assam to protect its forests through peoples participation
The draft Assam Forest Policy 2002 was today submitted to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Minister of State for Forests Pradyut Bordoloi by the expert committee. The committee was constituted by the State Government on September 30, 2002 to draft the Assam Forest Policy 2002 consisting of experts on forestry …
Forest Protection Force set up, smuggling to be curbed
Tripura Government set into operation the Forest Protection Force, first of its kind in the State to check rampant smuggling of forest produces, movement of insurgents in the forest, and to improve infrastructure of forest resources. The first batch of the State owned Forest Protection Forces with 138 cadres including …
After brief hibernation, wood smugglers back to old habits
In a startling discovery, over 200 trees have been found to be illegally cut from the forestland at Kallem, in Poinguinim constituency of Goa by some unknown persons in recent times. The large scale felling of trees seems to suggest that Forest Department officials had not paid any visit to …
Forest department to get hi-tech gadgets to curb encroachments
The Andhra Pradesh government has provided the forest department with modern equipment to protect forest lands from illegal occupation, said Proddutur divisional forest officer P Uday Sankar. Addressing a press conference, he said the forest department had procured equipment including micro surveying instruments which enable identification of the original fauna …
Efforts to increase groundwater level in 53 villages
In order to increase the ground water level in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, the Central government is providing 140 crores for a three-year special scheme. In the scheme the ponds are being recharged and linked with Krishna river and 6 small dams are being constructed.
Jayalalithaa allays fears on wasteland scheme
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa denied charges that the poor would not benefit from the Government's Wasteland Reclamation Project. Responding to the apprehensions of CPI leader Palanichamy and CPM MLA Mahendran, Jayalalithaa told the Assembly that small and poor farmers could benefit if they formed a Federation of Self-Help …
Less-affluent ryots can also join wasteland development
Less-affluent farmers too can participate in the Wasteland Development Porgramme, the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, told the Assembly today.The farmers could organise themselves as selfhelp groups (SHG) and approach the respective Collectors, after forming a federation of SHGs.Each federation would be allotted eight hectares of land.
Maharashtra takes up another Bheema project
The Maharashtra government is yet to release the State's share of water to the Bheema river despite the Supreme Court's interim order. The Maharashtra government is claiming that there is no water in the Ujini dam to avoid the release of water. At the same time, it is trying to …
State`s forest cover increases marginally
Though Karnataka ranks fourth among all states and union territories in respect of area under tree cover, the total forest cover has increased marginally in the state, according to the latest State of Forest report. The state has 36.991 square km area under forest cover, an increase of about 4000 …
Move to charge people for water harvesting pits
In what can be seen as yet another blow to middle class families keen on constructing independent houses, the Andhra Pradesh state government is contemplating imposing an additional amount of Rs 1,000 towards the construction of rainwater harvesting structures in public places. The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad had already hiked …
Double-deckers will solve pollution problem: Expert
Dr S Nagabhusan Rao, director of Engineering Staff College of India urged the government to reintroduce double deckers in the Hyderabad city, Andhra Pradesh to minimise transportation problems. Giving the 13th Koka Krishna Mohan Rao endowment lecture on 'Public Transportation of Hyderabad-Problem and Solutions', he said that double deckers and …
Deforestation: North Bank becoming dry land
Deforestation has become a regular phenomena as a result of destruction of the forests. The north of the Brahmaputra, especially is going to suffer severe consequences as trees in that part has been felled regularly. Environmentalists believes that the mainland on the surface of the earth should contain about 33 …
Evictions to continue says Centre
The nightmare of eviction drives on the forest land in the State may come back to haunt Assam Government, with the Union Environment and Forest Ministry putting its foot down on encroachment of forestland, even as the State's is ranked eighth in the country in term of forest cover, which …
`Stringent law against forest encroacher on anvil`
The Minister for Forests and Environment, Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sofi announced that a bill would be introduced to amend the Conservation of Forest Act in coming session to make the act more effective against the forest land encroachers.
Preserve rain water in village ponds for irrigation: Ajaz
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Aijaz Ahmed Khan has lauded the contribution of farmers and labour community in raising the socio-economic status of the country by putting their best efforts in bringing revolution in the agriculture sector. The Minister was speaking at a function organised by All Jammu and …
HC order on felling of trees stayed
In a major boost to the Himachal Pradesh Government, which had rejected a plea by some individuals for cutting hundreds of precious "deodar and kail" trees worth crores on their private forest land, the Supreme Court has stayed the Himachal Pradesh High Court's order granting permission to them. The stay …
Forest cover up by six per cent
The country's forest cover has increased by six per cent in the past two years from 6,37,293 sq km to 6,75,538 sq km taking the country closer to the goal of bringing 25 per cent of the geographical area under forest by 2007. The state of the Forest Report 2001, …
Drying willows face sure death, need to be planted afresh
Willow trees, the life line of people in Lahaul valley, will have to be replaced with fresh stocks of superior quality of plants. The present willow wealth has been dying up in valley for about five years. Fresh seedlings are the only mantra to help grow and survive this variety …
