Water supply crisis ends in Pakistan
Pakistan's water shortage ended on Saturday as the rivers' combined flow exceeded total withdrawal capacity of the provinces. The provinces have started running their canals at their full capacity in view of the supplies touching a healthy 371,500 cusec mark. Saturday's inflow was factually 111,500 cusecs more than the total …
Forests hit by water shortage
The shortage of water and apathy of the department concerned have affected forests along eastern and western banks of the Indus River (Pakistan). According to a survey conducted by this correspondent, land in Kutcho area has dried up and trees are dying rapidly in the forests along the banks of …
' Tendu patta' production declines in state
Production of tendu patta in Madhya Pradesh is less as compared to last year, but the quality is stated to be good. Again the sale of almost 10 lakh standard bags patta, which was not sold last year would add problems to the Minor forest Produce Federation.
Of city forest and eviction
The Garbhanga Forest in Guwahati was the first notified forest (RF) in the city. Originally with a land area of 28,320 acres, under the Beltola and Ramsarani Mauzas of the city, the forest was notified in The Assam Gazette as an RF. The city has so far ten of its …
Orissa policy may lead bamboo to its extinction
Bamboo could well become an endangered plant species in Orissa. After not being harvested for the past two years, the bamboo has recently started flowering, which signifies that the plant species is approaching its extinction.
'Fresh survey of city lakes needed'
A fresh survey of lakes in Bangalore with help from the Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) is the need of the hour, if lakes in the city have to be restored. The only survey available is the one conducted by there Lakshman Rao Committee 20 years ago, said Forest, Ecology …
Fires consume forest wealth
Recent forest fires have taken a huge toll of fauna and flora in the region. It is hoped the arrival of the monsoon towards June end will put an end to the menace of forest fires. Various campaigns launched by forest officials to curb forest fires have turned topsy-turvy as …
Forest land issue: Lok Ayukta directive to CM, ministers
Lok Ayukta P C Balakrishna Menon and Upa Lok Ayukta T V Ramakrishnan today directed Chief Minister A K Antony, Revenue Minister K M Mani and Forest Minister K Sudhakaran to submit a month on a complaint filed by Friends of Trees, alleging large-scale alienation of forest land, deforestation and …
Haryana scheme to increase forest cover
The Haryana state government has decided to introduce Food for Work Scheme in forestry activities to be undertaken by the state during the current year. This will help in increasing the forest cover in the state. The decision was reportedly taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary …
Crackdown on wood smugglers
The forest department has intensified raids on the habitual timber smugglers of Khanapur locality in town following reports in these columns about large scale illegal timber felling in Mavala-Seetagondi forest in Adilabad section.Five special parties have been formed for the purpose. So far, the forest officials have booked 22 cases …
Biggest encroachers are Govt. agencies
While the government insists that the green cover in Delhi has actually gone up, the NGOs working on Environment-related issues are of the strong opinion that the statistics are a big lie and the government itself is the biggest violator of norms. The need to conserve what we already have …
WB agrees for joint forest management
Word Bank has given consent for preparing project for joint forest management in the state. To prepare an outline for this project Forest Department has held discussions at high level and prepared the plan.
SC, Centre firm on eviction of encroachers from forests
While political expediency on the part of majority of four politicians on the issue of eviction of encroachers from forest land in Assam has been vitiating the social atmosphere here, the Supreme Court of India and the Union Environment and Forest Ministry, with the prudence to save the environment and …
CONENGO worried over deforestation
The Confederation of North-eastern Environment NGOs (CONENGO), has called upon the people of the North-east to support the efforts made for conservation of the ecological balance in the region. Rapid deforestation, encroachers of forest land and killing of wildlife is depriving the region of its most valuable natural resources. Being …
Forest action plan handed over
Chairman of Dolkha District (Nepal) Development Committee Lal Kumar K.C. handed over the forest action plan and certificate to the community forest group at a function organised jointly by the District Forest Office and Nepal Swiss Community forest Project.
Tree planting drive planned
A massive afforestation programme would be undertaken by various government agencies, which would entail plantation of around 7.50 lakh trees during 2002-03. The focus would be to increase green cover along railway tracks, drains, roadsides, Gram Sabha land, city forests, Ridge, Asola Bhati wildlife sanctuary, protected forest and along the …
Timber smuggling on rise in Mandi
Smuggling of deodar timber by the forest mafia in alleged connivance with forest and police officials in the twin valleys of Karsog and Gohar in the interiors of the Mandi district has assumed alarming proportions. Over 100 trucks of deodar are reported to have been smuggled out of the Karsog …
WB forest dept. runs for cover from Naxals
The banned Naxalite outfit, People's War Group (PWG), has over a year and a half raided 14 forest beat and range officers in West Bengal's southern districts of Midanapore, Bankura and Purulia. The state's forest department has now sent an SOS to the government seeking police protection in these districts. …
Authorities helpless as aliens encroach on Golaghat forests
Having been armed with the Supreme Court order, the Assam Forest Department seems to be very active in evicting indigenous, albeit illegal, encroachers from reserve forest lands. Thousands of indigenous people are being evicted, almost everyday, from reserve forest areas nowadays. Besides forest and police officials, a good number of …
