PAC report points out lacunae in sandalwood protection
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Forest, Ecology and Environment and Women and Child Welfare Department of Karnataka Legislature today submitted its sixth report which takes note of discrepancies in sandalwood protection and storage, illegal occupation of forest land and tardy progress of the Western Ghats Development programme.
Bhutan to up hydel power capacity by 1000 mw by '05
Bhutan, which has an estimated 33000 mw hydroelectricity potential, is on course to add 1000 mw power by 2005 to its present installed capacity of just 440 mw. The Tala Hydel Project is expected by 2005 which would add another 1000mw power to our output which means the percentage of …
Ground water depleting fast, harvesting only hope
Forty years back, one not need to dig deep for water. It came brimming to the surface, even in a pit as shallow as two metre deep. But that was then. Now, the water t able has fallen upto 20 metres below surface. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has …
Water woes are back as pipes go dry
Summer has not yet set in and the water woes of the residents have already begun in Andhra Pradesh. Low pressure bedevils the once-in-two days supply, there is no supply in some colonies.
540 trees to be cut for Mysore, Belur, C'magalur road
The PWD has said that 540 roadside trees need to be cut to develop Bilikere-Tarikere (Mysore-Belur-Chikmagalur) road in Karnataka. Stating that the matter was already discussed with Deputy Commissioner B P Kaniram and Deputy Forest Conservator D K Shivananna. Mr. Chandrashekharaiah said the Forest Department was convinced about the cutting …
Water crisis
It is indeed quite strange that reports of acute shortage of drinking water in many parts of Karnataka should have surfaced close on the heels of the state government launching Jal Nirmal Project, a massive World Bank aided programme to improve the sanitation and drinking water situation in the state...editorial
'Drinking water for all villages by 2004'
The Centre will provide drinking water for all villages in Tamil Nadu by 2004, the Minister for Rural Development, M Venkaiah Naidu, has said. Inaugurating the international groundwater conference on "Sustainable Development and Management of Ground Resources in semi-arid region with reference to hard rocks", at the PSNA College of …
Governor opens tree plantation
Lahore (Pakistan) Governor Khalid Maqbool inaugurated the annual tree plantation campaign by planting a sapling at Jallo Park. As many as 35 million saplings will be planted during the campaign in the province; 12.50 million on government forest land, 3.50 million on other departments land, 1.5 million on defence department …
State to get Rs 600 crore WB aid
Madhya Pradesh will get a financial assistance of Rs. 600 crores from the World Bank for forestry development in the state. With this fund, the projects related with forestry development and poverty alleviation programmes could be implemented effectively.
Sikkim for Australian aid in forestry, environment
Sikkim government is exploring the possibility of seeking Australian assistance in the field of forestry and environment. Australian assistance in areas of strategic planning, tissue culture of endemic species, ecotourism, controlling forest fire and development of forest was discussed by Sikkim Forest Minister D T Lepcha during his 10-day tour …
Despite ban fire-wood being burnt in Gopalganj brick-kilns
Despite the fall that there is a ban, wood is being rampantly burnt in most brick-kilns in Gopalganj district, Bangladesh. Fire wood is now being sold not at high rate. Garden owners are also selling their Mango trees while the Klin owners are burning such wood without any hesitation.
Illegal tree cutting continues in Mardan
Cutting of old trees in the Mardan district (Pakistan) continues unabated despite warnings of strict action by the government against the timber mafia. A survey reveal that the timber mafia, which has become active in the recent days, cut Sheesham trees growing along canals, which dated back to the colonial …
Shola species to replace eucalyptus trees
The eucalyptus plantations of the Nilgiris, which have for long been considered "ecological predators," will be replaced in a phased manner by trees belonging to the shola species which are "rainwater and ground water-friendly ". Inaugurating a seminar on 'rainwater harvesting' in Tamil Nadu, the collector, Supriya Sahu, said that …
Substitute hits ' kattha ' units
Contrary to the expectations the Himachal Pradesh Government's decision to lift the ban on the export of khair wood, the main raw material for manufacturing of "kattha", has not benefited the growers. With the imported gambier, a substitute for "kattha", flooding the domestic market, the prices of "kattha" continue to …
State records increase in forest cover
Independently verifiable data indicates that there has been an increase in the forest cover in Madhya Pradesh. The Survey of India maps and the data on the state of forests for the year 1999, conclusively prove that the forest cover in the state has gone up by 695 square kilometres.
One small step for Nasa is a giant leap for cars
250 miles above the earth, work will continue on the first construction site in space. Cranes, robots and astronauts will be dispatched to different parts of the orbital development -better known as the international space station.
NE forest and related ecosystems under pressure
Remote sensing and geospatial modeling have shown that forest and related ecosystems in North-east India are under severe pressure from biotic and abiotic factors with Sonitpur region in Assam being the most affected, a scientist has said. The images received from satellite remote sensing in conjunction with geospatial modeling showed …
Efforts on to control fire at Gir
The jungle fire that erupted in Dir forest in Junagadh was not yet controlled even after 24 hours of the incident. About 200 people were battling to bring the blaze under control. According to deputy conservator of forest D B Rajde, the fire had spread in the jungle due to …
Forces on alert to fight forest fires
The fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia has placed all personnel on alert and launched a special operation to fight forest and peat fires in several parts of Kualalumpur.
