Forest department's eviction drive stirs tribals into action
According to Maharashtra state forest department some adivasis are staying and cultivating in forest land. The 48000 adivasis in the state have absolutely no right to be there, say officials. The forest department's eviction drive against encroachers, now temporarily stayed by chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, prompted a mass protest rally …
Officials were suspended after inquiry, says Sudhakaran
Forest Minsiter Sudhakaran has said the suspension of 12 officials of the Forest Department, in Kerala, including two divisional forest officers, in connection with the burglary of sandalwood, sandal oil and ivory worst crores of rupees from the strongroom was taken after an inquiry and the officials concerned cannot shirk …
Green vales will be back soon
The grass in definitely going to be perennially green in Uttaranchal shortly, as the State Government has mobilised 9000 villages in the State to cultivate grass. The project, which is at present limited Bageshwar and Naini village, is part of an unusual plan to turn the area into a grassy …
38 lakes to quench our thirst
The Andhra Pradesh State government has decided to tap 38 fresh water lakes in and around the city to augment drinking water supply to the twin cities and surrounding municipalities. The 38 were identified by the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority as sources that could be taped for their drinking water …
Centre working out plan to regenerate forests in jhum lands
The Centre is working out a comprehensive project to regenerate forests in Jhum land of north eastern states, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, A M Gokhale said. The new project sought to cover all the jhum lands with an aim to transform the idea of tree plantation to …
The forest brigand continues to reign
Veerapan continues to elude the special task force. This despite the manhunt launched 12 years ago. Leading a tiny band of followers in the Sathyamangalam forests in Tamil Nadu's Erode district, he has reportedly killed 150 people including STF officers and civilians.
Minister for formation of forest committees
Minister for forests Harvansh Singh has directed to carry out a campaign Van Samitis under Joint Forest Management (JFM) in Madhya Pradesh. Singh reviewed the activities under the JFM at a meeting on Monday. He said Van Samitis are to be constituted in 22,000 villages, but these have been constituted …
SC notice to MP on teak smuggling
The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh Government on the allegation that police trucks were being used for illegal smuggling of teak wood and sought CBI investigation into the same.
Removal of duty on water projects won't be enough
The Department of Revenue has done its bit for the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development. It was agreed in the summit to halve by 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and on September 6, immediately after the end of Johannesburg Summit, customs duty on the …
Upper Lake level rising continuously
Residents of Madhya Pradesh state capital can heave a sigh of relief as the level of the Upper Lake is continuously rising owing to the rainfall experienced during the week and in last two days the level of the lake has increased by another six inches. The level of Kerva …
New auto borewell device a boon to ryots
The development of an automatic borewell compressor controller has come as a boon to farmers at a time when the entire Coimbatore district has been reeling under acute water crisis. the automatic borewell compressor controller has been designed and developed by IES Technologies, a city based engineering company, according to …
'Green Collector' for Sudeep Jain
The Exnora International has selected Nagapattinam Collector Sudeep Jain for the 'Green Collector' award in recognition of his efforts to green the district with a massive tree planting programme and also to keep the district of Tamil Nadu clean.
Japan Bank gives Orissa Rs.450cr to save forests
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has agreed to fund the forestry sector development project in the state, which aims at rehabilitating the degraded natural forest in Orissa. The donor agency has agreed to give Rs 450 crores to the project. The State Government has to shell out about Rs …
Medha Patkar demands abolition of Vangrams
Narmada Bacho Andolan (NBA) leader, Medha Patkar has said that the Madhya Pradesh government should abolish Vangrams as has been done in Maharashtra and give rights for land to tribals.
Over 1000 Sissau trees cut down
More than 1000 Sissau trees planted on the side of the irrigation canal of Mansumara Irrigation Project (Nepal) have been illegally cut down and smuggled by the locals and traders said the District Forest Office (DFO).
Scientists stress need for forest management
Rural development could not be successful without scientific management of forest resources. Dr Ajit Banerjee, forestry consultant of the World Bank, said this at the 35th annual conference of the Indian Anthropoligical Society at Vidyasagar University (West Bengal). Dr Banerjee, who conceptualised the 'Arabari joint forest management -1970 stressed the …
Sentinels of woods to be awarded
The Junglees, an NGO working for forest and wildlife conservation, will award best forest guards at national parks. In the environment sector, this is for the first time that an NGO will award government staff working in the field, for their excellence, said a West Bengal state government official.
Rain trees may get reflective lights
There is some good news for tree lovers who have been striving to protect two old trees on Veer Savarkar Road in Dadar (Maharashtra). Reportedly, two year ago the two century old rain trees on the busy road were scheduled to be cut down by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, ostensibly …
More use of environment friendly jute urged
Jute, once the golden-fiber of Bangladesh, must be recognised by the world in near future at the height of the concern over environmental degradation across the globe, and potential entrepreneurs should come forward to invest in this sector without hesitation.