People urged to stop environmental destruction
Deepak Marathe president of Sanguem JC highlighted the importance of Vanamahotsave and urged the people to stop destruction of environment by reducing forest cover. He also appealed to the people to plant more trees in order to keep Goa green and pollution free.
Projects threaten Mangalavanam
The Kochi city's green lung Mangalavanam is once again facing the threat of being smothered. Two proposals - one by the Kerala State Housing Board (KSHB) and the another by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) - have come up for utilising the nearly 34 acres of revenue land in …
US feels heat of dissent and fury as forest fires rage on
If the heat is oppressive on Wall Street these days, it is worse in the nation's forests, where walls of flames have destroyed 5.5m acres in what is being called the worst fires in decades. According to the National Information Fire Center, 171 new blazes were reported, including five large …
Tribunal on Mhadei water row
The long-drawn out inter-state water dispute of river Mhadei between Karnataka and Goa is now expected to be resolved by constituting a judicial tribunal on the issue as the central government has replaced the controversial secretary of the Union Water Resources Ministry. While making an announcement in this regard in …
Old trees in Lalbagh get fresh lease of life, courtesy Tree Surgery squad
The Karnataka State Horticulture Department has worked out a unique solution to keep old and majestic trees in Bangalore city away from infections and the vagaries of nature. These days, the Department's newly formed Tree Surgery Squad is filing hollows and decayed portions of trees at Lalbagh with bricks and …
CM to launch plantation programme at Shameerpet
The 6th 'One day one lakh' tree plantation programme is being organised at Ponnal reserve forest, Shameerpet in Ranga Reddy district in Andhra Pradesh and five other sites simultaneously on Thursday. It was proposed to complete the balance planting by the end of September 2002. Out of the 90 hectares …
Stakeholders to have greater say in managing forests
The second AP Forestry Project, funded by the World Bank, looks to revolutionising the management of forests and forest wealth in the Andhra Pradesh state with the government poised to give greater responsibility to local communities. The implementation of the Rs 650 crore project will start next month and benefit …
53rd Van Mahotsav celebrated
The Forest Division, Udhampur, Jammu in collaboration with Police Training Academy, Udhampur celebrated 53rd Van-Mahotsav by launching plantation drive for planting 10,000 saplings of different species in the premises of the Police Training Academy yesterday.
Mass felling of trees on in Udumalpet
Thousands of teak trees, spread over an area of of 200 acres, at Udumalpet, near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu are being felled and smuggled out every day in gross violations of Madras High Court directives against such activities.
Smog thickens in Moscow, people told to stay inside
Millions of Muscovites were advised to stay indoors as thick smog from forest fires choked the city. Schoolchildren were kept inside and officials warned that pregnant women and people with heart conditions should take extra precautions as the fires raged in peat bogs and forests around the rim of the …
M.P. to market forest produce
The Madhya Pradesh Government would soon chalk out a business plan for trading in minor forest produce, the Chief Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, has said. The bio-diversity board, which aims at planning suitable strategy for conservation of biological wealth would soon chalk out a business plan for trading in minor …
Stop regularisation of encroached land: CEC
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court to study the problem of encroachment in the reserved forest areas across the country has observed that the encroachment acts like cancer in the forests spreading without pausing and eating into the vitals of life support systems of nature, destroying …
Tribal encroachers have grabbed 22,500 ha of Sonitpur forests
Tribal encroachers have grabbed 22,500 hectares of forest land out of 66,067.77 hectares of various reserve forests in Sonitpur district, said Mohan Chandra Malakar , Chief Conservator of Forest (territorial) Assam. Talking to the media persons yesterday, Mr. Malakar said Sonitpur district over the past few years have registered the …
Fear of fines compels forest dept to clear encroachments
Imposition of a possible fine of Rs 1000 per hectare per month on the State (Maharashtra) and deductions of Rs 100 per hectare per month from salaries of officials has accelerated the Forest Department's encroachment removal drive. The department has embarked upon the drive following the November 23, 2001 Supreme …
Expert warns of rise in salt water level in city
'The drop in fresh water level leads to increase in salt water level. This dangerous situation is the most in the coastal regions and the heat has transmitted to Mangalore too. Several places in Mangalore where freshwater was available earlier, has transformed into salt water regions. There would be a …
IMC to plant 2200 saplings
The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) on Monday promised to plant 2200 five to seven-year-old saplings in place of 1100 trees being cut for the widening of Yeshwant Niwas Road in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
' Wasteland programme will ruin rural economy'
The Comprehensive Wasteland Programme for developing wasteland with corporate support would lead to displacement of village folk and ruin the rural economy, speakers at a meeting convened by the 'Campaign for Right to Livelihood and Food Security', said in Chennai.
Rainwater harvesting is crucial to the country, says study
Traditional system of rainwater harvesting must be employed in the country to avert water scarcity and drought, says a study by the Centre for Science and Environment. The New Delhi based oranisation's study suggests several traditional methods employed in various areas to conserve water and avert scarcity.
Now cremation needs less wood
This initiative to save trees has resulted in the development of a crematorium than consumers 70 per cent less wood than the conventional method. Philanthropist Sanathbhai Chhaya's (74) efforts bore fruit on July 31, when an unidentified body was cremated in a unique bio-mass gasifier at Ambernath. The crematorium was …
An eye on the Amazon
Last month Brazil inaugurated a high-tech radar system to keep watch on Amazon jungle. The American-financed $1.4 billion Amazon Vigilance System will help catch drug smugglers and detect incursions by Colombia's guerrillas. But it was originally conceived and designed for environmental protection, and can still be key tool in combating …
