Expert panel set up for forest plan, Deepar Beel may get sanctuary status
The Assam Government has constituted an expert committee to suggest measures for formulating a comprehensive forest plan in the interest of of maintaining the ecological balance in the State. On the other hand, Kamrup Deputy Commissioner Absar Hazarika has been entrusted to prepare a feasibility study for declaring the Deepar …
Illegal timber worth Rs 1 cr. seized
Despite the Supreme Court ban on tree-felling, illegal trade in timber continues to flourish. The forest department, Kamrup east division, Assam, alone has seized illegal timber worth over Rs 1 crore during the period from March 1 to August 31. It has also registered 94 cases in this connection and …
Forest Corporation steps bear fruit
Steps taken by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Corporation to stand up to global competition following the lifting of trade restrictions on the forest produce have started yielding positive results. The corporation was hit hard during 1998-2000 as imported resin, timber and other forest produce flooded the market. The rates of …
20 pc of land to be brought under forest cover by 2015
Experts at a workshop in Dhaka discussed the draft Social Forestry Rules (SFR) for its proper application in the country. The Department of Forest in association with Asian Development Bank organised the workshop on the draft SFR, enacted by the government to materialise the new approach of plantation as well …
Forest Bill referred to select committee
The Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile) Bill, 2001, was referred to a select committee by the Assembly today, raising doubts about the Bill, acclaimed as a revolutionary step to protect ecologically fragile forest land, being accepted in the present form.
Gynaecologist turns saviour of trees
Chopped trees don't attract a great many mourners in the urban jungle. But they've found a saviour in Anahita Pandole, a 35 year old gynaecologist at Sion Hospital, (Mumbai) who recently filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against illegal hoardings and unauthorised tree cutting. "It was on February 24 while …
Assam tops forest encroachment: Central panel
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court to look into the causes of encroachment in the reserved forest areas in different states has observed that the encroachers have an "unholy nexus" with the mafia, politicians and an influential section of people in the society of eight states …
Cyprus says huge forest fire contained
A huge fire which devoured miles of forest in Cyprus had been contained after a night battling the flames, authorities said. The blaze had razed at least 10 square km of trees and shrubland in the south of the Mediterranean holiday island after starting simultaneously in several areas. "We have …
'Naked' natives block illegal loggers in Peru
Hundreds of members of some of the world's last indigenous tribes still living cut off from the outside world have emerged from their isolation to confront illegal mahogany loggers in Peru's southeastern jungle that are invading their land, activists and officials said. Four loggers have already been reported injured by …
Govt. frames terms of reference
The Assam Government has framed the terms of reference of the expert committee to be set up shortly to suggest measures for formulating a comprehensive forest plan in the interest of maintaining the ecological balance, said the Minister of State for Forest, Sri Pradyut Bordoloi. He said that prominent experts …
State forests divided into 3 categories
The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to divide forests of the state into three categories and to set-up local committees for their protection.The committees have been given right to collect forest produces, without giving royalty.
SC unhappy over Government reply
Supreme Court has expressed its unhappiness over the Madhya Pradesh government's reply, incorporating misleading information over illegal felling and mining in Shivpuri district and and asked to submit a fresh reply.
City may lose its green cover to neglect
The Chandigarh city's green cover is fading out fast. And none other than the UT Administration will be to blame if the City Beautiful losses all its trees to uprooting in the near future. Striking revelations have come to light in the report submitted by the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, …
Firefighters making progress on Oregon wildfire
Firefighters said they were making good progress at keeping a 188,000-acre wildfire away from homes in the Illinois Valley after completing six miles of a backfire during the night. About 17,000 residents of the valley in southwestern Oregon had been warned that they could be told to evacuate with only …
Green Delhi project stalled by late rains
Delay in the monsoon has badly affected the plantation programme of the Delhi government, being carried out under the "Green Delhi Action Plan 2002-2003". The government has been able to plant only 20 per cent of the saplings so far, against the expected 50 per cent in the month of …
IOC to help check tree-felling at Periyar reserve project
The Indian Oil Corporation has come forward to assist the Kerala forest department's efforts to check large scale felling of trees for fuel wood from the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in the State by commissioning an LP Gas Agency in the Pambavalley area.
Metrowater to take up RWH enumeration
Metrowater has proposed to carry out a door-to-door enumeration of rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures in the Chennai city. At present, there is no exact database on the installation of RWH systems and the figures are worked out in approximation. "We have planned to complete the exercise by September 15," a …
Greens go red in Orissa
The alarming shrinkage of Orissa's forest cover has rattled environmentalists who fear this might adversely affected the environment and rain pattern of the state. While the vast green patches have almost completely disappeared in certain areas, at other places, the once dense jungles have been reduced to shrub-lands. Rampant tree-felling …
Huge fire contained
A huge fire which devoured miles of forest in Cyprus had been contained by Friday after a night battling the flames, the authorities said. The blaze had razed at least 10 square km of trees in the south of the Mediterranean holiday island.
