Land under forest cover has increased
The latest assessment report on the state of forests in India shows that the acreage under forests has marginally inreased, reversing the trend witnessed since early 1980s.The latest assessment report-the Seventh Forest Report 1999, shows the declining trend has been arrested.
Gene that triggers 'human pheromones' found
Scientists have identified the first human gene that may trigger people's primal urges, including sex and defence.In animals, researchers have convincingly documented how odourless molecules known as pheromones trace a complex neurological path to stimulate parts of the brian that are deeply rooted in instinct.
MP urges Centre to review Forest Conservation Act
A need to review the two decades old Forest Conservation Act, in the interest of the tribal communities and development of the state, is being felt here. The Act was enacted in 1980 as a crisis-driven response to arrest the loss of forest cover. Now, there is a need to …
Encroachment on reserve forest areas
Around an approximate of thousand hectares of forest land has been encroached in the Chairduar reserve forest area for human habitaiton. The people are struggling to earn their livelihood occypying lands of the reserve forest. The local Bodo people who have settled down in those areas are earning their livelihood …
Nilgiri trees worth lakhs cut in forest land
Nilgiri trees worth lakhs of rupees at the social forest belonging to the forest department, near Kaneyaru village in the taluk, have been destroyed, alleged the presidnet of the vilalge forest protection committee K S Keshavamurthy, Huliyar Gram Panchayat member K S Subbe Gowda and the secretary of the Anjaneya …
Forest cover increases
The forest cover in the country has increased by nearly 4,000 sq.km. since the last assessment made in 1997, but the annual rate of forest plantation has come down by about 60,000 hectares during 1997-99 as compared to 1992-97.As per the "State of forest report 1999" released by the Ministry …
New forest policy in Jammu & Kashmir
A new forest policy was being formulated by the Jammu and Kashmir government to preserve the greens in the state and streamline the functioning of various wings of the forest department.
Astronomers find litle blackholes in galaxy 4395
Astronomers at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge have found a tiny "super-massive" blackhole pulling in as much matter and radiating as many X-rays as its larger, lazier cousins.The newly discovered blackhole, located in the core of the galaxy NGC 4395, is part of an emerging class of mid-mass blackholes, …
J&K to have new forest policy
A new forest policy is being formulated by the Jammu and Kashmir Government to preserve the forest cover in the state and streamline the functioning of various wings of the Forest Department.
Forest group faces challenge
A shire council is considering legal action against the new American owners of Victoria's state plantations over alleged breaches of forestry codes and regulations in Gippsland's Strzelecki ranges. The La Trobe Shire council voted narrowly this month to begin preparing a possible case for presentation to the Victorian Civil and …
Forest cover up despite paucity of funds
In a rare turn around, the ministry of environment and forests has announced that the country's forest cover has increased by nearly 4,000 sq km since the last assessment made in 1997.The Union minister for environment and foresyt TR Baalu said that an allocation of Rs 6.695 crore per annum …
Govt to set up board on bio-divesity
The Karnataka State Government has decided to establish a Bio-Diversity Board to advise the government on matters regarding the conservation of bio-diversity and its sustainable use. The Board will regulate, grant approvals for commercial utilisation and co-ordinate the development of a Karnataka Bio-Diversity Information System.
UP govt bid to enhance forest cover
The UP government is undertaking urgent steps to revamp forst management so as to make up the loss forest cover caused by the creation of Uttaranchal said Mr Ram Asrey Kushwaha, UP minister of state for forests, while talking to the press in Hardwar.
Orissa HC bans tree-felling permits
Orissa High Court has banned issue of permits for cutting trees in forest areas of Koraput and Malkangiri districts. These forests were demarcated as protected to be notified as reserve forests.
783 sq km of NE forest cover depleted in three years
The spectre of mass depletion of forest cover looms large over the north eastern region. According to official reports in the past three years, the dense forest cover and the open forest cover had depleted by 783 sq km posing a serious threat to the eco-balance system in the region.
Ban on pollutant detergents
Philippines will soon ban the manufacture and sale of household industrial detergents containing toxic chemicals that pollute the country's water bodies. House Majority leader Eduardo Gullas said both the Chambers of Congress have already passed a bill to that effect, and it is now ready to be signed into law …
A 'directionless' green authority makes Mumbai citizens see red
Few people knew about the existence of Tree Authority till its shocking decision to chop down two century-old rain trees on Veer Savarkar Marg at Prabhadevi. Now, the Tree Authority itself is on the chopping block with citizens questioning its role and relevance.
