Farmers warn of more Falla-type agitations
More than 30,000 farmers on Monday vowed to fight the 'autocratic ' functioning of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at Gandhinagar and demanded the fulfilment of three of their demands, failing which they threatened to intensify their agitation.
State govt orders judicial probe
The Gujarat government has decided to hold a judicial inquiry into the recent water riots in Jamnagar leading to the death of three persons land injury to about a dozen. A retired High Court judge would hold the inquiry, according to an official note issued at Gandhinagar.
Protesters sue loggers' trade union
The trade union that represents timber workers is being sued for false imprisonment by Australian conservationists involved in a tense, five-day stand-off with loggers in Victoria's south-west last January. In a writ lodged in the Supreme Court yesterday, 16 conservationists allege they were encircled and held against their will, and …
Forests fall as Beattie stalls on tree protection legislation
The panic clearing of native vegetation in Queensland will continue indefinitely, with the Premier, Mr Beattie, refusing to proclaim tree protection legislation rushed through Parliament.The move is in response to demands by the Federal Environment Minister, Senator Robert Hill, for further information before the Commonwealth decides whether to contribute towards …
TADA lifted for Veerappan 51
A special designated court in Mysore paved the way for the release of 51 associates of forest brigand Veerappan who were arrested under Tada, upholding the state government's move to withdraw cases against all those charged under the lapsed act.
Rs 66cr green plan for Calcutta
Mayor Subrata Mukherjee has embarked on a green mission to rid his city of pollution. He has planned a "Greening the City" campaign with mayor-in-council (parks) Hridayananda Gupta. He will ask Planning Commission chairman K.C. Pant to finance part of the Rs.66.5-crore project when they meet in New Delhi on …
Governments pushes rainwater harvesting
The Delhi government will soon adopt 10 government housing complexes and colonies for rainwater harvesting. The Tilak Marg flats, Gulabi Bagh, Harinagar and Karkardooma housing complexes have initially been identified for this purpose.
Donors lambast timber corporation
Donor representatives once again lambasted the monopoly of Timber Corporation of Nepal (TCN), the sole government authority to fell trees and export timber production from government-owned block forests. Addressing the 9th Forestry Sector Co-ordination Committee Meeting, the US Ambassador to Nepal Ralph Frank objected the role of TCN in the …
In absence of rain, teak falls to pests
Scanty rainfall in Dangs and Valsad divisions of the forest department in south Gujarat has made precious teak vulnerable to pest attacks.While 60 per cent of teak trees in the Dangs have been hit, in Valsad-Vyara division, 30 per cent of the teak has fallen prey to the pests.
'Forest officials terrorising tribals'
The Forest Department officials and forest protection committee in tribal-dominated Dindori district of the State had unleashed a reign of terror and atrocities on the local Baiga and Gond tribals. On October 28, Forest officials and Jaitpuri village forest protection committee members gutted 40 shanties and 200 acre crop of …
Grow trees, secure marks
Grow trees, secure marks, students, believe it. This is going to happen soon. Growing of trees will be part of the school curriculum in Punjab. The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has approved a proposal in this regard. In fact, after a detailed discussion with senior officers, including Secretary …
Natural forest land being ravaged to cultivate tea
More than 700 acres of pristine forest land in Palakkad district, that came into Kerala's possession after a long-drawn legal battle with Tamil Nadu, are being systematically ravaged to cultivate tea in the name of an Adivasi welfare programme.
Encroachment of forest land challenged
The Karnataka High Court today ordered issuance of notices to the State Government and others on a public interest writ petition seeking directions to clear encroachment of reserve forest and prohibit cultivation of ginger by some individuals on the encroached land in Hosanagara taluk of Shimoga district.
Rs 30-lakh fund set up for afforestation
Union minister for environment and forests T.R. Baalu announced the setting up of a Rs 30 lakh afforestation fund at the eighth meeting of the National Federation and Eco Development Board (NFEB) in New Delhi.
Govt. to seek legal opinion on forest land use
The Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr. S.M. Krishna, said on Monday that the Government would seek legal opinion on the problem pertaining to utilisation of the forest land for non-forest purposes, including cultivation.This had arisen out of the Supreme Court's order that no forest land could be used for any non-forest …
Official warns that little can be done to stop fires
The U.S. secretary of the interior Bruce Babbitt said today that the wildfires raging across the West were likely to get worse and warned that with resources already stretched to the limit, little could be done to slow their progress. More than one million acres were burning today in 11 …
Move on Rajarhat wetland museum baffles officials
The state government has decided to set up a township at Rajarhat after declaring that there are no waterbodies and fiheries. The proposal, therefore by the state fisheries department to set up a wetland wonderland museum there -- the first of its kind in the country-- has baffled officials.
Ban on bamboo exorts costs the country dearly
Bamboo is currently caught in a cross-fire between legality and reality. Legally, it is a banned item for exports and as a result, its byproducts cannot be adequately developed. In reality, it has a huge market abroad, which can truly benefit people and the country alike.
Paper parks fail to protect world's forests
Many of the world's richest areas of forested biodiversity are protected only on paper, says a report released recently by the World Bank and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). In April 1998, the World Bank and WWF joined forces in an Alliance for Forest Conservation and sustainable Use. …
WB has second thoughts , to review MP forestry project
The World Bank will evaluate a controversial forestry project in Madhya Pradesh before deciding on fuinding its next phase. the first phase of the Rs 245 crore World Bank assited joint forest management (JFM) project which has drawn a lot of flak over the years, is drawing to a close …
