Metal power touted as alternative to scarce oil
Worried by soaring fuel bills? Inventor Dr Sadeg Faris, President of Reveo Inc, based in Elmsford, NY, believes that zinc, the same element found in sugar vitamins, holds the power to light the world's cities and replace expensive and dirty fossil fuels. His company, he says, has ironed out a …
Directive to Punjab on Thein Dam delay
The Punjan Service Anti-Corruption Council through its chairman, Mr A.D.S. Anandpuri, approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court by filing a PIL and sought directions for an inquiry through an independent agency, into the non-completion of the Ranjit Sagar Dam within the prescribed 1200 crore and also a non-recoverable power …
Karnataka files reply in SC
The Karnataka government filed its reply in the Supereme Court in the Veerappan case defending its decision to withdraw cases against 30 associates of the forest brigand in order to seek release of hostage Kannada film icon Rajkumar.
Autonomy casts haze over Indonesia's fires
Forest fires are back in Malaysia and Singapore. And not far behind,environmental scientists warn, is the haze, a grey-white shroud of smoke that billows out across the region, shutting down airports, interfering with ships and forcing many citizens to stay indoors.
India takes up Rs 49-cr rice genome mapping project
After missing out on the Human Genome Project, India has taken a plunge into a major, plant genome sequencing programme. In the first ever initiative of its kind in the country, the department of biotechnology has launched a rice genome sequencing project.
Uttarachal's forest resources will be a great strength
With the famous "chipko" tradition associated with the Garhwal himalayan forests, it seems to be only poetic justice for the new hill state of Uttaranchal to have the lion's share of the forest wealth. Out of the total dense forest area of 22958 sq km in Uttar Pradesh, 17910 sq …
External funds sought for forest action plan
India has sought substantial fund support from external funding agencies throguh FAO's initiative, telling it that otherwise its ambitious forest action plan drawn up with FAO's assistance may not mature.The plan is to increase the forest cover from the present 19.39 per cent in relation to the total land area …
Forest bank planned
The Ministry of Environment & Forests is exploring setting up a Forest Development Bank and forest development agencies at all levels to encourage agro forestry-based activities, the Union Minister, Mr T.R.Baalu said.
UP forest officers make a beeline for green Uttaranchal
While IAS, IPS and PCS officers of Uttar Pradesh are showing no enthusiasm to come to the new state, there is a mad scramble among forest officials to get postings in the forest-rich Uttaranchal.However, they are meeting stiff opposition from the people's representatives and NGOs based in Uttaranchal.
'Green India' needs Rs. 4,600 cr. annually
The National Planning Commission has mooted a Green India Fund, to be mobilised by pooling in domestic and external sources to promote agro-forestry and joint forest management(JFM) activities.
Cyclone left 19 lakh trees uprooted in Orissa
Ecology is no more the buzzword in this part of the country. Considering the magnitude of loss to the state's environment after the cyclone, it is the last thing that comes to mind now.
Tardy progress on emission checks
When the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers(SIAM), organised a massive campaign to check Delhi's vehicles for emission recently, the issue of vehicular pollution in the Capital appeared at last to have switched into action-mode.
Nature's wake-up call
No disease, still sheesham trees die : Sheesham trees are dying, sending forest scientists into a tizzy. The first calls reporting en mass wilting of sheesham trees came from all over north India-- North Bihar, Haryana, UP and Delhi. After preliminary investigation, it was established that the mortality has to …
A fight that makes no heroes
The fires ravaging US forests have stirred up discontent with the government. The fires have been called the worst in 70 years and have forced more than 1,000 people from their homes along the rugged terrain. Forestry officials estimate about 65 wildfires have erupted, the most severe in Idaho and …
Strong indications for slow down in deforestation
FAO : The destruction of the world's forests is continuing but there are strong indications that the rate of deforestation is slowing down, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement published, according to a USIS press release.
A new lubricant raises heat
It's arrived some what suddenly on the controversy list - called MTBE it's added as an oxygenate to petrol to reduce carbon monoxide emissions. The Centre for Sceince and Environment, a NGO, has protested against the use of this octane boosters, saying there is a proposal to make its use …
I was misquoted, says Hashmi
The Delhi Transport Minister Parves Hashmi, today said he had been misquoted with regard to remarks against the Supreme Court which were attributed to him. "I made those remarks but I made them about the autorickshaw drivers and not about Supreme Court judges. To be exact, I said TSR drivers …
