Plant clones spread viruses due to poor quality control
Saplings micropropagated in India have no takers abroad as biotech labs do not test clones for viruses.The issue was discussed at the national seminar on biotechnological applications in Pune last week.The Department of Biotechnology at the Tata Energy Research Institute(TERI) has convened a meeting on June 1 to propose creation …
Dolly's early ageing raises doubts about human cloning
Dolly the cloned sheep is only 3, but her genes are already showing signs of wear and she might be susceptible to premature aging and disease all because she was copied from a 6-year old animal, Scottish researchers say. There is no direct evidence that Dolly will die prematurely. She …
Tuckey dumps timber quotas
The Federal Government in Australia has retreated from a commitment to set aside at least 60 per cent of old-growth native forests. The Minister for Forestry and Conservation, Mr Wilson Tuckey, said yesterday that Labor's 1995 commitment on conservation reserves was not a minimum, but a target that need not …
Eco-tourism plan to save border forest
The Third Army is pushing ahead with plans to promote eco-tourism in the Salween (Thailand) to help protect the teak-rich forest from further destruction. Maj-Gen Phon Wanakamon, the deputy commander, parts of the Salween forest would be set aside so people could view the natural beauty of the forest and …
Alcohol lobby, oil PSUs lock horns
The alcohol lobby, including Jagatjit Distilleries, Radico Khaitan Group and K K Birla Group, has for long pushed for the use of alcohol as oxygenator in fuel. Now the distillers, using the environment plank, have stepped up pressure on the Petroleum Ministry.Emboldened by a pro-active judiciary and the Supreme Court …
Tendu leaves collection in full flow
The work of Tendupatta collection which took off from this very month is in full flow. This is a type of providing seasonal employment to the people in village areas. The work of collection in surguja and Korea districts in which the medium being Primary forest products, Sahakari Samiti which …
Village conflicts disrupt forest conservation bid
More than 35,000 village communities have helped sustain forest cover on seven million hectare of India's forest land while participating in the joint forest managemment programme, senior officials at the ministry of environment and forest claim.
Neem tree bark for illicit brew
Large scale distillation of ilicit arrack in Chennai outskirts is causing concern to environmentalists, as those in the trade are stripping bark from neem trees for manufacturing the brew.The indiscriminate scraping of the bark by the goons of liquor barons and some local villagers have made many neem trees wear …
Non-tribal allowed to buy forest land in M.P.
The manner in which provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act are being flouted in Madhya Pradesh is explicit from a case that has come to light concerning the Satpura National Park at Pachmarhi. The district authorities here have blatantly violated the wildlife protection law by granting permission to a non-tribal …
Cyclonic gale, showers mar tendu collection
Tndupatta collection work is in full swing in Tawranga Mainpur Khurd, Dhawalpur and Deobhog in Mainpur forest area. Collection target from Tawranga forest area was set at 10,100 standard bags. Six committees engaged in the concerned work, had already collected 7,600 bags till May 14 and the villagers are happy …
Rajasthan fillip to forest management
In a fresh initiative to enhance people's participation in the afforestation drive, the Congress(I)-led Government in Rajasthan has issued extensive guidelines for establishing forest protection and management committees(FPMCs) in all villages across the State.
Forest cover is vanishing at an alarming pace
Annually on an average 20,000 hectares of land are diverted for non-forestry purposes. The data, collected by the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, shows an alarming decline of 5,482 square kilometres in the total forest cover of the country.
Human chain to save trees
Hundreds of people linked arms in a human chain to protest a Government plan to fell trees in a park and build a conference centre."We will give our blood, but we won't let the trees be cut," chanted 400 protesters, who included a cross-section of residents of Dhaka. The Government …
History unearthed in heart of forest
At least 132 stupas surrounded by 12 Buddhist monasteries, 35 megalith monuments and 82 rock shelters containing prehistoric rock paintings were unearthed last week in the ruins inside a forest at Madighat, 4 km from Katra, in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh.
Sikkim forests are threatened by timber racket
The lush coniferous forests and brisk mountin streams taht turn this remote valley in northeastern Indi into a picture perfent conderland every summer will soon be a memory thanks to unchecked tree felling. Though satellite pictures have shown a 40 per cent loss of Sikkim's forest cover over the last …
Water for Nangloi plant
A Central team will undertake a joint survey with Haryana Governemnt to study the possibilities of using carriage system of Haryana for transporting water to 40 MGD Nangloi plant announced Smt Shiela Dixit at the Jal Board meeting on Thursday.
Tree clones in Haryana
The Haryana Forest Department has developed "tree clones" for the first time in the State, Minister of State for Fresh jagdish Yadav said her eon Friday.
Forest villages need to be linked with development
Government departments usually pay no attention on the development of villages in forest areas as they feel this to be the responsibility of forest department but in fact this is the responsibility of all the government departments that they provide the benefits of various government welfare schemes to the villagers, …
Ignoring SC order, they fell trees at will
Despite the Supreme Court slapping a ban on the removal and transport of tree from the forests, such a practice is still going on. The Court, by an interim order in 1996, stated that, "The felling of trees in all forests is to remain suspended, except in accordance with the …
Leyland vehicles become Euro-I compliant
Hinduja group company Ashok Leyland modified its entire range of vehicles to comply with Euro-I emission norms, much ahead of the April 1,2000 deadline for commercial vehicles, a company official said.
