Fight over dam touches Morgan Stanley
An environmentalist attack on Morgan Stanley Dean Writer & Co. shows how difficult it can be to keep today's amoeba-like global companies out of trouble. At issue is China's Three Gorges Dam, now being built in mountainous Sichuan province. The dam will force more than a million people from their …
Killer plant turns money-spinner
The Rajasthan forest department plans to turn a plant endangering the flora and fauna of the area into a money-earner by converting it to coal. The department plans to uproot the plant "Propis julisflora" (vilayati babul) will over the state, and convert it into wood coal. The plant is said …
Timber being smuggled into city during night
In spite of the Suprme Court ban on felling of trees and its subsequent directive to the Assam State Governments to ensure a stop to the illegal trade in this regard by seizing all existing timber stock from those dealers who do not posses a valid licence, smuggling of timber …
Ownership right of forest produce to gram sabhas
Tribals and people of other weaker sections engaged in collection of tendu leaf are going to directly benefit following conferment of ownership right of tendu lead on Gram Sabhas in Madhya Pradesh. Entire profit accruing from tendu trade in 1998 season amounting to about Rs 100 crore will be distributed …
Satellites detect forest fires in Indonesia
South-East Asian officials have warned that the coming dry season could once again spark the dreaded forest fires that blackened rain forests, killed off wildlife and cast the entire region in smog. Satellites have already detected several blazes since April 12 in the central part of Indonesia's Sumatra Island.
Another fire in forest
A fire broke out in the Bhuneraheri forest, near Patiala, this afternoon. It was doused after three hours.
Bihar government plans to increase forest cover
The state government has prepared a 20-year plan to increase the forest cover in the state to the stipulated 33 per cent from the current 17 per cent. This was stated by the minister of environment and frests. Tulsi Das Mehta, in the assembly on Friday while replying to a …
Hot summers spark forest fires in HP
Leaping flames and thick columns of smoke dot the skyline in the midhill areas of Himachal Pradesh these days. Indeed, an unusually hot summer has triggered off forest fires much earlier this year. The Himachal skyline is becoming hazier with each passing day as more reports of raging forest fires …
Maruti launches thrifty CNG-run Omnis in City
'It is cheaper to be green'was the refrain at the launch of Maruti CNG vehicles in New Delhi. Addressing a function organised at Pragati Maidan by the Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) to mark the occasion, the Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dixit, and the Joint Managing Director of MUL, Mr. Jagdish …
Tropical rain forests in Bangladesh disappearing
The tropical broad-leafed rain forests in Bangladesh cover nearly 0.67 hectare in the north, north-east and south, south-east hilly regions. The tropical rain forests of these regions provide livelihoods for millions of rural people who lives in those areas through exploitation of forest resources.The rain forests of Bangladesh is disappearing …
State govt to divert JRY funds for water supply
Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to spend funds of the employment assurance scheme and Jawahar Rozgar Yojna for the development of new water sources and maintenance of existing ones. disclosing this at a joint official meeting of Raipur and Baster divisions at Jagdalpur, State Chief Minister Mr Digvijay singh directed …
TN may export sandalwood
The Centre has lifted the ban on sandalwood export by Tamil Nadu and permitted the state government to export 1,500 tonnes of the scented wood.
Forest fires plague Garhwal
Even before the hill-folk of Garhwal could emerge from the traumatic experience of the massive earthquake and its after-shocks, forest fires have set in motion a fresh wave of panic.
Tropical montane cloud forests threatened
Global warming may endanger the survival of tropical montane cloud forests, according to a new study published in Nature April 15. The forests, often located on mountaintops or ridgelines, rely on moisture from clouds to survive. A computer simulation study by Stanford biology doctoral student Christopher J. Still, Stanford biology …
Move to open up national parks for MFP collection
The Madhya Pradesh forest department administration is at present engaged in a "top priority" manoeuvre to pave the way for minor forest product(MFP) collection in all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of the State in gross violation of the Forest Conservation Act and the Wildlife Protection Act. According to available …
Forest fire a recurring feature at Mount Abu
The forests of Mount Abu have, once again, fallen prey to summer forest fires. During last week, tourists passing by Abu have experienced hot air instead of the usual cool breeze. Since it is just the beginning of summer, the question that has been raised is-- Is the cause for …
Group finds fruit-fly gene that shapes cell differentiation
A research group from the University of Tokyo Institute of Applied Microbiology said it has discovered a gene in fruit flies that helps determine the shape of the body as it develops from a single cell into a mature, multicellular organism. The gene acts like a brake on cellular differentiation, …
Cubans fight huge forest fire
Huge flames swept across the western Cuban province of Pinar de Rio over the weekend, devouring pine and eucalyptus trees in a blaze of "enormous proportions," the government reported. Forest rangers, local villagers and special security forces, more than 2,000 people in all, fought to contain the fire, which covered …
Report sees vast damage to Amazon
More than twice as much land in Amazonian forests is being destroyed each year than current estimates suggest, scientists said last week. Researchers at the Woods Hole Research Center in Masschusetts contend that up to 15,000 square kilometers of the world's largest remaining tropical forests are damaged through logging alone …
