Green belt dwindling fast
Around twenty years back 50,000 trees were planted on the sides of ringroad to form a green belt in Kathmandu. But, lately the green belt is fast diminishing. Earlier, there were 31 roads legally crossing the green belt. But now the number of roads passing from the belt has increased …
Assocham stress on corporate role in afforestation
The Associated Chmabers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has advocated the need to involve the corporate sector in the rehabilitation of forest and non-forest wastelands under the long-term national perspective plan drawn up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. In a statement, the chamber has pointed out …
Mars shows violent winds
study : Mars is a planet of natual violence far greater than is known on earth, with winds gusting to 560kph and evidence of immense floods that swamped vast areas. Researches analysing pictures taken by the Mars Observer said the red rock and soils of Mars were imprinted with marks …
Prabhu proposes fund to promote afforestation
A National Environment Fund (NEF) in association with industrial and developmental activity in the country is proposed to be set up soon by the environment and forest ministry to promote afforestation, conserve the existing forests and create new habitats for wildlife. Union environment minister Suresh Prabhu told The Times of …
Large-scale felling of sal trees in Dehra Dun
Large scale felling of infected and dried sal trees in two forest ranges of Dehra Dun have been taken up by the UP Forest Corporation. About 15,000 trees have been felled already and at least double that number of trees are yet be felled over the next few weeks. The …
Lok Ayukta indicts top politicians
The premier vigilance agency of Madhya Pradesh, the Lok Ayukta, has severely indicted several influential politicians of both the Congress and the BJP, senior bureaucrats and timber merchants for their involvement in the multi-crore Bastar forest and land (Malik Maqbooja) scandal.
Beetles threaten US industry
Many of America's ornamental trees and the maple syrup, lumber and tourism industries are threatened by an invasion of the Asian long-horned wood boring beetles, according to a recent US government report. The beetles, which infest trees and render them useless were discovered in six new states this past summer: …
Cross cultural forest management emphasised
South Asian countries such as India, Nepal and Bhutan and their respective governments have embarked on programmes to facilitate nationwide forest management which would be closer to the people and seeks their participation, if not co-operation, to overcome the emerging social crisis of the forest, says Klaus Seeland, respresentive from …
World forest reserves dwindling
WWF report : More than ten per cent of the world's forest reserves have been squandered in the last decade, a recent report by the World Wide Fund for Nature says. "The world has lost 10 per cent of its forests, 30 per cent of marine life and above 40 …
Lokayukta indicts several leaders
The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta organisation has indicted several leaders of the ruling Congress(I) , opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) , bureacrats and the timber merchants in the Malik Maqbuja case (illicit felling)in Bastar. Releasing the final report of the Lokayukta in the National committee for protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) …
Committees formed to curb deforestation
Twenty-two community forest user's committees have been formed and forest regions entrusted to them with the formulation of the community forest development policy by the Nepal Government to control growing deforestation. The process of handing over community forest to user's groups had begun with the enforcement of the new act …
Orissa green cover balding fast
Study : Dwindling forest cover and ineffective implementation of forest laws in Orissa will soon put human life at stake, warns a survey conducted by the Wildlife Society of Orissa. In the last two years, 166 square kilometres of forest cover has been depleted, reportedly the highest in the country. …
Sutlej threatens to breach its banks, devastate villages
The district administration in Shahkot (Jalandhar) has approached high-level state authorities to control the discharge from the Bhakra dam into the Sutlej river even as dozens of villages downstream of the river, in Nawanshshar and Jalandhar districts, are threatened. Moreover, the erratic and increased water discharge from the dam has …
Skeleton that won't fossilise
Scientist Pradip K. Bose's discovery of fossils of multi-celled animals probably 1.1 billion years old has refocused attention on another scientist, Vishwajit Gupta, who is accused of perpetrating "the greatest scientific fraud of the century" and who is now back teaching in Punjab University.
Now, trees in the Capital to be counted
The Delhi Forest Department is planning to conduct a tree census for all trees in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The unique census will include counting of all trees, right from ones in residents houses to those on the roadsides, and even those in forests in Delhi.
Non-forest purposes
Panel to study Maharashtra lands: The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has constituted a high-powered committee to examine the records of Zudpi jungle lands in Maharashtra and identify lands being used for non-forest purposes. The committee, comprising representatives from the Central and State Governments, would concentrate on the Zudpi …
More IBRD aid for watershed project
The World Bank has agreed, in principle, to enhance the financial aid to the Integrated Watershed Development Project (IWDP) in Jammu and Kashmir from Rs. 11.33 crores to Rs. 20.56 crores for the current fiscal in recognition of its progresssive performance.
HC tells Govt to set down norms for tree felling
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has directed the State Government to issue a set of guidelines which would satisfy scientific requirements, for the felling of trees in forest areas, including the Cardamom Hill Reserve areas.
HC seeks rules on tree felling in forests
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has directed the State Government to issue guidelines on felling of trees from the forest areas including cardamom plantations.
J&K steps to tackle timber mafia
The Jammu and Kashmir Governemnt has introduced stringent laws to deal with the timber mafia which has felled three lakh trees under the cover of militancy. The State Forest Minister, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, told reporters that under the new Forest Act, 1998, a timber smuggler would be jailed up to …
