Centre seeks forest control

SAMANWAYA RAUTRAY New Delhi, Sept. 6: The ministry of environment and forests wants to be the sole guardian of India’s forests and has asked the Supreme Court to back off. In an affidavit, the ministry said the court — which has been monitoring forests for the past decade — should wind up a panel that gives it expert advice. The court’s green bench, which sits every Friday, had on the panel’s recommendation banned mining in forest areas and refused to clear several projects, such as Vedanta’s ambitious mining project in Orissa’s Niyamgiri forests. The affidavit, filed by the assistant inspector-general of forests (forest conservation division), said the government has “sufficient trained scientific and technical officials”................................ for full article go to: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070907/asp/nation/story_8287024.asp