Elephant population dips in Karnataka

24 Oct 2007, 0309 hrs IST,Ashwini Y S,TNN BANGALORE: Karnataka hosts a healthy population of the gentle giants. That's the finding of the agency which recently conducted a study of the elephant population in the state. The census carried out by the state forest department in May deduced that Karnataka has an estimated elephant population of 4,035. This is less than the 4347 in the 2005 census......... full news at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Elephant_population_dips_in_Karnataka/articleshow/2484748.cms

Activists come out with ads to slam forest Act

23 Oct 2007, 0600 hrs IST,Nitin Sethi,TNN NEW DELHI: For the first time in Indian media history, a private group has launched US-style high-pitched ads on TV, lobbying against a law passed by the Parliament. A group of individuals, mostly Mumbai-based and calling themselves Vanashakti, have launched highly-polished advertisements on several TV channels, campaigning that the Forest Rights Act would destroy forests, dry up rivers and lead to disaster all around. Even political parties in the heat of elections are not known to run such pointed campaigns against specific legislations. But Vanashakti has hurled wild accusations against an Act lying in suspension as the government is dithering on it. The slick ads, just like typical animal welfare campaigns, run high on emotion. A cute Sikh kid, by the edge of a river, in new age homage to Bob Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' video, flips placards with slogans on it — "no forests no drinking water, then why are grown-ups bent on giving away all our forests? The Forest Rights Act, stop it before it's too late"................. full news at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Activists_come_out_with_ads_to_slam_forest_Act/articleshow/2481798.cms

A march past India shining

27 Oct 2007, 0403 hrs IST,Amrith Lal & A Srinivas,TNN NEW DELHI: Forty-three km from Delhi, after what seems like an endless stream of factories, malls, automobile showrooms and bazaars along the GT Road, there is darkness on either side after Ballabgarh. The noise of speeding vehicles on the national highway continues unabated. The cars and trucks, it would seem, do not have eyes to look to their right and left. If they had, they would have noticed that there were 25,000 people sitting alongside the road, some lying with blankets wrapped around them, others talking in groups............................................. full news at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/A_march_past_India_shining/articleshow/2494013.cms

A 'please-all' Forest Act on the anvil

28 Oct 2007, 0205 hrs IST,Nitin Sethi,TNN NEW DELHI: Wildlife concerns have been finally wed into the Forest Rights Act. With last minute negotiations between ministries spilling into the weekend, concerns over protecting areas that are critical to wildlife conservation have found place in the rules of Act being finalised for notification. After vetting by law ministry, the new rules have been sent back to the nodal tribal affairs ministry for notification. Earlier, the finalisation of forest Act rules had run into rough weather. The wildlife lobby wanted stringent safeguards for existing National Parks and sanctuaries. The Act, passed in 2006, does not directly provide such a safeguard,................. full news at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/A_please-all_Forest_Act_on_the_anvil/articleshow/2496147.cms

Ivory worth Rs. 150,000 seized in Orissa

From correspondents in Orissa, India, 06:32 PM IST Forest officials in Mayurbanj district have seized ivory worth Rs. 150,000 from a smuggler. The tusk weighing 21.9 kg and cut into five pieces, was seized from the accused Wednesday by forest officials at Malapada village in Mayurbanj district, about 350 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. 'Acting on a tip-off about the smuggling of ivory by a tribal, we laid a trap early Wednesday to catch him red-handed,' said Range Officer................................. full news at: http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20071018/75931.htm

SC relaxes ban on construction in forest areas

18 Oct 2007, 2340 hrs IST,Dhananjay Mahapatra,TNN NEW DELHI: For the first time in seven years, the Supreme Court has permitted a host of construction activity for socio-economic purposes in forest areas that were made impregnable on its orders, at least on paper, to protect the dwindling green cover. This ban order had envisaged no felling of trees and their removal, no removal of bamboo or grass for any purpose, no removal of corals and other living forms from marine national parks and sanctuaries and no construction of tourist complexes, hotels and restaurants. The February 14, 2000, order of the court had also prohibited setting up of zoos and safari parks or any other building not for direct use for protection and management of wildlife and its habitat. However, the order did not specifically provide for the activities that could be permitted in forest areas, forcing state governments to approach the apex court for its permission each time they identified a socio-economic need. After getting a report in this regard from the central empowered committee, a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia permitted a number of activities that would facilitate supply of water, electricity and telephone facilities in remote areas. It permitted the following activities: Laying of underground drinking water pipeline upto 4 inch in diameter Laying of 11 KV distribution lines for supply of electricity to rural areas Laying of telephone lines or optical fibre for providing communication facilities in rural areas Digging of wells, hand pumps, water tanks for providing drinking water facility to villagers who are yet to be relocated from forest areas. "In addition to the above, anganwadis, government schools and government dispensaries, which are essential................................................................................. full news at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/SC_relaxes_ban_on_construction_in_forest_areas/articleshow/2471932.cms

5 Rare Asiatic Lions Killed in India

By R.K. MISRA AHMADABAD, India (AP) — Five rare Asiatic lions were found electrocuted Friday on the edge of western India's Gir National Park, authorities reported. Pradeep Khanna, Gujarat state's chief wildlife warden, said the lions were killed by an electrified fence that he alleged was put up illegally by a farmer to protect crops near the sanctuary. "The carcasses bore the marks of electrocution," Khanna said. He said police had arrested the farmer, who faces seven years in prison if convicted of building an unauthorized fence that killed animals. Such lions once roamed much of Asia, but only about 350 are known to remain — all in Gujarat. The lions often wander outside park boundaries to seek food and water, sometimes falling prey to poachers. The Wildlife Protection Society of India says their bones are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine as are their claws, which are sometimes used for amulets in India. The society said the latest deaths raised to 32 the number of the park's Asiatic lions lost this year. Eight died at the hands of poachers, six were killed by electrified fences, five died from falling into wells, one was hit by a vehicle and 12 died of unknown causes.................................. full report at: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jnxnNRI4QV77vbm6eAinN_5hrjtgD8SCI4NO0

Suspended forest officers seek political support

Ashwin Aghor Saturday, October 20, 2007 03:16 IST State forest department is flooded with letters from MLAs to reinstate the officers MUMBAI: The state forest department has reportedly come under pressure following the recent suspension of officers for violating Forest Conservation Act. The department is said to be under political pressure to reinstate the suspended officers. On October 4, SWH Naquvi, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Nagpur, suspended TD Kathane, a Range Forest Officer (RFO) and six forest guards for allegedly allowing construction of a canal in the reserved forest before it was approved by the central government. The Irrigation Department had undertaken the Bawanthadi project in Bhandara. Though the project was approved in 1988, permission to construct the canal through the forest was awaited from the central government. Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), said, “No work can be carried out in the reserved forest without prior approval of the central government.” A senior department official said, “We were aware that the central government had not approved the construction of the canal through the forest, but we went ahead anticipating permission.” Naquvi ordered an inquiry into the issue when he received a complaint about the violation recently. However, Naquvi, dissatisfied with the report, ordered another inquiry. “The second report submitted by DFO (Vigilance) revealed the actual situation,” Naquvi said. According to the second report, over 4,000 trees were cut down............................................ full news item at : http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1128649

SC allows cost benefit study for mining firms

Press Trust Of India / New Delhi October 01, 2007 The Supreme Court has allowed the central empowered committee (CEC) to file an “environment cost benefit analysis” on degradation of environment and forests by mining companies, including French cement giant Lafarge. The cement maker had moved the apex court seeking permission to take limestone, a key input for making cement, from its mines in Meghalaya to its cement plant in Bangladesh. Senior counsel Harish Salve, the court-appointed amicus curie......................... full news at: http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?leftnm=3&subLeft=1&chklogin=N&autono=299825&tab=r