IN NEWS

Forest cover to expand by 10 million hectare

IANS, Nov 19, 2010, 07.33pm IST

NEW DELHI: India will have 10 million more hectare of land under forest cover within 10 years, and half of it will be developed as a dense forest, Director General Forests P.J. Dilip Kumar said Friday. "The benefit of soil and water conservation and afforestation is that the water level comes up and wells and reservoirs are recharged. These result in better agriculture, less migration to cities, children's education and better lifestyle," Kumar said after giving away the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra (IPVM) awards here.
The IPVM awards are given in various categories in afforestation and wasteland development.
India now has 23 percent of land under forest and is planning to expand it to 33 percent by 2020.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Forest-cover-to-expand-by-10-million-hectare/articleshow/6955417.cms

'Law of the land on environmental issue should be complied'

Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times Email Author
November 19, 2010

In 18 months as an environment minister Jairam Ramesh has brought a new focus on environmental issues irrespective of whether it had made him unpopular in his own government or made him hero of civil society. He spoke to Chetan Chauhan on some of the concerns he has on environment and how his task

is tough.

What do you consider as your achievement in the last 18 months as environment minister?
I came to this ministry with an agenda. It was to bring environment on the national political platform and I think I have been successful in that. Be it the issue of clearance to Navi Mumbai airport or Vedanta, I have tried to ensure that the law of the land on environmental issue is complied. I have to admit I have not succeeded fully but to a large extent.

Have you been successful in your aim?
I had to take a lot of hard decisions. But, I want to state that environment is not about me. The media had tried to portray that I as the focal point of environmental issues. It is a big frustration …………………………

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Law-of-the-land-on-environmental-issue-should-be-complied/Article1-628405.aspx

MoEF yet to get FAC report on Posco project

BS Reporter / Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar November 20, 2010, 0:14 IST

Certain conditions of environment clearance not fulfilled for Polavaram project, says Jairam

The fate of the Rs 54,000-crore Posco project, India's biggest FDI, continues to hang in balance as the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) is yet to get the report of the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).The ministry is expected to take a decision soon on the mega project after getting the FAC's report."The MoEF is yet to get the reports of FAC and Expert Appraisal Committee. An integrated and consolidated decision will be taken after we get the reports. I cannot predict the time frame of the decision but it is certainly not going to take months to decide on the issue. The FAC is a statutory body and it has prepared its report independently without the interference of the ministry”, Union minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh told reporters in New Delhi…………………..

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/moef-yet-to-get-fac-reportposco-project/415512/

POSCO's proposal under review: Jairam Ramesh

2010-11-19 21:00:00

Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Friday said the proposal of South Korean steel major POSCO is under review from 'environment point of view'.

Ramesh said the POSCO proposal's review would also end shortly.

"I am operating on the assumption that the POSCO proposal in Orissa is under review from a forest point of view, is under review from an environment point of view and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) point of view," said Ramesh at an event here today.

"I can say anything as to what the end result of this review…………………

http://sify.com/news/posco-s-proposal-under-review-jairam-ramesh-news-national-kltvagbjfih.html

Sale of SUVs dishonourable, says environmentalist Sunita Narain

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, November 19, 2010

The auto industry has behaved dishonorably by exploiting a legal loophole to boost the sales of potentially hazardous sport utility vehicles, or SUV’s, leading environmental activist Sunita Narain, of the Centre for Science and Environment, said on the sidelines of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Friday.Narain rubbished claims by the industry of having improved the technology in diesel engines, saying 'they have not. They have gone in for heavier cars, for SUV’s, which the whole world today is against.'

Narain said the industry is exploiting a loophole in Indian law by selling SUVs for private use.

"Diesel is reserved for the public and poor sector and that’s why the price is always kept low," Narain told HT ……………….

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Sale-of-SUVs-dishonourable-says-environmentalist-Sunita-Narain/Article1-628505.aspx

ONGC joins hand with Wildlife Trust of India

India Infoline News Service / 16:59 , Nov 19, 2010

ONGC has joined hands with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to assist the Assam Forest Department conserve the endangered Eastern Swamp Deer. The joint initiative was launched on 16th November 2010 in Kaziranga National Park.

The eastern swamp deer (or ‘Barasingha’) survives as a single population of around 600 individuals restricted to the flood-prone Kaziranga National Park in Assam. It is one of the three recognised sub-species of Swamp Deer, distributed in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. With only one viable population in existence today, this...................................

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/ONGC-joins-hand-with-Wildlife-Trust-of-India/4996022570

Putin on the prowl to save world's endangered tigers

Representatives of 13 countries are meeting in Russia to outline plans to double the wild tiger population, currently as low as 3,200.

y Simon Montlake, Correspondent / November 19, 2010

New Delhi

For centuries, villagers living in Asia’s forests, mountains and icy tundra have learned to fear and respect the mighty tiger. But rapid economic growth and modernization has turned the tables on the tiger, of which as few as 3,200 remain in the wild, mostly in India, Russia, and Indonesia.

This weekend, representatives of 13 countries will gather in St. Petersburg, Russia, to pledge support for the tiger, a rare example of a summit on behalf of a single species. The meeting will be hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and has been in the works for two years.

Countries will outline plans to double the wild tiger population by 2022, the year of the tiger inChina, which is also the largest market for tiger skins and body parts, according to researchers …………………………. 

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/1119/Putin-on-the-prowl-to-save-world-s-endangered-tigers

Paw prints and feces offer new hope for saving tigers

As experts gather in St Petersburg, Russia for next week's Tiger Summit, fewer than 3,200 tigers survive in the wild worldwide. More than half live in India, where they are spread over a vast area (100,000 sq km) of forest.

According to Dr Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India, lead author of the new study: "Tigers are cryptic, nocturnal and occur at low densities so they are extremely difficult to monitor. Unless we know how many tigers are left in the wild, and whether their numbers are increasing or decreasing, we will not be able to conserve them."

Until now, tiger numbers have been monitored either by their paw prints (known as pugmarks) or by using camera traps. Although wildlife agencies ………………….

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-11/w-ppa111710.php

Environment Ministry to give away ‘Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Awards’

New Delhi, Nov 19 : The Ministry of Environment and Forests will give away ‘Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Awards’ 2010 on Friday to recognize the pioneering and innovative contribution made by individuals and institutions in the field of afforestation and wasteland development.

The Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Awards that were instituted in 1986 were given in 12 different categories till 2005 having two awardees each.

Since 2006, awards are given in four categories namely individuals including government servants, institutions and organizations under Government Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) and Non-Governmental Institutions/Organizations.

Only one award carrying a cash prize of Rs.2.5 lakhs along with medallion and citation are given for each category.  ………………………………………………..

http://www.indiatalkies.com/2010/11/environment-ministry-give-indira-priyadarshini-vrikshamitra-awards.html

Tribals in India suffer due to social exclusion

2010-11-19 16:50:00

Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari on Friday said that tribal population of India is around 70 million and most of them suffer from geographical and social exclusion, high poverty rates and lack of access to appropriate administrative and judicial mechanisms.

Addressing the "Eighth India Today Chief Ministers Conclave" here today, he said: "These citizens score the lowest in the Human Development Index when compared to other population groups."

He said that low level of infrastructural endowments ……………………………….

http://sify.com/news/tribals-in-india-suffer-due-to-social-exclusion-news-national-kltqOgeeged.html