IN NEWS

Scientists Warn, Gov’t Must Act
By Keya Acharya
BANGALORE, India, Nov 29 , 2010 (IPS) - India’s first-ever major scientific assessment of its climate change scenario by the 2030s, released in November, has the report’s scientists rooting for the government to take concrete action.Scientists involved in the work are now saying the job of taking action against the projections and warnings made so far is in government hands. "It is the job of scientists to forewarn and inform," says Dr N H Ravindranath, one of the  …………

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=53691

Mothering the Earth

Grassroots activists are showing women how to clean up the environment while empowering themselves.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/26/empowering-women-and-saving-the-environment.html

Forest, tree cover increasing, says Ramesh

Source:IANS    Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 17:50

New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) The country's forest and tree cover has increased - by 728 and 1,106 sq km respectively, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said in the Rajya Sabha Monday.Quoting the 'India State of Forest Report 2009', Ramesh said in a written reply to the house: 'There is no policy/scheme for giving carbon credit norms to states for increasing forest cover.'However, under the award of 13th Finance Commission, a grant of Rs.5,000 crore has been allocated as 'Forest Grants' to the states on the basis of their forest cover in relation to the national average and the quality of the forests in each state as measured by density, added Ramesh.There has been a net increase in mangrove forest cover on the east coast of India. The mangrove cover which was 4,581 sq km in 2005, increased to 4,639 sq km in 2007.

http://sify.com/news/forest-tree-cover-increasing-says-ramesh-news-national-kl3rO1ieaji.html

Increase in Mangrove Forest Cover

There has generally been a net increase in mangrove forest cover on the east coast ofIndia. As per the State of Forest Report 2009, published by Forest Survey of India, the mangrove cover which was 4581 km2 in 2005, has increased to 4639 km2 in 2007, i.e. there has been a net increase of 58 km2 in mangrove cover of the country. The increase in mangrove cover is mainly because of plantations and regeneration measures under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry.  The concerned State Governments and their forest departments in the eastern coast region are taking necessary precautions to avoid encroachments and destruction of the mangrove forests. Also, according to Forest Survey of India, the mangrove area of the Eastern Coast States during the previous three cycles  ……………………………………

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=67754

Strike a balance between environment and development: Jairam Ramesh

Published: Sunday, Nov 28, 2010, 21:42 IST  Place: Mumbai | Agency: PTI

Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh today said that opposing projects like the Jaitapur nuclear power project was the "height of foolish romance". Ramesh said that there was a need to strike a balance between environment concerns and development. "Environmentalists are against hydel energy because there is no sufficient water. They oppose nuclear power because it is hazardous and are against coal-based power since it is dirty. We are a nation of 1.2-billion. ...............................

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_strike-a-balance-between-environment-and-development-jairam-ramesh_1473585

28 NOV, 2010, 12.59PM IST,PTI 

Cancun: India to propose emissions monitoring with conditions

NEW DELHI: Keen to act as a "bridge" between developing and developed nations at the UN climate summit in Cancun beginning tomorrow, India has offered two proposals on the issues of monitoring of national emissions cuts and sharing of green technologies with poorer countries.
"We need to be practical and cannot remain frozen and should engage with all countries as part of our foreign policy," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said recently about India's position at the 14-day summit to be attended by over 190 UN members. "We are certainly prepared to engage in a system of  ……………………………………

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Cancun-India-to-propose-emissions-monitoring-with-conditions/articleshow/7004368.cms

Businesses, environment collide in India

Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:39pm GMT 

* No final decision on POSCO, rests with minister     * Ministry criticised for "high-handedness"     * Firm fears ministry move aimed at stalling IPO            By Nigam Prusty and Jui Chakraborty

http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFSGE6AS09920101129?sp=true

It's paradoxical that environmentalists are against nuclear energy: Jairam Ramesh

VINAYA DESHPANDE

Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said here on Sunday that he had a few objectives to consider while giving clearance to the Jaitapur nuclear power complex. “I tried to balance four objectives: the amount of energy required to sustain a growth rate of nine per cent; the proportion of fuel mix; strategic diplomacy, especially after the Civilian Nuclear Deal; and the environmental concerns raised by a large number of groups,” ………………………

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article919959.ece?homepage=true

Servalakshmi Papers receives Forest Stewardship Council certificate

Announcement / Corporate November 29, 2010, 17:37 IST

Servalakshmi Paper Ltd, engaged in the business of manufacturing printing and writing paper and newsprint, today announced that the company has been certified by Forest Stewardship Council certificate (FSC), an international certification and labelling system, that guarantees that paper and wood products carrying its label, come from environmentally and socially responsible sources. The FSC certification reflects the abilities of Servalakshmi, fulfilling the required compliances with highest environmental and social standards of International market. It will help the company ………………………………..

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/servalakshmi-papers-receives-forest-stewardship-council-certificate/416501/

Inept handling by Forest dept leads to killing of tiger
Correspondent  MORIGAON, Nov 23 – Inept handling and utter lack of professionalism on the part of the Forest Department resulted in the killing of a full-grown Royal Bengal tiger at Habi Barangabari under Lahorighat police station in Morigaon district this afternoon.The tiger which had strayed out of the Orang National Park on November 15 ………………………………..

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=nov2410/at094

Pangolin scales seized

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Calcutta, Nov. 27: Large consignments of pangolin scales worth more than Rs 400 crore have been seized from Calcutta airport this week with officials saying they were being smuggled to China. The consignments, hidden in bags labelled “ayurvedic medicine”, were bound for Imphal, from where they would have been taken to China via Myanmar, officials of the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) said. Yesterday, 511kg of pangolin scales being carried …………

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101128/jsp/northeast/story_13229432.jsp

Grand Elephants Rides at Amber Fort May Soon Become History

By: Rang7 Team November 29, 2010

If you are planning to visit Jaipur, visit the Amber fort and enjoy a elephant ride, that has been synonymous with the tourist attractions at Amber fort for so many years. For very soon elephant rides at Amber Fort will become a slice of history. There are about 100 elephants at Amber Fort which take tourist for ride to the top from where one gets a panoramic view of the surroundings including the Maota Lake on whose border the fort is situated.

The elephant has been heralded as a heritage animal of India by the Union Forest and Environment Ministry. While both wild and captive elephants fall under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, according to the in depth legal version elephant in captivity falls between the Wildlife Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1960, (PCA), which therefore includes a possibility of cruelty, to the animals. …………………………

http://www.rang7.com/news/tourism/grand-elephants-rides-amber-fort-may-soon-become-history-797.htm

Home-stays give taste of life in India's Himalayas

A home-stay high in India's Himalayas lets you see the country's true culture, without the staged trimmings of a chain hotel or the nuisances of a backpacker hostel.

By Emily Wax

The Washington Post

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2013516022_trindia28.html

Forest-based Associations in India: an overview

Sharmistha Bose, Pankaj Lal, Praveen Shashi Pareek, Manish Verma, Sushil Saigal 

IIED code: 13529IIED 

Published: Aug 2006 - IIED 

Topics: Forestry, Local Organisations, Natural Resource Management 

Series: Small and Medium Forestry Enterprise 18 

ISBN/ISSN: ISBN 978-1-84369-626-1 

Details: 63 pages (Book/Report) 

Language: English 

Small and medium forest enterprises in India face a number of challenges including increasing global competition, shortages of raw materials and consequent policy restrictions. Associations have formed to address emerging policy constraints, cut costs and develop new markets. Many new products and technologies have emerged as a result. This study highlights some of the main issues facing 25 forest-based association from north, central and west India. It highlights why they formed and how they have evolved over time to address new policy and market challenges. Considering the large membership base of these associations, the report argues that appropriate support to them is a useful development strategy.

http://pubs.iied.org/13529IIED.html