Oct brings Animal Action Week for kids in India

29 Sep, 2007, 1016 hrs IST, IANS NEW DELHI: Schoolchildren from India and 14 other countries will take part in the world's largest animal-focused educational event next month that aims to sensitise young minds about wildlife conservation. The Animal Action Week Oct 1-7 will see participation from about 150 schools in Delhi and 1,300 schools from other parts of the country. Similar events will be on in other countries simultaneously. Activities will include a painting competition, group discussions and the screening of a wildlife film in the respective schools. The competition is open for children of Classes 5-9 and the three winners will be awarded with citations, trophies and cash prizes at the prestigious Venu Menon National Animal Award Function held annually in February. The best painting from the competition would be selected for making a 'New Year 2008' greeting card, which will be sent to different conservation organisations............... full news at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Oct_brings_Animal_Action_Week_for_kids/articleshow/2413756.cms

Officials Nab India's Most Notorious Tiger Poacher

  NAGPUR, Maharashtra, India, September 27, 2007 (ENS) - Known tiger poacher Laxman Singh Pardhi has confessed to forestry officials that he killed three tigers and four leopards, the "Times of India" newspaper reported today. Pardhi was arrested 10 days ago in a joint operation conducted by the Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh forest departments, acting on information provided by the Wildlife Protection Society of India. "He has accepted his role in direct killings besides acting as a carrier and supplier of traps and vehicles," BS Hooda, field director and conservator of forests for the Melghat Tiger Reserve, told the newspaper. Pardhi, a resident of the Betul district, has seven cases pending against him in Melghat Tiger Reserve, all involving large endangered cat species such as................................... full story at: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2007/2007-09-27-04.asp

INDIA: Blueprint ready for critical wildlife habitats

29 Sep 2007, 0207 hrs IST,Nitin Sethi,TNN NEW DELHI: A blueprint to create inviolate critical wildlife habitats (CWHs) across the country has been finalised by the environment and forests ministry. Unlike the existing protected areas — national parks and sanctuaries — the ministry has suggested a set of guidelines based on scientific criteria to establish the habitats. This is an important step to provide an exclusive space to wildlife when the Forest Rights Act gets operationalised. Under the Act, which is meant to formally recognise rights of forest dwellers, only areas declared as CWHs can be granted inviolate status — sans human presence. Even existing protected areas will have to be re-evaluated under these norms to declare them inviolate if they fall within the set criteria. Priority has been given to tiger-bearing forests. Within 30 days of the notification of guidelines and formation of state level committees............................................................... full story at : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Blueprint_ready_for_critical_wildlife_habitats/articleshow/2413080.cms

High-level Seminar On Wildlife Crime Enforcement in Lucknow

High-level Seminar On Wildlife Crime Enforcement in Lucknow being organised Uttar Pradesh Law Enforcement Agencies in collaboration with Wildlife SOS In a bid to devise a strategy to effectively combat wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trafficking, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, Police in collaboration with Wildlife SOS and One Voice Association, France are conducting a high level Seminar on "Wildlife Crime Enforcement" on the 26th September, 2007 from 10 a.m onwards at Hotel Gomti, Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh by way of sharing its state borders with over seven states and one international border is often exploited by Wildlife Crime Traffickers who use these borders to smuggle wildlife products. Internationally, Wildlife trade ranks second only to Narcotics trade in the world as a 10 Billion US$ Dollar illegal organized crime industry. The international wildlife trade has resulted in around 650 species being pushed towards extinction globally. In India, sadly Uttar Pradesh is the centre of this nefarious trade in wild animals and birds. Crime analysis has increasingly shown that narcotics & wildlife crime often go hand in hand. The same offenders deal in drugs, wildlife products and sometimes even illegal weapons! Amongst other things, illicit trade in wildlife in Uttar Pradesh goes on in Tiger Parts (Tiger Penis, Claws, Bones, Skin), Bear (Gall Bladder, Live Cub Trade for Paw Soup, Claws), Leopards (Skin and Claws), Otter (Skin), Mongoose (Hair for Brushes), Crocodile (Skin for leather products), Turtle (For Live Pet Trade and Meat), Pangolin (Scales for Medicine and Meat), Snake (Skin and for Venom) and Ivory. The districts in Uttar Pradesh sensitive with regard to wildlife conservation which are targeted by poachers include................................................................... full news at: http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/environmental-services/200709254696.htm

Chidambaram focus on climate change

Statesman News Service UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25: The Union finance minister, Mr P Chidambaram said today that India is an energy deficient country. India is obliged to explore every option to produce or procure energy but at the same time it is profoundly concerned about environmental degradation and climate change. He was addressing a high-level session today on leadership challenge of climate change. He told the world leaders that developing countries bear an inordinate share of the burden of climate change, though this is due to the high-level of emissions of developed countries. "Developing countries are obliged to significantly augment their capacity to cope with and adapt to climate change." Mr Chidambaram said: "Adaptation is the key for developing countries and that it needs to be adequately resourced without diverting funds meant for development and it is the best form of adaptation." Adaptation has been integral to India's development process and it has challenged by climate variability. India spend two per cent of GDP every year in development measures with strong adaptation content such as cyclone warning and protection, coastal protection, flood control, drought relief, and food security. He told that the Government of India adopted a National Environment Policy in 2006................. full news at: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=12&theme=&usrsess=1&id=171509

Haryana to spend Rs 300 cr on forestry-related scheme - NewKerala.com

Chandigarh, Sep 20 : The Haryana government would spend Rs 286 crore in collaboration with a foreign bank for poverty alleviation programme related to … full news at: http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=3569

Centre urged to frame policy on sandalwood, red sanders

Special Correspondent States call for addressing problem of protecting sandalwood forests Bangalore: Kerala Minister for Forests and Housing Binoy Viswam has said that though the Centre is reportedly making efforts to form a national strategy and evolve consensus among those concerned for protecting sandalwood forests, the long-pending common policy on sandalwood and red sanders has become imperative for protecting the remaining sandalwood forest tracts across the Southern States. Mr. Viswam was addressing the concluding session of a two-day conference of Forest Ministers of Southern States here on Friday. The conference was a sequel to a two-day conference of Forest Researchers and Scientists of Southern State held on September 18 and 19 here. The common and pressing problem of the States concerned in ensuring the protection of sandalwood forests should be addressed on priority, he said. In that context and in view of ensuring overall protection of its forest areas and forest wealth, the Kerala Government had evolved a draft forest policy in consultation with environmentalists and the stakeholders concerned and it would be finalised shortly, he added. The Government had formed a separate forest division for sandalwood protection at Marayur, which had 55,497 sandalwood trees as on January 2007. After taking stringent measures, the rate of illegal felling of sandalwood tree had come down from 7.3 trees a day to 0.21 trees a day. Owing to the measures all the illegal sandalwood factories had been closed across the State, he claimed. His Government had submitted a five-year master plan estimated at Rs. 35 crore to the Centre for protecting its sandalwood wealth worth over Rs. 1,000 crore, the Minister said. The Kerala Government had liberalised felling and transit rules ensuring that indiscriminate felling should not take place in private areas. It had enacted the Kerala Forest Promotion of tree growth in Non-Forest Areas Act 2005 and brought in amendments to it in 2007, he added .......................... full news item at: http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/22/stories/2007092253580400.htm