The Orissa State government has said that land acquisition would resume for the POSCO steel project near Paradip in the Jagatsinghpur district. The land acquisition had been stopped in August 2010, when the MoEF had issued a stop work order based on the NC Saxena Committee report which said that Forest Rights Act had been violated in the acquisition. The MoEF has now given permission for diverting 1,253 hectares of forest land for the project. Of the 4,004 acres required … Read More
POSCO Gets Green Signal from MoEF
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given a final clearance to POSCO, the 12 billion dollar integrated steel plant project. Union Minister Jairam Ramesh based his decision on the principles of Co-operative Federalism and thus reinforcing the concept of allowing states to choose their own paths for development and progress. Earlier, Mr. Ramesh had asked the Odisha (Orissa) government to look into the Village Council Resolutions which prohibited the diversion of forest land. The State had come back … Read More
25 Ecologically Sensitive Areas Identified in Kerala
The Western Ghats Ecology Experts Panel (WGEEP) has identified 25 ecologically sensitive areas in the state of Kerala. The panel was constituted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and its report is due on June 5th. There are indications that Sholayar, Athirapally, Nelliyampathy, Attapadi, Vythiri, Malakkapara, Ranni and Konni are on the list. Certain areas close to the forest in Munnar will also be declared ecologically sensitive. The WGEEP’s proposals have to be cleared by the local panchayats. … Read More
Environment Ministry Guidelines advise against capture and relocation of leopards
The Environment Ministry has issued guidelines to the States for dealing with man-leopard conflicts. The guidelines advise against the capture and relocation of leopards as their homing instinct will bring them back into the area again and cause more problems. These guidelines and others come from the experience in Maharashtra which has brought down the number of leopard encounters significantly in second half of the previous decade. According to Jairam Ramesh, “In India, tigers face a crisis of extinction, and … Read More
Workshop: Conservation of Endangered Black-necked Cranes
A 2-day workshop, called ‘Cranes Calling’, was held in New Delhi for knowledge-sharing and information exchange among experts on conservation of Black-necked Cranes. The workshop was organized by WWF-India, MoEF, BNHS and Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) and included delegates from India, China and Bhutan. Union Minister Jairam Ramesh was the chief guest. Mr. Ramesh remarked that conservation of Black-necked Cranes deserves special attention, not only because of the significance to nature, but because of the opportunities it brings for … Read More
MoEF indicts politicians and senior officers in Haryana Forest Scam
The MoEF has indicted politicians and senior officials of the Haryana government for corruption and violation of environmental laws. It has also indicted the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court for going beyond its powers. The inquiry report had found embezzling of funds, violation of Supreme Court and Environmental Laws , hounding of a whistle blower and connivance to save the guilty. The CEC instead of prosecuting the guilty had asked the Haryana Government to deposit a sum … Read More
Minimum Support Price for Bamboo and Tendu Leaves
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is working with the 12th Planning Commission to ensure a Minimum Support Price for Bamboo and Tendu Leaves. Recently in March, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh had wrote the State Chief Ministers to declare Bamboo as a Minor Forest Produce. Reclassification gives local people and village assemblies control over the produce, thereby improving their incomes. … Read More
Jairam Ramesh says ‘No’ to Ken-Betwa river link project
The ambitious Rs. 9000 crore Ken-Betwa river link project will not be given environmental clearance his Ministry, says the Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh. Mr. Ramesh feels that it would be disastrous to pursue the project. The project is expected to be included in the 12th five year plan, starting next April.… Read More
Guidelines for Human-Leopard conflict management
Leopards are a highly adaptable species that live in and around many human- dominated, agricultural landscapes. It is a daunting challenge to ensure the peaceful coexistence of leopards among high densities of humans of the order of 200 or more to a sq.km. Research indicates that even in such high human density areas, attacks on humans and domestic animals in most cases can be kept to very low levels. The goodwill and trust of people especially in rural areas are … Read More
Review of the Tiger Task Force report, 2005 — Joining the Dots but Losing the Cats?
After the Sariska catastrophe, and the resultant public outcry, the Prime Minister appointed a Tiger Task Force (TTF) to review the status of the species. The TTF submitted a 206-page report titled Joining the Dots in August 2005. Dr Ullas Karanth reviews the TTF report.
Maintaining ‘inviolate’ areas for wild tiger populations
The TTF recognizes that viable breeding populations of wild tigers need sufficient habitats free of incompatible human uses. It projects an area of 37,000 sq km, within boundaries … Read More
Bamboo declared a Minor Forest Produce
In a letter to the Chief Ministers of all states, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh has asked that the Forest Departments be directed to treat Bamboo as a Minor Forest Produce as per the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006. This directive gives Scheduled Tribes and traditional forest dwellers the right to own, access to collect and dispose of Bamboo. The forest departments have been refusing control in the past, as the Indian Forest Act, treats … Read More
Sikkim Ecology Threatened by Hydroelectric Projects
A coordinated set of hydro electric projects may soon come up on the Teesta river in Sikkim. The proposals to harness around 3635 MW of power along a 175 km stretch of the Teesta river, go back to 1998. Various factors, such as concerns from ethnic tribal communities and concerns over carrying capacity have over the years ensured that no real approval has been given by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for the Teesta river projects. However, in … Read More
Cheetah reintroduction faces delays
The proposed reintroduction of the Asiatic Cheetah in the Shahgarh Bulge region in Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan faces delays as both administrative and the political department has expressed reservations. The Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh on his visit to Rajasthan and conveyed that the local population was apprehensive of the fast moving animal, which they had never seen. He also conveyed that the surrounding area is under exploration for oil and natural … Read More
National Geographic Newswatch: Dr. Ullas Karanth shares his views on India’s latest Tiger Census
Dr. Stuart Pimm, a Conservation Biologist from Duke University, North Carolina shares details about his time spent with Dr. Ullas Karanth in Nagarhole National Park, India. The article provides insights into Dr. Ullas Karanth’s crtical views on India’s latest Tiger Census results. Dr. Karanth summarizes that it is high time that the four year national estimation be changed to an annual exercise based on DNA analysis and camera trapping. He also calls for an end to the Government’s monopoly over … Read More
The Institutional Framework for Wildlife Conservation in India
Reworked from Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund Report May 2007* with inputs from Praveen Bhargav, Wildlife First.
To be an effective conservationist, it is important to understand which institutions control land in India and what laws govern the protection of forests and wildlife. Before any conservation interventions can be attempted in any landscape, the legal status of the land must first be ascertained so that one can engage with the correct authorities or agencies. This piece should be read alongside its … Read More
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