LUCKNOW: In order to conserve and develop forests through public participation, Forest Development Authorities (FDAs) have been created at the level of a forest division. Till now, the state has 63 divisions, where FDAs got funds from the Centre.

"FDAs have been existing in almost all the forest divisions," said sources in forest department.

LUCKNOW: It was a partial relief for the heavily polluted Gomti, as Asia's largest sewage treatment plant (STP) got operational on chief minister Mayawati's birthday on Saturday.

Around 290 million litres per day (mld) of sewage was pumped into the 342 mld STP situated in Bharwara, around 20 kilometre from the heart of the state capital.

Dedicating the project to the people of Lucknow, Mayaw

LUCKNOW: Denying any difference with the environment ministry over mining in the forest area, minister for coal Sriprakash Jaiswal said here that he had no intentions of disturbing the area notified in gazettes as dense forest. The forest land in the country is estimated to be .025 per cent and 10% out of that qualifies as dense forest.

LUCKNOW: In a bid to promote organic farming in Uttar Pradesh, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India (ASSOCHAM) will adopt five districts in the state.

LUCKNOW: In a bid to control the rising incidents of man-animal conflict, the state wildlife board has made some strong recommendations to the state forest department.

One of the several recommendations made by the wildlife board includes halt to the usage of diclofenac, a banned drug. According to experts, the drug is one of the major causes for decline in vulture population in the country.

LUCKNOW: Lucknow zoo is set for a new look. The artistic benches along the pavements and bottle palms lining the roads will make the place more attractive.

There is much more to come on the zoo front in the coming days. The state government has planned renovation on a bigger scale. Nirman Nigam has readied a proposal worth approximately Rs 24.72 crore for the renovation of the place.

LUCKNOW: In a major boost to clean the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, the Union environment ministry has formally cleared four new projects, which entail an expense of Rs 512 crore.

A deal to this effect was clinched by the state government at a high-level meeting held in New Delhi between Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh and a high-power committee headed by state urban development minister Na

LUCKNOW: Tigers will soon have a peaceful existence in wildlife sanctuaries during the tourist season. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted an eco-tourism committee to formulate tourism guidelines for tiger reserves.

LUCKNOW: In a bid to promote bamboo cultivation and its usage, the state forest department along with the national bamboo mission would hold a workshop here on January 10. Currently, in India, there are 1,275 varieties of bamboo.

The national bamboo mission is to be implemented in 20 districts of the state. UP had sanctioned Rs 4.10 crore under the mission in 2008.

LUCKNOW: In a welcome first, officials of the department of food and drug administration will now conduct door-to-door purity tests on milk and milk products in residential colonies in the state capital and across the state.