Perspectives of industries and non-government bodies often differ on environment protection norms. While NGOs insist on putting in place the most stringent environment safety standards, industries often find it difficult to comply with such norms.

Similarly, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-government organisation, and public sector steel maker SAIL are unable to agree on what would be the right green norms for the steel industry.

Positive change in 74 sq km

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has recorded a substantial increase in forest cover in Tamil Nadu. According to a recent FSI report, during 2011, a positive change was seen in 74 sq km of forest area. There has been a net increase of 287 sq km in forest cover. The analysis reveals an increase of 22 sq km in very dense forest cover; 74 sq km in moderate dense forest cover; and decrease of 22 sq km in open forest type.

Agartala: The state government has provided 86 mandays to each job seeker under the national flagship programme-NREGA during 2011-12 FY while the national job generation figure stood only 42 mandays

While unfolding report cards in the field of Rural Development and Forest departments, RD Minister Jitendra Chowdhury on Tuesday said the government had given emphasis on overall socio-economic development in rural areas.

Itanagar: Arunachal Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has suggested the Environment and Forest Department to encourage livestock farming under eco-development scheme of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to distract the people from illegal hunting practices.

“Such initiative can divert the attention of the people towards economic sustenance schemes rather going for illegal hunting,” Tuki justified while presiding over the third governing body meeting of state unit of CAMPA here today.

Alipurduar, Aug. 5: Japan government will spend over Rs 400 crore in Bengal over the next eight years for afforestation and development of the people depending on the forests.

Minister inspects saplings nourished under drip irrigation

Forest Minister K. T. Patchaimal on Thursday visited a few spots in the district that were covered under the Massive Tree Sapling Programme, which was inaugurated in connection with the Chief Minister’s birthday. As it has been proposed to plant 3 lakh seedlings – 2.25 lakh saplings by the Social Forestry Division and 75,000 seedlings by the Tirunelveli forest division - in the district under this programme, around 7,000 neem, pungan, badam, teak, bamboo, kumil, vaagai and poovarsu saplings have been planted in three places.

In its bid to increase mangrove cover along the Odisha coast, the State Government has decided to take up plantation over 1,000 hectares in four districts.

Bilaspur: Over Rs 1.76 crore is being spent on afforestation programmes being launched in Bilaspur, Nalagarh and Kunihar forest divisions under various departmental and centrally sponsored schemes

AHMEDABAD: In order to achieve the norm of minimum 15% tree cover, the forest department is planning to adopt the public private partnership (PPP) model to increase the tree cover in eight municipal corporations and 159 nagar palikas in the state.

The recent tree census taken up by the social forestry division of the forest department revealed that there were 33 lakh trees in the eight municipal corporations. The forest officials said that going by the minimum number of 15% green cover against the total geographical area, the eight municipal corporations need another 56.4 lakh tress of which Ahmedabad city requires the maximum of 13 lakh trees to achieve the target of 15%. This was followed by Surat which requires 12.37 lakh more trees.