PANJIM: Giving up its initial reluctance to include Goa region of Western Ghat in the World Heritage Site of UNESCO, Forest Department has finally admitted that Goa along with contiguous forests of Karnataka and Maharashtra, is one of the best potential tiger habitat in this bio-diversity hotspot.

It has been alleged that various governments were dragging their feet on declaration of Western Ghat region as sanctuary for ‘tiger reserve’ since it would lead to the closure of at least 40 mining leases, 20 of which are active.

A petition was filed on Wednesday in the Supreme Court to restrain the resumption of iron and manganese ore mining in Goa amid a judicial commission estimating a loss of Rs 35,000 crore to the exch

In a first-of-its-kind initiative by the corporate sector, Tata Power has come forward to conserve the coastal biodiversity of the city with plans to plant and regenerate mangroves.

In an interaction with the editorial staff of The Indian Express on Tuesday, chief conservator of forests (mangrove cell) N Vasudevan said Tata Power has proposed plantation and regeneration of mangroves on 25 hectares in Navi Mumbai.

Says immersion of Vinayaka idols has polluted the Mookeneri Lake

Taking moral responsibility that he was not able to save the picturesque Mookeneri Lake, here, from a bunch of polluters, who immersed idols of Lord Vinayaka, made of plaster of Paris and toxic dyes in it, a Salem-based environmentalist V. Piyush Sethia, Convener, Salem Citizens’ Forum, which resurrected the lake into a throbbing water spread that was once a PWD’s cesspool, ‘surrendered’ before a Salem judicial court here on Monday.

Environmentalists want a cap imposed on the number of visitors to the Taj Mahal, the epitome of Mughal heritage, citing concerns on the growing industrial and vehicular pollution threatening the eq

Meeting today to consolidate views of the governmentd

A high-level working group on Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) report has sought the views of the State government on the report. The State government has been asked to list out the acceptable recommendations, unacceptable ones, and those which can be accepted with modifications. The modifications the government wishes to see in the report should also be communicated to the group headed by K. Kasturirangan. The group has also forwarded a format for the State government to furnish its comments. The State government was asked to file its views before September 19.

Adyar Creek’s gain is Foreshore Estate’s loss in this green move that seems to have gone terribly wrong.

The Public Works Department is now dumping construction debris, ordered to be removed by the National Green Tribunal from the Adyar Creek estuary, in Foreshore Estate, on the beach near Srinivasapuram. Truckloads of debris from the creek is now being dumped on the beach to level it so that the Ganesha idols could be immersed, said a contractor, who has been given the licence to clear the debris from the estuary.

Goa government has finally resolved to shut down the mines pouring manganese and iron ore in the Selaulim reservoir, the source of potable water for 55 per cent of the state population.

The state will have to shut down the mines operating within the river zone of Selaulim dam, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters yesterday. "We have to stop all mines pouring in material (iron ore and manganese) in Selaulim reservoir," Parrikar said.

PANAJI: Environmentalists today organised a protest walk here demanding cancellation of mining leases operating within 10 kms of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Goa.

PANJIM: Though State Government had initiated a few steps, following disclosure of the magnitude of illegalities in mining by Shah Commission report last week, activists, however, do not seem to be satisfied.

Now that illegalities of mining companies have come in full public view, they expect that mining companies should be compelled to pay back illegal profits cornered by them during last few years.