SHIMLA: Unusually hot and dry conditions this summer have turned the green hills of Himachal Pradesh into a tinderbox - literally.

Against the backdrop of the contentious issue of country’s development vs environment conservation, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is now drafting revised guidelines for evaluation of e

Project proposed in Kanakapur on a pilot basis. The generation of power from bamboo will be a reality soon if the Forest Department has its say.

Forest Minister C P Yogeeshwara told reporters on Tuesday that a proposal had been submitted to the government to take up the project on a pilot basis in Kanakapur taluk. Land in some parts of Kanakapura had become unfit for agriculture due to flow of sewerage water from Bangalore. Bamboo plantation can be taken up on such land and power can be generated by setting up gasifier plants, he said.

Shimla: Forest fires in Himachal Pradesh have destroyed more than 20,000 acres of forest land and caused a loss of more than Rs 2.6 cr of green property in three weeks.

Rio de Janeiro The developed countries, hamstrung by a prolonged economic slump, have reneged on their promise to set aside a fixed amount — 0.7% of their gross national product — to enable the res

Task forces formed to curtail illegal activities in jungles, especially at night

The State Forest department aims to curb forest fires, encroachment of forest land, poaching of animals and smuggling of wood from the jungles with ‘Operation Kalabhairava’. Personnel associated with the operation will keep a close vigil over the illegal activities occurring in the forest. Presently, the department is taking the help of the members of the forest committees and the environment committees towards controlling illegal activities inside the forest.

Communities can conserve forests and make a living out of it. Then why is the government playing spoilsport?

The government has to deal firmly in protecting and preserving forests by making policy changes wherever required.

Replying to the queries of the Probationers on a wide range of subjects, the Governor observed that the unfortunate situation that prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir in the past years resulted not only in huge human and economic losses but also caused a severe damage to forest wealth.

He said that with the return of normalcy, greater attention is now being devoted to the conservation and regeneration of forests in the State. The Governor, who is Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, referred to the initiatives being taken by the Board for the conservation and promotion of green cover in the entire Shrine area in the Trikuta Hills.