THESE are critical times for trees. In some places

New Delhi: The Bellary mining lords may soon suffer a greater blow than the global recession.

Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that there will be no dilution of the provisions of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 when it comes to clearing projects that require diversion of large tracts of forest land.

Rs 227.46 lakh proposal in 2009-10 action plan.

The components of the draft plan also include infrastructure development, creating camp sites, boundary demarcation and awareness programmes besides monitoring and evaluation.

Sarikah Atreya

Gangtok, June 10

The Centre will soon release Rs 700 crore for the conservation of forests in the State, besides extending a special grant for the development and conservation of ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats, Union Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday.

HOJAI, June 7

Carlos Minc said he told President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday that pressure from legislators, farmers and even colleagues in government had gone too far. He cited opposition from the agriculture and transportation ministries.

"I explained to President Lula that the (environment) ministry is under attack," Minc told reporters in the capital Brasilia.

Concerted efforts would be would be made for the conservation and development of wildlife under Wildlife Protocol in Madhya Pradesh. It was expressed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Prashant Mehta at a two-day convention of Chief Conservator Forest, which was organised in the state capital from Saturday to Sunday.

Carbon credits derived from a fledgling forest conservation scheme for developing nations will struggle to compete with palm oil as an investment, industry advisers and conservationists said on Friday.