The tribals leaders in the state have given deadline of seven days to the forest department to transfer two of its officers from Khotigao wild life sanctuary accusing them of harassing the local inhabitants.

Lok Sabha passes forest fund bill THE Lok Sabha on December 23 passed the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill without any amendment. The bill has been severely criticized by conservationists who say it institutionalizes diversion of forests to other land uses through a system of monetary compensation and does not protect forests. The Parliamentary committee on environment, to which

G Rajasekaran | Salem

DIBRUGARH, Nov 27: Despite news reports of forest dwellers cutting and burning down vast tracts of Dibru Saikhowa National Park, no one from the Forest Department has reportedly gone to investigate into the matter.

V Narayana Murthi | ENS
Vellore

THE Vellore Forest Division has removed encroachment by farmers from around 450 acres of forest land from border villages in Gudiyattam and Odugathur ranges in the past three months, thanks to the support given by the Village Forest Councils and local bodies.
Except in Madigam village in Odugathur range, where the encroachers had resisted the eviction move, but later conceded, the oper ation, according to the Divional Forest Officer (DFO) T V Manjunatha, was smooth and productive.