KATTAPPANA: The Idukki Social Forestry Division has started distribution of saplings in the third phase of the Harita Keralam Project.

This year, 4,35,000 saplings would be distributed under various schemes in the district, said Assistant Conservator of Forests P.U. Saju. He said that there was a good response from social organisations and schools to the project.

District-level squad formed to implement ban strictly.
KATTAPPANA: The district administration will intensify checking on the border routes and plantation areas to counter the use of endosulfan which is reportedly being brought from Tamil Nadu in bottles with fake labels.

Chandy says victims found it difficult to seek medical aid outside Kasaragod
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Thursday that a super-specialty hospital would be set up in Kasaragod for treating people suffering from the ill effects of endosulfan.

Addressing a meeting of the Collectors here, the Chief Minister said the hospital was proposed in view of the difficultie

Proposed dam inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala Forest Research Institute given the task. Pilot study in the region within a fortnight KOCHI: An Environment Impact Assessment of the proposed Kerala Periyar Dam, which will replace the existing Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki, will begin shortly.

KOCHI: Over a thousand wildlife enthusiasts from across the State have surprised the Forest and Wildlife authorities by volunteering themselves to be part of the proposed State wildlife census.

The collector says raids against sand-mining will be intensified in the coming days.
KATTAPPANA: The district administration will intensify vigil against illegal sand-mining following the seizure of 39 loads of sand from the Ayyappancoil region of the Periyar in the Idukki reservoir on Sunday.

The raid was conducted by a team of revenue officials led by Devikulam Sub-Collector M.Rajamanikyam.

Many pesticides banned by developed countries
Curbs on pesticides reduced suicides in Sri Lanka
KOCHI: The Kerala government's plan to ban the use of a series of pesticides is likely to have a major positive spin-off: a substantial fall in the number of suicides in the State which has one of the highest suicide rates in the country.

Psychiatrists, social workers, and researchers, who have wel

KATTAPPANA: Preparations have begun at the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary for a State-wide wildlife survey to be held from May 18 to 20.

Sanjayan Kumar, deputy director, Periyar Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu on Thursday that training classes for the Forest Department staff would be held on Saturday, and the exact number of persons participating in the survey of mammals

Centre weighed down by plant-protection cost
Package for victims may be more costly
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre government is ruling out a national ban on Endosulfan or support for the cause at the Stockholm Convention on the ground that no cheap alternatives to Endosulfan are available to farmers.

KOCHI: Raging wildfires have destroyed large tracts of forests and grasslands in Kerala. According to available information, over 200 hectares of forest area have been destroyed since January and it is mostly grasslands that are lost to the flames.

The State Forest Department has raised concern over the rising incidents of forest fire during the summer months.