UDALGURI

To deal with the monkey menace the Himachal Pradesh government will construct big parks exclusively for the simians where they will be provided with food and water.

JAMSHEDPUR: Colourful and refreshing, the Butterfly Park set up by the Tata Steel Zoological Society, here, the first in the eastern region, has become the cynosure of all eyes. The species on display were the Plain Tiger, Lime Butterfly, Commander and Lemon Pansy, while those like the Common Emigrant, Common Crow, Peacock Pansy, Common Castor were being bred. Hundreds of butterflies of the five species have been released in the display area while efforts were on to collect plants on which the larvae of the other species fed.

Works would be undertaken under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the National Parks. This information was given by Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah at a meeting of officers of National Parks, Forest Department and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme . This meeting of officers of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Forest Department was held for exploring the possibilities of starting works under this Scheme at forest villages. Those present on the occasion included Secretary Rural Development Ashok Shah, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Wildlife PB Gangopadhyay, Chief Conservator of Forests Suhas Kumar, Conservator of Forests Wildlife and Vinay Burman of Narmada Valley Development Authority. Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah said that it is necessary to include residents of forest villages in the mainstream of development. For this purpose, works are getting done on a large scale. Ashram Shalas for children of forest villages' dwellers are being opened from July in the next session. He told the forest officers that whatever works are necessary for development must be done. For this, development schemes for villages falling under National Parks, Sanctuaries and forest ranges should be chalked out. Whatever works can be done under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme should be done and for the remaining works resources should be mobilised for the Forest Department. He told the officers to get the saplings of fruit-bearing trees planted at the Badas of beneficiaries belonging to scheduled tribes. He instructed the Forest Department officers to seek the guidance and cooperation of Technical Department officers in construction works. Secretary Rural Development Department Ashok Shah gave information to the officers about National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme . He said that many beneficiary-oriented works like Kapil Dhara, Nandan Phalodyan, Bhumi Shilp, Nirmal Vatika and silk sub-plan can be implemented under the Scheme . Similarly, works of community development including Shail-Parna, Nimal Neer and Vanya sub-plan can be launched. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests PB Gangopadhyay told the officers that vast possibilities of labour-based works exist in the area under National Parks and sanctuaries. With a view to tapping these possibilities works under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme-MP can be launched. On the basis of information under the Act, forest officers should prepare schemes and present the same to the concerning District Panchayat. The workshop was also addressed by officers of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme , Joint Commissioner AK Singh and chief engineer AK Choudhary.

The United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Manas as a "World Heritage Sight in Danger' in 1992, when the region had been under the threat of extremists and suffering from an acute lack of infrastructure.

The tiger, living fire of the Indian forest, might soon be snuffed out forever. According to the latest National Tiger Conservation Authority's report there are only 1,411 tigers in the wild in the country. Indeed, the NTCA has added that its study has an error margin, which could bring the estimated tiger population down to less than 1,200. With human encroachments and poaching on the rise, the magnificent lord of the wilderness, rippling like liquid flame through the jungle, could face extinction unless drastic steps are taken.

The government of Queensland, a northern Australian state, plans to slaughter 10,000 feral horses, also known as brumbies, saying that the wild animals are damaging fragile habitats in national

In the next few weeks the Karnataka government will begin deliberating on the future of Chamalapura, a tiny hamlet near Mysore, and its surroundings. According to highly placed sources in the state's energy department, feasibility studies will be commissioned soon for setting up a coal-fired thermal power plant in and around the village.