Pune This summer vacation, schoolchildren will definitely relish the special

Hundreds of trees along the Mohali-Kharar stretch of National Highway-21 are being axed these days to pave way for the much-awaited four-laning of the highway stretch, ill-famed as the

Madikeri: The Forest Department considering the ongoing tiff between the wild tuskers and human beings for survival has submitted a plan of Rs 350 crores to the state Government with the aim of finding permanent solution. The plan is intended to be implemented over a period of 5 years. The plan has been chalked out by Conservator of Forest ,Kodagu Circle, Ga Nam Shrikantaiah, based on the deliberations of the meeting held on June 17 at Aranya Bhavan.

The much-publicised zoological park of international standards at Aarey Milk colony may finally see the light of day. State Forest minister Babanrao Pachpute said that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has given his approval to the project on June 5, following the state forest department seeking an approval from him.

The proposed garbage depot on 57 acres of forest land at Punawale, which is facing severe opposition from all quarters, has put the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in a tight spot. As political parties are up in arms against the depot coming up near the Mumbai-Pune highway, there are a list of 14 conditions whose compliance is being sought by the forest department.

The less-nurtured plantations with medicinal value will now get a fillip as the Goa Forest Development Corporation is venturing into a major project - conservation and commercial in nature - of medicinal plantations in the State. According to data procured by this paper, the project seeks to protect rare and endangered species of medicinal plants and thereafter explore commercial markets for tapping its produce. The General Manager of the GFDC Dr F L Coelho told Herald that a project report would be submitted to the Union Ministry shortly for Central funding for a period of three years.

The longevity of a banyan tree is often compared with at least seven life spans of a human being and hence women worship this tree for the well-being of their family, especially husband. These days, with more and more women working, there is no time to do the "pheras" around the banyan tree. Hence, small time vendors chop branches and sell them at the market which are bought by women and worshipped.

In order to increase the green cover and maintain balance between nature and the huge development in its jurisdiction, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sought the standing committee permission for signing an agreement with the Forest department for 325 hectare forest land spread in eight merged villages in PMC.

The State Forest department has started annual wildlife census from May 14 to 20. Forest department officials said that while they would conduct pugmark count till Sunday, there would be a night watch on May 19 -20, which are the full moon nights. The census is on in the entire limits of the national park, including the Yeoor hill regions, Tungareshwar, Phansad and Karnal.

The pygmy hog

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