Farmers To Get Seeds, Fertilizers Worth . 1500 Free

Gandhinagar:As a sop to farmers hit by water scarcity across the state, the Gujarat government has implemented a new scheme to encourage cultivation of fodder. Under the scheme, the government is providing fodder seeds and fertilizers up to Rs 1,500 free of cost. Officials told TOI that the scheme is being extended to farmers who plan to plant fodder crops on their land covering an area half an acre to two acres.

AHMEDABAD: The forest department, in order to improve environmental status of the city, has decided to convert wasteland or common land in urban spaces into well-planted green areas.

If there was shortage of such land, a city could utilize the vacant land in the areas situated on the periphery, under the urban development authorities, an official from the department said.

Hindustan Zinc has decided to plant one lakh saplings at its sites in Rajasthan to mark World Environment Day. Its zinc-producing mine at Rampura Agucha in Bhilwara district has started plantation of 70,000 saplings as part of the ambitious drive.

Inaugurating the drive on Tuesday, Bhilwara Collector Onkar Singh said the district administration would make available wasteland to Hindustan Zinc to include it in its plantation drive. “This unique initiative will surely become a benchmark for other corporate groups to follow.”

Fazilka: The sarpanch of Harnam Chand village is a man shattered. He and his six brothers own 50 acres of land in Shajrana village which has turned barren.

New Delhi The country’s wasteland declined more than 5 lakh hectare during 2005-2008, a national wasteland atlas released on Wednesday has noted.

The atlas prepared by the National Remote Sensing Centre under the Indian Space Research Organisation has stated that wasteland during 2005-08 declined by 3.2 million hectare while increase in wasteland was to the tune of 2.7 million hectare.

Quarrying has been taking a heavy toll on Kerala's undulating terrain, altering the geo-physiological characteristics of the much-flaunted ‘God's Own Country'. There is, perhaps, no other place in Kerala as affected by quarrying as Pathanamthitta district where there are an estimated 800 quarries. A close look at the slow devastation being wrought in the district by the quarries even as the larger policy and ecological imperatives call out for attention.

The core area of the Nagarahole National Park, encompassing grassy swampland surrounded by bamboo groves, has been completely devastated by the fire that broke out early this week.

The air in the critical tiger and elephant habitat is hazy with smoke from smouldering embers. Forest watchers and temporary staff roped in from the local tribal community are still stomping out small flames emanating from the destroyed vegetation.

Vibha Sharma writes from Sanchor in Rajasthan
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