Pampa River Action Plan gets a new lease of life

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram The Hindu, April 1, 2016 The Pampa River Action Plan for pollution abatement and conservation of the river basin has received a fresh lease of life, with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change sanctioning the release of grant-in-aid of Rs.5 crore. The aid was sanctioned on March...

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Sand-eating tadpoles found in Western Ghats

The Hindu, March 30, 2016  NEW DELHI,   Adding to the burgeoning cache of frog-finds in India, researchers have discovered a sand-eating tadpole that lives in total darkness, until it fully develops into a young frog. S.D. Biju from the University of Delhi said in a statement: “We provide the first confirmed report...

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Greens set manifesto for parties

The Hindu, March 31, 2016 Thiruvananthapuram,  The Kerala Paristhithi Aikyavedi, an umbrella organisation of environmental groups in the State, has released a green development agenda for political parties to incorporate into their manifesto for the forthcoming elections to the Assembly. Releasing the document here on Wednesday,...

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UNESCO updates protected biosphere reserves list

The Hindu,  March 21, 2016 Lima,   The United Nation’s cultural body UNESCO has added 20 new sites to its network of protected biosphere nature reserves, including two in Canada and two in Portugal. The status was conferred during a two-day meeting in Lima that ended on Saturday, which brought the total number of biosphere reserves to 669 across 120 countries. In Canada, the Tsa Tue area in the country’s Northwest...

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Eco-friendly boating at Mattupetty

Giji K. Raman,  IDUKKI,   The Hindu, March 21, 2016 Boating in Mattupetty lake in Munnar will soon be eco-friendly, with wildlife being least disturbed. As part of its efforts to develop responsible tourism in Munnar, the Hydel Tourism Centre has purchased a solar-powered boat, which will be a marked change from kerosene-powered boats and petrol speed boats. Kerosene-run boats Kerosene-powered boats...

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Eco-restoration drive remains a non-starter

K.A. Shaji, Palakkad The Hindu, March 21, 2016 The much-hyped Palakkad Gap eco-system restoration efforts initiated by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board last year with the active involvement of 17 local bodies and the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department continues to remain a non-starter in spite of the claims that it would help address escalating heat in the region in the coming years. Though a number of tree...

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On alert, to check poaching during summer

G. Anand,  Thiruvananthapuram The Hindu,  March 15, 2016 The Forest Department has stepped up surveillance in Idukki and Wayanad districts in the wake of intelligence forecasts that hunting of tigers and leopards for their pelts and body parts could escalate in summer. A wildlife enforcer said that there was lot of tiger movement in Tholpatti, Muthanga, Kurichiyadu, and Batheri ranges this season. Many of the...

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Project to conserve vultures in Wayanad

E.M. Manoj, KALPETTA The Hindu,  March 14, 2016 The Forest and Wildlife Department has launched a comprehensive project to conserve the existing vulture population in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, a major habitat of different species of vultures in South India. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has earmarked Rs.50...

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Villagers oppose move to permit quarrying

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor PATHANAMTHITTA The Hindu, March 13, 2016  The People’s Action Council has taken strong exception to a move by the grama panchayat to permit resumption of granite quarrying on the environmentally fragile Chembanmudy hill in Naranamoozhy panchayat in Ranni taluk. Action council convener Shaji Pathalil told The...

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‘Eco nod for 943 projects in 21 months’

The Hindu, March 12, 2016  Mumbai: Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday claimed that in the 21 months of the NDA government at the Centre, his Ministry has given environmental clearances to 943 projects, unlocking investments of up to about Rs 6.72 lakh crore. Mr. Javadekar said the NDA government focussed on three key principles — make new sustainable development policies, making the process...

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Nod for paddy field reclamation kicks up a row

The Hindu, March 6, 2016 Thiruvananthapuram:  Clearances accorded by the Revenue Department for reclaiming 420 acres of Methran Kayal backwater paddy fields at Kumarakom village in Kottayam taluk and 47 acres of paddy field at Kadamakkudy grama panchayat in Ernakulam district for private ventures have triggered a row. The order...

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Illegal razing of hills rampant in Pathanamthitta

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor, PATHANAMTHITTA, The Hindu, March 3, 2016    With the government machinery sliding into preparations for the forthcoming Assembly polls, unauthorised demolition of environmentally sensitive hills has become rampant in many parts of the district. Functioning of the Police Department too has been...

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