Dilution of norms for quarries irks Greens

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram The Hindu, March 25, 2019 In a decision that has raised the hackles of regulatory experts and environmental activists, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has cut the minimum distance for quarries from forestland by half, to 50 metres. The 87th meeting of SEIAA in January took...

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Forest fire detrimental to ecosystem, warns KFRI

E M Manoj, Kalpetta The Hindu, March 21, 2019     Scientists at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi, have warned that recurring forest fire will lead to degradation of the ecosystem in forest areas, especially grasslands, of the State. According to the data with the Forest and Wildlife Department,...

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Hero to nature lovers, this messiah of trees is down-to-earth

Abdul Latheef Naha, Plakkad The Hindu, March 21, 2019    If the hottest, largest district in the State is looking for a hero to celebrate World Sparrow Day (March 20), World Forest Day (March 21) and World Water Day (March 22), here is one man who can beat the competition by miles. Nature lover Shyamkumar M. has more...

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Wardens on their toes after elephant killings

G Anand, Thiruvananthapuram The Hindu, March 18, 2019 The discovery of two wild elephant carcasses in the buffer zone of the Silent Valley National Park in February has put wildlife wardens on their toes. The killings have also spotlighted the threat posed by poachers who hunt wild elephants to harvest tusks and the powerful inter-State...

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Drought forcing animals out of interior forests

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor, Pathanamthitta The Hindu,  March 17, 2019   The Pampa river is facing acute water scarcity in the foothills of Sabarimala despite the Kerala State Electricity Board periodically releasing water from its Kullar dam in the upstream forest reaches. But the KSEB is not in a position to release huge quantities...

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Grizzled giant squirrel scores a century in Chinnar sanctuary

Giji K. Raman, Idukki The Hindu, March 11, 2019    The number of Grizzled giant squirrel has crossed one hundred in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, its only natural habitat in the State. The latest survey conducted from February 12 to 14 recorded the direct presence of 76 Grizzled giant squirrel and including those indirectly...

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