Environment / Assam

GUWAHATI, April 25 — The draft forest policy of the State has been prepared with an aim at tackling the issues concerning people’s need and conservation of forests. The State Government will examine the draft for preparing the forest policy in order to meet the challenges throw by the present situation on matters related to conservation of forests and sustainable development. Addressing a brief function held on the occasion of release of the draft policy at the Jawahar Nagar Guest House No 1 this morning, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the draft was prepared by an expert committee as a...

NEW DELHI, April 23 — Even as the North Eastern States reel under severe power cuts, at least 18 hydropower projects with an installed capacity of 25,890 MW in the Brahmaputra and Barak River basins are still on papers, mired in bureaucratic wrangles at the Centre. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Power, Jayawanti Mehta said that present detailed project reports are being prepared for the 18 hydropower projects. Out of these, five projects with an aggregate capacity of 359 MW are ongoing schemes. Besides, Central Electricity Authority has cleared four hydropower...

GUWAHATI, April 22 — Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conservation in North East India, in association with the UK-based David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) has donated the first phase of the wireless communication equipment to the world famous Kaziranga National Park recently a press release said. The equipment consist of 40 wireless hand sets and 9 base stations along with necessary accessories. Pradyut Bordoloi, the Forest Minister of Assam handed over the equipment to the forest officials of the KNP in the ceremony held at Kohora Forest Rest House. NK Vasu, the Director of KNP...

NEW DELHI, April 22 — The nightmare of eviction drives on the forest land in the State may come back to haunt Assam Government, with the Union Environment and Forest Ministry putting its foot down on encroachment of forestland, even as the State’s is ranked eighth in the country in term of forest cover, which was estimated at 35.33 per cent. With the Supreme Court keeping a close watch on the issue, Union Environment and Forest Minister, TR Baalu today clarified that eviction drives to remove the unlawful people away from the forest land has to continue. The Minister, however, added that...

DERGAON, April 21 — Strong resentment prevails among the leading citizens as well as nature lovers of Golaghat district over an order passed by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Golaghat. By the order, the DFO banned noted botanist as well as the head of the Deptt of Botany of DR College, Golaghat Dr Padmeswar Gogoi from entering the Nambar Forest, Golaghat.

According to information Dr Padmeswar Gogoi along with one nature activist. Arup Ballav Goswami reached Garampani beat office on April 7 to visit the North Nambar forest after giving information to the Range Officer Golaghat. But the...

GUWAHATI, April 19 — The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has identified various irregularities in the Flood Control Department and recommended that the ongoing scheme should be completed on priority basis before taking up new schemes. The CAG, in its report pointed out that out of 25 schemes recommended by the Planning Commission between 1998-99 to 2001-02, to be funded under the non-lapsable central pool of resources, only four could be completed due to the delay in release of fund to the executing department. The report revealed in 1998, the committee for funding of schemes...

JORHAT, April 18 – Taking a cue from the mutually beneficial experience of several State governments following constitution of eco-development committees in villages located at fringe areas of national parks and sanctuaries, the authorities at the Kaziranga National Park too have followed suit and submitted a proposal to the Government for setting up a ‘forest development agency,’ which could pave the way for better coordination with villagers living around the periphery of the 860-sq km park.

With a number of eco-development committees already having taken shape in fringe villages under the...

JORHAT, April 16 — Taking a cue from the mutually beneficial experience of several State Governments following constitution of eco-development committees in villages located at fringe areas of national parks and sanctuaries, the authorities at the Kaziranga National Park too have followed forth and submitted a proposal to the Government for setting up a ‘forest development agency,’ which could pave the way for better coordination with villagers living around the periphery of the 860-sq km park.

With a number of eco-development committees already having taken shape in fringe villages under the...

Guwahati, April 10: The only female elephant trainer in Asia, Parvati Barua, today dismissed charges of cruelty on an elephant which she had captured in Chattisgarh and later died in captivity. Animal rights activists had kicked up a storm after the incident.

In her first defence in her home state since the death of the elephant on February 24, Barua rebutted the charges brought against her point by point. She claimed that “not a single ‘expert’ who really knows about capturing and training elephants has blamed me”.

“I feel sad that the elephant captured in Chattisgarh did not survive. But...

NEW DELHI, April 10— The 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Power Project is scheduled to be completed within seven years of procuring investment approval. The National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) is currently looking for investment approval. The Project estimated to cost Rs 6,608.68 crore is to be located near North Lakhimpur on Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. The Project received techno-economic clearance by Central Electricity Authority on January 31. However, environment and forest clearance is awaited, Minister of State for Power, Jayawanti Mehta said.