Environment / Northeast

GUWAHATI, March 1 ? Noted environment activist Medha Patkar today sounded all the North Eastern States to guard their interests against the Central government?s move to link all the river basins in the country. The Save Narmada Movement crusader, Smt Patkar raised the alarm against the proposed river networking terming it an effort to market and corporatise rivers in the country by the vested politicos in connivance with corporate houses.

Addressing the media here today midway her nationawide tour on bahalf of National Alliance of People?s Movement (NAPM), Smt Patkar stated that it was...

NEW DELHI, Feb 25 — The seven North-eastern States which account for about seven per cent of country’s geographical area contribute accounts for 25.78 per cent of the country’s forest cover. The scenario based on the Forest Survey Report of 1999 may look good on paper but is a far cry from the target of 33 per cent set by the National Forest Policy of 1998 with a deadline of 2012.

Union Environment and Forest Minister, T R Baalu himself was rather sceptical about achieving the targets given the paucity of funds faced by his ministry, even as he pleaded with members in the Lok Sabha Monday...

GUWAHATI, Feb 17 — There is good news for private sector power companies willing to venture into the North East India which is considered the power house of the country given its tremendous hydro-power potential. The South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) is interested in financing privately-owned hydro-power projects, both mega and mini varieties, in the region.

Talking to this newspaper, Dr Anton de Wilde, the Programme Manager of the SEDF, informed that the SEDF was already in consultation with Tata Power which has shown interest in setting up hydro-electricity projects in the...

Guwahati, Feb. 2: United Nations Development Programme is financing nine projects in the Northeast under its small grants programme, involving local communities in biodiversity and environment conservation.

The small grants programme is co-funded by the Global Environment Facility and Country Co-operation Framework, supporting activities, which demonstrate community-based approaches aimed at reducing threats to global environment. The northeastern regional cell of the Centre for Environment Education is co-ordinating the seven sister states to facilitate the small grants programme.

An...

NEW DELHI, Jan 6 — Two time Green Oscar winner and wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey has now set his eyes on the rich biodiversity of the north-east and is looking forward to produce a series of documentaries on the region, reports PTI. He plans to prepare documentaries on themes ranging from wildlife to social issues concerning the area in an effort to disseminate information about the region to the world and seek solutions to the problems threatening its rich biodiversity.

“My dream to venture into the Northeast is more than a decade old and more so now, as I realise that the region is yet to...

ITANAGAR, Dec 30 — Scheduled Tribe Commission chairman Dileep Singh Bhuria today said that no constitutional body should ever try to snatch away the basic rights of the tribals, which they have been enjoying since the time immemorial, over ‘jaal’ (water), jungle (forest) and ‘zamin’ (land), and described the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, as an irritant to them, reports PTI. Addressing a press conference here, Bhuria, who is on a five-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh to assess the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes, expressed his concern over large-scale eviction of the tribals in various parts of...

NEW DELHI, Dec 26 – In a poor reflection of endeavour of the North-eastern states, all the states in the region including Assam have missed targets of compensatory aforestation, even as questions have been raised about the manner in which the Supreme Court’s direction has been interpreted. For all the tall promises made by these States to conserve its forest resources, it has little achievements to show for results, if the accomplishment of compensatory aforestation is anything to go by. Worse still State like Manipur has not even bothered to prepare a working plan to conserve forest, while...

GUWAHATI, June 25 ? The Union Water Resource Ministry has been constantly maintaining, in view of the Union Power Ministry?s proposal to develop major hydel power projects in the NE region, that adequate flood cushioning provisions should be there in the reservoirs built for the purpose. Disclosing this, sources in the Brahmaputra Board here said that though the Board had prepared, or been preparing, the project reports for the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra like Kameng, Subansiri, Dihang, Dibang, Lohit, Noadihing and Pagladia, except for the last one, all the other projects have been...

GUWAHATI, April 19? Several environmental groups and activists have expressed apprehension over the way in which development projects, especially hydro-electric units, are getting clearance in the North East without having the least regard for ecological and biodiversity concerns. The 10th Plan also envisages setting up of 12 hydel projects in the region. The environmentalists feel the projects should be cleared only when they are found to be strictly adhering to the environmental and social norms. Expressing concern over the casual manner in which dams are being cleared by the Government...

GUWAHATI, April 9 ? The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) has undertaken a promotional scheme for commercialisation of some important medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) of the region with special emphasis on Patchouli, an aromatic plant used widely in perfumes, medicines and toiletry. Sri J P Saikia, the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of NEDFi said this at the three-day National Workshop on Commercialisation of Patchouli that began at the Assam Administrative Staff College here today. A number of experts, scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs and industrialists...