Wildlife

Organizers: National Institute of Ecology (NIE)

Venue: Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh)

The National Institute Ecology has currently more than 600 members drawn from every State and Union Territory of India as well as several other countries. The membership includes Fellows who are elected by the NIE every year in recognition of their significant contributions to their chosen field of ecology/environmental science.

After knowing that the encroachers set fire in the protected forest area, nearly 100 acres and cultivating cash crops in Sirumalai hills, iGREEN and Equal Justice jointly organised fact finding visit with lawyers and media persons and gone to sirumalai Hills. We were shocked when we saw fired forest land.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has based on consultation with stakeholders revised the procedure to be followed for consideration of projects that involve forestland for grant of environment clearance under EIA Notification, 2006. The requirement of information/data/documents for such projects is also outlined in the office memorandum.

Image courtesy: Ministry of Environment and Forests 

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had earlier issued an office memorandum vide no. J-11015/200/2008-IA.II(M) dated 31.3.2011 prescribing the procedure to be followed for consideration of projects for environmental clearance, which involve forestland.

Main hazards that the state is prone to consist of earthquakes, landslides, flash floods, snow storms and avalanches, droughts, dam failures, fires – domestic and wild, accidents – road, rail, air, stampedes, boat capsizing, biological, industrial and hazardous chemicals etc.

Goa, going, gone – A film by Carmen Miranda on Goa’s mining

As you may have assumed from its title, “Goa, going gone” is about Goa - - or more specifically, it’s about the environmental impact that is likely to result from the rampant mining that is underway in the state. Goa is being dug out of existence and gigantic craters expand across a 95 km long mining belt.

More information on the project can be seen on IUCN's website.

The project on “Mainstreaming coastal and marine biodiversity conservation into production sectors in the East Godavari river estuarine ecosystem”, Andhra Pradesh with a special focus on the Coringa wildlife sanctuary is being implemented by the Government of India and Government of Andhra Pradesh, with United Nations Development Programme as the lead agency and with funding support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). 

• Is the government really serious about the Project?  Water Initiatives Odisha(WIO) apprehends this to be a political game rather than a hydro power project, at least for now.
• We urge upon the government to first clear the air on the project design and other related issues before moving any further.
• The project is uncalled for without making a comprehensive analysis of water and energy scenario of the state; and if it displaces people and submerges agriculture land and forests

Guest post by: Chicu

Changing climate, loss of native forests, disappearance of biodiversity, water shortages, desertification, the reduction of natural soil fertility — all add to the scenario of a world with increasingly complex environmental challenges.

The concept of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) has emerged as a challenge to the all-too-prevalent tradition of taking the Earth’s natural resources for granted. PES highlights a global continuum, illustrating the relationship between our lifestyles, the demands associated with our production and consumption patterns, and the effects those demands have on close or distant ecosystems.