The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought response from the environment ministry and others on an application filed by Sesa Goa seeking permission to transport, sell and export 4.766 million tonne of already mined iron ore lying at various locations in Goa.

A special green bench headed by Justice TS Thakur issued notice to the Centre, Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which is assisting the apex court in environmental matters, and Goa Foundation, the NGO on whose plea blanket ban on mining operations was imposed last year in the state.

The field survey of iron ore mines, which was undertaken by the Odisha government on the instructions of the M B Shah commission to detect mining operation beyond leasehold area, has not revealed any major irregularities.

The government is likely to submit its report the commission in two to three days following completion of field verification at various sites in iron ore rich Keonjhar district.

The Union environment and forests ministry has asked the Goa government to send proposals to set up a tiger reserve at the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, Parliament was told on Monday.

Union minister for environment and forests Jayanthi Natarajan has taken on agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, countering that Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the latter cannot sit in judgment on

For the first time, steps taken against realtors by Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) in central Gujarat have resulted into a realtor paying fine after a suit was filed against him over enviro

PANJIM: The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has directed the Goa government to submit its proposal to declare Mhadei wildlife sanctuary as a ‘tiger reserve’. The demand has come at a time when wildlife enthusiasts~ particularly those working for tiger conservation~are up beat about the sighting of a tiger in the sanctuary, which appears to be a local predator.

Forest Department officials had clicked photographs of the tiger moving in the sanctuary, a fortnight ago. This is for the first time that direct and conclusive evidence has been found by the forest department officials about its presence.

Asks the authorities to withdraw all criminal charges against those who had been opposing the Russian-aided plant

The Supreme Court today allowed the controversial Kudankulam nuclear project in southern Tamil Nadu to be commissioned but also imposed tough preconditions to ensure the safety of people living around it and who have been agitating against it. It also asked the authorities to withdraw all criminal charges against those who had been opposing the Russian-aided plant. In a 250-page judgment, the bench headed by K S Radhakrishnan (the order was written on their behalf by judge Dipak Mishra) stated the plant should not be made operational unless the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and the Department of atomic energy accorded final clearance for ensuring the quality of various components and systems.

Union Minister of State for Labour Kodikunnil Suresh has said the lack of coordination between various departments of the State government had led to the delay in taking up projects to protect the Sasthamcotta Lake.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, the Union Minister said the Centre had told the State government several times that it was ready to provide the necessary funds for the protection of the lake. The lack of coordination among the departments was the main problem. Mr. Suresh said there was a delay in setting up a steering committee in Kerala and in submitting the report to the Ministry.

A committee set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to probe the death of five elephants in Orissa's Ganjam district due to a speeding train has recommended that the Railways should restrict the speed of trains passing through identified vulnerable tracks in forests to a maximum 40 km per hour to prevent elephant deaths.

On the intervening night of December 29 and 30 last year, five elephants were mowed down by Coromondel Express, speeding at 110 km/hr near Subalaya in Ganjam district, when the herd was crossing the track. Incidentally, the accident occurred at the spot where the Railways had put up a warning signage of elephants crossing.