Brazil gives go ahead to GM corns
Despite objections from environmental and consumer groups, Brazil has authorized commercial use of two varieties of genetically modified (gm) corn. On February 12, the National Biosecurity
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Key players in the clearance process
Under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, if a project requires diversion of forestland for non-forest use, prior approval of the Centre is imperative. For this, one needs to apply to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) through the state forest department. A Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) at MoEF scrutinizes the proposal and based on certain criteria either grants or rejects clearance. The approval depends on the achievements of the state government concerned to guarantee land for compensatory afforestation.
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Centre says yes to Athirapally project in Kerala
the Kerala State Electricity Board is hopeful that the Athirapally Hydro Electric Project in the state's Trissur district will be revived. The Union ministry of Environment and Forests on July 19
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Stir over dam
people living in the Sagar taluk of Shimoga district in Karnataka have severely opposed a government move to construct a dam to irrigate nearly 405 hectares of khariff paddy land in the
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Ban on plastic
the Centre is likely to ban the use of recycled plastic bags throughout the country. In this regard, the Union minis try of environment and forests has already got the necessary clearance from
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MEF under fire
THE UNION minister of environment and forests was under fire at the last National Development Council (NDC) meeting both from a section of central ministers as well as chief ministers who
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No more secrets
the ministry of environment and forests seems to be keen on acquiring a people-friendly image. It has decided to make public all conditionalities laid down while granting environmental clearance
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Green light given
After a protracted debate over genetically modified (gm) maize in the uk, the British government is all set to approve the commercial production of the transgenic crop. The government advisers,
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Green appraisal
FIVE projects in the country are under review as per the recent Supreme Court order directing the Central government to appoint separate scientific teams to verify the environmental viability of
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Political dredging
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has flayed the Union ministry of shipping, road transport and highways for showing undue haste and irresponsibility in launching the Sethusamudram Canal
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Outgoing chief secy to head eco authority
Haryana's outgoing chief secretary Promilla Issar will shortly be appointed chairman of the recently constituted Haryana Environmental Impact Assessment Authority after she retires on Feb 29. The authority, constituted by the central government in consultation with the state government, will give clearance to construction projects on the basis of their processes and pollution levels up to a certain level. The clearance for highly polluting units and projects, however, still continues to be with the Government of India. This authority is different from the Pollution Control Board which checks projects only for pollution levels. The job of the authority is to study the impact of any project on the surroundings and suggest a pollution management plan for least impact on the environment. Though the notification of the constitution of the authority was made in 2006, a number of states are still in the process of constituting these as per the directions of the ministry of forests and environment while the authorities in other states like Punjab have already begun work. Meanwhile, addressing her last press conference as chief secretary, Issar said she was looking forward to writing on social issues post-retirement and had a "satisfying stint' as the CS where she had the opportunity to be instrumental in getting a number of projects, pending at the level of the Government of India, cleared for various departments. Speaking to mediapersons, she said Haryana had also raced ahead of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in the preparation of Commonwealth Games scheduled in 2010. The preparations were on the right track for making availability of 10,000 rooms during this prestigious international event. To a question, she said if "accommodating' a retired bureaucrat was possible for the government, it could not be wrong though she chose to keep mum on the new assignment that awaited her on retirement. Maintaining that she was never subjected to any pressure to do what she did not want to do, Issar added that whatever happened to an individual at his workplace had a lot to do with the person's attitude.
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Tehri: is it curtains?
The beginning of submergence of Tehri also marked the drowning of anti dam sentiments. Any strong protest was conspicuous by its absence. Does this signal the end of the three decade old movement?
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No headlines, no rehabilitation
Oustees of the Kutku and Auranga dams in Bihar complain media attention is the only way of getting justice from the government, but the media devotes its ink only to big money projects
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Green milestone
taking the initiative once again from legislators and executive bodies in safeguarding India's environment, the judiciary has targeted forest management as its current interest. The interim
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In A Spot
Are the new industrial siting rules a boon or a bane?
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Time to act
The Madhya Pradesh government has recently sent a letter to the Prime Minister seeking changes in the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The principal secretary, forests, Madhya Pradesh government, <font class='UCASE'>Sudeep Banerjee</font> , spoke to
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"Environmentalists' criticism of industries is not correct"
H D DEVE GOWDA is today the Prime Minister PM of India. Till last month, he was the chief minister of Karnataka. His sole aim there was to make Karnataka the most industrialised state. And he couldn't care less about the environmental fallout. Indee
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"Thou shalt inform "
Eleven years after the Bhopal gas catastrophe, the Government of India finally recognises communities' right to know about neighbourhood industrial operations
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Dupont decried
After the Thapar Dupont plant was driven out of Goa, and it found a refuge in Tamil Nadu, a ho,n,t's nest has again been stirred up
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Gaping chasms
A proposed bridge to link Vypeen island with the mainland spurs controversies