<p>Order of the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone, Chennai) in the matter of Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust Vs State of Karnataka & Others dated 02/05/2025.</p> <p>Pursuant
Chinese conglomerate Xinxing Group, along with its partners, will invest Rs 8,735 crore to set up a pellet and steel manufacturing facilities in Karnataka in two phases. The $11 billion group along with Chinese and Indian partners has forged a joint venture, XINDIA Steels Ltd, to set up a steel plant in Koppal district of Karnataka. In the first phase, XINDIA Steels will invest Rs 400 crore to set up a 2 million tonne per annum (MTPA) iron ore pellet plant in 300 acres. XINDIA has acquired a steel manufacturing company, Humpi Steels, where it will set up the plant. XINDIA is a joint venture among Xinxing Group, China Minmetals Corporation, Manasara Investments, Kelachandra Group and Sigma Minmet Ltd with Chinese firms
A Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report has stressed the need for a scientific evaluation of the effects of eco-tourism on a particular area. Presenting a paper on
Adverse weather conditions, including heavy rains, have affected mango crop in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, while the prospects in Maharashtra, the largest producer of the
Myristica Dactyoloides, popularly known as Ramapatre, is near-extinct and needs instant protection,writes Sandhya Hegde Almane. Myristica Dactyoloides is an indication of water sources. Myristica Dactyoloides, popularly known as Ramapatre in Kannada, is mainly found in the Western Ghats and is almost extinct. A prominent non-timber forest product species found in evergreen forests, Ramapatre is a major income generator too. In fact, people earn as much as Rs 22,000 per season from the sale of Ramapatre. Sadly, in the recent past, the branches of these trees are drying up in the forests of Bengaon, Mattighatta and Heggarani in Siddapur. Myristica Dactyoloides is one of the major non-timber forest products like garcinia gummigutta, and cinnamon. Myristica tree grows up to 15 meters in height, blossoms from March to June and fruits from October to March. The seeds of Myristica are vulnerable to temperature and humidity, while the fruit perishes very soon. Ecologically, Myristica is in a dying condition and needs immediate protection. Over extraction and the harvest of unripe fruits have endangered the survival of the species in recent days. Since unripe fruits are harvested, the branches of the trees are affected and the availability of mature fruits has decreased. About 95 per cent of fruits are harvested in the month of March. While the nutmeg and mace are dried and sold, fleshy fruits are used for pickles and sold in parts of Tamil Nadu. According to experts, fruits shouldn't be harvested early so as to lead to regeneration. They suggest that some mature fruits should be left on the trees for progeny. This fruit is also known as kadu jajika in Kannada, kattu jathikai in Tamil and pantha payin in Malayalam. Myristica malabarica and Myristica fatua are two more popular names of Myristica Dactyoloides. Now the trees are affected by a strange disease, leading to the loss of innumerable immature nuts. According to Prof R Vasudev, College of Forestry, Sirsi, Lycanidae, an insect of butterfly family, feeds on the leaves and bark of these trees, weakening them. A similar phenomenon was reported in Thirthahalli forest region three years ago. "A species, that's feared is heading the extinct way, remains only when breed cultivation is developed by resistant trees. Already, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has identified Myristica Dactyoloides as one of the about-to-be-extinct species at the international level,' revealed Mr Vasudev. In order to preserve the species, the plant is to be grown in nurseries, cultivated in home gardens and planted back in the forests. Prakruti, an NGO in Sirsi, is involved in the resource mapping of the species, raising them in nurseries and spreading awareness about the importance of the survival of the plant species among the general public through meetings and workshops.
Change in their eating habits deprives women of vital nutrients. A cup of coffee sweetened by jaggery relaxes Muniyammma. With renewed energy she goes back to the field to help transport the just-harvested bundles of ragi from Kaggalipura to the threshing mills. Some 40km away, in Bangalore, Muniyamma's sister Jyothi sips a cup of coffee bought at Rs 3 from a roadside vendor. Sweetened with white sugar, the coffee allows her to take a break from carrying stones on a construction site. Because jaggery has been replaced with refined sugar, Jyothi has unknowingly deprived herself of its rich nutrients. While a kilogram of jaggery has 28 grams of mineral salts
The growth of tourism around protected areas, energy efficiency and waste disposal will be the focus at the seminar on 'Eco-Tourism in Karnataka: Challenges, policy and Future' to be held here on Tuesday. The seminar will also discuss partnership of eco-tourism operators in the conservation of forest and wildlife. Recommendations will be made in the presence of Parameshwarappa, who has been appointed by Planning Commission as advisor on eco-tourism. All stakeholders in eco-tourism, including the private investors, will be brought on a single platform where they can debate issues to evolve an eco-tourism policy, said Mr Tiwari. "There is a need to develop an
Some state governments, without waiting for a decision by the group of ministers (GoM) on bio-fuels, headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, have gone ahead with their own programme of large-scale plantation of Jatropha. "We have launched our Jatropha plantation programme taking a cue from the Planning Commission's document, National Mission on Biodiesel. We are aware that the GoM on bio-fuels is deliberating the issue. The broad policy of the central government has already been enunciated in the Planning Commission document. The GoM is discussing incentives to be provided and the work of central government agencies in aiding implementation of the programme,' SK Shukla, executive director of Chhattisgarh Bio-fuel Development Authority (CBDA), told FE. The CBDA, which is headed by the chief secretary of the state, has identified 15.7 million hectare out of 201.5 million hectare revenue fallow land in different parts of the state for Jatropha. Chhattisgarh has 170.18 million hectare of degraded forest land in 17 out of 18 districts which can used for Jatropha plantation. "But for this, we need clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests,' Shukla said. The Indian Railways also owns 7,309.557 hectare land along the tracks and other holdings amounting to 1,096.871 hectare, which can be used for Jatropha, he added. State government agencies have raised about 390 million Jatropha saplings in nurseries and have distributed them free to farmers for planting in 1,55,000 hectare in the last three years. In 2008-09, 200 million Jatropha saplings would be raised in nurseries. Chhattisgarh has also announced support prices for Jatropha seed at Rs 6,500 a tonne, Karanj seeds at Rs 6,000 a tonne and for Jatropha and Karanj oils at Rs 18 per litre. Also, it has framed a new policy for leasing out wastelands to investors. In addition, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is being used for Jatropha plantation. The Bio-fuel Authority of Rajasthan, too, has identified 2,106.8 hectares in 11 districts for Jatropha, said PC Chaplot, of the directorate of extension education in Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology. The state is also exploring the possibility of diverting 2% to 3% farm land for Jatropha in the form of hedges around fields for protecting crops, water harvesting as well as acting as a windbreak. In the south, Karnataka has set up an autonomous Bio-fuel Board with members drawn from institutions, agriculture universities, forest and agriculture departments, industry and NGOs for integrated development of the bio-fuel programme and formulating support prices for seeds, oil and oilcakes, KV Sarvesh, of the state agriculture department told FE.
Factories reportedly going slow on production Steep increase in fertilizer prices in international market Karnataka and Kerala are stated to be heading for a major shortage of chemical fertilizers during the ensuing kharif season with the Union Government yet to finalise the fertilizer prices and consequently the factories going slow on production. Sources in the State Secretariat told The Hindu that the authorities here are in touch with their counterparts in Kerala to finalise a joint move to impress on the Union Government to act with speed failing which it could have serious repercussions in the rural areas arising out of fertilizer shortage. The kharif sowing season normally starts around the same time in Karnataka and Kerala with the southwest monsoon setting in the region more or less around the same time. Fixing fertilizer prices and the quantum of fertilizer subsidy go hand-in-hand and a committee of Secretaries of the Union Government is stated to be pondering over this matter at length following the steep increase in fertilizer prices in the international market .The escalating prices of key inputs in the manufacture of phosphatic fertilizers is stated as one of the factors for the delay. Governor Rameshwar Thakur, during a recent visit to New Delhi, is stated to have impressed upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the need to ensure adequate fertilizer supplies to Karnataka in time. A similar request has also been made to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ram Vilas Paswan. The State faced a fertilizer shortage during the last rabi season. When compared with a projected demand of 15.39 lakh tonnes the supply was only 7.18 lakh tonnes. Kharif accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the agricultural production with the rest coming from the rabi crop. Normally, the exercise of building up fertilizer stocks by the authorities commences in the last week of February and the despatch to the dealers commences in the last week of March well ahead of the kharif season, which commences in April. The State has to also ensure the availability of railway wagons to transport fertilizer from the factories to all parts of the State. Unlike Kerala which has a major fertilizer factory (FACT), the only fertilizer plant in Karnataka (Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers-MCF) manufactures only urea. Sources told The Hindu that "the situation is alarming because the fertilizer industry as a whole has not taken any concrete step to produce and stock. We are anxiously waiting with our fingers crossed.'
Even as the Union government is struggling to boost the country's agriculture extension system, pesticide and crop chemical manufacturers have joined hands with rural ngos to promote safe and judicious usage of pesticides among the farmers.
With a click of the mouse, you can obtain plenty of information on any. topic, from the internet. Knowing the English language is necessary in most cases - but not so in the case of this portal - www.indiawater-portal.org/kannada. The water portal, which is co-ordinated by Arghyam, a non profit trust headed by Rohini Nilekani, supplies information - in Kannada -on various aspects of water. It was formally launched by K Jairaj, Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, here on Friday Arghyam launched the portal in January this year, and intends to launch more vernacular portals. The Kannada portal, which is totally funded by the trust to the tune of Rs one crore, is also a forum for citizens to air their views concerns and suggestions on water-related issues. The content has been developed by involving practitioners and experts in the field. The government, which has data on water and its related projects, should upload its in: formation on the new website, suggested Ms Nilekani. Interactive forum Trust CEO Sunita Nadhamuni said the website will serve as an interactive forum where discussions, debate and exchange can happen. Citizens can post questions related to water issues, which will be answered by water professionals. Jairaj said that Karnataka has to do a lot of work on accessibility of water, its quality and sustainability. Various projects to improve water supply to villages have been taken up and the government would welcome social audit of the same.
