Rage over asbestos

Smaller eco zone irks ministry

Letters - December 15, 2012

Leave Them Alone This is with reference to the article, “Tourism in Jarawa buffer, officially” (November 16-30, 2012). The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been home to several distinct tribes for tens of thousands of years. But the administration, first the British and later the Indian government, brought nothing but disaster for the tribes. Only the Sentinelese tribe remains untouched by the devastation due to their isolated location and aggressive behaviour towards outsiders.

MoEF opposes CEC’s recommendation on eco-sensitive zones

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has opposed the recommendation of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on the mechanism for notifying eco-sensitive zones around wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, saying the advisory body to the Supreme Court wants to reduce the size of the zones.

India Inc’s new bogey

Auduth Timblo is the owner of Fomento Group, one of the largest mining and iron ore exporting corporations in Goa. Last week during a meeting in Lisbon to promote business relations between Goa and Portugal, Timblo blamed an “overworked and underpaid judiciary” and its “activism”, and “green tape” in Indian governance for halting Goa’s economic development.

Letters - November 30, 2012

Think Small

Letters - October 31, 2012

Truly biomess

Industry shadow on forest panel

THREE days after protests by environmentalists, a non-official member of the newly-constituted Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), accused of having conflict of interest, has resigned. The committee, under the Union environment ministry, grants clearances for diversion of forestland for non-forest purposes.

Letters - August 31, 2012

Organic elitism Big cities and towns are seeing a spurt in restaurants and shops selling all forms of organic products but the story of the livelihood of small farmers remains bleak (‘Organic universe’, July 16-31, 2012).

Steeled up