COVID-19: North Bengal tourism takes a hit as wildlife parks keep visitors out

Hotels and homestays empty; shut sanctuaries hit businesses 

As told to Parliament (July 22, 2021): All Indian villages open-defecation free

All that was discussed in the Houses through the day

MoEF opposes CEC’s recommendation on eco-sensitive zones

Says its recommendation to reduce the size of safety zones for wildlife unscientific

‘Sambar poaching highlights the indifference to Reserve Forests’

Experts talk to Down To Earth about the killings of India’s largest cervid species

Experts seek more protected areas in Sikkim

Sikkim harbours many endemic plant species and studies have predicted that about 17-18 per cent of endemic plants may get wiped out by 2050 …

Tiger numbers fine but vegetation declining in tiger reserves, warns study

The findings could be considered as eye opening as they reveal a blind-spot in generic protected area management approach

Violations, poor management threaten Gujarat sanctuaries: CAG

Poor spending of funds has led to mismanagement, leaving the forests open for encroachment, mining and deforestation

Nearly 213 ha in protected areas diverted between April and July

Standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife approved 21 projects for diversion, deferred 7 for later

Nearly 500 ha forest land in protected areas diverted in 2019

Standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife gave nod to carry out 68 projects in protected areas 

India continues to lose forest land to non-forestry projects

Central environment ministry reports diversion of 11,467 hectares forest land in 2019 (up to first week of November) 

These national parks have no eco-sensitive zones even after 12 years

On noticing this, the Supreme Court has ordered that 10 kms around 21 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in nine states be notified as eco-…

MoEF challenges penalty on it for allowing industries to function near Kaziranga

Appeal to Supreme Court says Assam government responsible for implementing notification on no-development zone around national park

Conflicts are no less around national parks, sanctuaries

First-of-its-kind study in India carried out in Karnataka finds number of villages affected by human-elephant conflict and the compensation paid …