Over the past 15 years, more than three lakh hectares of forest land in India have been diverted for non-forestry purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, as revealed by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The government data presented during the session highlighted that Punjab leads in this diversion … Read more
During a session of the Lok Sabha, the government highlighted the stringent guidelines under which proposals for the diversion of forest land are considered for various infrastructure projects. These projects include the construction of National Highways, State Highways, and airport runways. The focus remains on striking a balance between development and environmental conservation, with careful … Read more
In Lok Sabha, The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change said that the Forest Survey of India has reported alarming numbers of forest fires detected over the past five years using the SNPP-VIIRS sensor – 2,10,286, 1,24,473, 3,45,989, 2,23,333, and 2,12,249, respectively. The numbers raise concerns about the escalating threat of forest fires across … Read more
Loutolim residents, along with children and older people, have risen up in protest against the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023, voicing strong opposition and demanding its immediate removal. Fearful of the possible destruction of their village’s forest cover, Loutolim locals express concern about the detrimental impact of the proposed bill. Expressing their commitment to protecting … Read more
Canada is currently experiencing an unprecedented wildfire season, with massive fires spreading across the country, prompting widespread evacuations. In just six weeks, these wildfires have burned more than 3.3 million acres of land, exceeding the size of the state of Maryland. While wildfires are common in Canada between May and October, the extent of the … Read more
In a significant development regarding the forest fires in Uttarakhand, the Supreme Court of India passed an order on May 17, 2023, granting certain permits to the state government. The order was issued in response to an application filed in the case In Re: T N Godavarman Thirumulpad Vs Union of India & Others. The … Read more
Despite efforts to contain it, a significant forest fire in Spain’s eastern Castellon region is still burning, following the evacuation of over 1,500 individuals from their homes yesterday. The fire began on Thursday, and according to local authorities, has already consumed over 4,000 hectares of land, signalling an early beginning to Spain’s fire season due to … Read more
On Wednesday, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav introduced the Forestry (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023 in Lok Sabha. The bill aims to clarify the forestry conservation law and exclude specific categories of land from its jurisdiction to accelerate the implementation of strategic and security-related projects of national importance. After its introduction, the bill was referred to a … Read more
The growing demand for wood-based products is one of the primary reasons why India imports timber. With the increasing population and urbanization, the demand for timber has been on a constant rise for the past few decades. How much India imports timber? As per the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report, India’s annual demand … Read more
The 2023 State of India’s Environment report highlights that eight northeastern states in India have lost 1,020 sq km of forest cover in last 4 years. According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the eight northeastern states of India have lost a total of 1,020 square kilometers of forest land between 2019 and … Read more
