<p>Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of T N Godavarman Thirumulpad Vs Union of India & Others dated 26/03/2025.</p> <p>The matter related to felling of Khair trees, Katra forest range,
THEODORE BASKARAN Commemorative volume showcasing the wealth of trees of the Indian landscape
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA), while approving the Rs 434-crore Byculla zoo makeover plan on Tuesday, stipulated that no tree be felled and no heritage structure be disturbed in the process. "We have studied the masterplan and have decided to approve it now. But in the interest of concerned citizens, we've maintained that not one tree be brought down during the modernisation of the zoo,' said B R Sharma, member secretary of the CZA. Incidentally, the BMC had recently mentioned that only diseased trees would be uprooted. While the CZA had earlier shown reservation to this condition, Sharma now stated that they would allow the BMC to make internal decision as long as their main conditions are adhered to. The long wait over, the BMC is now geared up to put the mega revamp plan
The verdant Polo jungles of Vijaynagar in north Gujarat's Sabarkantha district have a substantial population of tribals, but unlike many other tribal areas in the country that reel under poverty, ma
Managing trees, especially in Agroforestry, is of utmost importance, otherwise they may become too large and/or unstable. The integration of trees on the farmland creates complex biological interaction, which may not necessarily result in yield advantage. The tree architecture plays an important role in deciding the growth of understorey crops.
Human activities over the past 250 years have caused the level of green house gases in the atmosphere to rise, thereby impeding the reflection of long wave radiation back to space. As a result, the Earth's atmosphere is warming up at an alarming pace, and leading slowly but surely to change in the climate. This is seen to be already affecting our forests in general and teak forest in particular.
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.
If the proliferation of diseases and afflictions to do with lifestyles wasn't enough to give you palpitations at night, here's one more. It's called eco-anxiety. Al Gore has no idea of the havoc he has wreaked upon an unsuspecting world. His heart-stopping warning in his documentary An Inconvenient Truth that only 10 years remain to avoid an environmental catastrophe has only added to the growing number of people worrying themselves sick over issues like global warming, pesticides in food, nuclear waste, vehicle emissions and carbon footprints. In fact, eco-anxiety has even created a new breed of professionals: eco-therapists who counsel patients on making environmentally friendly lifestyle changes. The fears of the eco-anxious are fuelled by excessive and often hysterical media coverage of doomsday scenarios like the one outlined by Gore. In fact, we have a new phrase to describe such coverage: climate porn! The word was created after the US-based Institute for Policy Research analysed hundreds of media articles, news clips and TV ads on the issue. Climate porn refers to the use of apocalyptic language to describe the challenges posed by climate change. Pornography or not, what it has achieved is to give most people on the planet a serious complex about their contribution to global warming and the inevitable retribution that the environmental gods will hurl down on them from above. Image As a socially conscious citizen, my ecoangst has really changed a lot of things I took for granted. I work for a widely circulated weekly newsmagazine that prints on paper made from trees cut down in a forest somewhere. Am I committing a mortal sin each time I write? Should I petition the publisher to reduce the number of pages? It's a Catch-22 situation, similar to the feeling I get when I climb into my gas-guzzling car every morning. Shouldn't I be cycling to work instead? Actually, considering distance and time, that would mean waking up at 4 a.m. and getting home at 9 p.m. which is hardly conducive to good health and quality time at home. I also turn pale when I look at the greens sold by my local vegetable vendor. What foul pesticides have gone into their preservation and why do they look so unnaturally green, or yellow, or red? So, would it be better to reduce my living space and plant a vegetable garden even if it means sacrificing a much-loved and much used balcony? My best friend's apartment is on the 17th floor. Could I reduce electricity consumption by taking the stairs or would I be inviting a seizure? Going green and saving the planet is all very laudable but the anxiety is killing.
Haveeru 2008-02-20 Residents file complaints about trimming of magoo trees in Hulhu-Male -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | DATE: 2008-02-20 | PRINT | BOOKMARK Some residents of Hulhu-Male' has filed complaints regarding the trimming and cutting down of magoo trees (Scaevola sericea or Goodeniacea) from the shores and other parts of the island. A resident of Hulhu-Male' said on Tuesday that the Hulhu-Male' Development Corporation was cutting down the magoo trees growing between Dhiraagu building and the inhabited areas of the island beginning yesterday. "There were a lot of magoo trees near the shore,' he said. "The trees had grown to a height of around eight to nine feet but now they are being cut down and trimmed. Even now when it gets windy it's impossible to stay indoors since our houses are very near the beach. Now that they've cut down the trees which provide shelter from the wind the sand and dust are blowing right into our houses. Some of the trees had been stripped of all the leaves and only the roots were left behind. It's going to be very difficult for some residents.' Another resident said that because the trees near the beach had been cut and trimmed, those residents living in houses near the beach will have a lot of problem with the salt water blowing into their house by the wind. "An area of around 390 metres has been destroyed,' the man said. "Our houses are almost next to the beach and the doors and windows are made of aluminium. There is bound to be problems. I even contacted the HDC regarding this. The person who answered said that the trees were being cut down due to security reasons. I think that you can enforce security measures without cutting down the trees.' The Director of HDC Suhail Ahmed said that the main reason the trees in the areas were being cut down was because they were growing wild and the areas were turning into jungles. "We just wanted to clear up the area because the trees were just growing wild now,' he said. "And there is the problem of people throwing their garbage into the areas. We can only look after the trees if they are at a manageable size and amount. However these trees will grow shoots and fill out very quickly. This is not a permanent thing.'
Saving the Maidan's green cover from pollution and turning it into the Guild's "permanent fair ground' is possible, provided the state government, the pollution control board and the ordinary book lover unite, city-based environmentalists said. The 32nd Kolkata Book Fair could not be held this year, due to the lack of a "permanent fair ground' and a token book fair is being organised at the Salt Lake stadium in March. Environmentalists think the amount of footfall at the book fair and pollution from vehicles are the two factors harmful to the Maidan's environment.
