Kalamassery municipality asked to ensure scientific treatment of refuse The State Level Monitoring Committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal has said that the Kalamassery municipality can
Exotic plant species, unsustainable constructions among challenges: survey. Introduction of exotic species, reckless harvesting of plant resources, and ecologically unsustainable methods of construction are threatening the fragile ecosystem and rich biodiversity in Idamalakkudy, the only tribal panchayat in Kerala, located in Idukki district. A week-long biodiversity assessment programme conducted by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board revealed that the community, spread over 28 settlements in Idamalakkudy, was facing a threat to its sustainable method of living from external factors.
Over 300 tribal community people including 100 women and 20 children who had camped inside the forest in Nelmar Agraharam near Thally ended their agitation on Tuesday. According to officials of the Forest Department, the tribals started vacating their tents inside the forest area from Monday evening.
All houses to be brought under waste management network The first of the source-level waste processing schemes, declared in the annual budget of the State for 2012-13, will come up in Pala municipality. Speaking at the meeting called to discuss the issue at Pala on Tusday, Finance Minister K.M. Mani said all the houses within the municipal area would be brought under the waste management network within two months.
Hampered by inadequate manpower, lack of statutory power Amid widespread apprehensions over the quality of water supplied through an estimated 400 tanker lorries in the district, the Groundwater Department remains a mute spectator thanks to the lack of statutory authority and adequate manpower.
Help of local self-government institutions to be sought The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) is preparing to launch a campaign highlighting the need to prevent the destruction of plants during sanitation drives taken up by local self-government institutions.Board chairman R.V. Varma told The Hindu that directions would be communicated to local bodies to sensitise workers engaged for projects taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) .
A recent death of a person in Edathala due to hepatitis E has sparked off health concerns in the district that had seen a grave situation last year too because of outbreak of hepatitis in various parts of the district leading to an epidemic-like situation. An emergency meeting has been called by the District Collector at his camp office on Tuesday to review the situation and take necessary action.
The Union Minister of State for Power, K.C. Venugopal said that Kerala has started receiving 100 MW additional power from Central pool from Saturday evening itself. Talking to The Hindu, the Minister said that an additional of 100 MW has been announced two weeks ago. However, due to technical faults, Kerala was not able to draw the additional power. The Union Minister of Power, Sushil Kumar Shinde had announced an additional power of 50 MW in Palakkad a few weeks back. (Mr. Venugopal had also announced another 50 MW sometime back.)
District Collector P.G. Thomas has said that tobacco use is a habit that does no good but brings misery to society. “Therefore the habit has to be given up” he said while launching the “Tobacco-free Kollam” scheme at a function here on Thursday. The harm of tobacco use was that it was not only harmful to the user, but also to others who do not use it. So it was high time that people give up smoking tobacco and chewing tobacco products.
Panel names erring government agencies Government agencies, including the Forest Department, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and the police, are contributing to the pollution and environmental degradation of the Pampa river by releasing untreated waste into the river system.
A naturally growing rich mangrove forest along both sides of the railway causeway through the Paravur lake between Mayyanad and Paravur railway stations have been felled. No clear reason has been given for clearing the mangrove forest which stands in a Coastal Regulatory Zone. The development comes at a time when the Railways have announced being eco-friendly while taking up development projects. Railway land in Kerala has rich mangrove coverage in several areas, especially in the northern parts of the State. The Paravur lake area has thick mangrove forests on railway land.
