<p>Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of 'News Item titled "Deforestation ill-planned construction and unscientific - illegal mining behind Himachal Pradesh, monsoon catastrophe"
Floating islands have fascinated us since ancient times
A conference for the common good the mainstream media ignored
ON December 23, 2006, more than 200 people gathered in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, to protest the government's inaction regarding crop depredation by wildlife, especially monkeys, in the state.
Everyone in Himachal Pradesh has an opinion on one issue
the wildlife department of Himachal Pradesh is now in a muddle. Its pheasant-breeding programme lacks experts. The Rs 5-crore Sarahan pheasantry, which saw the world's first-ever successful captive
In an effort to preserve the productive area for, the state government has decided not to allow setting up of any special economic zone (SEZ) on agricultural land, however, the entrepreneurs willing to invest on the barren land are most welcome. Rather, the government will facilitate investors, who are willing to invest in barren areas, claimed Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Dhumal was interacting with mediapersons after inaugurating a new OPD complex, at Nurpur Civil Hospital, here today. It has been made at a cost of Rs 119 crore.
The Himalayan Policy Campaign Committee, an umbrella organisation of various environmental groups, voluntary organisations and NGOs based in the Himalayan region has requested the Lok Sabha Standing Committee on Rural development to defer the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2007 and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill, 2007. The committee while giving certain suggestions to be incorporated in the Bills has demanded that specialist NGOs and peoples groups on environmental issues should also be consulted. The governing body of the HPCC in a representation to the Chairman of Standing Committee Mr. Kalyan Singh has demanded that the Land Acquisition Act should be repealed since it leads to a disruption in the eco-systems. And when the ecosystems are damaged, destroyed or altered, it affects not only the communities and their livelihoods in the immediate vicinity but also downstream communities. Corporate rights The HPCC while raising the issue of corporate rights versus community rights said the later should be given preference since it is the community which was dependent on the natural resources and has natural rights on them from the time immemorial. Increasingly governments around the world are treating the notion of objectives of corporations as equal to national interest. This is grossly incorrect, says the HPCC. Any project that is decided on the merit of profit cannot be in national interest but in the interest of shareholders of a corporation. Therefore, national interest should be restricted to only security concerns, demanded the NGO. The HPCC is objecting to rampant construction of hydro electric projects in Himachal Pradesh and other hill States from a long time now.
At least six persons were killed and eight injured when a huge rock rolled down from the Nehru Kund hill on the Manali-Rohtang highway, about 5 km from here, this evening.
More than 25 people were feared to have been buried alive in a massive landslide triggered by melting snow in the higher reaches of the hills at Nehru Kund near the famous tourist resort of Manali in
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said that the government would soon introduce a scheme to boost agriculture under which progressive farmers would be given prizes.
