Category: Karnataka

Centre introduces amendment to forest conservation law; experts say move will destroy forests

The New Indian Express | March 31, 2023

The Bill emphasised on diversion of ‘deemed forest’ for non-forest use. The deemed forest is a kind of forest that is not notified as a forest, but in governments’ records, it is considered a forest.

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav introduced the forest conservation amendment bill in the Lok Sabha. The Bill intends to exempt lakhs of hectares of forest land from mandatory forest clearance laws. Environmentalists see the amendments as a dilution of strong forest laws, consequently degrading the existing forest.

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Tribal peoples across India join forces to denounce Protected Areas on their lands.

Survival | March 24, 2023

Hundreds of Indigenous (Adivasi) people from Protected Areas across India joined forces in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in southwest India for an unprecedented week-long protest march against the seizing of their lands to create so-called ‘Protected Areas’ for conservation, including tiger reserves.

The protest was centered on the world-famous Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, which was imposed, without consent, on the ancestral land of the Jenu Kuruba, who are renowned for their prowess as honey collectors, as well as the Beta Kuruba, Yarava and Pania tribes.

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We are persuading Supreme Court to release the entire DMF funds for taking up development work in Ballary, says Bommai

The Hindu | Jan 04, 2023

The Chief Minister, addressing a public meeting after inaugurating projects for public use and laying foundation stone for new ones in Ballari, reiterates his government’s commitment to developing Kalyana Karnataka region

Reiterating his government’s commitment to developing Kalyana Karnataka region, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that both the Union and the State governments are generously releasing funds for the development of the region.

He also said that his government has resolved all technical problems and is persuading the Supreme Court to release the entire District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds for taking up development activities in Ballari. Read more