-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday came out all guns blazing against the National Green Tribunal, called the most important environment forum in history by the Supreme Court, and accused the tribunal of exceeding its brief and becoming a source of "embarrassment" for it in Parliament. "The NGT is not functioning as per the provisions of the NGT Act. This has been resulting in embarrassment to the government...

-Outlook The Uttar Pradesh government today reluctantly admitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that illegal sand mining was going on in the state and not even a single environmental clearance granted for it in Gautam Budh Nagar district. "We (UP government) have not caught anyone till now. It's there Lordship. Yes it (illegal sand mining) is going on," the counsel, appearing for Uttar Pradesh government and its Chief Secretary, said. A five-member...

-The Times of India BADOPAL (FATEHABAD): The undulating semi-arid landscape of Badopal village, about 10km from Fatehabad town, is a haven for blackbucks. About 500 blackbucks, deers, neelgai (blue bull) and other species inhabit the area, which has abundant food and other sources necessary for the survival of these animals. However, this habitat faces an uncertain future ever since Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) acquired around 185 acres of land...

-The Times of India BANGALORE: Ever wondered why the country is fast losing its forest cover? The simple answer is that large tracts of forest land are being handed over to public and private agencies in the name of development projects. Digest this: According to recent data acquired through RTI from the ministry of environment and forests by a group of environmentalists, the extent of forest land being diverted across the country...

-IPS News India's planners worry about ‘jobless growth', but perhaps nothing illustrates this phenomenon better than a policy of handing over the collection and disposal of the capital's refuse to large private corporations, leaving close to 50,000 ragpickers unemployed. For decades ragpickers provided a service to this city, scavenging waste for recyclable plastic, aluminium, glass and other materials, and earning a livelihood by selling their pickings to contractors with equipment to process...