Small, busy and overcrowded, England might seem the last place in the world to have room for one of the planet's largest inhabited areas of unspoiled, natural darkness when night falls.

But if plans by Kielder Forest and the adjacent Northumberland national park are realised, the country will be home to an official "dark sky preserve" equalled only by two lonely areas in Quebec and Texas.

Sohra, May 18: Nimbus may be liberal while showering blessings on Meghalaya, which is deemed to be the “home of the storm cloud.” But when it comes to Sohra (Cherrapunjee), the generosity gets lavish. But the lavishness, which can be converted into “wealth” by way of attracting tourists, can also turn out to be a “bane” especially for struggling farmers as agricultural production has been severely hit in the past several years.

This despite the recommendation of National Forest Commission''

The State has failed to frame its own forest policy even six years after the National Forest Commission recommended that each State should have its own policy for sustainable development of forests and wildlife resources. The Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) Report (Civil) for the year ended March 2011, which was tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday, has found that the State had failed in its set targets in improving the forest cover and in allocation for the sector during the XI Plan period.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has initiated major eco-tourism projects at Chhatbir Zoological Park in Ajitgarh district and two others projects in Ludhiana district. Reviewing its progress, Sukhbir said Chhatbir Zoological Park with a population of 1200 animals of 90 rare species could be a major centre of attraction if properly marketed and promoted. He also suggested that Punjab could also go in for night safari on the pattern of Jurong Night Safari at Singa
pore. Similarly, two more such sites for eco-tourism have been identified in Ludhiana district.

A symbolic four-member people’s tribunal on Keenjhar Lake has urged the departments of fisheries, irrigation, wildlife and tourism to play their due role to protect the lake.

Led by environmentalist Samiul Zaman, the tribunal held its proceedings organised by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) at the lake on Tuesday.

Allowing setting up of a stone crusher in Terai-West forest division’s Kamola area seems to have come as a major setback not only for conservation of wildlife and flora and fauna but also for the agriculture sector . Among other natural sites, the famous Corbett Fall also falls in the same area. Besides, eco-tourism department also runs its activities here.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has laid emphasis on strengthening the forest panchayats, immediate release of service manuals relating to them and resolutions to displacement issues of Van Gujjars. He would soon hold a meeting with Union Forest and Environment Minister to discuss about the problems related to the inhabitants of Ascot and Govind wildlife sanctuaries. The Chief Minister has directed the concerned officials to provide 44 mobile vans to Forest Department to monitor movements of elephants.