Fazilka: The sarpanch of Harnam Chand village is a man shattered. He and his six brothers own 50 acres of land in Shajrana village which has turned barren. Reduced to penury, the family has been forced to take land on contract to earn a livelihood. There was time when the family would cultivate cotton on their land and earn more than Rs 6,000 per acre, producing over 30 monds of cotton per acre.

New Delhi The country’s wasteland declined more than 5 lakh hectare during 2005-2008, a national wasteland atlas released on Wednesday has noted.

The atlas prepared by the National Remote Sensing Centre under the Indian Space Research Organisation has stated that wasteland during 2005-08 declined by 3.2 million hectare while increase in wasteland was to the tune of 2.7 million hectare.

Quarrying has been taking a heavy toll on Kerala's undulating terrain, altering the geo-physiological characteristics of the much-flaunted ‘God's Own Country'. There is, perhaps, no other place in Kerala as affected by quarrying as Pathanamthitta district where there are an estimated 800 quarries. A close look at the slow devastation being wrought in the district by the quarries even as the larger policy and ecological imperatives call out for attention.

The core area of the Nagarahole National Park, encompassing grassy swampland surrounded by bamboo groves, has been completely devastated by the fire that broke out early this week.

The air in the critical tiger and elephant habitat is hazy with smoke from smouldering embers. Forest watchers and temporary staff roped in from the local tribal community are still stomping out small flames emanating from the destroyed vegetation.

Vibha Sharma writes from Sanchor in Rajasthan
a unique Water Sharing

n The project is a unique example of farmers’ responsibility through ownership share in water
n To create a sense of belonging, the concept of participatory irrigation management has been introduced through the water users’ association
n Water is given in bulk in ‘diggies’ for each ‘chak’. Farmers are allocated water as per their land requirement. They lift water from ‘diggies’ using pumps and irrigate fields with sprinklers

It would be implemented in all panchayats in State

In a bid to nurture environmental consciousness among the younger generation, the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSSB) has made a proposal to the State government to make the contents of the People's Biodiversity Registers as part of their education.

State Planning Commission prepares draft approach paper

Aiming at a higher level of sustainable economic growth, four per cent growth rate in agriculture and promoting rapid growth in the manufacturing sector are among the broad objectives of the State government during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017), which will begin in April next, according the draft approach paper prepared by the State Planning Commission (SPC).

A unique grassland habitat for rare bird species is all set to come up in Shonkalia region of Ajmer district in Rajasthan, extending support to two endangered birds of the desert State and also providing structured grazing facility to the cattle within the same zone for roughly six months a year.