IMPHAL, Feb 7 – Manipur- based Centre for Research on Environmental Development (CRED), an NGO, has been awarded the Green Globe Foundation award 2012 for outstanding contribution at the grass root level critical issues of environment degradation besides generating mass awareness on pollution related issues. The award was handed over to the representatives of the CRED at an award distribution ceremony at Taj Palace in New Delhi on February 2.

NEW DELHI, Feb 7 – The eight States of the Northeastern region (NER) have witnessed loss of green cover to the extent of 549 square km. Assam has lost 19 square km of forest cover. Painting a dismal picture of the forest cover in the North East, the India State of Forest Report 2011 released on Tuesday by Union Environment and Forest Secretary Dr P Chatterjee said the main reasons for the decrease is attributed to the biotic pressure and shifting cultivation in the region.

SIVASAGAR, Feb 7 – Muga, or the “golden silk”, has always been the pride of Assam. Over the years, muga silk has become a unique part of Assamese culture and tradition. This Assam’s golden silk has also got recognition in the international arena. Recently, it was declared by skin specialists of the world that dresses made of muga or eri, prevent skin diseases.

NEW DELHI, Feb 7 – Dismayed over the delay in establishing the proposed North East Water Resources Authority (NEWRA), Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday urged the Centre to revive the plans to revamp the ailing Brahmaputra Board. After waiting in vain for the ambitious project to take off, which incidentally was Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s brainchild, the Chief Minister has all but given up.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi met Union Minister for Railways Dinesh Trivedi at Rail Bhawan here today and urged him to incorporate a slew of proposals in the forthcoming Railway Budget 2012-13, an official release said. Chief Minister Gogoi while stressing the need for 'good connectivity from Assam, so critical for the people of the State and also other North Eastern States' urged him to declare the North east Frontier Railway as a dedicated railway zone exclusively for the North Eastern States and announce the same in this year's Railway Budget.

SIVASAGAR, Feb 6 – Unabated erosion caused by the Dikhow, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, is posing a serious threat to the existence of Hanhsora Manipuri Gaon in Sivasagar district. The erosion during the rainy season has been continuing for the last 15 years. The situation is very critical and it is feared that the entire area, inhabited by Manipuri people who came during Ahom era with Queen Kuranga Nayani, wife of Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha, will be washed away by the Dikhow in the coming years if effective measures are not initiated early.

MUMBAI: The government has been abandoning people in M-East ward with the same indifference and insouciance as it has been depositing rubbish there for years. Waves of people displaced from different parts of the city for MUTP, MUIP and Brimstowad projects have been rehoused in the ward since 2004. But a significant increase in the civic amenities here has not been deigned important.

NEW DELHI, Feb 6 – After clearing two remaining phases of the Majuli Island Protection Project, the Planning Commission has accorded investment clearance to ‘Restoration of Dibang and Lohit rivers to their original courses at Dholla-Hatighuli’ project. The project, estimated to cost Rs 54.43 crore, is to be completion in 2011-12 and Plan accounts would be closed by March 31, 2012. Plan panel sources said the project may be executed according to the approved outlays by the Ministry of Water Resources and Brahmaputra Board.

GUWAHATI, Feb 2 – Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka today said that the State was going to witness a boom in potato production with an expected yield of 1.90 lakh quintals from the high-quality seeds distributed by the Government. The expected production figure excludes the yield from seeds procured by farmers on their own. The Government had distributed 75,000 quintal seeds among the farmers with the objective of enhancing potato production.

Despite rapid urbanization, the herpetofauna population of Guwahati has not been severely affected. There are some 63 species of herpetiles in this Assam city. "This is good news and can be termed as one of the best average populations," said herpetofauna researcher Jayaditya Purkayastha after release of his book "Urban Herpetofauna: Amphibians and Reptiles of Guwahati" on World Wetland Day on Thursday.