Customs rescue 403 tortoises from two passengers at Tiruchi airport
The officials intercepted the two passengers when they came to the airport to board a Batik Air flight. The officials found 403 live Indian Star tortoises from their trolley bags.
The tortoises and the passengers were later handed over to the Forest Department in Tiruchi to take action against them under the Wildlife Protection Act, a message posted in the X platform of the Trichy Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate said.
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The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
Unabated Lantana camara invasion in Himachal needs swifter, more rigorous response
Lantana camara, an invasive alien species introduced decades ago as an ornamental plant, now infests approximately 3,25,282 hectares of forests in Himachal Pradesh, posing a threat to the State's native biodiversity. Even though the Forest Department has achieved significant progress by clearing 51,114.35 hectares of Lantana camara since 2009-10, ecologists are calling for faster, more rigorous action to curb the spread of the noxious weed. Lantana, a pantropical weed species, is native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Central and South America. In India, it was first introduced in the early 18th century, and since then, it has invaded almost all the tropical areas across the country, including Himachal Pradesh. According to the State Forest Department, a survey was carried out in 2010-11 and 2015-16 to asses the extent and level of invasion, which showed forest areas of around 2,35,491.93 hectares as being significantly infested with lantana, and varying intensity of infestation in seven territorial circles, namely, Dharamshala, Nahan, Hamirpur, Chamba, Bilaspur, Mandi, and Shimla. However, according to the India State of Forest Report 2023, the extent of Lantana camara infestation inside the recorded forest area in Himachal Pradesh is estimated to be around 3,252.82 sq. km. or 3,25,282 hectares. Kuldip Dogra, a noted taxonomist, acknowledged the progress made by the Forest Department in clearing lantana, which 'offers hope' in tackling the menace, but emphasised the need for an integrated, transdisciplinary, time-bound approach by involving stakeholders and members of civil society to create livelihood opportunities in the process of eradicating Lantana camara. 'There's no doubt that the area under alien invasive plant species, such as lantana, is on the rise, which is threatening the rich, native species diversity. To control the spread of lantana, it's important that stakeholders are involved — be it locals, industrialists, civil society organisations, etc. — and a mechanism evolved to enhance their livelihood options,' Mr. Dogra, Scientist at the Botanical Survey of India, High Altitude Western Himalayan Regional Centre in Solan district, told The Hindu. 'Lantana's management can be achieved by using its biomass for socioeconomic purposes — its timber for making furniture and also as fuelwood, etc. Its biomass can be used to produce organic compost and vermicompost, which will be better for organic farming and an alternative to inorganic manures available in the market,' he added. 'However, the cultivation of alien invasive plant species in home gardens, for landscaping, or for other economic purposes, and around the National and State Highways should be strictly avoided to prevent their further spread and establishment. Pharmaceutical companies should be encouraged to collect these species from the wild to extract potent alkaloids to be used for different industry purposes. Its management should be focused strongly on prevention, early detection and eradication strategies. Most importantly, the eradication programme should be carried out within stricter timelines by involving all the stakeholders, and increasing momentum to achieve optimal outcomes,' he added. The State Forest Department's policy document for managing Lantana camara points out that this noxious, exotic weed aggressively proliferates and forms a dense mesh of bushes. This happens excessively at the edges of forests having sparse canopies. Lantana camara is known to produce allelochemicals that restrict the growth of other species under its canopy. Hence, it replaces native flora, resulting in homogeneous vegetation, significantly contributing to decline in biodiversity. 'We have eradicated lantana in 51,114.35 hectares so far since 2009-10. The removal of lantana is being done through the 'cut root stock' method, and to ensure that lantana doesn't invade again, we are planting native species as well. We are making headway. On average, every year, we are expecting to eradicate lantana on 1,000 hectares of forest,' Girish Hosur, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Himachal Pradesh, said. 'The immediate focus should be to contain the speed of spread of lantana. It has been observed that it has been infesting from lower areas towards higher regions, which is worrying. The 'cut root stock' method is good, but the eradication should be tackled at the higher elevation first, so that the infestation could be restricted to the lower areas only, and then gradually rehabilitate all the areas with native species,' G.S. Goraya, researcher on floral diversity and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Himachal Pradesh, said.
News18
17 hours ago
- News18
CM Saini announces govts target to plant 2.10 crore saplings across Haryana
Chandigarh, Jul 23 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday announced that the state government has set a target of planting 2.10 crore saplings across the state this year. He gave a call to plant the maximum number of saplings for environmental conservation and to ensure a healthier planet and sustainable future. The chief minister said, 'With the support of citizens, I am confident that we will surpass this target once again." Addressing a state-�level 'Van Mahotsav' programme organised at Morni in the Panchkula district, Saini also announced that the plantations initiated by the Forest Department will be geo-tagged and regularly mapped using drones each year. Their growth will be monitored for up to five years to ensure effective implementation and contribute to increasing the forest cover in Haryana. Since October 2014, about 18 crore saplings have been planted across the state, he said. Saini also appealed to the people of the state to ensure that every family plants at least one tree during this monsoon season. He said that under the first phase of 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, 1.87 crore saplings have been planted in Haryana, surpassing the target of 1.60 crore saplings. On this occasion, the chief minister also released two booklets published by the Forest and Wildlife Department, focusing on 'Herbal Vatika' and the development of Nature Trails to promote eco-tourism in the Morni region. 'Van Mahotsav is not just a tree-plantation programme, it is a commitment that reminds us that nature is our life, and protecting it is our foremost duty. Our ancestors taught us the saying, 'Vriksho Rakshati Rakshitah', which means �those who protect trees are, in turn, protected by them," the chief minister added. PTI SUN MNK MNK view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 21:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Drive over, saws fall silent as logs now pile up in Chaithla
Half a dozen teams of Forest and Revenue Departments have completed the eviction drive to clear approximately 300 bighas of encroached forest land in Chaithla village, under the Kotkhai Forest Division, by removing all fruit-laden trees. Although the week-long drive, which began on July 12, was scheduled to conclude by July 18, the teams took two additional days to complete all formalities before finally calling off the exercise in Chaithla, which falls under the Pandli gram panchayat in Shimla district. A local orchardist said, 'The logs now have no market value. It is also not feasible to transport the logs from such a high-altitude to lower areas. Labourers and farmers can now use the wood only for burning firewood or for making makeshift boundaries around orchards. Even during earlier eviction drives, including one in 2017, hundreds of fruit-laden trees were cut by the forest department were left on site. The authorities must devise a proper way to deal with such axed trees.' Sources said that over 4,200 trees, mostly apple, were cut to clear encroachment on forest land. With the eviction drive now complete, Section 164 of BNSS, 2023, which was earlier imposed in the village, has also been withdrawn. Although a division bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court had instructed the Forest Department to recover the costs incurred in clearing the encroachments from violators, that part of the process is yet to be completed. A senior IFS officer, currently posted as the Divisional Forest Officer in Shimla, said, 'There are certain ways to utilise the logs. The HC has instructed our department to take full control of the encroached forest land and start fencing work. The ideal use of the logs is for makeshift fencing, which can later be reinforced. We had decided to adopt the strategy in our jurisdiction once the eviction drive began.' More than a dozen residents of Chaithla, all involved in apple farming, had reportedly encroached upon hundreds of bighas of forest land to cultivate apple orchards. In the past, the Revenue Department had identified the encroached areas and submitted a report to the High Court. Meanwhile, the police also removed barricades installed at two locations along the route from the Shimla-Kotkhai bypass to village Chaithla. The drive was initiated following a complaint filed in 2014 by Krishan Chand Sarta of Jhadag village, under Jubbal Tehsil, alleging large-scale encroachment of forest land by villagers cultivating apples, potatoes, and peas, and constructing permanent structures. The complaint also highlighted the inaction of Forest Department officials. Acting on the complaint, the then Chief Justice of the High Court ordered the registration of the matter as CWPIL No. 17 of 2014. In a separate communication dated May 15, 2015, further allegations were raised regarding encroachments in Nagpuri Chaithla, Sewag Chaithla, and Kadevag Chaithla villages. The complaint noted that the Horticulture Department had extended financial aid amounting to Rs 30 lakh to encroachers for building grading and packing houses, while the IPH Department and the Electricity Board had provided water and electricity connections.
