SEPTEMBER 16
A herd of wild
elephants near Deepor Beel in Guwahati on Tuesday (Photo): September 16
A herd
of wild elephants in search of food came down from nearby Rani forest to
Tetalia on the outskirts of Guwahati on Tuesday (photo): September 16
Heavy rains
continue to lash the North Karnataka
districts of Bagalkot and Raichur for the second day; rains lash Bhatkal in
Uttara Kannada district for more than 14 hours; moderate rainfall in
Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts: September 16
September
temperature in Calcutta highest in the last five years: September 16
MoEF has denied
clearance to the 3,097MW Etalin HE project, proposed to be built on Dibang
river basin: September 15
Intermittent rain in
Jharkhand - attributed to a well-marked low pressure zone over the Bay:
September 15
Rains continue to
heavily lash Coastal Andhra Pradesh: September 16
Trees get identity
cards in Kolkata suburb, Konnagar: PTI | September 16,
Andhra Pradesh
government is reportedly examining a proposal to keep open a 12-km road that
cuts through the Sri Lankamalleshwar Sanctuary, the only habitat in the world
for the Jerdon’s Courser: September 16
The road between
Sidhavatam and Badvel in YSR Kadapa district passes through this sanctuary,
which is known for its rich diversity of plant species, particularly red
sanders. The sanctuary once used to be a major tiger corridor between the
Seshachalam and Nallamala hills ranges but got disturbed due to anthropogenic
activities.
Nambor and
Nambor-Doigrung WLS in Karbi Anglong/Golaghat distrits, Assam - development
leading to deforestation and shrinkage of the forest: September 16
SEPTEMBER 17
Earthquake,
measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale, rocked Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, early this morning; its epicenter
was located at 153 kms North-East of Leh and 232 km North East of Kargil on
Kashmir-Xinjiang border: September 16
Rains continue in
some districts of North Karnataka for the third day on Wednesday: Sep 17
MoEF has asked the
WII to commission a study for taking a final decision on the Nyamjang Chu hydel
project: Sep 17
The EAC for river
valley and hydroelectric projects stated in its report that a separate study
for protection and conservation of the habitat of black-necked crane would be
commissioned by the MoEFC as the proposed barrage site is close to the
wintering habitat of the threatened crane.
Low-pressure belt in
Bay moves to Odisha and is moving southwards: September 17
No possibility of
significant rain in Bihar over the next week and the state is faced with 28 per
cent monsoon deficiency this year. Heavy rain triggered by low pressure in the
past 48 hours in Odisha
Low Pressure
triggers flash floods in South Odisha:
September 17
Low pressure over
the Bay which has been causing wide-spread rains in North Coastal Andhra has
developed into a depression on Wednesday: September 17
Delhi, Kolkata and
Mumbai has topped the list of premature
deaths in Indiadue to harmful particles like PM2.5 and O3 in the air; Delhi
will record the world's largest number of premature deaths due to air pollution
by 2025: September 17
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Delhi-will-record-worlds-largest-number-of-premature-deaths-due-to-air-pollution/articleshow/49000678.cms>
SEPTEMBER 18
Thousands marooned
in Koraput, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts of Odisha by the
depression-induced flash floods:
September 18
22 districts in
Odisha have received normal rainfall, whereas eight others received deficient
rainfall leading to drought-like situation there. The districts of Dhenkanal,
Khurda, Balangir, Boudh, Bargarh, Subarnapur, Kondhamal and Keonjhar have
registered less than normal rainfall.
Two days of heavy
downpour across Chhattisgarh: September 18
Chhattisgarh has
received 924mm rain so far since the onset of monsoon in the first week of July
which is 15% deficit from normal (1091mm) rain.
Pug marks of tiger
seen near Dongapalli and Kawal villages in Kawal Tiger Reserve: Sept 17
This is the first
sign of the presence of tiger in Kawal Tiger Reserve since its inception in
2012.
Devastation of Land
and Forests- a iron ore mine at Ramandurga Hills in Sandur in Bellary District,
Karnataka: September 17
The Centre will
conduct auction of mines bearing minerals such as iron ore, bauxite and
limestone on behalf of States for the first phase, comprising 80-90 mines
starting November this year. The Mines and Minerals (Development and
Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, passed in March this year stipulates auction
as the only means to allow extraction of iron ore and other minerals. The
Centre’s three agencies — MECON, MECL and MSTC — will aid the Centre in the
auction process. Only Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan will conduct
their own auctions. Phase-II will have around 96 blocks. The Mines Ministry has
identified 199 mines that can be
allocated through the auction route. They are located in mineral-rich States
such as Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and
Odisha.
SEPTEMBER 19
Monsoonal rain
targets Western, Northern India through this weekend: September 19
The system which
originated in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday and slammed into the eastern coast
of India, near Visakhapatnam. Throughout the week, the heavy rain shifted
westward and is aiming for the city of Surat.
Moderate rains
continue in parts of Shivamogga district on Friday: September 19
Water level in
Linganamakki dam rose to 1790.50 feet against a maximum of 1819 feet.
Sultry morning leads
to a rain-washed afternoon on Friday in Calcutta: September 19
The maximum
temperature was 34.9 degrees Celsius on Friday and the minimum relative
humidity, was 68 per cent.
The moisture-laden
air and the low-pressure belt near the Bangladesh coast resulted in
thunderclouds and rain. The
cyclonic circulation
in the Bay of Bengal near the Bangladesh coast intensified into a low-pressure
area on Friday.
Asiatic lions from
GIR sent to 53 zoos all over the world in 50 years: TNN | September 19
Poor rainfall in
Nilgiri disrict - yield of vegetable
crops will be down, say farmers: TNN | September 19
Irai dam full after rains lash Chandrapur for three days: TNN |
September 19
Madras HC upholds
ban on shark fin export by a notification issued by the Central government:
September 19
SEPTEMBER 20 (Sunday)
Dry weather over
North Eastern region since September 16 - rise in day temperature by 5-6 degree C: September 19
Living in harmony -
wildlife & the villagers of Rajasthan: September 20
LAC Lustre - three trees in India, kusum, ber and dhak — play host to a special
insect, laccifer
lacca, commonly known as lac insect. The insects secrete a resinous and
sticky pigment known as lac. The scarlet-hued material, harvested from the
branches, goes through a series of processes to become free of impurities,
following which it is marketed as
shellac. This refined version of lac is used in a number of industries —
dyeing, wood polishing, varnishing, cosmetics, Jewellery, bangles and food
industries. Lac is also importantly used as sealing wax. : September20
Yettinahole project
is not feasible, agrees Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader: September 20
Poor rain, depleting
reservoirs may take toll on winter crops: September 19
After the decline in
foodgrain output in the kharif season, the deficit monsoon, especially in the southern and western regions,
could further affect the planting of winter crops (Rabi season) and add to
farmers’ distress. As on September 17, the water storage availability in 91
major reservoirs of the country was 59%
of the total storage capacity
Month-long dry spell
ends in Ahmedabad - deep depression is expected to give heavy to very heavy
rains across Gujarat: September 20
Moderate to heavy
rains in the last leg of the south-west monsoon likely to delay in its
withdrawal beyond the normal date of September 30 - the arrival of the
north-east monsoon could get delayed over the southern peninsula: Sept 20
SEPTEMBER 21
The 'sinking ship' of
the desert - The Indian camel: September 21
Despite legal
strictures on the slaughter of camels for meat, police turn a blind eye as
several animals are killed during the festival of Bakrid. The Rajasthan Camel
(Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export)
Bill, 2015 bans the slaughter, trading, unauthorised transportation and causing
injury to camels punishable. Camel slaughter is punishable with a five-year
jail term and a fine.Camel was declared the State animal of Rajasthan last
year.
Camels brought to
Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu for slaughtering during Bakrid
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/activists-cry-foul-as-camels-arrive/article7676732.ece
Sep 22
Godavari in spate in
East Godavari district as rain continued for the fourth consecutive day on
Sunday: September 21
Heavy inflows into
Godavari from upstream Khammam district; water level at the Dowleswaram barrage
touches 8.40 feet; flood level at Bhadrachalam touched 38.2 feet by afternoon.
Heavy rain in
Visakhapatnam district in the past few days: September 21
The low pressure
area over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off south Odisha
and north AP coast persists and heavy rain is expected over the coastal
districts in next three days
Low pressure off
south Odisha coast triggers showers across many parts of the State on
Sunday: September 21
Hirakud dam receives
good inflow as Chhattisgarh receives heavy rain.
Blackbuck reserve
proposed in Chamarajanagar district: September 21
<http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/blackbuck-reserve-proposed-in-chamarajanagar/article7672181.ece>
SEPTEMBER 22
Low-pressure area brings rain to west
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and parts of North-West India: September 22
SEPTEMBER 23
Numaligarh Refinery
ordered to be impleaded as a respondent
by NGT in the applications filed in connection with the issue of illegal
boundary wall constructed by them on the
elephant corridor in the proposed Deopahar RF: September 18
Numaligarh Refinery
Limited (NRL) was awarded the ‘Most Eco-Friendly Public Sector Unit' in 2014.
More than 10 elephants have died since 2011 as they try to cross over to and
from the hilly terrain of the forest in the ‘trap’ constructed by the green company!
Season’s first
snowfall in upper reaches of Kashmir
Valley; rains lash most places across the valley: September 22
Flood alert sounded
in Kashmir Valley as Jhelum River crossed the danger mark: September 23
Jammu Srinagar
National Highway was today closed for traffic following landslides triggered by
the heavy rain. Gulmarg in the higher reaches of the Afarwat mountains receives
rare autumn snow.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/heavy-rain-in-south-kashmir-jhelum-swells/136986.html
Weather in J &
K: September 23
Jammu - Temp
23.4/20.5 C, Rain 48mm, RH 100%; Srinagar - 15.2/12.9 C, Rain 26mm, RH 96-98%;
Leh - 21.5/12.8 C
Intermittent showers
in lower reaches and snowfall at higher reaches of Kullu. Rohtang Pass receives
its first snowfall: Sept 22
Odisha is likely to receive heavy rainfall with gusty
surface wind due to the low pressure area over Jharkhand and adjoining areas of
the Gangetic W. Bengal, an IMD bulletin said on Tuesday. The associated upper
air cyclonic circulation has extended up to mid-tropospheric level: September
22
http://www.thestatesman.com/
Adyar estuary in
Chennai is slowly coming back to life: TNN | September 23
US offers technology
to track and protect Indian tigers: PTI | September 23
Faltering monsoon
cause severe damage to India’s sugar crop: September 22
After a string of
bumper harvests created an Indian sugar glut, drought could cut supply in the
marketing year starting in October and there is a risk production will drop
below consumption for the first time in seven years in the following 2016-17
season. After a good start in June, monsoon rainfall weakened in July and
August and had badly affected the crop. Industry officials say thousands of
hectares of cane have been damaged after India’s first back-to-back drought in
three decades, as farmers also refrain from planting cane for the next season
due to water scarcity. Farmers in the top sugar-producing State of Maharashtra
are feeding the dwarf and withered cane to cattle, as Sugar mills will not buy
cane with small shoots. India’s production of sugar next season is expected to
fall to 25 to 28 million tonnes in 2016-17. That compares with a near record
28.3 million tonnes this year and expectations of annual consumption of 25.2
million tonnes in the upcoming season. Since India will start the new crop year
with more than 10 million tonnes of stocks, it has room to sustain exports in
the upcoming season to cut stockpiles, but this picture could swiftly turn
around with a shortfall in output likely to bolster global sugar prices
languishing at seven-year lows. Water intensive cane can take 10 to 18 months
from planting to harvest so cultivation of a new crop needs to be completed in
the next four months for harvesting in 2016-17.
http://www.thehindu.com/
SEPTEMBER 24
Incessant
rains from Tuesday night flooded Guwahati on Wednesday - the second time within
a week: September 24
Heavy rainfall in adjoining Meghalaya compounded the
deluge in the city. Since Tuesday night, there was around 100 mm
rainfall in the city and an equal amount of rainfall in the neighbouring hills
of Meghalaya. Last Sunday, there was heavy rainfall for two hours or so.
Jhelum crosses flood
mark; rains stop: September 23
Eight low pressures
formed over the Bay of Bengal or originated from near the Indian Ocean from
June 1, 2015 - only two of them intensified into depression: September 24
Ameenpur Lake near
BHEL in Hyderabad is emerging as a popular bird-watchers' paradise: September
24
Nine new species of
wild mushrooms discovered in India: September 24
Wild elephants in
Karnataka to get unique identification code: September 24
Indian Purple Frog,
endemic to the southern Western Ghats
facing threat to its existence from tribals: September 24
SEPTEMBER 25
MoEFCC has cancelled
the CRZ clearance for the Rajakkamangalam Thurai private fishing harbour
project: September 25
The CRZ clearance
awarded to the private fishing harbour in July 2011, had been cancelled based
on a representation from INTACH. The private company had obtained CRZ clearance
by submitting a “false statement” of DFO, Nagercoil, stating that there were no
sand dunes in the Rajakkamangalam coast. Officials from the Regional Office of
MoEFCC inspected the site on January 17, 2015, and found the presence of sand
dunes and hatchlings of sea turtles in the project area. In a major portion of
sand dunes, casuarina plantations had been raised but they were reportedly
felled by the developers.
SEPTEMBER 26
Poaching rampant at
Kulik Bird Sanctuary in the outskirts of Raiganj: September 25
Interpretation
Centre opened near the Eagle nest WLS, where all information related to the
sanctuary are on display: September 25
Minor irrigation
tanks in in north Telangana districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar and Khammam
are brimming with water this season: September 26
However, minor
irrigation tanks in Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy and Medak districts and
Yellareddy and Kamareddy mandals in Nizamabad, which are adjacent to Hyderabad
did not receive any water due to dry spell.
Tidal flooding
likely to occur along the Kerala coast from September 25 to 30 during Perigean
Spring Tide, says INCOIS: September 26
SEPTEMBER 27
Heavy rains, coupled
with thunder and lightning, pounded Kunigal and Madhugiri taluks and several
parts of Tumakuru district since Friday night: September 27
Hornbill hunting
impacts spread of forests: Study by IISc and NCF in Namdapha TR & Miao RF:
PTI | September 27
Hejje, an android-based app for mobile smart
phones has made it easier and more effective to monitor the field staff,
retrieve real-time data on the habitat, animal sightings etc. in tiger reserves
in Karnataka: September 27
<http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/jungle-patrolling-just-got-easier/article7693540.ece>
Environmental
activist, Kallen Pokkudan, also known as Kandal Pokkudan, passed away in Kannur
on Sunday: Sept 27
Kallen Pokkudan had
been working for the protection of mangrove forests since 1989, and authored
several books on mangroves. He proposed new lessons in nature conservation by
incorporating mangrove forests. His contributions have won the mention of UNESCO. He
had won the state government's Vanamithra and Haritha Vyakthi
awards.
Heavy inflow from
Kabini and Krishnaraja Sagar reservoirs into BiligunduluHogenakkal.
Bauxite mining could
spur a Maoist revival in tribal areas: September
27
SEPTEMBER 28
Heavy rains in
Kodagu, Haveri distrcits: September 28
Supermoon in the
Calcutta sky on Sunday evening (Photo): September 28
A Supermoon is a
full moon that is a shade brighter and bigger than the average full moon. It
happens if the moon is full when it is closest to the Earth on its elliptical
orbit around the planet. ‘The moon will be at a rough distance of 3,56,800km
from the Earth. The average earth-moon distance is 3,84,000km,’ said Debiprosad
Duari, of MP Birla Planetarium.
 |
| Supermoon seen in Calcutta |
 | ||
| Supermoon seen in Winnipeg, Manitoba (USA) |
 |
| Supermoon in Paris |
Hope floats for
pygmy hog: September 27
Currently, the pygmy
hog is restricted to a single viable population in the wild - at Manas Tiger
Reserve. These animals are not found in the wild anywhere else on earth. Dr
Goutam Narayan, who recently received an international award for conservation
of the animal said "the pygmy hog as a species is certainly more secure
now with two reintroduced populations and two captive populations in Assam
compared to just one original population before 1996".
Seven tourists
visiting Malpe beach were injured after being stung by Sting Rays on Sunday:
September 28
The beach will
remain closed for the next 20 days till the fish move away. The sting is
poisonous, but not fatal. Pain will be severe for a day and there will be
muscle cramps. Life guards, said that a week ago, many sting rays were caught
in fishing nets. They added that sting rays come near the beach when there is a
dip in the water temperature. 8USting rays, however, use their barbs only for
self-defence, they said.
Wild elephants
making north Chhattisgarh districts their home: TNN | September 28
Fourth tremor
recorded in Dhenkanal in the last three days: September29
a micro earthquake
measuring 2.4 on the Richter Scale hit Dhenkanal on Monday evening. On
Saturday, two tremors reading 2.8 and 3.2 on the Richter Scale were reported.
On Sunday, another micro earthquake measuring 1.8 on the seismic scale was
reported. Dhenkanal is located on the Moderate damage seismic risk zone.
Two environmental
organisations, WTI and the Elephant Family, , have engaged young volunteers
from nearby villages to monitor the movement of animals, especially elephants,
along the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong corridor during floods: September 29
Indian Grey Wolf
making a comeback in Karnataka: September 28
SEPTEMBER 29
SEPTEMBER 30
Conviction rate of
arrested rhino poachers poor in Assam: September 29
Rare medicinal tree,
the Maravattai (Chaulmugra) tree
recorded in Karandhamalai hill range of Eastern ghats: September 30
Egyptian vulture
back in Delhi: September 30
N.M. Naveen Kumar
appointed by the State Government for the second term as Hon. Wildlife Warden
of Chamarajanagar district: September 30
He who holds a M.Sc
degree in Public Policy and Management from University of London.
Chamarajanagar District Wildlife Division consists of six ranges in Bandipur
National Park, complete BRT Tiger Reserve, M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and a
major portion of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. An Hon. Wildlife Warden is a
gazetted public servant, appointed under Section 4, Sub Section BB of the
Wildlife Protection Act 1972. It is a statutory post that is created by an Act
of Parliament. The notification issued by the MoEF has stipulated the duties and responsibilities of
the Hon. W.W. The primary duties according to the Act are of enforcement in
nature, namely, control of poaching and clandestine trade in wild animals and
products; detection and prosecution of offences under the aforementioned Act;
preventing damage to the habitat of wildlife; Initiating measures for dealing
with man-animal conflicts including the assessment and payment of compensation,
etc.; carrying the message of conservation to the people and enlisting public
support for nature and wildlife conservation
