Latest news with #DharminderSharma
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Punjab lost 1.13% geographical area under forest cover, 0.28% under tree cover in 22 years
BATHINDA: Punjab has lost 1.13 percent of the geographical area under forest cover and 0.28 percent of the geographical area under tree cover in the last 22 years. The forest cover, which was 4.80 percent of the geographical area in 2001, decreased to 3.67% of the geographical area in 2023, while the tree cover, which was 3.20% of the geographical area in 2001, decreased to 2.92% of the geographical area in 2023. Combined together the forest and tree cover deceased to 6.59% of the geographical area in 2023 from 8% in 2001 as per the Indian state of forest report (ISFR 2023). Punjab' Principal Chief Conservator of forests (HoFF) Dharminder Sharma produced the data in an affidavit before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a petition arising out of a news item 'India lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000: Global Forest Watch' appeared in a section of press on April 13, 2024. The NGT taking suo-motu notice of the news item had issued notice to Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board; Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest; Director, Survey of India for filing response and directed Director, Survey of India to submit a report showing the position of forest cover in India with specific reference to northeast from the year 2000 onwards with each five year interval covering the period up to March, 2024. It stated that the matter indicates violation of the provisions of Forest Conservation Act, 1980; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. During the last hearing on May 9, 2025, NGT had impleaded Secretary, Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation, Punjab and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, as respondents. After being impleaded as respondent, Principal chief conservator of forests, head of forest force (HoFF) filed the affidavit on May 27, 2025, which was uploaded by NGT on Monday. As per the affidavit, the forest cover was recorded as 2432 square km in 2001 which was recorded at 1846.09 sq km in 2023 while tree cover which was recorded at 1634 sq km in 2001 was recorded at 1475.15 sq km in 2023. The decrease was recorded as 1.13 per centage of the geographical area in forest cover and 0.28 per cent in tree cover.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Wild cats spotted in Muktsar village, forest dept sets up cages
Panic gripped Muktsar after a pair of wildcats were spotted roaming near Sangu Dhaun village on Wednesday evening. The state forest department confirmed that no man-wildlife conflict has been reported in the area and rebutted claims of a few Punjabi news portals that identified the animals as leopards. Wildlife officials said wildcats are larger and stouter than domestic cats and native to this part of the state. Punjab's chief wildlife warden Dharminder Sharma said on Thursday that a team is working to rescue the wild cats, and there is nothing to panic about. 'We are identifying the online content that has posted unverified information about the identity of the wildlife. One portal has assured us that it will remove the online content that may unnecessarily cause panic among the residents,' said Sharma. Muktsar district forest officer (DFO) Amritpal Singh said that wildcats are a common phenomenon in the agricultural fields in the region, and villagers have been sensitised about their movement in and around Sangu Dhaun. He said that the traps had been laid for their safe rescue. 'It's mating season for the wild cats and it generally look for a wet area to stay away from the scorching heat. After spotting the wildcats in the fields, a section of villagers panicked. Our teams have engaged the panchayats and the community leaders to reassure them that the movement of wildcats has not harmed any humans or cattle. Villagers are now exercising utmost restraint, and our teams are working to rescue them from the area,' he added.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts sound alarm over concerning trend among the world's migratory birds: 'A noticeable impact'
The changing climate is reducing the number of birds that migrate to India's wetlands and how long they stay there. As the world gets warmer and the weather becomes more extreme, habitats are changing for wildlife across the globe. In India, this is resulting in a major shift in the migratory patterns of dozens of bird species. Birds typically migrate to the warm Indian wetlands from colder locations such as Siberia and Kazakhstan. But as The New Indian Express reported, not only are fewer birds making the trek than in the past, but those that do are staying a shorter amount of time. Take, for example, Harike Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the largest wetland in North India. In 2018, more than 120,000 birds were spotted in the sanctuary. This year, that number dropped to just over 55,000. "The change in climatic conditions across the globe and late winters … might be the reasons migratory birds from those parts of the world are choosing other destinations or shuffling their migration patterns," Dharminder Sharma, Punjab's chief conservator of forests, told the publication. "Thus, the bird count has decreased here." Gitanjali Kanwar of the World Wildlife Fund-India also noted that the migratory season now lasts just two months when it used to be five or six. "The shrinking winter window has had a noticeable impact on their migration patterns," she said. Birds are vital to ecosystems, as they help control pest populations and spread seeds. When changes to the climate threaten their habitats or change their migratory patterns, the effects can ripple to other plants and wildlife. Sadly, these changes have been seen not just in India but all over the world. In Spain, researchers fear that warmer temperatures will impact the moustached warbler's ability to reproduce. In the Caribbean, fewer healthy plants have meant a higher mortality rate on birds' migratory journeys. Conservationists in India are hopeful that this latest data will spur action to help preserve these migratory birds' habitats. And they are encouraged that, even as overall numbers decline, they have spotted some rare bird species in their native wetlands. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Sharma told the Express that funding has been earmarked for cleaning and developing wetlands, which he hopes will benefit the country's bird populations. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
