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Green Run heralds awareness on afforestation in Assam

August 30, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Guwahati (Assam), Aug 30(ANI): A half-marathon christened ‘Green Run’ was held at Guwahati on Sunday to spread mass awareness on the benefits of tree plantation.

Organised by a premiere engineering institute, the event saw participation of around 400 people of all ages.

The participants and the organisers expressed the view that events like this would result in more and more people planting trees.

“It is a big message (‘Green Run’). Grown-ups as well as kids are warming up for the run. I hope everyone participating will plant at least a tree to make Assam green,” said Taibun Nisa, a former international athlete from Assam.

The half-marathon was classified into two categories, one for athletes and other for non-athletes.

For athletes, the participants were to run 21 kilometres, while in the non-athletic category, the distance was seven kilometres.

Deforestation accounts for up to 60 percent green house gases emission in developing countries like India. (ANI)

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Manmohan Singh to inaugurate Mangala oil field in Rajasthan today

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Barmer (Rajasthan), Aug 29 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate a terminal for the supply of crude oil at Cairn India’s Mangala oilfield in Barmer, Rajasthan on Saturday.

According to company sources, the supply terminal to the Mangala field, the second largest oil discovery in the country in two decades, will be a giant step towards curtailing the country’s oil import bill.

With an initial 30,000 barrels capacity per day (bpd), Cairn India plans to add another 1,00,000 bpd over the next 18 months.

Mangala oil field officials are confident of reaching the target of producing 1,75,000 bpd in the next 20 months.

The project would contribute more than 20 per cent of India’s domestic crude oil production by 2011, the company sources said.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to visit a National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) camp to review labourers’ work, and a woman self-help groups at Ramsar village, near Barmer, and ‘Harit Rajasthan’, a green plantation project being undertaken massively by the State Government to revive the water table in the state. (ANI)

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Tripura fast emerging as a major tea exporting state

July 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Agartala, July 11 (ANI): With its favourable agro climatic conditions, Tripura is fast emerging as a major tea exporting state in the region. The industry has evolved into a major business in the northeast.

The tea gardens here like the Manu Valley Tea Estate are in the process of modernizing production and are using the latest automatic machinery.

The tea estate has also imported Japanese machinery for plucking of tealeaves and is one of the biggest factories for tealeaf drier in Asia.

Last year, the 90-year-old tea industry in the state created history by exporting the beverage.

Despite the global economic meltdown, the tea industry in Tripura is reaping good profits in which 1 lakh Kg of tea named ‘Jewel Tips’ were exported to Iran, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.

This generated revenue for the state and benefited the workers tremendously.

“Last year, we exported to UK, Iran, and Uzbekistan. In TATA also we have supplied more than 100,000 kilogram of tea. Now, the second phase has just started and the market is very good this year. Talk is going on with the TATA tea,” said J. C. DAS, General Manager with Tripura Group of Gardens.

“Earlier, we use the hand plucking method but now we are using machines. This has benefited us a lot as the work is completed faster and we get more money as well. We are very happy,” said Sudangshu, a Tea worker in Tripura

There are over 57 tea gardens in the Tripura, with about 6,000 hectares under plantation. Currently, the state produces about 7.5 million kilograms of tea in a year.

To give a boost to the tea industry, the Tripura Government, in collaboration with the Tea Board, is providing better irrigation facilities. Initiatives have also been taken to produce “Bio-tea”, which is free from any chemical residue.

Tea plantations have now become one of the promising industries in Tripura and are likely to witness more success in the coming years. By Pinaki Das(ANI)

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First international success for Indian racer Lohit Urs

July 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Tampin (Malaysia), July 7 (IANS) India’s Lohit V. Urs claimed his maiden international title when he won the second round of the AAM Malaysian Rally Championship here over the weekend driving an Isuzu D-Max.
Urs, the 29-year old from Mysore, who drives for Team MRF in the Indian National Rally Championship, and co-driver M. Chandramouli survived a stiff battle with overnight leader Chong Wee Siang by putting to good use his vast experience in slippery conditions following rains.

“I am absolutely elated. It was a tough race, but we kept pushing to the end. I am glad Isuzu gave me a really fantastic car. This is the best rally car I have driven. It is so powerful and tough. I am definitely coming back to drive the D-Max,” said Urs.

With the win, Urs heads the championship table with 21 points while William Mei stayed in touch with 18. Lim dropped to third with 15 points.

The dry weather preceding the event rendered the roads hard and dusty. The four-car Isuzu D-Max team set the early pace with Siang leading Urs by a minute at the end of the 29 km long first Special Stage.

On conclusion of the day’s only other stage, 29 km, through rubber plantation and the smoother roads, Siang led Urs by half-a-minute.

The following day, with heavy rain, the character of the event underwent a dramatic change as many of the open areas became sodden and soft. The 50 km long special stage-3 caused confusion due to an error in the tulip and most of the cars were lost after 10 km.

The resultant error saw crews scrambling to find the correct route. Lim Seng Hai, in an effort to beat the clock, came barrelling down a steep hill while back-tracking and his Mitsubishi Triton met with Mei’s D-Max head-on.

The Mitsubishi driver tried to avoid a collision but the rear end of the Triton clipped Mei’s front bumper. The impact tore the rear suspension off its mounting, crippling the Mitsubishi and leaving the championship leader stranded in the stage.

The organizers cancelled the stage and the remaining crews drove out to the service park where Mei’s D-Max was thankfully found to only suffer a broken headlight and a cracked bumper.

SS-4 was a repeat of SS-1 but conditions had changed drastically with the rain. Siang decided that caution was the better part of valour while Urs, sensing an opportunity, pushed his D-Max hard, passing Chong in the stage to claim his first international win ahead of Siang.

Gunaseelan Rajoo continued to learn the car and claimed a deserving third position, giving Isuzu its clean sweep of the podium positions.

“The result is better than we expected. All our D-Max finished well in the tough event which proves the durability and reliability of our Isuzu products under extreme conditions. The number of competitors switching their vehicles for the D-Max is also acknowledgement that it is the right product when you want a winner,” said CEO of Isuzu Malaysia Takashi Hata.

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World’s oldest teak trees dying in Kerala

May 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Nilambur (Kerala), May 13 (ANI): Two teak trees, believed to be the oldest in the world, are dying.

The trees are located at the plantation, about 40 kilometres from Malappuram town in Kerala’s Malappuram district.

As per forest officials here, two out of the 117 plants are in the dying stage, they have died almost 90 percent. But the officials have still retained in the plantation and tourists are allowed to watch it.

These trees have started forming wrinkles and some of the them are already half-dead.

The plantation is named in honour of H.V. Conolly, the then Collector of Malabar during the British rule, who was instrumental in planting teak in the entire Nilambur area with the help of Shri Chanthu Menon, a forest officer under him.

The plot extends across 2.31 hectares beside the Chaliyar river at Aruvakode and a hanging bridge is one of the attractions among the tourists.

This plantation is about 163 years old. The planting was done between the year 1842 -1844.

The plot has also been acclaimed for having the oldest living teak tree (girth 420 cms and height 46.5 meters) and Shri Chanthu Menon, was laid to rest in this very teak garden, Conolly’s plot, as a mark of honour. By Juhan Samuel (ANI)

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Bamboo cultivation popularised in a big way in India’s northeast

May 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jorhat, May 3 (ANI): The Indian Government is encouraging bamboo cultivation in a big way in the country’s northeast region with the aim of improving the lives of local communities.

Several steps have been taken to enhance bamboo conservation and productivity in the region.

The Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI), Jorhat, recently organised a conference to discuss ways to promote the commercial cultivation of bamboo and its management, its use as an inter-crop and the propagation of bamboo in the region.

The Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat, and Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, had jointly organised the conference.

During the conference, strategies on how to develop the northeast as a center of excellence for bamboo was discussed.

“The establishment of bamboo composite center with the collaboration of one of the institute, which is located in Bangalore and here, will be demonstrating all technological aspects which are related to utilisation of bamboo. So that the local entrepreneurs and farmers of this region could be exposed to various uses of bamboo and how they could earn some money out of this bamboo enterprises,” said Jagdish Kishwan, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education in Dehradun.

“As a programme, our bamboo station village program, what we do that the R and D what we do here should be placed before the local people and they also understand about the bamboo propagation and application. So definitely it is going to be the exercise where the local community are involved and they are made known to the research we are doing here and how best that can help in getting additional income for them especially in bamboo and cane,” said N.K. Vasu, Director, Rain Forest research Institute in Jorhat.

Bamboo is one of the world’s most useful renewable natural resources and over 3,000 versatile uses are associated with the social, economic and cultural fabric of the north-eastern States.

Bamboo and its products can be a major potential export commodity in the northeast.

The Central Government is running a National Bamboo Mission to address issues relating to the development of bamboo and to encourage bamboo cultivation.

Farmers find bamboo cultivation quite useful.

“I took up bamboo plantation because it’s very easy, profitable and is not a time consuming job. Bamboo is used for different purposes in our region, in construction, fencing, house, manure, handicrafts etc. These days the demand of raw bamboo in the market is very high. I own 3/4 bighas of bamboo. Whenever financial need arises, I sell bamboo. I earn Rs.2-3 thousand every month. I support my family with this, ” said Jitul Gogoi, a bamboo farmer in Assam.

In northeast, bamboo is traditionally used as construction material, household articles, in handicrafts and papermaking, agriculture, fisheries, transportation and village industry.

India is home to almost 45 per cent of the world’s bamboo forest and two-third of the growing stock of bamboo in the country is available in the northeast.

136 species of bamboo are found across India, of which 89 species in north-east region only.

Bamboo cultivation and its proper utilisation are widely anticipated to benefit the local entrepreneurs and bamboo cultivators. By Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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J-K govt. introduces biodegradable bags to reduce pollution level

April 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Apr 24 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir horticulture department has introduced biodegradable bags for farmers in the Kashmir Valley to reduce pollution levels.he initiative aims at making the orchards and agricultural lands pollution free. The department is distributing these eco- friendly bags among farmers and orchard workers, so that they can realize its benefits and use them more often.

“These bags get degradable in the soil within a period of six months and keep the environment healthy and pollution-free. It also acts as manure for the plant,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, an orchard farmer.

Ahmad also said that with the help of these bags, farmers could do plantation in any season.iodegradable plastics can decompose in the natural environment. During the biodegradation process the bag in itself enhances the biodegradation of the waste it contains.Basically these bags are organic. Once we transplant a plant along with this Bioplastic bag, within a period of six months these bags will degrade in the ground by itself,” said M. S. Qasba, Director of Department of Horticulture.

The colour of biodegradable bags is white. These bags look like tissue papers. They are manufactured in Italy and have a capacity to carry soil of 1-2 kg for the purpose of plantation. ANI)

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Robber forces 2 moneyless women to perform oral sex instead

April 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, April 18 (ANI): A robber in Malaysia made two women perform oral sex on him after finding that they did not have any money.

The two cleaners, aged 68 and 43, were waiting for their factory van at a bus stop in Jalan Kem in Port Klang at 6.30am when a car stopped in front of them.

When the robber demanded for money, the women said that they did not have any.

He then asked the women to get into the car, apparently saying that he would sent them home.

The robber then drove the duo to an oil palm plantation in Bukit Raja, and ordered them to perform oral sex on him.

The 43-year-old woman was even forced to kiss the man’s backside.

The women, who were then abandoned in the plantation, sought help from a foreign worker who brought them out of the plantation.

It was a passer-by who took them to a police station, reports The Star Online.

Klang district police chief Asst Comm Mohamad Mat Yusop revealed that the two women had been sent to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital for medical examinations.

He even revealed that cops were searching for a well-built man in his 30s, who wore earrings on both his ears. (ANI)

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Tulip festival begins in Kashmir

April 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Apr 8 (ANI): Seven-day long tulip festival being held here has given a boost to tourism in Kashmir.

One of the largest tulip flower garden in Srinagar, ‘Siraj Bagh’ was opened for the tourists to enjoy the festival.

The tourism authorities in the state said they are using the festival to promote the state as a preferred destination.

“Lot of Indians go to Holland just to see tulips, but now this place is near and more affordable for the domestic tourists. We feel we will get more tourists. We have come to know that about 12,00 tourists and mostly outsiders have come here,” said Tanveer Jahan, a secretary of tourism department.

The garden at the foothills of Zabarwan overlooking the famed Dal Lake has about 60 varieties of multi-colored tulips.

The festival that also showcased, the state’s traditional art and culture, was an instant hit with the foreigners.

“You cannot find any of these products in other parts of India. I have not seen something like this,” said Peter Mathew, a tourist from Chile.

Lot of domestic tourists also visited the festival.

“The variety and the colour are very good. The art collection, the shawls and also the climate is very good,” said Minakshi, an Indian tourist.

‘Siraj Bagh’, which has become home to tulips in Kashmir, has a unique and feasible topography that suits different varieties of flowers. It has slopes suited for different varieties of fruit plants and wilderness suitable for wild flora and bushes.

Tulip, which has its origin in Persia (Iran), was introduced in Europe in 17th century, where it had been developed in different varieties.

Holland is the largest producer of tulips, which inhabits the mountain areas extending from Europe to Central Asia.

The plantation of tulips begins from September, before the start of winter season. By Afzal Butt (ANI)

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Teen ‘Harry Potter’ actor arrested for marijuana production at home

April 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr 8 (ANI): A teenage actor, who has appeared in all of the six Harry Potter films, has been arrested for growing a 2,000 pounds worth cannabis plantation in his bedroom.

A tip-off made drug squad officers to grab hold of Jamie Waylett, famed as bullying Hogwarts School pupil Vincent Crabbe in the wizard movies.

After stopping him and a friend in an Audi car, the police discovered eight bags of pot inside the vehicle.

Both boys were held at the scene on suspicion of drug possession.
The cops later raided his home-where he lives with his mum Theresa, two brothers and a sister-and seized ten mature cannabis plants valued at about 2,000 pounds, which were

The plants were growing under powerful hydroponic lights beside the actor’s DJ decks and a PlayStation.

Waylett was then arrested on suspicion of production of a Class B drug.

“It was a pretty significant find. We are concerned the drugs in the car were all bagged up and ready to go,” the Sun quoted a police source as saying.

The source added: “Work now needs to be done to establish how far down the line we are towards dealing.”

Waylett, who was earlier accused of snorting cocaine in 2006, refused to comment on the issue.

Scotland Yard has confirmed the two arrests.

A spokesman said: “Both men have been bailed until July pending further inquiries and tests on the substances.”

The maximum jail term for cannabis production is 14 years. For possession, it is a five-year stretch.

Waylett, a pal of fellow Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, will be seen in the latest Harry Potter instalment- ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ – which is out in July. (ANI)

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India corn 2008/09 export seen at 0.8 mln T

April 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Indian corn exports may reach 800,000 tonnes in the marketing year ending September, higher than expected, helped by a a global supply crunch and rising prices in the US, a trade official said on Friday.

“Exports now look better than previously expected. It can be around 0.7 – 0.8 million tonnes (in the corn marketing year),” Amit Sachdev, India-based representative of the U.S. Grains Council, told Reuters in an interview.

Previous estimates including that of the U.S. Grains Council placed Indian corn exports in 2008/09 between 250,000 tonnes and 400,000 tonnes, as Indian prices were higher.

India began the 2008/09 marketing year in October with a dismal showing, thanks mainly to a 35 percent jump in government intervention prices, which made its offerings uncompetitive.

But, higher prices in the U.S., lower output in Argentina, the world’s No. 2 exporter and a mild weakening of the rupee have made Indian corn a more attractive option, especially in Southeast Asia, where it competes with the U.S. for exports.

“Now US prices have increased… reports says they (US farmers) are planting less …also the weakening of rupee has counted a lot,” Sachdev said. “Exports picked up in small quantities from January and now look even better.”

Indian corn delivery prices in the Southeast Asian destination now stand at about $195-$205 per tonne, at least $10 less than U.S corn, three traders said. Till February Indian prices were higher than its competitor.

U.S. ARGENTINA

Analysts said prices rose in the U.S. due to a higher ethanol mandate by the Obama administration, which in that country is corn-based, lower plantation estimates and a delay in planting due to adverse weather.

U.S government data showed farmers may plant less corn this year due to high costs of fertiliser and other supplies.

Rainy and cold weather in the U.S is also delaying spring corn planting. See

The Indian rupee, which has lost over 3 percent so far in 2009, is also helping boost the dollar-denominated corn trade.

Exports, however, will be much lower than 2007/08 when India sold over 3 million tonnes of the commodity overseas, about 3 percent of the global trade.

Argentina’s worst drought in 40 years is adding to the global supply crunch and price rise, analysts said.

India’s 2008/09 corn output is estimated at 17.04 million tonnes, down 10 percent from previous year, but a bird flu outbreak late last year reduced demand from the poultry industry which consumes about 60 percent of the corn in the country.

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Lower prices may drag India’s rubber acreage

April 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

A sharp fall in domestic natural rubber prices is seen dashing hopes of new plantation, which may create scarcity and push up prices in coming years, farmers and officials say.

The most traded RSS-4 (ribbed smoked sheet) prices have fallen by 47 percent to 75 rupees per kg, since hitting an all-time high of 142 rupees on Aug. 28.

“There is an expected 20-30 percent fall this fiscal in the area under new plantation as farmers will turn away on poor returns,” Rubber Board chairman Sajen Peter told Reuters.

In 2007-08, total area under rubber plantation was 635,000 hectares and area under new plantation was 20,000 hectares.

“There will also be some effect on new plantations in the north east because of the price slump,” said J.K.Thomas, rubber committee member, United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI). Re-plantations are also likely to take a hit.

In 2008/09, Indian farmers re-planted the crop on 8,500 hectares, but in 2009/10 that is bound to dip, Peter added.

“Five percent of the total acreage gets replanted every year and out of that about 1 percent will get affected as planters will either switch or just simply stop tapping and not go in at all for replantation,” UPASI’s Thomas said.

Low returns on rubber timber, a key income generator after the plant is cut, is also detrimental, industry players said.

The rubber plant generally takes seven years to be ready for tapping and has a life span of about 30 years, after which the yield starts reducing, making re-plantation necessary.

“Labour charges, cost of seedlings and cost of fertilisers shot up when rubber prices rose. And these are still the same or only marginally lower,” said Martin Kadakkuzha, a farmer in Kannur in Kerala, which accounts for 90 percent of the output.

In 2008, prices of many agri-commodities rallied, boosting demand for agriculture labourers and pushing up daily wages.

Labour issues may force a shift to coconut and cocoa, Thomas said. The situation may worsen as the industry sees a further dip in prices due to the economic slowdown, he said.

“Natural rubber prices are not expected to make much headway in the near future in the domestic and international markets… Prices are expected to fall to 65 rupees (per kg) in the first six months of FY10,” Peter added.

LONG-TERM IMPACT

Lower pace of new plantation and re-plantation will not have an impact in short term since major consumers, like tyre makers, are cutting output, but prices may firm up in the long term.

India is the world’s fourth largest rubber producer and consumer. Tyre makers consume about 60 percent of total output.

“In the short-term, prices may remain depressed mainly on lower demand, but demand has to increase with a revival in global economy. We may see a rise in demand from mid-2010,” Anand James, senior analyst at Geojit Comtrade Ltd, said.

Some industry officials said despite a sharp fall in prices, rubber is still the best choice for farmers in Kerala.

Prices in Indian markets are higher than international market and farmers are still making profits, M.F. Vohra, president of All India Rubber Industries Association said.

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One lakh Malay Indian youth linked to crime

March 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Mar 5 (ANI): The Malaysian Government has information that over 100,000 Indian youth are involved in crime, including theft, robbery, distributing drugs, gangsterism and murder.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam disclosed this recently, and said lack of jobs, guidance and the influence of friends were major contributors to the social problems.

Dr Subramaniam, who is also Malaysian Indian Congress secretary-general, was speaking to reporters after launching a building fund donation drive for the Malacca Indians Education, Economic, Welfare and Cultural Development Association (Minda).

He added that the Indian community and religious leaders should pay serious attention to organising more youth development programmes, The Star reported.

Dr Subramaniam also said that plantation owners must provide housing quarters for their workers.

He said he had instructed his staff to hold talks and find an amicable solution with the owners who had not provided the necessary housing.

He said the ministry would also talk to Syarikat Perumahan Nasional Berhad after the plantation owners have given their approval for the building of housing quarters. (ANI)

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Staggering technique benefits pineapple growers in Tripura

February 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Nandan Nagar (Tripura), Feb 26 (ANI): Pineapple growers in Tripura are a happy lot as the staggering technique has given a boost to the pineapple yield.

Earlier, the farmers were gradually moving towards rubber plantation, a more profitable commodity.

“I’m working here for last 25 years. After adapting to the staggering technique, we are able to work all through the year. We have overall benefited from this technique,” said Muksud Ali, a pineapple grower.

Pineapple is a highly perishable food-crop and even in the cold storage it lasts only for 28 days.

Now with the introduction of a new process called ‘staggering’ the farmers can harvest the fruit according to their requirement throughout the year.

The staggering method has been tested and proven in Tripura’s Horticulture Research Complex in Nagricherra area. It was first introduced in 25 hectares of farm land in 2005. Now, altogether 200 hectares of land was brought under staggering cultivation for getting raw pineapples in 8-10 months per year.

“Last year, we had started staggering technique in pineapple. We use Ethel and Sodium Carbonate along with two per cent urea.

To showcase this technique, we have developed a small plot. During the glut period, the pineapple growers were selling pineapples for Rs. 2 per piece and after using this technique they are getting Rs. 3-5 per piece,” said Ashok Das, agriculture officer from department of agriculture, Tripura.

Besides doubling the growers income, the fruit can be harvested almost round the year. There is no glut and the prices are stable over a longer period.

The laborers who earlier were poorly paid and had work for only three months in a year are now engaged round the year in the orchards.

To provide growers more market linkage, the North Eastern Regional Agriculture Marketing Corporation (NERAMC) had set up a fruit juice concentration plant, way back in 1988, in Nalkata with an initial capital investment of 30 million rupees.

The aim was to purchase surplus marketable pineapple and other fruits from the farmers. The plant has an installed capacity of 48 metric tons per day.

Productivity of pineapple per hectare in Tripura is 18.73 tonnes, which is higher than the national average of 15.80 tons. (ANI)

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Victoria police launch manhunt for ‘serial arsonist’

February 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Feb.12 (ANI): Police in the Australian state of Victoria have launched a manhunt for a “serial arsonist” after clearing the two men they had arrested earlier of any wrongdoing in connection with bush fires ravaging the region.

Officers confirmed to the Daily Telegraph that a serial arsonist was being investigated in connection with the Gippsland blaze that has so far claimed 21 lives.

According to the paper, over 150 detectives are working on separate investigations related to the fires across the state. The official death toll remains at 181, but it is expected to rise.

Earlier, police in the state’s northeast arrested two men this morning near Taggerty after reports of “suspicious behaviour between Seymour and Yea in relation to the fires”.

A police spokeswoman told Sky News that they were later released without charge.

Police are close to releasing a photo of the Gippland suspect, Deputy Commissioner Simon Overland said, but he would not comment on a rumor that the suspect is a teenager.

“There has been a serial arsonist in this area for some period time and we have been working on that,” Overland said.

“It’s too early to say whether it was that person that was responsible for the fire that happened on Saturday, but that’s obviously something we will follow through,” he added.

The fire in Marsyville is also being investigated for possible arson because of its ferocity. So far eight deaths have been confirmed in the town but it is feared up to 100 of the town’s 519 people might have died.

Victorian Premier John Brumby today confirmed a 15-hectare grass fire at Mansfield, started on Wednesday, was deliberately lit.

Water bombing aircraft were used to quell the fire, which broke out in a pine plantation southeast of the town.

Fires in East Kilmore, between Yea and Seymour, started on Saturday and merged with the Yea-Murrindindi fire creating the massive Kinglake Complex fire. This fire, which was not started by arsonists, has burnt almost 230,000 hectares of land, destroyed 550 homes and killed at least 147 people in a wide area from Wandong, north of Melbourne to Marysville and Taggerty.

Experts have traced the starting point of the deadly Kinglake fire to a paddock on a hill in Kilmore East. (ANI)

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Centuries old Nature Park well cared at Manali

January 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Manali (HP), Jan 29 (ANI): Nature Park, frequented by thousands of tourists at Manali in Himachal Pradesh, is an ideal example on conservation as evident from healthy century-old pine and oak trees and other flora alongside colourful flowering shrubs.

Nature Park is literally a mini forest of pine and oak trees, which were originally planted by the British over 100 years ago.

Unlike rampant deforestation elsewhere, this place has been well preserved with utmost care. So much so, the agricultural universities, Conservator of Forests and Horticulture Departments have evinced keen interest in this garden by facilitating extension centres for the research botanists.

In turn, the tourists have gained from the fruits of these initiatives.

“Idea behind plantation of arboretum and pinetum trees was to preserve the species of these trees in Himalayan region,” said Dr. B S Bhardwaj, Senior Scientist, Hill Agriculture Research and Extension Centre, Bajoura, Kullu.

The British colonials planted almost 650 species of trees between 1902 and 1935. Most of these trees are continental and also originally from the Americas and even Japan.

Spanish Chestnut, Beach, White Poplar, Qurecus Serotina, Quercus Cerris, Tilla Europia were among the species planted by the Englishmen in 1902.

Later, in 1935 they planted some other species such as Scot Pine, Red Cedar and Japonica, Erizonica among others.

Fortunately, after the departure of the British and other European residents, the local people cared for these trees.

Nature Park is not only famous for its temperate trees, but also a place where one can spot hundreds of migratory birds during winter.

“This is one of the best places I have visited so far, one can find rare varieties of trees and birds over here. This place is really beautiful,” said Ashwani, a tourist. By Prem Thakur (ANI)

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