Indian Mangoes, Pomegranates Soon to Be Available in U.S.
Mangoes and pomegranates from India will soon be available in the U.S. while the American Alfalfa hay and cherries will be sold in the Indian market, Ministry of Commerce and Industry said Jan. 8.
This will become possible as the two countries have signed framework agreement for implementing “2 Vs 2” Agri market access. Under this deal two agricultural products from India will be exported to the U.S. Similarly, two American products will be imported to India. From the Indian side, mango and pomegranate have been chosen for the export to the U.S., while the U.S. will export Alfalfa hay and cherries to India.
“Mango and pomegranate exports will start from Jan-Feb 2022 and pomegranate aril exports from Apr 2022. Exports of Alfalfa hay and cherries from USA will begin in Apr 2022,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.
In addition, based on the ministerial discussions, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying also conveyed its readiness to provide market access for U.S. pork and requested the U.S. side to share a signed copy of final sanitary certificate for finalizing the same,” it said.
Himalayan ecosystem under threat with China’s building spree in Nepal
China’s role in Nepal has intensified in the period since the 2015 earthquake, mostly in the form of investments in rebuilding projects. In 2019 alone, China initiated a series of projects, including factories and hydropower plants, worth $2.4 billion in Nepal.
Many of the infrastructure projects run through sensitive environments, including national parks, and the construction of hydropower plants has been criticised by environmental organizations and local communities for destroying river ecosystems.
For example, work on the Rasuwagadhi hydroelectric project, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, resumed in 2016, despite protests from locals who blamed the dam for mass fish deaths.
Four arrested in Bihar for cutting down dozens of trees near major hospital
Police arrested four people accused of cutting down dozens of trees in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district January 10, 2022.
Dr Ravikant, the head of the Tata Cancer Hospital, had sought the intervention of Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey January 9 regarding the illegal cutting down of trees near the hospital.
Tata Cancer Hospital is situated in the premises of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), north Bihar’s biggest hospital.
Pandey conveyed the complaint to Muzaffarpur police. Senior Superintendent of Police Jayant Kant then visited SKMCH and conducted an investigation. He found that trees were indeed being felled. He ordered local police officials to take action against the accused.
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Red Sanders falls back in IUCN’s ‘endangered’ category
Red Sanders (Red Sandalwood) has fallen back into the ‘endangered’ category in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. The species, Pterocarpus santalinus, is an Indian endemic tree species, with a restricted geographical range in the Eastern Ghats.
The species is endemic to a distinct tract of forests in Andhra Pradesh. It was classified as ‘near threatened’ in 2018 and has now joined the ‘endangered’ list once again in 2021.
It was a moment of celebration when the species was lifted off from the endangered category for the first time since 1997.
The latest IUCN assessment stated: “Over the last three generations, the species has experienced a population decline of 50-80 per cent. It is assessed as Endangered”.
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Leopardess run over by unidentified vehicle in Nagpur
A leopardess was killed after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on Nagpur-Ramtek national highway, a forest department official said on Monday.
Bharat Singh Hada, DCF, Nagpur Forest Division, said the incident took place near Kandri mine on Sunday evening and the leopardess was around 6-month-old. The animal”s head was crushed by a four-wheeler and a post mortem was conducted during the day, he added.
Environment India 