The shrinking habitats of blackbucks in Chennai
Important populations of the blackbucks exist in Chennai. However, their population has seen a staggering decrease over the years. Recently, about 20 deaths were reported in five months.
Natural grasslands replaced with manicured non-native grass and a domination of the landscape by invasive plants like Prosopis juliflora, have limited the space available for the blackbucks to live and breed, which has resulted in deaths and health disorders.
Strict implementation of the policy regarding removal of invasive species in natural landscapes will aid in improving the blackbuck numbers, which is an endangered species listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
Once the lifeline of villages, ponds in Haryana turn into garbage sites
More than half of the ponds in Haryana, which were once considered crucial for the state’s agriculture-based economy, are officially deemed polluted.
The main challenge is to tackle encroachment on the village ponds and stop the dumping of solid and liquid waste. According to data from Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority (HPWWMA), there are a total of 18,835 ponds across rural and urban areas in the state, and at present, about 63 percent (12,036) of those are polluted.
The government has finalised an action plan to rejuvenate 4,600 ponds and work has already started on 300 ponds.
Action on cleaning up the ponds is urgent and needs to be ongoing as Haryana faces declining groundwater levels.
New plant species of the genus Ophiorrhiza spotted in Kerala
Researchers have come across a new plant species of the genus Ophiorrhiza, a group of plants valued for their medicinal uses, in the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats region.
Researchers spotted the new species from the Adichilthotty colony, near Malakkapara, in Thrissur district during a plant exploration trip. It has been named Ophiorrhiza sasidharaniana after Prof. A. Sasidharan, former Botany Department head of the University College, Thiruvananthapuram.
The journal Annales Botanici Fennici, brought out by the Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board, has published a paper on the discovery by researchers from the University of Kerala and the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode.
Species of the genus Ophiorrhiza are considered economically important due to the presence of camptothecin (CPT), an indole alkaloid with anti-cancer properties. CPT is a naturally occurring pentacyclic tryptophan-derived quinoline alkaloid, exhibiting anti-cancer activity.
Delhi HC issues notice to MoEF on plea seeking ban on vehicular movement in Rajokri Forest
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) and Conservator of Forest (DCF) on a plea seeking direction to authorities to stop vehicular movement on the illegal road constructed in the Rajokri protected Forest here.
The petition filed through advocate Simarpal Singh Sawney also sought direction to the authorities to take necessary action to preserve the Rajokri protected Forest by blocking the illegal road and other ancillary directions.
It is stated that there has been a continuous unauthorised two-way movement of heavy commercial vehicles through an illegal road constructed through the Rajokri Forest land to Church/ Mall Road, Vasant Kunj in South Delhi since March 2021. It causes serious traffic congestion.
The petition alleged that the illegal road has been constructed over the past few years with impunity and blatant disregard within the protected forest land for plying of commercial vehicles for the transport of Ready-Mix-Concrete (RMC) leading to the factory of respondent NDCON.
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