OF WILDLIFE TRADERS AND SMUGGLERS- NEPAL

In two separate incidents, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Kathmandu apprehended traders for possessing wildlife parts. One was held with a rhino toe while two other were held with a musk pod.  Similarly, police in Sindhupalchowk District, central Nepal, seized 80 kilograms of pangolin scales bound to China and in another incident police busted a gang of three people in Itahari of Sunsari District, east Nepal, and seized a four dead Sea horse. Meanwhile, locals of Basbitti Jingadiya VDC in Rautahat District, central Nepal, have accused District Forest officials of devouring the deer the villagers had captured from the settlement area and handed over to the district forest office.

15, 19, 20, 21 May

The Himalayan Times, Republica

TIMBER WORTH 400 MILLION GOES MISSING- NEPAL

In Banke District, west Nepal, illegally felled timber, worth NPR 400 miliion, from the national and community forest during the insurgency period has disappeared overnight. The timber was confiscated by the District Forest Office over the period of eight years. Earlier, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) was investigating the illegal logging.

16 May

Kantipur, The Kathmandu Post

BIRD CENSUS COUNTS 571 SPECIES IN CHITWAN- NEPAL

A total of 571 species of birds were recorded in a recently conducted study in Chitwan  District– Kaule, Upadarangadhi, Chisapanitar and Siraichuli and Jandala of east Chitwan and in the Chure region of the Chitwan National Park. The study which was conducted after nine years found 15 new species of birds.

21 May

The Himalayan Times

POLLUTED WATER THREATENS VILLAGERS HEALTH- INDIA

In Sultanpur, a village in northern Kashmir, numbers of people are falling ill due to water related diseases caused by drinking filthy water from a wetland, supplied by the Public Health Engineering department without filtering, as the only filtration plant has gone defunct since 2007. The village has also reported several deaths and fear that the number may shoot up unless government intervenes to save their lives. According to local chemist, most of the villagers are suffering from kidney disease and liver damage.

17 May

http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/May/17/-village-of-the-king-falls-to-filthy-drinking-water-39.asp

LOCALS UP IN ARMS AGAINST ILLEGAL MINING- INDIA

Residents of Arath village in Palampur district of Himachal Pradesh have protested against the ongoing illegal mining in the Neugal rivulet which is damaging water channels, village roads, the village cremation ground, forest land and local paths.  Locals complained that the Mining Department and local officers have not heeded to their pleas.

21 May

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130521/himachal.htm#15

NATURE RESERVES COVERS AROUND 30 PERCENT OF TIBET’S LAND AREA- CHINA

Spread across an area of 410,000 square kilometers, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) boasts 61 nature reserves. The nature reserve covers 33.69 percent of the land within the jurisdiction of the regional government, marking the highest ratio in China. In 1990 it was only 4 percent. The establishment of the first batch of nature reserves in Tibet was approved in 1985.

17 May

http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2013-05/17/content_28861181.htm