The highly toxic carbofuran is being used to kill leopards in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand, the same pesticide used to poach tigers in and around Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR).

The suspicions of the state forest department have been confirmed by confessions of a poacher who was arrested recently. A pesticide, carbofuran is used to control insects and bird population causing threat to agriculture fields. It is now banned in US,
Canada and European Union countries but sold over the counter in India under different brand names.

Read more at  http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Uttarakhand/Poacher-admits-using-pesticide-traps-to-kill-leopards/Article1-1103103.aspx

Supporting wildlife conservation, a number of industrialists, individuals and even schools have come forward in adopting animals like tiger, elephant and rhino at the Kolkata Zoo.

Even before the animal adoption programme was officially launched today, the zoo authorities said they have already received contributions of Rs 30 lakh. 

"Almost all animals have been adopted. For some animals like tiger and rhinoceros there is a queue as more people are willing to adopt them," said V K Yadav, acting director of Alipore Zoological Gardens.

Read more at http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/industrialists-schools-queue-up-to-adopt-animals-113080400671_1.html

Residents from 11 villages gathered at Amilia village today to issue a declaration that they would not allow their forests to be converted into coal mines and demanded that they be given rights under the Forest Act.

NGO Greenpeace's senior campaigner PriyaPillai said a peaceful non-violent campaign was on for the last two years to ensure that allotment of the Mahaan coal block for mines would not mean ending the livelihood of 14,190 people.

Read More at  http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/mp-villagers-declare-mining-will-not-be-allowed-in-forests/articleshow/21603323.cms

Forest officials at Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh will soon get eyes in the sky to track the movement of 20 odd tigers in the park area and to keep them off poachers. In a bid to strengthen tiger conservation in the national park, drones--unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAV) will be deployed for surveillance. A proposal to use drones in the park is learnt to have been cleared by the ministry of defence.

Thus, Panna would be the second national park in the country besides, Kaziranga to use drones for aerial surveillance.

Read More at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Drones-to-keep-eye-on-Panna-tigers/articleshow/21550133.cms

Illegal sand mining is in complete violation of the Environment Protection Act. Sand mining on floodplains of rivers leads to natural hazards. The issue of licences for sand mining is very strict, and illegal mining must be stamped out with an iron hand.
It is not a party issue, but a national issue... We will crackdown on illegal sand mining. If anything is found, will take action under the Environment Protection Act,” said minister of state for environment Jayanthi Natarajan.

Read more at http://www.asianage.com/india/sand-mining-banned-green-bench-984