An Environmental Watchdog Newsletter
October 21-27
No. 274
Editorial Team– Saroj Nepal & Roshan Chikanbanjar
For the 274 issue, we reviewed 20 news reports from 14 sources and selected 12 happening in five countries. In
Nepal, bamboo products are under risk while the deficit rainfall in northeastern India has threatened the
farming system. Whilst in China, artificial breeding of Saffron creating benefit to Tibetans. Similarly, the black
necked cranes have started to migrate in Bhutan and campaign against polio has been commenced in KP in
Pakistan.
Headlines Himalaya, a weekly e‐News is an attempt to keep our global readers abreast with the happenings in
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NEPAL
Waste Bones - Boon for Slaughterhouses
Dengue Spread as Epidemic in Chitwan
Rate of Deforestation Rise
Chepang Women Start Safe Delivery
Nepal - A Model Country in Leopard Conservation
Traditional Bamboo Product on Brink of Extinction
INDIA
Deficit Rainfall in Northeastern India
Stray Animals - A Big Trouble
Saffron Cultivators Seek Relief
BHUTAN
Black-Necked Cranes Arrived Bhutan
CHINA
Artificial Breeding of Saffron Crocus in Tibet
PAKISTAN
Anti-Polio Campaign
Nepal-Himalaya
WASTE BONES - BOON FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES
High demand of buffalo bones in China has solved the problem of waste disposal in slaughterhouse of
Kathmandu, central Nepal. Chinese have been buying buffalo bones from Nepal for four years and the price
have raised to NRs 60 per bone which was just NRs 5 few years ago.
October 22
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=63310
DENGUE SPREAD AS EPIDEMIC IN CHITWAN
Dengue fever is spreading as epidemic in Chitwan, central Nepal since months. 23 in just last four days were
reported to have been infected. The district public health office has record of 110 infection of dengue caused by
Dengue virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito, in the last three month which was 52 in the corresponding
period of last year.
October 23
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=63445
Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence
……www.resourceshimalaya.org
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RATE OF DEFORESTATION RISE
The Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale dense rhododendron forest spread on hundreds of hectares of land in 23 VDC of
Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung districts in eastern Nepal has been decreased to half of its area in
the last decade. Similarly, the timber smugglers are also denuding Chure forest for the pine logs in Sarlahi
district, central Nepal.
October 24, 26
http://www.ekantipur.com/2013/10/24/national/deforestation-goes-unchecked/379732.html
http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Smugglers+denuding+Chure+with+impunity&NewsID=3
95107
CHEPANG WOMEN START SAFE DELIVERY
Pregnant women of Chepang from the Siddi VDC in Chitwan district, central Nepal have started visiting the local
sub-health post for routine checkup prior to child birth. A total of 10 women have given birth at the maternity
ward since the service got initiated in mid-July this year.
October 25
http://www.ekantipur.com/2013/10/25/national/birthing-centre-a-boon-for-chepang-women/379781.html
NEPAL- A MODEL COUNTRY IN LEOPARD CONSERVATION
Among the twelve countries of Asia which convened in the protection of snow leopard, Nepal has been reported
success in its conservation efforts. There was a decline in population in the 1960s and 70s, but now it has risen
to 500 in the wild, one tenth of the world population. Most of the species are concentrated in Mugu, Humla and
Dolpa districts - mid western region of Nepal.
October 25
http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/The-comeback,836
TRADITIONAL BAMBOO PRODUCT ON BRINK OF EXTINCTION
The eco-friendly bamboo product from indigenous Dom community is coming to an end. It is due to overmuch
use of non-degradable plastic in the local market of Mahottari district in eastern Nepal. Thus, the communities
have shifted to other income generating activities like pig farming.
October 26
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_category&news_category_id=16
India-Himalaya
DEFICIT RAINFALL IN NORTHEASTERN INDIA
India's northeastern region, where the economy is mainly based on agriculture has witnessed around 40 per
cent deficit rainfall during the current monsoon season (June to September). This has threatened the farming
and water availability. According to the meteorologists, Arunachal Pradesh has experienced the rainfall deficit of
31 per cent while Assam has experienced 25 per cent.
October 23
http://www.assamtribune.com/oct2313/at048.txt
STRAY ANIMALS- A BIG TROUBLE
Release of unsold cattle in the highways of Jammu, northern India is causing trouble to the pedestrians and
commuters. The government’s action against removing stray cattle seems just a ‘media show’. On average, the
concerned department catches nearly 10 stray cattle daily but nobody comes to claim for them and hence
released to the forest which again finds their way to the city.
October 26
http://earlytimesnews.com/newsdet.aspx?q=116468
Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence
……www.resourceshimalaya.org
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SAFFRON CULTIVATORS SEEK RELIEF
Saffron cultivators from Pampore, south Kashmir are disappointed and waiting for the immediate relief from the
Government as the golden crop Saffron is dying fast. Last year the production was in full bloom and many
cultivators gained maximum benefits but this year the saffron cultivators are bound to suffer heavy losses as
there is no production at all.
October 27
http://earlytimesnews.com/newsdet.aspx?q=116468
Bhutan-Himalaya
BLACK-NECKED CRANES ARRIVED BHUTAN
Arrival of Black-necked cranes has been observed in Phobjika, central Bhutan this week which is one of the
wintering habitats in the country. Generally they are observed since October in Bhutan where they spend
around 5 months and then migrate to their summer habitats in Tibet. In 2012, around 368 cranes were observed
in Phobjikha alone while it was 487 in whole.
October 22
http://www.rspnbhutan.org/news-and-events/news/470-two-adult-black-necked-cranes-arrived-inphobjikha.html
China Himalaya
ARTIFICIAL BREEDING OF SAFFRON CROCUS IN TIBET
Due to the short lived flowering period and scattered distribution of Saffron crocus across whole Tibet
Autonomous Region, China had been importing them from Iran. But now 40,000 saffron crocuses are being
artificially bred in greenhouses of Quxu county located at the lower reaches of Lhasa River, middle south of
Tibet which is likely to benefit the Tibetans in terms of income.
October 23
http://eng.tibet.cn/2010tp/xw/201310/t20131023_1943502.html
Pakistan-Himalaya
ANTI-POLIO CAMPAIGN
With a target of giving an Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), a 3 day special anti-polio campaign have been started on 23
October in 6 districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa. 4343 teams including 404 fixed, 3678 mobile and 261 transits
teams have been formed to oversee door-to-door anti-polio vaccine to children. In 2012, 58 cases had been
reported from the country while it’s only 46 this year.
October 23
http://www.khybernews.tv/newsDetails.php?cat=3&key=NDUyOTU=
Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence
……www.resourceshimalaya.org
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