Tapi, July 20 (IANS) A Range Forest Officer (RFO) was killed in a road accident while pursuing suspected timber smugglers in Gujarat’s Tapi district, prompting the state government to announce a thorough investigation and reiterate its “zero tolerance” policy against crimes targeting forest resources. Vikas Desai, a Range Forest Officer posted in the Tapti Range of Tapi district, died while on duty after allegedly chasing a vehicle carrying illegally felled khair timber (wood).According to the s…
Latest Pravin Mali News & Updates
Surat, July 19 (IANS) The Gujarat Forest Department has released 50 spotted deer into the Mandvi Forest Range in Surat district as part of a long-term conservation programme aimed at strengthening the natural prey base for carnivores, enhancing biodiversity and reducing human-wildlife conflict in the southern part of the state.The translocation, carried out under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, involved relocating the deer from the Sasan Gir Wildlife Division in three phases between May and…
Gandhinagar, July 18 (IANS) A new scientific study has found that Asiatic lions living along Gujarat’s coast depend primarily on wild prey rather than domestic livestock, challenging the long-held belief that the species expanded beyond the Gir forests in search of cattle.The research, published in the peer-reviewed international journal ‘Conservation’, found that wild prey accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the biomass consumed by coastal Asiatic lions, highlighting the ecological viability of …
Gandhinagar, July 9 (IANS) The Gujarat Forest Department on Thursday launched an in-house digital helpline to help citizens easily locate nearby forest nurseries and obtain saplings, as the state steps up tree plantation efforts under the nationwide ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. The new service enables users to access nursery locations, contact details and other forest-related services through a simple phone call or message.Citizens wishing to plant trees can dial 8320002000, after which the ca…
Gandhinagar, June 10 (IANS) A bomb threat email sent to the Chief Minister’s Office in Gandhinagar on Wednesday triggered a high-level security response across Gujarat, with police and security agencies launching investigations after similar threats were also received by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office.According to information, the threatening email sent to the Chief Minister’s Office warned of a bomb blast at 1.11 p.m.Similar emails…
Gandhinagar, June 7 (IANS) Gujarat Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia said on Sunday that ensuring sustainability alongside development and minimising the use of natural resources remained a priority for the state, as he addressed the closing session of a two-day environmental workshop organised jointly by the Forest and Environment Department and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) in Gandhinagar. Addressing the session, chaired by Modhwadia and Minister of State for Forest …
Gandhinagar, May 29 (IANS) As temperatures continue to rise across Gujarat during the ongoing summer season, the Forest Department has introduced a set of cooling and welfare measures at the Indroda Nature Park in Gandhinagar to reduce heat stress among captive and free-roaming wildlife.The arrangements, implemented under the guidance of the state Forest and Environment Minister, Arjun Modhwadia, and Minister of State, Pravin Mali, and executed through the Gujarat Ecological Education and Resear…
Gandhinagar/Sabarkantha, March 18 (IANS) Under the ‘Green Wall of Aravalli’ scheme, 2.30 lakh trees have been planted in Sabarkantha district over the last two years, State Minister for Forests and Environment, Pravin Mali, informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.The project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5, 2025, from New Delhi, aims to develop a green corridor along the Aravalli mountain range, which extends from Gujarat to Delhi.Responding to a question raised by…
Gandhinagar, March 18 (IANS) The Gujarat government has launched 182 new state transport buses—one for each Assembly constituency—in a move aimed at expanding last-mile connectivity and strengthening public transport coverage across the state. The buses were flagged off in Gandhinagar on Wednesday by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, along with Minister of State for Transport Pravin Mali, in the presence of ministers, MLAs and officials.Addressing the e…
Banaskantha, March 6 (IANS) Gujarat is set to establish its first hi-tech nursery in Davas village of Deesa taluka in Banaskantha district, covering approximately 13 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore.The project, supervised by the Gujarat Forest Department and the Social Forestry Department under the guidance of state Forest and Environment Minister Pravin Mali, aims to strengthen afforestation efforts and preserve rare plant species across the state.Officials said the nursery would ser…