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    Rat-infested river bank owners accuse Bolton Council of trespassing - March 14, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Rat-infested river bank owners accuse Bolton Council of trespassing

    11:46am Friday 14th March 2014 in News By Jeremy Culley, reporter

    THE owners of a rat-infested river bank besieged by fly-tippers have accused Bolton Council of trespassing on their land.

    A long-running legal row between the council and 91-year-old Tom Taylor, whose Cardiff-based daughter Caroline Taylor, aged 60, owns the land, has stalled the clean-up operation.

    The land, just off Croal Street, resembles a landfill site after mountains of putrid waste, bin bags, beer cans, old toys and furniture were dumped illegally.

    Bolton Council is investigating the fly-tipping and hopes to make prosecutions but insists Mr Taylor is responsible for clearing up the waste.

    The council uses his land to access the underside of the bridge and installed a gate into a wall in Croal Street in 2005 without informing Mr Taylor, who bought the land in 1982.

    A spokesman for the council said it can use the land under section 291 of the Highways Act 1980, and that this use gives it no responsibility to clear up the waste.

    Mr Taylor disputes this and claims the wording of the act which gives councils the right to access land on, over or under their own property, which the bank technically is not renders them guilty of trespass.

    The council first wrote to Ms Taylor in July, 2010, and informed her of its use of the land in April 2011 .

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    Rat-infested river bank owners accuse Bolton Council of trespassing

    Haze gets worse in Malaysia, Indonesia - March 14, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    News Desk

    The Straits Times

    Publication Date : 14-03-2014

    The air quality in parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia continued to deteriorate sharply yesterday as a result of open burning and land-clearing bush fires in the face of an unusual dry spell.

    People in Selangor, particularly, were left choking as the Air Pollutant Index (API) soared yesterday, and Klang authorities have ordered schools to close today.

    Reports said Port Klang recorded a "very unhealthy" API reading of 203 as at 1pm. Twelve other areas, including Kuala Lumpur and other major towns in Negeri Sembilan and Malacca, recorded readings of between 113 and 145.

    API readings of 0-50 are considered good, moderate is from 51-100, unhealthy is 101-200, very unhealthy is 201-300 and levels exceeding 300 are dangerous.

    Officials here blamed the worsening haze on open burning in Malaysia, with the director-general of the Meteorological Department, Datuk Che Gayah Ismail, disclosing that more than 600 open burning spots were recorded nationwide on Wednesday.

    "Yes, the smoke and haze are still caused by us," she told the Malaysian Insider website yesterday. "If the wind direction changes now, we will be in trouble. The haze will be much, much worse if that happens." She also said the wind direction made it impossible to blame Indonesia for the unhealthy air quality in Malaysia.

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    Haze gets worse in Malaysia, Indonesia

    Stop Illegal Land Clearing in Cameron Highlands – Video - March 13, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder


    Stop Illegal Land Clearing in Cameron Highlands
    Journalist: Prethy Naidu Cameraman: Naveen Silvongala Visual Editor: Naveen Silvongala Producer: MIC TV.

    By: MIConlinetv

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    Stop Illegal Land Clearing in Cameron Highlands - Video

    Haze Forces Indonesian Province To Shut Down Airport - March 13, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    JAKARTA, March 13 (Bernama) --- Thick haze from land-clearing bushfires in Riau province of Sumatra led the closure of a main airport in the province on Thursday, China's Xinhua news agency reported an official as saying here.

    The decision to halt operation of Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport was made by airliners following the worsening of feasibility that impaired operations, said transport ministry Bambang spokesman Ervan.

    "The airliners decided to stop the airport operation today ( Thursday), tomorrow and the day after tomorrow as the feasibility is very short, it is only 400 meters," Ervan told Xinhua by phone.

    "The resumption of operation would be done once there is a certainty" on the improvement of air quality particularly feasibility, he said.

    Days prior to the closure more than 60 flight schedules had been aborted as thick smog worsened feasibility, according to Transport Ministry E.E. Mangindaan.

    The thickening haze has also worsened air quality in the province, and the number of people suffering from respiratory trouble increased to a staggering 42,000, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of national disaster agency.

    Indonesia has scrambled to extinguish blaze in the bush as farmers or companies make way for plantations in Riau province, home to the world's largest palm oil industry. Satellite observation on Tuesday detected 145 hotspots in the province.

    Indonesia has been battered by land-clearing bush fires since the 1990s, as the haze engulfed neighboring Asean countries and caused losses of several billion US dollars.

    -- BERNAMA

    Originally posted here:
    Haze Forces Indonesian Province To Shut Down Airport

    Bee keepers have a field day, honey - March 13, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Topics: bees, benita ironside, ipswich and west moreton beekeepers association

    AN INCREASING number of Ipswich land owners are beginning to learn that bees are essential for more than just the production of the sweet, sticky, amber stuff you put on your toast.

    The Ipswich and West Moreton Beekeepers Association is buzzing with 130 passionate honey-makers, but as the country's bee numbers decrease, environmental concerns are becoming more of a priority for the group each year.

    President Benita Ironside said the club field day at Pine Mountain Hall would address the issue of declining bee populations and strategies to increase them again.

    "When there are no bees around to pollinate, that means there's no food," Ms Ironside said.

    "At the moment there aren't enough bees around so farmers are bringing beehives in especially to pollinate crops."

    Pesticide spraying and land-clearing can also have a detrimental effect on populations of honey bees, as can the presence of a small hive beetle which has been responsible for destroying many hives across the Ipswich region in recent years.

    On a local level, the recent dry weather has had a noticeable effect on honey production, with beekeepers unable to rob hives due to their bees not storing sufficient honey.

    The news isn't all bad, however.

    Long-time association member Noela Geeves said more young people who were buying larger properties were getting interested in owning their own beehives.

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    Bee keepers have a field day, honey

    Houston Land Clearing Expert – Video - March 12, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder


    Houston Land Clearing Expert
    In 2000 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that "the part of populace progress in a nearby setting may change from conclusive t...

    By: Joe Tran

    Continued here:
    Houston Land Clearing Expert - Video

    Liberia: NGOs Welcome President's Commitment to Stop British Palm Oil Company 'Taking' Community Land - March 12, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Global Witness and Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) today welcome the commitment by the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to make any expansion by the British palm oil company Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) onto Jogbahn Clan land dependent on the approval of the communities affected.(1)

    EPO has been accused by the communities of taking their land and clearing it without their consent.(2) In September 2013, community members were apparently beaten and detained by EPO security staff and the Liberian police on their way to lodge a complaint about the expansion to the authorities.(3) The company denied that it acted without community consultation or outside Liberian law.(4) The commitment by the President marks a significant victory in the battle for customary land rights to be respected.

    "While Liberia desperately needs investment it cannot afford to do business with companies which trample over vulnerable people. By this decision, the President has shown that she intends to put her people first." says Natalie Ashworth, Global Witness. "The commitment by President Sirleaf to protect some of Liberia's poorest people is laudable."

    British company, EPO, has two palm oil concessions in Liberia covering a total of 89,000 hectares. The company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, took steps in late 2012 and throughout 2013 to expand its operations in Grand Bassa County onto land customarily held by the Jogbahn community.

    The expansion of the company's operations would have destroyed the forests, farms and wetlands upon which the Jogbahn people rely for their livelihoods and food. In a response to a letter by Global Witness the company stated that it respects "the Liberian community rights and land." [sic] (4)

    Communities reported to Global Witness that over the course of 2013 they were subjected to increasingly severe intimidation by EPO security staff. The intimidation escalated in September 2013 when 17 community members were reportedly beaten and arrested by EPO security staff and officers from the elite Liberian Police Support Unit (PSU). (5)

    In a letter to Global Witness the company stated that "they were not involved" in the incident, had been "falsely accused" and they "never instructed or directed any of its staff or PSU officer to intimidate Jogbahn community members... at any time."(4)

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    Liberia: NGOs Welcome President's Commitment to Stop British Palm Oil Company 'Taking' Community Land

    Ang calls for action against serious air pollution - March 12, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    KUCHING: The health and welfare of the people must never be compromised on the altar of industry and development, motor vehicles, large scale plantation land clearing or open burning and forest fires whether from internal or external sources.

    Prominent social activist Dato Sri Ang Lai Soon, who said this, pointed out that financial considerations should not be allowed to take precedence over the well-being of the people.

    That price is just too high, he added.

    In a statement yesterday, Ang said it was rather alarming that in the year 2014, the public should still see a headline in a national newspaper on March 10, stating six areas in Malaysia record unhealthy air pollution index readings.

    He said surely by now, positive action should have been taken by the authorities to bring this under control to fulfill their duty of caring for the health of the citizens.

    Ang noted the Department of Environment had listed the main sources of air pollution in Malaysia as industries, development activities, motor vehicles, land clearing, open burning and forest fires.

    He said since all could be controlled through legislation and enforcing strict adherence to that legislation, the quality of life of all citizens should, therefore, never be compromised in the interests of industry, development and other pollution-causing activities.

    He believed a certain BMZ, a German concern, was commissioned to study Air pollution control for Malaysian cities: transport and industry from 2002 to 2006.

    The context of this commission read Malaysias developments into a modern and sustainably managed industrial country requires a modern comprehensive environmental policy, including air pollution control.

    However, he observed that with the recent headlines, it was patently obvious policy needed urgent bringing up to date with present day realities without prevarication.

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    Ang calls for action against serious air pollution

    Indonesia Intensifies Crackdown on Companies Starting Forest Fires - March 12, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    The Indonesian National Police (POLRI), along with the Ministry of Environment, say they are continuing a crackdown on plantation companies that burn forests and cause serious smog.

    National Police Chief General Sutarman asserted Wednesday that the police took action against three companies accused of burning the forests in their land clearing efforts.

    Whoever [is] doing the forest fires that causes air pollution will be arrested. There are elements of deliberate intent by the offenders," he said. "So far we have found that offenders have come from both the plantation companies and the communities.

    He added that 25 people are being investigated. He also stressed the Indonesian police are committed to ensuring enforcement for all involved.

    Earlier, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono criticized the handling of the haze as not being fully resolved. The president said authorities must deal firmly with anyone found negligent in contributing to the disaster.

    "Actually, the government, both the central and local authorities, has worked to overcome the problems, but not all have been fully resolved," said the president. "Frankly, I would say that the situation is still not good."

    The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) says starting fires to clear land is still common on the island of Sumatra.

    The agencys Head of Data Information and Public Relations, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said in a press release Wednesday that satellite observations show 145 hotspots in Riau Province.

    Dense smoke from the forest fires has reduced visibility to only 200 meters in some places. The smoke is also causing air quality problems in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.

    Air quality problems in previous years have drawn complaints from Indonesia's neighbors.

    Original post:
    Indonesia Intensifies Crackdown on Companies Starting Forest Fires

    Indonesia Forest Fire Approaches Residential Area, Adds to Haze – Video - March 11, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder


    Indonesia Forest Fire Approaches Residential Area, Adds to Haze
    Residents of Indonesia #39;s Riau Province evacuated as forest fire approaches, says Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency. Full Story: A forest fire ha...

    By: NTDTV

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    Indonesia Forest Fire Approaches Residential Area, Adds to Haze - Video

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