Chhattisgarh’s forests contribute over 11% to the state economy through ‘ecosystem services’, according to an extensive study conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) that exposed the true financial powerhouse. Chhattisgarh’s forests don’t just contribute 3.46% to the state economy through timber and logging; instead, they pump Rs 1.41 lakh crore annually. With nearly 44% of its landscape under forest cover, the state is home to roughly 1.27 crore people living in or near forests. The study looked past tangible assets like bamboo or fuelwood to calculate the value of nature’s invisible infrastructure.
Rare avalokiteshvara idol to return home
A rare bronze idol of Lord Avalokiteshvara—which stands as a living symbol of Chhattisgarh’s rich Buddhist traditions and ancient craftsmanship—was stolen from the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum in Raipur and is finally on its way back home. Valued at around `19 crore in the international market, this historical artefact is being repatriated from the US to India. The state government is actively driving initiatives to reinstall the deity at its original home in the Raipur museum. This breakthrough comes as part of a repatriation effort by the US, which has recently returned 657 ancient historical artefacts valued at nearly $14 million to India.
Hundreds of bats drop dead due to heatwave
A severe heatwave accompanied by intense loo winds sweeping across the Pali region in Korba district has caused distress to local wildlife, with hundreds of bats dying due to heatstroke. The extreme weather has taken a toll on the local ecosystem, with temperatures soaring to over 43°C even as the onset of Nautapa, the traditional nine-day peak summer period, begins on May 25. The ecological crisis is most visible along the banks of Naukoniya Pond in Pali, a well-known sanctuary where thousands of migratory bats usually take refuge between February and March. Unable to withstand thermal stress, bats have been falling from branches .
Ejaz Kaiser
Our correspondent in Chhattisgarh
ejaz@newindianexpress.com