The case of a former National Communications Commission (NCC) official found to have caused a forest fire last year has been turned over to the Disciplinary Court after he was on Monday impeached for tainting the reputation of the government and public officials.
Eleven Control Yuan members voted unanimously to impeach former NCC senior specialist Joseph Chiao (喬建中) during a review of the case, the Control Yuan said in a statement.
Chiao, who had been suspended since he was indicted in August last year for contravening the Forestry Act (森林法), was then referred to the court that governs disciplinary action against the
As temperatures across Taiwan begin to increase, flowers have started to blossom, drawing visitors to sites such as Chiayi County’s Alishan (阿里山) and Taipei’s Yangmingshan (陽明山), where flower festivals are under way or set to start soon.
Up to 60 percent of the cherry blossoms in the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, where the Alishan Cherry Blossom Festival is being held, were blooming and on Saturday attracted more than 7,000 visitors, Chiayi Forest District Office deputy director Lee Ting-chung (李定忠) said.
The Alishan Cherry Blossom Festival, which began on Thursday, runs through April 10.
Chiayi traffic police captain Su Chun-hung (蘇俊宏) said that
Winter flowers at sightseeing destinations such as Wuling Farm in Taichung and Alishan (阿里山) in Chiayi County have begun blooming earlier than usual, as botany enthusiasts are planning their trips to the sites’ upcoming flower festivals.
The Chiayi Forest District Office said that despite the Alishan Flower Festival being held from March 10 to April 10, the flora on the mountain has already begun to blossom, giving people the opportunity to visit before large crowds are expected.
Office deputy head Lee Ting-chung (李定忠) yesterday said that five kinds of cherry are already in bloom on the mountain, with two more types blooming
To catch photographers attempting to lure pheasants with food, the Chiayi Forest District Office plans to install security cameras in areas frequented by the fowl.
The photogenic Mikado pheasant is a popular subject for wildlife photography enthusiasts, drawing scores to the Alishan Forest Recreation Area (阿里山國家森林遊樂區) to see them every year.
The pheasants are relatively alert and shy, preferring to emerge in the afternoon fog or in the forest after a light rain, photographer Huang Yuan-ming (黃源明) said.
This preference, in addition to its elegant walk, has earned the fowl the nickname “King in the Mist,” Huang added.
The pheasants often appear near the