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Press on Environment and Wildlife
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Film on coral reefs brings to fore fragile ecosystem (January Week 2 (2006))
The secret yet beautiful underwater life and shore communities along with several rare birds living around coral islands can be seen in a film produced by a group of environmentalists.
The film highlights the importance of the ecosystem and need for its conservation. It has been produced to promote nature education and aid conservation, says Dr Satish Pande of ELA Foundation, an organisation devoted to conservation of nature.
India’s 6,500 km coastline and the Gulf of Kutch, Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands are endowed with coral reefs.
They require clear, warm, flowing salt water and hence exist near the tropics. India is home to about 500 corals of the one lakh species known to science. Transparent water is essential for the penetration of sunlight which helps the algae to produce energy
and corals to thrive.
The reef community has several associates like colourful sponges, algae, weeds, crustaceans,
molluscs, echinoderms, fish, reptile, worms, bryozoans and others. However, the ecosystem is very fragile. A small change in pH of water, temperature, salinity, tidal level, and contamination with pollutants can kill the entire reef in no time and change a
live rich reef into a barren oceanic graveyard, says Pande, adding that coral reefs all over face threats from mining, dredging, sewage and industrial affluent spillage, says Pande.
Contributors to the film are Pande, Anand Abhyankar, Chandrahas Kolhatkar, Tanuja Rahane, Prashant Deshpande, Dr Anand Padhye, Hemant Ghate and others. ELA Foundation has dedicated this film to the memory of late Vatsala Bhimsen Joshi, for inspiring nature
study activities of ELA Foundation, of which she was a founder member. SoftLab Pune has undertaken the video-processing part and the film in CD format will be available at a nominal donation price, reports the Indian Express.
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Campaign to save birds launched (January Week 2 (2006))
Uttarayan Festival sees hundreds of birds, some of them endangered like the vultures, falling prey to kite strings. This time, however, special arrangements have been made by bird lovers to ensure that birds grounded by the strings will be able to fly
again.
With the cases of birds being trapped and injured during Uttarayan festival increasing, the Animal Help Foundation (AHF) in association with the state forest department has launched a campaign — Help the Birds 2006— to save lives of birds. The AHF on Wednesday
received information about 13 birds including pigeons, doves and vultures getting injured.
For birds like vulture, which are on the verge of extinction, the AHF and forest department along with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) have roped-in the services of bird specialists from different countries to find ways to stop loss of life of these exotic
birds.
Dr Andrew Routh, a bird specialist from Zoological Society of London, landed in Ahmedabad on Wednesday with the primary objective of saving lives of vultures. Bird experts from Nepal and other states will be here to prevent loss of lives of birds during the
kite festival.
AHF and the forest department have set-up eight different centres in the city for collecting injured birds and providing treatment to them. Volunteers at these centres will rush to the spot once they receive information about the injured birds.
Dr Devojit Das, an avian expert working with BNHS from Chandigarh, said: ‘‘The population of vultures has gone down by 99 per cent in the span of 10 years. We are here to ensure that no deaths of this endangered speices take place during the kite festival.’’
Last year's records show that over 1,300 birds — including pigeons, kites and vultures — were injured during Uttarayan and 500 lost their lives due to kitestring injuries. Bird lovers point out that an equal number got injured but never reached hospitals.
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Railways bid to enter carbon trading biz (January Week 2 (2006))
INDIAN Railways has launched an exercise to weigh its energy-saving efforts in gold or should we say carbon gold. The CLW-developed new three-phase electric locos, based on ABB technology, and now fully absorbed into the system, has set the Indian Railways
on the carbon credit trail, and if successful, may turn it into the first entity in the transportation business to enter the carbon trading business successfully.
Carbon trading will earn valuable cash for the Railways to spend on viable projects starved of funds. According to international estimates, carbon finance can provide 5-15 per cent of new project costs, and can make even marginal projects investment grade.
Mr R. Sivadasan, Financial Commissioner, Indian Railways, confirmed to The Hindu Business Line that a carbon credit exercise has been set in motion, and presentations on methodology and other aspects of carbon trading have been made to the Railways on a Clean
Develepment Mechanism (CDM) project by consultants such as Ernst & Young. He said even companies such as Siemens as well as some international banks have offered consultancy to carry the process forward right up to the trading stage for a fee.
Mr Sivadasan, who has had a long stint at the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works which makes three phase electric locomotives, as General Manager, said ABB locos while braking, discharge kinetic energy (energy of motion), which can be turned into electricity, helping
the locomotive's motors to run the generator on board the train.
Describing the hi-tech loco as a "powerhouse on wheels", he said there was an energy-saving feature that is eligible for carbon credit. Since one of the key criteria for a CDM project was that it has to be a new project, the plan was to make ABB locos run on
non-ABB locomotive corridors, and thereby effect a huge saving in energy costs.
ABB locos are far more expensive to buy than the non-ABB types, and if made to run on such corridors, substantial energy saving (some 10-12 per cent, to start with) can occur, garnering valuable carbon credit for the Railways, he pointed out.
The Railways have many areas of operations such as workshop modernisation, planting of trees on surplus land etc., all of which can qualify for carbon credits, said Mr Sivadasan. He said there was a clear opportunity here for the Indian Railways to earn valuable
carbon credits, which when converted into cash, will go towards meeting projects in a big way.
The Railways, he felt, was actually sitting on a significant unrealised carbon asset, which can be utilised to provide a dollar stream. He, however, could not quantify the kind of money that may be earned through such trading at this stage.
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SC ire on Yamuna pollution and misuse of parks (January Week 2 (2006))
In two separate orders pertaining to cleaning up of the highly polluted Yamuna and violation of its order restricting use of parks for holding public functions and marriage parties, the Supreme Court today took the concerned government agencies to task
for their lacklustre approach on the twin issues, reports The Tribune.
While stating that the need of pure drinking water of Delhi citizens could not be made “subservient” to any other issue, a Bench of Chief Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice C. K. Thakker rejected an affidavit of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on the Yamuna Action
Plan and setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs) on all 22 drains falling in the river, saying that it was not “satisfactory” as it did not give details about the action taken so far and plans for the future.
On the question of allowing use of green parks for public and marriage functions, the court reminded the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) of its order, issued way back in 1996, in which it had directed them to curb
such use gradually by constructing more community centres.
In the 1996 order, the court had permitted the use of only 50 per cent of the total parks with the MCD and the DDA for such functions till such time that the community centres were built in every colony and protect the remaining 50 per cent parks.
But instead of reducing their usage, the MCD increased the usage number to 746 out of 1400 and the DDA was allowing 70 of its parks out of 146 for such functions.
Irked by the violations, the court directed the DDA to make its stand clear in a sworn affidavit whether the use of parks for such functions did not violate the Master Plan of Delhi. Both the MCD and the DDA were further asked to explain how the number of parks
for such use was increased without the court’s permission. As per the 1996 order, permission for the use of only 512 parks in the MCD area was allowed, the Bench told the corporation’s counsel.
On the issue of the Yamuna Action Plan, the court said that it would not interfere with the Delhi High Court order for removal of nearly 40,000 ‘jhuggis’ from slums that had come up illegally on either banks of the river and on the sides of various drains flowing
in it. The court said the entire purpose of setting up STPs on the mouth of the drains would be defeated if the slums were not removed.
It was up to the government how they are removed and whether it had any “obligation” to provide land for those who had encroached upon the public land.
New Delhi, January 10
In two separate orders pertaining to cleaning up of the highly polluted Yamuna and violation of its order restricting use of parks for holding public functions and marriage parties, the Supreme Court today took the concerned government agencies to task for
their lacklustre approach on the twin issues, reports The Tribune.
While stating that the need of pure drinking water of Delhi citizens could not be made “subservient” to any other issue, a Bench of Chief Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice C. K. Thakker rejected an affidavit of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on the Yamuna Action
Plan and setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs) on all 22 drains falling in the river, saying that it was not “satisfactory” as it did not give details about the action taken so far and plans for the future.
On the question of allowing use of green parks for public and marriage functions, the court reminded the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) of its order, issued way back in 1996, in which it had directed them to curb
such use gradually by constructing more community centres.
In the 1996 order, the court had permitted the use of only 50 per cent of the total parks with the MCD and the DDA for such functions till such time that the community centres were built in every colony and protect the remaining 50 per cent parks.
But instead of reducing their usage, the MCD increased the usage number to 746 out of 1400 and the DDA was allowing 70 of its parks out of 146 for such functions.
Irked by the violations, the court directed the DDA to make its stand clear in a sworn affidavit whether the use of parks for such functions did not violate the Master Plan of Delhi. Both the MCD and the DDA were further asked to explain how the number of parks
for such use was increased without the court’s permission. As per the 1996 order, permission for the use of only 512 parks in the MCD area was allowed, the Bench told the corporation’s counsel.
On the issue of the Yamuna Action Plan, the court said that it would not interfere with the Delhi High Court order for removal of nearly 40,000 ‘jhuggis’ from slums that had come up illegally on either banks of the river and on the sides of various drains flowing
in it. The court said the entire purpose of setting up STPs on the mouth of the drains would be defeated if the slums were not removed.
It was up to the government how they are removed and whether it had any “obligation” to provide land for those who had encroached upon the public land.
Terming the DJB affidavit on removal of slums, increasing the water treatment capacity and setting up of the STPs as “far from satisfactory”, the court directed it to clearly state what was its future plan and how it would be implemented in time-bound manner
to free the 300-metre stretch on either side of the river from any encroachment.
Taking into account various test reports of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on testing of river water in the 26-km stretch within the national Capital’s limit, which found it to be highly polluted and not even matching the minimum ‘C’ grade standard
approved for human consumption, the court noted that there was “no improvement in the quality of water. Instead, it had deteriorated over the years and several crore rupees spent by the government on the Yamuna Action Plan has virtually gone down the drain.”
All government agencies were directed to submit their affidavits within two weeks and the matter was listed for further hearing after four weeks.
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Tiger, panther skins seized; three held (January Week 2 (2006))
Police seized a tiger hide, two panther hide and a hyena skin in a trap to nab suspected traders in the Omti area in Jabalpur. Three people have been arrested
In another incident, the Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday, acting on a tip off provided by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, seized 14 panther skins in Kanpur.
According to Jabalpur Superintendent of Police Sriniwas Rao, the police had received information that Ravinshankar Barkede, resident of Kundam, was involved in trading in animal parts. The police laid a trap and a decoy customer was sent to buy a tiger skin.
Barkede arranged the skins from his contacts based in Dindori district.
On Tuesday, Jeeru Baiga and Agnu Raidas from Dindori arrived in Jabalpur and were called at the designated spot by the decoy customer. Barkede also accompanied the duo. The three accused were arrested after they handed over the skins. Interestingly, the accused
were trying to pawn off a hyena skin in the name of a tiger skin.
The police are investigating if the traders have links with an organised poaching gang, reports The Pioneer.
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Concern over move to open quarry near Kaziranga (Issue of the week, January Week 1 (2006))
Concern is mounting over the news that the Forest Department has invited tenders to open a quarry at a site named Mikir Chang inside a prime wildlife habitat not far from the Kaziranga National Park. People closely associated with wildlife and environmental
issues have condemned the decision to allow quarrying as a serious threat that would have long lasting effects.
Padmeswar Gogoi, Member, Elephant Task Force Assam, speaking to The Assam Tribune today criticized the decision saying that it would harm a sensitive area close to one of the country’s richest wildlife habitat. “It is a move that has grave implications for
some very rare and endangered wildlife,” he said.
“The site where the proposed quarry would be located is inside an old elephant habitat that also acts as a corridor for their movement. New activities inside the area would have a devastating effect on them,” he mentioned.
He pointed out that the site for the proposed quarry would also affect the tiger population of the Kaziranga National Park because newborn tigers were seen with their mothers in that habitat. Female tigers generally preferred the safety of that area after their
cubs were born.
The territorial extent of the National Park was already diminishing due to erosion caused by the Brahmaputra and in such a backdrop it was wrong to give permission for a quarry so close to the Park. He said that it was high time for the State Government and
the Forest department to objectively analyse their motives. “The high-ranking officials should be clear about their priorities, whether they want short term commercial gains or environmental security.”
Among those who have resented the move to set up the stone quarry, Arup Goswami, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Assam, said the site is inside a no-development zone on the outskirts of Kaziranga National Park. The no-development zone was declared in 1996 following
international outcry over threats to the Park from the Numaligarh refinery.
Providing details about the area where the quarry was to be opened he said Mikir Chang was a place “through which elephants travelled between Kaziranga and Nambor Doigurong Wildlife Sanctuary, Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary and Gorompani Wildlife Sanctuary.” In
his view the quarrying operations will seriously threaten the wildlife of a large area.
Talking to this reporter Dr Bibhab Talukdar of the NGO Aaranyak stated that the quarry will be of 2.5 km in length and this would totally halt the movement of elephants from Kaziranga to Golaghat putting extra pressure on the grassland ecosystems of Kaziranga
National Park.
Significantly, he pointed out that elephants would not be the only species to be seriously affected. Other endangered species found in the habitat include Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Himayalan Black Bear, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur, Indian Bison, King
Cobra, Slow Loris, Chinese Pangolin, Greater Pied Hornbill, Pallas’s Fishing Eagle, and the elusive Winged Wood Duck.
When asked for the version of the Forest department, the Chief Conservator of Forests (Territorial), Suresh Chand said the decision to allow quarrying was at present kept in abeyance following representations from NGOs and critical news reports that appeared
in the media.
He denied that there were any pressures on his office to allow quarrying inside an environmentally sensitive zone and added that he acted only after receiving a request from the State PWD suggesting the Forest Department must help in locating quarrying materials.
When asked to comment on the controversy over Mikir Chang, the spokesperson of the Forest Department, MC Malakar, who is also the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State, said that he was yet to receive any official intimation about the proposed quarry from the
Territorial wing that was responsible in giving the green signal to the project.
The new quarry would see the extraction of 10,000 cubic metres of stones from Mikir Chang to be used primarily in the Bogibeel project. Those who are keeping a watch on the situation agree that the site was not the only one from which stones could be procured.
They favour quarrying in other areas, which are far removed from sensitive environmental zones like the one at Mikir Chang.
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