With two Union Ministers Kamal Nath and Jairam Ramesh on warpath over a contentious highway expansion project through Madhya Pradesh's Pench tiger reserve, the Centre on Friday bought time from the Supreme Court to resolve differences.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had opposed the Surface Transport Ministry's proposal to widen the road linking Nagpur to Jabalpur through Pench forest reserve from existing 18 m to 30 m, but the fight does not seem to be over just environmental concerns. The Centre dropped sufficient hints during the proceedings in court to indicate something was amiss between the two Union Ministers, who do not see eye to eye on this issue.
This comes a week after the court had asked the Government to make up its mind on whether its effort was to save tigers or to save costs involved in the project. “You can't have both. If you want to save the animals, you cannot save money,” the Bench observed on the previous occasion.
Appearing for the Centre, Attorney-General Goolam E Vahanvati on Friday told a Special Bench, comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, Justices SH Kapadia and Aftab Alam, that a solution was underway as Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Vivek Tankha representing Surface Transport Ministry in the court had met Environment Minister Ramesh. Seeking time to take fresh instructions, the matter was posted for hearing on February 19.
In a related development, senior advocate Harish Salve appearing as amicus curiae was granted permission by the court to withdraw his note in favour of the road expansion.
The 8.7 km-road running through the forest reserve forms part of a 250-km national highway expansion project, which the National Highways Authority of India is keen to undertake. But since the matter involved forests, the Special Apex Bench referred the project plan to its expert body, the Central Empowered Committee. In its report submitted in July 2009, the CEC favoured an elevated corridor along the stretch, giving the Environment Ministry a handle to oppose the proposal.
With Salve's opinion coming in the way of implementing CEC recommendation, even the Attorney-General supported his offer to withdraw. “It is unfortunate that the amicus is being personally attacked over his opinion,” Vahanvati said, referring to the criticism over Salve being an interested party in the expansion of road.
Finding the criticism against him in bad taste, Salve asked the court to consider the matter independent of his view. Having opposed the elevated corridor, Salve had supported an alternative plan of fencing and construction of 13 bridges and underpasses to facilitate smooth movement of animals. This would cost the Government Rs 600 crore, as against the elevated corridor project that would have cost beyond Rs 900 crore.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
In Corbett, tiger & elephant deaths remain whodunits - TOI
CORBETT TIGER RESERVE (RAMGAGAR): The Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) authorities have made no serious attempt to find out the causes for the deathsof 13 tigers, six leopards and 17 elephants that perished in the Corbett landscape in the last three years.
Four of the tigers were found dead in CTR in less than two months, since December 13 last. The carcass of yet another leopard was found in the Ramgagar forest division, bordering the CTR, early on Wednesday morning.
Yet, no autopsy has been carried out on the dead leopard till this report was filed, late Friday evening. CTR director R K Mishra said, "We are not responsible for anything in the neighbouring forest divisions."
He could not comment on the possibility of the cats that died in forest divisions neighboring the CTR having strayed from the reserve.
Mishra did say that the Bareilly-based Indian Veterinary Research Institute, to which viscera of all 33 dead animals have been sent for forensic examination, "has not sent reports of a single viscera examination, despite reminders". He said, "Now, we will send a team to IVRI to make inquiries."
CTR warden, Umesh Chand Tiwari, however, said that two reports had been received. "Reports of two viscera had arrived. One said the concerned tiger did not die of any disease while the other said the viscera was not fit for examination."
The problem, according to a senior official of the Central government-run IVRI, is not that the reports are not being delivered. "We have sent to CTR reports of all the viscera sent to us. These have been sent either by registered post or by hand," he said. But the nub was that the viscera were too decomposed for any meaningful examination.
"The trouble is that they have sent us only viscera that are too decomposed or otherwise unfit for examination. We have repeatedly been advising Corbett that we can train their officials on how to collect and preserve viscera. But, they have never bothered to respond," said the IVRI official.
"While Uttar Pradesh forest divisions send us entire carcasses of wild animals, Corbett has not bothered to do so," IVRI sources said.
D Swarup, head of the veterinary medicine division at IVRI, said, "If the CTR were serious, they would have formed a panel, including government and private facilities and NGOs, to carry out the autopsies and viscera tests."
Swarup said IVRI also often carried out examinations in the presence of NGO representatives. CTR warden Tiwari, however, did not respond to these statements.
Four of the tigers were found dead in CTR in less than two months, since December 13 last. The carcass of yet another leopard was found in the Ramgagar forest division, bordering the CTR, early on Wednesday morning.
Yet, no autopsy has been carried out on the dead leopard till this report was filed, late Friday evening. CTR director R K Mishra said, "We are not responsible for anything in the neighbouring forest divisions."
He could not comment on the possibility of the cats that died in forest divisions neighboring the CTR having strayed from the reserve.
Mishra did say that the Bareilly-based Indian Veterinary Research Institute, to which viscera of all 33 dead animals have been sent for forensic examination, "has not sent reports of a single viscera examination, despite reminders". He said, "Now, we will send a team to IVRI to make inquiries."
CTR warden, Umesh Chand Tiwari, however, said that two reports had been received. "Reports of two viscera had arrived. One said the concerned tiger did not die of any disease while the other said the viscera was not fit for examination."
The problem, according to a senior official of the Central government-run IVRI, is not that the reports are not being delivered. "We have sent to CTR reports of all the viscera sent to us. These have been sent either by registered post or by hand," he said. But the nub was that the viscera were too decomposed for any meaningful examination.
"The trouble is that they have sent us only viscera that are too decomposed or otherwise unfit for examination. We have repeatedly been advising Corbett that we can train their officials on how to collect and preserve viscera. But, they have never bothered to respond," said the IVRI official.
"While Uttar Pradesh forest divisions send us entire carcasses of wild animals, Corbett has not bothered to do so," IVRI sources said.
D Swarup, head of the veterinary medicine division at IVRI, said, "If the CTR were serious, they would have formed a panel, including government and private facilities and NGOs, to carry out the autopsies and viscera tests."
Swarup said IVRI also often carried out examinations in the presence of NGO representatives. CTR warden Tiwari, however, did not respond to these statements.
Tiger poachers' village sealed - Mid Day
After MiD DAY's report on the tiger poaching case, the police and forest department of Arunachal Pradesh (AP) have sealed Namuk village. Tribals of Namuk allegedly killed the tiger and brought it to the village.
"We have deployed a team of cops at Namuk village that is investigating the case and recording every movement of people coming to the village.
Strict information has been given to the cops to not allow any unknown people in the village for the time being," said Tusar Taba, superintendent of police, Along district, AP.
A forest official from AP said, "We have got some initial leads that confirm the incident's authenticity and we are keeping an eye on every movement in the area."
Wildlife filmmaker and John Abraham's colleague in the campaign, Mike Pandey while talking to MiD DAY said, "May be we should think about the strict law that has protected the rhino in Kenya.
There is a serious and urgent need at all community levels especially political to come forward to protect the tiger. It's a shame for us 1 billion Indians that we are unable to protect 1,000 tigers."
"We have deployed a team of cops at Namuk village that is investigating the case and recording every movement of people coming to the village.
Strict information has been given to the cops to not allow any unknown people in the village for the time being," said Tusar Taba, superintendent of police, Along district, AP.
A forest official from AP said, "We have got some initial leads that confirm the incident's authenticity and we are keeping an eye on every movement in the area."
Wildlife filmmaker and John Abraham's colleague in the campaign, Mike Pandey while talking to MiD DAY said, "May be we should think about the strict law that has protected the rhino in Kenya.
There is a serious and urgent need at all community levels especially political to come forward to protect the tiger. It's a shame for us 1 billion Indians that we are unable to protect 1,000 tigers."
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