share more...
0 Comments email print
Independent tiger experts have questioned the management evaluation process of tiger reserves, in which 40% of the reserves were found to be in “very good” state, saying most of the evaluators were from the forest bureaucracy. The National Tiger Conservation Authority --- the body
mandated to protect tigers --- in 2010 had constituted nine committees to evaluate management of 39 tiger reserves across India.
At the first meeting of the committees, two independent wildlife experts, Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection Society of India and Biswajit Mohanty of Wildlife Society of Orissa had resigned from the evaluation committees protesting against nomination of large number of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials in the committees.
HK Chaudhury, retired principal conservator of forests, headed the committee to evaluate tiger habitats in his home state of Assam and north-east. CK Shreedharan, a retired IFS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was chairperson of the committee to review performance of tiger reserves in south states including Tamil Nadu.
Another two IFS officers --- H Sen and AK Bhardwaj– were nominated as independent experts as they were on deputation to Wildlife Institute of India. IFS officers Rajeev Sharma from West Bengal cadre and RK Dogra from Tamil Nadu cadre were asked to evaluate tiger reserves outside their cadre states.
“With so many IFS officers in the committee it cannot be called an independent evaluation,” said tiger and wildlife expert Valmik Thapar.
The decision to nominate so many IFS officers also went against the idea of independent evaluation mooted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2005, after tigers vanished from Sariska tiger reserve in Rajasthan.
“The PM wanted the evaluation to be done by a committee of National Board for Wildlife rather than a government agency,” Thapar said.
The measuring of management effectiveness of tiger reserves released on Thursday rated 15 of the 39 tiger reserves evaluated as very good. Another 12 reserves were rated good and eight satisfactory. Only four tiger reserves got poor rating.
In similar exercise in 2006 of 28 tiger reserves, nine were rated very good and 10 as good. Another even got satisfactory rating and two as poor.
“The evaluation indicates and overall improvement in management of tiger reserves,” the report said.
VB Mathur, Dean at Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India (WII), defended the evaluation process saying it was totally independent as no change was made in the report even after receiving objections from reserve managers. “We followed an international well settled protocol for evaluation and integrity of the nine evaluation committees,” he said.
Thapar, however, wanted revamp of the entire process saying no IFS officers should be part of the evaluation committees.
“The committees should have people from outside the government having experience in different fields such as sociology, conservation and wildlife protection,” he said.
Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority, which constituted the committees, did not answer to calls or text messages.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Experts-question-independence-of-evaluation-of-tiger-reserves/Article1-727434.aspx
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Tiger conservation does not stop with numbers, warn experts-PTI
CHENNAI: The latest national tiger estimation showing a 20 per cent increase in the number of big cats to 1706 from 1411 is cause for cheer, but leading experts and conservationists say the next focus should be on protecting its habitats and retaining their continuity and overall ecological quality.
"Though the latest national tiger population estimation shows an increasing trend, we need to focus on protection of tiger habitats, retaining habitat contiguity and the overall ecological quality of tiger habitats," says Ravi Chellam, a scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India.
TheAll India Tiger Estimation - conducted every four years - in 2010 showed a 20 per cent increase over the figure in 2006 which was 1411.
Notwithstanding the increase in the numbers, experts feel the big cats are constantly under threat due to development related infrastructure expansion into tiger habitats.
"Though we still have a few large tiger habitats, expansion of infrastructure into tiger habitats like laying of railway lines and roads have a very negative impact on their habitat as well as on direct mortality of animals and also increased human access to these habitats," says Chellam.
"Data only shows the number of tigers left in the wild, but it is other deeds like conserving habitats and preventing their fragmentation and restoring connectivity that will ensure the tiger population survives and proliferates in the long run," he said.
Tamil Nadu along with Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka leads in tiger density, says the estimation.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/tiger-conservation-does-not-stop-with-numbers-warn-experts/articleshow/9429788.cms
"Though the latest national tiger population estimation shows an increasing trend, we need to focus on protection of tiger habitats, retaining habitat contiguity and the overall ecological quality of tiger habitats," says Ravi Chellam, a scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India.
TheAll India Tiger Estimation - conducted every four years - in 2010 showed a 20 per cent increase over the figure in 2006 which was 1411.
Notwithstanding the increase in the numbers, experts feel the big cats are constantly under threat due to development related infrastructure expansion into tiger habitats.
"Though we still have a few large tiger habitats, expansion of infrastructure into tiger habitats like laying of railway lines and roads have a very negative impact on their habitat as well as on direct mortality of animals and also increased human access to these habitats," says Chellam.
"Data only shows the number of tigers left in the wild, but it is other deeds like conserving habitats and preventing their fragmentation and restoring connectivity that will ensure the tiger population survives and proliferates in the long run," he said.
Tamil Nadu along with Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka leads in tiger density, says the estimation.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/tiger-conservation-does-not-stop-with-numbers-warn-experts/articleshow/9429788.cms
Manpower crisis, poor infrastructure plaguing most NE tiger reserves'
Jul 29, 2011, 11.36pm IST
GUWAHATI: Except Kaziranga, majority of the tiger reserves in the northeast are suffering either from inadequate manpower or poor infrastructure.
The latest report on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves in India prominently highlighted that inadequate staff, no proper buffer zone, poor conservation, infrastructure and untimely release of funds as some of the weaknesses in many tiger reserves of the region.
Kaziranga has found place in the "very good" category along with 13 other tiger reserves across the country. Manas in Assam, Pakke in Arunachal Pradesh and Dampa in Mizoram were in the category of "good" along with eight other tiger reserves of the country in this category. Only Nameri in Assam and Namdapha in Arunachal were included in the "satisfactory" category along with four other tiger reserves of the country.
While Kaziranga has no such issues of inadequate manpower or poor infrastructure, the MEE has pointed out that Pakke, Namdapha, Nameri and Dampa suffers from shortage of field staff. Pakke suffers not only from inadequate frontline staff, but also from poor infrastructure and untimely release of funds. The MEE said the 500-MW power project adjacent to Pakke is likely to pose a threat to the tiger reserve whose strength lies in being free from human habitation and well protected by rivers on three sides.
Similarly for Dampa, the MEE said, only a handful of regular field staff (four foresters and seven forest guards) are manning the reserve. "Field protection and even office management is being done by temporary staff," the report said. .
For Namdapha and Nameri, it categorically pointed out that inadequate staff and poor infrastructure were the major shortcomings along with the problem of encroachment. In case of Nameri, "there is a severe shortage of field staff" and most of the existing field staff are in the age group of 40 to 48 years."
The MEE said while 84 families of Lisu tribe have settled in five villages within the core area of Namdapha, there was a manifold increase in encroachment and population in villages adjoining the forest lands of Nameri. Although Manas has been spared from inadequate manpower, MEE has noted that the tiger reserve still has to deal with poor infrastructure.
"Manas has 38 anti-poaching camps in the core area and none in the buffer. The camps are inadequately equipped in terms of arms and ammunition, living facilities for the staff and communication," said the report.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-29/guwahati/29833442_1_tiger-reserves-dampa-management-effectiveness-evaluation
GUWAHATI: Except Kaziranga, majority of the tiger reserves in the northeast are suffering either from inadequate manpower or poor infrastructure.
The latest report on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves in India prominently highlighted that inadequate staff, no proper buffer zone, poor conservation, infrastructure and untimely release of funds as some of the weaknesses in many tiger reserves of the region.
Kaziranga has found place in the "very good" category along with 13 other tiger reserves across the country. Manas in Assam, Pakke in Arunachal Pradesh and Dampa in Mizoram were in the category of "good" along with eight other tiger reserves of the country in this category. Only Nameri in Assam and Namdapha in Arunachal were included in the "satisfactory" category along with four other tiger reserves of the country.
While Kaziranga has no such issues of inadequate manpower or poor infrastructure, the MEE has pointed out that Pakke, Namdapha, Nameri and Dampa suffers from shortage of field staff. Pakke suffers not only from inadequate frontline staff, but also from poor infrastructure and untimely release of funds. The MEE said the 500-MW power project adjacent to Pakke is likely to pose a threat to the tiger reserve whose strength lies in being free from human habitation and well protected by rivers on three sides.
Similarly for Dampa, the MEE said, only a handful of regular field staff (four foresters and seven forest guards) are manning the reserve. "Field protection and even office management is being done by temporary staff," the report said. .
For Namdapha and Nameri, it categorically pointed out that inadequate staff and poor infrastructure were the major shortcomings along with the problem of encroachment. In case of Nameri, "there is a severe shortage of field staff" and most of the existing field staff are in the age group of 40 to 48 years."
The MEE said while 84 families of Lisu tribe have settled in five villages within the core area of Namdapha, there was a manifold increase in encroachment and population in villages adjoining the forest lands of Nameri. Although Manas has been spared from inadequate manpower, MEE has noted that the tiger reserve still has to deal with poor infrastructure.
"Manas has 38 anti-poaching camps in the core area and none in the buffer. The camps are inadequately equipped in terms of arms and ammunition, living facilities for the staff and communication," said the report.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-29/guwahati/29833442_1_tiger-reserves-dampa-management-effectiveness-evaluation
Saturday, July 30, 2011
'Goa stretch of Western Ghats vital tiger link' Paul Fernandes, TNN
PANAJI: The presence of the big cat in the state received a loud roar of official support, with the ministry of environment and forests considering the Goa stretch of the Western Ghats an important tiger corridor" between Anshi-Dandeli in Karnataka and the Sahyadris in Maharashtra, and confirming occupancy of tigers in the state's forests.
The findings-part of phase one of the study 'Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2010'-are based on data collected in 2009-10 from signs gathered by forest department officials and volunteers in the field. "The evidence on the ground usually covers everything from scats and pug marks to tiger kill," an environmentalist explained.
The report effectively stomps out the state forest department's past denial of the tiger's presence in Goa. Released on Thursday, the report considers the Western Ghats stretch from the Dang forests in Gujarat (including Goa) up to the Palakkad gap in Kerala as one of two corridors with the potential for contiguous tiger occupancy.
Though the exact number of big cats in Goa's forests can be further determined by using the camera trap method- which will be taken up in the third phase of the study and is yet to be started in the state-the report seriously considers the importance of Goa's link to the corridor.
It also refers to the better connectivity of Western Ghats tiger populations as compared to the same in central India and the Shivalik Gangetic plains landscapes, and finds that the habitat matrix in the Western Ghats is more conducive for tiger occupancy.
"However, the habitat connectivity is threatened by plantations, agriculture, industrial and infrastructural development," the report states. It calls for "timely effort to identify and legitimize the minimal corridors" which is needed for the conservation objective of ensuring gene flow between the Western Ghats tiger populations in times to come.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Goa-stretch-of-Western-Ghats-vital-tiger-link/articleshow/9416410.cms
The findings-part of phase one of the study 'Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2010'-are based on data collected in 2009-10 from signs gathered by forest department officials and volunteers in the field. "The evidence on the ground usually covers everything from scats and pug marks to tiger kill," an environmentalist explained.
The report effectively stomps out the state forest department's past denial of the tiger's presence in Goa. Released on Thursday, the report considers the Western Ghats stretch from the Dang forests in Gujarat (including Goa) up to the Palakkad gap in Kerala as one of two corridors with the potential for contiguous tiger occupancy.
Though the exact number of big cats in Goa's forests can be further determined by using the camera trap method- which will be taken up in the third phase of the study and is yet to be started in the state-the report seriously considers the importance of Goa's link to the corridor.
It also refers to the better connectivity of Western Ghats tiger populations as compared to the same in central India and the Shivalik Gangetic plains landscapes, and finds that the habitat matrix in the Western Ghats is more conducive for tiger occupancy.
"However, the habitat connectivity is threatened by plantations, agriculture, industrial and infrastructural development," the report states. It calls for "timely effort to identify and legitimize the minimal corridors" which is needed for the conservation objective of ensuring gene flow between the Western Ghats tiger populations in times to come.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Goa-stretch-of-Western-Ghats-vital-tiger-link/articleshow/9416410.cms
Kota tigress relocation gets NTCA approval Anindo Dey, TNN
JAIPUR: The tigress to be relocated to the Sariska tiger reserve has been identified. The Sultanpur tigress in Kota will be first of the three tigresses to be relocated. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already granted permission to the state for this.
During his last visit to Sariska, the then Union forest and environment minister Jairam Ramesh had said three more tigresses were to be shifted. Currently, the reserve has three tigresses and two tigers.
The tigress had strayed from the Ranthambore tiger reserve in January 2010. A team of forest officials had been trying to trace it but with the tigress settling down in the ravines of the Kalisind river on the border of Kota and Baran districts, there was little effort made in bringing her back. Even the periodic tracking of the tiger came to a halt.
Irked by lack of efforts from the forest department in keeping a tab on the tigress, a potential mother, the issue came up for discussion in a meeting. It was then that the state wrote to the NTCA seeking permission for the relocation of the big cat. But now when the permission has been granted, officials of the forest department are still unsure if it will happen. "The place where the tigress is settled is a big area and no tab has been kept on it. One is unsure if we will be able to locate the animal and tranquilise it before relocating it to Sariska," officials said.
Forest officials are trying to relocate tigresses to Sariska as all three, failed to give birth to a cub ever since they were relocated despite mating.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Kota-tigress-relocation-gets-NTCA-approval/articleshow/9416900.cms
During his last visit to Sariska, the then Union forest and environment minister Jairam Ramesh had said three more tigresses were to be shifted. Currently, the reserve has three tigresses and two tigers.
The tigress had strayed from the Ranthambore tiger reserve in January 2010. A team of forest officials had been trying to trace it but with the tigress settling down in the ravines of the Kalisind river on the border of Kota and Baran districts, there was little effort made in bringing her back. Even the periodic tracking of the tiger came to a halt.
Irked by lack of efforts from the forest department in keeping a tab on the tigress, a potential mother, the issue came up for discussion in a meeting. It was then that the state wrote to the NTCA seeking permission for the relocation of the big cat. But now when the permission has been granted, officials of the forest department are still unsure if it will happen. "The place where the tigress is settled is a big area and no tab has been kept on it. One is unsure if we will be able to locate the animal and tranquilise it before relocating it to Sariska," officials said.
Forest officials are trying to relocate tigresses to Sariska as all three, failed to give birth to a cub ever since they were relocated despite mating.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Kota-tigress-relocation-gets-NTCA-approval/articleshow/9416900.cms
Blow to Buxa's tiger hopes Krishnendu Mukherjee, TNN
KOLKATA: At a time when man-animal conflict is ruling the headlines, an MoEF report may come as a severe blow to Buxa's tiger dreams.
The report, a part of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves, said that the core area in the north Bengal reserve is inadequate for a viable breeding population of the big cats. "The 390.58 sq km core area is also not inviolate with about nine human settlements within the core," the report added.
An official from the National Tiger Conservation Authority said that about 30 forest villages are there inside the reserve and large human population for resource dependence and cattle grazing have resulted in degradation of forests. "This reflects in wide spread occurrence of invasive species like Mikania, Eupatorium and Ageratum," the official added.
"The state has decided to provide a package of Rs 10 lakh to the families, that will be relocating from Buxa Tiger Reserve," said PCCF (wildlife), SB Mondal. The relocation, to be done under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, will impact almost 18,000 villagers. Eight villages inside the reserve had already agreed to the relocation plan. The villages to be relocated outside the core area are Jainti, Bhutiabasti, Gangutia, Raimatang, Butrhi, Adma, Pana, 27 mile and 28 mile. Mondal said that they are waiting for funds from the Centre to kick start the process.
Though Wildlife Institute of India's (WII) YV Jhala had referred to a study done by Aaranyak, which predicted an estimation of 15 tigers inside the reserve, he added that inadequacy in habitat management, socio-political issues, lack of training in wildlife management are posing challenge to a proper management of the reserve.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Blow-to-Buxas-tiger-hopes/articleshow/9414756.cms
The report, a part of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves, said that the core area in the north Bengal reserve is inadequate for a viable breeding population of the big cats. "The 390.58 sq km core area is also not inviolate with about nine human settlements within the core," the report added.
An official from the National Tiger Conservation Authority said that about 30 forest villages are there inside the reserve and large human population for resource dependence and cattle grazing have resulted in degradation of forests. "This reflects in wide spread occurrence of invasive species like Mikania, Eupatorium and Ageratum," the official added.
"The state has decided to provide a package of Rs 10 lakh to the families, that will be relocating from Buxa Tiger Reserve," said PCCF (wildlife), SB Mondal. The relocation, to be done under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, will impact almost 18,000 villagers. Eight villages inside the reserve had already agreed to the relocation plan. The villages to be relocated outside the core area are Jainti, Bhutiabasti, Gangutia, Raimatang, Butrhi, Adma, Pana, 27 mile and 28 mile. Mondal said that they are waiting for funds from the Centre to kick start the process.
Though Wildlife Institute of India's (WII) YV Jhala had referred to a study done by Aaranyak, which predicted an estimation of 15 tigers inside the reserve, he added that inadequacy in habitat management, socio-political issues, lack of training in wildlife management are posing challenge to a proper management of the reserve.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Blow-to-Buxas-tiger-hopes/articleshow/9414756.cms
Tiger cub killed on Corbett road
A tiger cub was run over by a speeding vehicle on the road passing through Dhela range of the Corbett National Park on Friday. Corbett director Ranjan Kumar Mishra said a female tiger cub — aged about three months — was found dead on Dhela Road. The cub had sustained major head injury, leading to massive bleeding.
Park authorities are conducting a drive to check all vehicles at nearby resorts for signs of blood to identify who’s responsible.
Mishra added that the numbers and timing of vehicles passing through the checkpost on Dhela Road used to be noted during the night but due to the uncooperative attitude of vehicle users, among other factors, this system had become lax.
It is expected that checking will be stringent once again, and all vehicles on the road after 7:30 pm will be identified to help narrowing down on suspects in case of deaths of wild animals.
Honorary Wildlife Warden of Corbett and National Tiger Conservation Authority member Brijendra Singh said that considering the death of another tiger on Ramnagar road the previous year, the need for controlling speed and number of vehicles using such roads was essential.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/357029/Tiger-cub-killed-on-Corbett-road.html
Park authorities are conducting a drive to check all vehicles at nearby resorts for signs of blood to identify who’s responsible.
Mishra added that the numbers and timing of vehicles passing through the checkpost on Dhela Road used to be noted during the night but due to the uncooperative attitude of vehicle users, among other factors, this system had become lax.
It is expected that checking will be stringent once again, and all vehicles on the road after 7:30 pm will be identified to help narrowing down on suspects in case of deaths of wild animals.
Honorary Wildlife Warden of Corbett and National Tiger Conservation Authority member Brijendra Singh said that considering the death of another tiger on Ramnagar road the previous year, the need for controlling speed and number of vehicles using such roads was essential.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/357029/Tiger-cub-killed-on-Corbett-road.html
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tiger numbers up by 20 per cent in four years
PTI | 07:07 PM,Jul 28,2011
The Ministry report warned that once the habitats are lost, it is impossible to claim them back for restoration. "Poaching can wipe out individual tiger populations, but these can be re-established by reintroductions as has been done in Sariska and Panna," it said. Currently, only a few populations like Nagarhole-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Wayanad-Moyar-Segur, Corbett population, Sundarbans (India and Bangladesh) and Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong have the required population size for long term survival without immigration. "The remaining tiger populations require habitat connectivity for genetic and demographic viability," the report said. Populations that currently have corridor connectivity and exist as meta-populations are Rajaji-Corbett, Dudhwa-Katarniaghat-Kishanpur (along with Bardia and Suklaphanta in Nepal), Satpura-Melghat, Pench-Kanha, Bhadra-Kudermukh, Parambikulam-Indira Gandhi-Eravikulam and KMTR-Periyar. "Loss of connectivity between these populations would prove detrimental for their persistence," the report said. "The landscapes that have potential for meta population existence but are currently in need of conservation inputs are Srisailam, Simlipal-Satkosia, Ranthambhore-KunoPalpur-Sheopur, Indravati-Northern AndhraPradesh-Chandrapur-Nagzira-Navaegaon, and Bandhavgarh-Sanjay-Guru Ghasidas-Palamau," it said. PTI TGB
The Ministry report warned that once the habitats are lost, it is impossible to claim them back for restoration. "Poaching can wipe out individual tiger populations, but these can be re-established by reintroductions as has been done in Sariska and Panna," it said. Currently, only a few populations like Nagarhole-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Wayanad-Moyar-Segur, Corbett population, Sundarbans (India and Bangladesh) and Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong have the required population size for long term survival without immigration. "The remaining tiger populations require habitat connectivity for genetic and demographic viability," the report said. Populations that currently have corridor connectivity and exist as meta-populations are Rajaji-Corbett, Dudhwa-Katarniaghat-Kishanpur (along with Bardia and Suklaphanta in Nepal), Satpura-Melghat, Pench-Kanha, Bhadra-Kudermukh, Parambikulam-Indira Gandhi-Eravikulam and KMTR-Periyar. "Loss of connectivity between these populations would prove detrimental for their persistence," the report said. "The landscapes that have potential for meta population existence but are currently in need of conservation inputs are Srisailam, Simlipal-Satkosia, Ranthambhore-KunoPalpur-Sheopur, Indravati-Northern AndhraPradesh-Chandrapur-Nagzira-Navaegaon, and Bandhavgarh-Sanjay-Guru Ghasidas-Palamau," it said. PTI TGB
Staff shortage hits tiger reserves
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, July 28: The Sunderbans is among 15 tiger reserves with “very good” management practices, but field staff shortages and inadequate training are hampering conservation activities in all of India’s 39 tiger reserves.
An exercise initiated by the Union environment ministry to assess conservation efforts in tiger reserves has dubbed the effectiveness of management as “good” in 12 reserves, satisfactory in eight, and poor in four.
“But staff shortages and ageing field staff across all the reserves threaten conservation efforts,” said Vinod Mathur, dean at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun.
“In the absence of fresh recruitment, the ageing staff can’t even hand over their skills to the next generation,” added Mathur, who was involved in the exercise, titled “management effectiveness” evaluation of tiger reserves.
Mathur said the average age of field staff was 52 years, and the shortage across all reserves could touch 30 per cent. Such personnel are tasked with patrolling and routine housekeeping activities in the reserves.
The environment ministry had earlier this year released its new estimate of tigers in India — 1,706, about 20 per cent higher than the 2006 estimate of 1,411, although the latest estimate included the count of 70 tigers in the Sunderbans, unlike the 2006 census.
The “management effectiveness” evaluation assessed the tiger reserves on several conservation-related parameters including habitat management, threat assessment and funding contributions by state governments.
“Bengal provides a substantial level of funding for the Sunderbans — we don’t see that level of funding from any other state,” Mathur said. The funds are used for all conservation-related activities, including patrolling through the reserve’s harsh environment.
Three of the four poorly managed tiger reserves — Indravati and Udanti-Sitanadi in Chhattisgarh and Palamau in Jharkhand — fall in the so-called “Red corridor”, affected by Left-wing extremism. The fourth poorly managed reserve is Satkosia in Orissa.
A detailed analysis of the tiger census, released earlier this year, has shown a 12 per cent decline in the animals’ numbers at “connecting habitats” — corridors of favourable habitat that connect two tiger reserves.
The increase in the overall count since 2006 has been attributed to an increase in tiger density in Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of the Northeast, and the inclusion of the Sunderbans in the estimation.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110729/jsp/nation/story_14304797.jsp
New Delhi, July 28: The Sunderbans is among 15 tiger reserves with “very good” management practices, but field staff shortages and inadequate training are hampering conservation activities in all of India’s 39 tiger reserves.
An exercise initiated by the Union environment ministry to assess conservation efforts in tiger reserves has dubbed the effectiveness of management as “good” in 12 reserves, satisfactory in eight, and poor in four.
“But staff shortages and ageing field staff across all the reserves threaten conservation efforts,” said Vinod Mathur, dean at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun.
“In the absence of fresh recruitment, the ageing staff can’t even hand over their skills to the next generation,” added Mathur, who was involved in the exercise, titled “management effectiveness” evaluation of tiger reserves.
Mathur said the average age of field staff was 52 years, and the shortage across all reserves could touch 30 per cent. Such personnel are tasked with patrolling and routine housekeeping activities in the reserves.
The environment ministry had earlier this year released its new estimate of tigers in India — 1,706, about 20 per cent higher than the 2006 estimate of 1,411, although the latest estimate included the count of 70 tigers in the Sunderbans, unlike the 2006 census.
The “management effectiveness” evaluation assessed the tiger reserves on several conservation-related parameters including habitat management, threat assessment and funding contributions by state governments.
“Bengal provides a substantial level of funding for the Sunderbans — we don’t see that level of funding from any other state,” Mathur said. The funds are used for all conservation-related activities, including patrolling through the reserve’s harsh environment.
Three of the four poorly managed tiger reserves — Indravati and Udanti-Sitanadi in Chhattisgarh and Palamau in Jharkhand — fall in the so-called “Red corridor”, affected by Left-wing extremism. The fourth poorly managed reserve is Satkosia in Orissa.
A detailed analysis of the tiger census, released earlier this year, has shown a 12 per cent decline in the animals’ numbers at “connecting habitats” — corridors of favourable habitat that connect two tiger reserves.
The increase in the overall count since 2006 has been attributed to an increase in tiger density in Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of the Northeast, and the inclusion of the Sunderbans in the estimation.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110729/jsp/nation/story_14304797.jsp
Officials, activists divided over tiger cubs’ relocation TNN
JAIPUR: Sariska's jinx with cubs continues. The latest controversy to grip Sariska comes after the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) approved relocation of two cubs, left orphaned by the death of the Kachida tigress at Ranthambore within six months after it was operated upon by the forest authorities.
However, even now senior forest officials are confused whether to relocate the cubs. Interestingly, the NTCA's approval has come only after the state sent it a proposal seeking permission for it.
"The cubs are well-settled in Ranthambore. What is the need to relocate them to Sariska? Moreover, they are very young and the process of tranquilising them before relocation may prove detrimental to their health," said a senior forest official.
They explained the proposal was sent about six months ago and the situation has changed much since then. "There are grown-up tigers roaming in Sariska and the cubs might just stray into their territory and get killed," he added.
But wildlife activists are not willing to buy any of the claims of the officials. "The cubs are more prone to attacks from elder tigers in Ranthambore than at Sariska. Ranthambore is overpopulated and even sub-adult tigers have often strayed from the forest in search of a territory. In such a situation the cubs stand no chance," they added.
Activists also say the original plan sent to NTCA was not to catch the cubs and leave them at Sariska. "The proposal was to leave them in the cage that is built in Sariska where we normally leave any relocated tiger for a period for acclimatisation. Here we could have taught the cubs to hunt on their own by releasing deer within the cage. Once they grew up we could have left them in the wild. Not relocating them after permissions from the NTCA might amount to taking all the responsibility of the well-being of the cubs in Ranthambore on our shoulders," they say.
When contacted, U M Sahai, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan, said, "We have received the NTCA permission. However, since it is such a long time since the proposal was sent we will write again to the authorities to learn of their opinion as to whether the relocation should be done now."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Officials-activists-divided-over-tiger-cubs-relocation/articleshow/9404683.cms
However, even now senior forest officials are confused whether to relocate the cubs. Interestingly, the NTCA's approval has come only after the state sent it a proposal seeking permission for it.
"The cubs are well-settled in Ranthambore. What is the need to relocate them to Sariska? Moreover, they are very young and the process of tranquilising them before relocation may prove detrimental to their health," said a senior forest official.
They explained the proposal was sent about six months ago and the situation has changed much since then. "There are grown-up tigers roaming in Sariska and the cubs might just stray into their territory and get killed," he added.
But wildlife activists are not willing to buy any of the claims of the officials. "The cubs are more prone to attacks from elder tigers in Ranthambore than at Sariska. Ranthambore is overpopulated and even sub-adult tigers have often strayed from the forest in search of a territory. In such a situation the cubs stand no chance," they added.
Activists also say the original plan sent to NTCA was not to catch the cubs and leave them at Sariska. "The proposal was to leave them in the cage that is built in Sariska where we normally leave any relocated tiger for a period for acclimatisation. Here we could have taught the cubs to hunt on their own by releasing deer within the cage. Once they grew up we could have left them in the wild. Not relocating them after permissions from the NTCA might amount to taking all the responsibility of the well-being of the cubs in Ranthambore on our shoulders," they say.
When contacted, U M Sahai, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan, said, "We have received the NTCA permission. However, since it is such a long time since the proposal was sent we will write again to the authorities to learn of their opinion as to whether the relocation should be done now."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Officials-activists-divided-over-tiger-cubs-relocation/articleshow/9404683.cms
Tiger habitat shrinks by 20 pc in State: Subhash Chandra NS,Bangalore,
The increase in tiger population might have put the State in the limelight for its conservation efforts, however, the second countrywide report on the status of tigers in India, to be released by Environment Minister Jayanthi Natrajan in Delhi shows a decline in the big cat’s habitat by 20 per cent.
Sources in the Wildlife Institute of India said the second report, which runs to over 200 pages gave an assessment of tigers across the country. “It is the largest ever exercise to count tigers in the country,” sources said.
Though the State’s wildlife experts attribute the contiguous forest as the reason for better conservation in the State, the second report ‘Tigers, co-predators in India- 2010’ stated that forests in Karnataka were not in a position to support the increasing number of tigers as their area had shrunk by 20 per cent.
According to the report, the data collected from the tiger habitats of 17 states in India, showed an average decline of 12 per cent in their area. However, the silver lining for Karnataka was that the leopard population in the State as well as the habitat was stable.
The report also stated that the future of big cats appeared bleak unless measures were taken to secure the tigers’ habitat which had been lost due to various reasons, sources said.
It could be recalled that the recent census report had showed a marginal increase in the number of tigers in the State. It was estimated that tigers numbered 34 to 47 in 435.5 sq km of Sharavathi Valley (Anshi- Dandeli). The big cat population was estimated to be between 32 and 47 in Kudremukh-Bhadra region which spreads across 327.4 sq km.
As many as 350 to 411 tigers had been estimated to be present in 5,033 sq km area of Nagarahole, Mudumalai-Wayanad region.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/179609/tiger-habitat-shrinks-20-pc.html
Sources in the Wildlife Institute of India said the second report, which runs to over 200 pages gave an assessment of tigers across the country. “It is the largest ever exercise to count tigers in the country,” sources said.
Though the State’s wildlife experts attribute the contiguous forest as the reason for better conservation in the State, the second report ‘Tigers, co-predators in India- 2010’ stated that forests in Karnataka were not in a position to support the increasing number of tigers as their area had shrunk by 20 per cent.
According to the report, the data collected from the tiger habitats of 17 states in India, showed an average decline of 12 per cent in their area. However, the silver lining for Karnataka was that the leopard population in the State as well as the habitat was stable.
The report also stated that the future of big cats appeared bleak unless measures were taken to secure the tigers’ habitat which had been lost due to various reasons, sources said.
It could be recalled that the recent census report had showed a marginal increase in the number of tigers in the State. It was estimated that tigers numbered 34 to 47 in 435.5 sq km of Sharavathi Valley (Anshi- Dandeli). The big cat population was estimated to be between 32 and 47 in Kudremukh-Bhadra region which spreads across 327.4 sq km.
As many as 350 to 411 tigers had been estimated to be present in 5,033 sq km area of Nagarahole, Mudumalai-Wayanad region.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/179609/tiger-habitat-shrinks-20-pc.html
Another feather in Manas cap - Delhi report classifies Kaziranga as ‘very good’ among tiger reserves
Days of glory
Guwahati, July 28: Manas is on a roll.
Weeks after winning back its World Heritage Site tag, the national park has earned the distinction of being classified as a “good” tiger reserve, following the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of tiger reserves in India exercise carried out by National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India.
The report was released in New Delhi today. It reveals that most of the tiger reserves in the Northeast have done well in comparison to earlier reports.
Kaziranga has been classified in the “very good” category, while Dampa and Pakke are in the “good” category, and Nameri and Namdapha have been kept in the “satisfactory” category.
MEE is an assessment of how well protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves, community reserves and tiger reserves are being managed and their effectiveness in conserving flora and fauna.
Thirty indicators were used to evaluate the reserves.
Manas was earlier classified as poor while Kaziranga and Pakke were “good”.
Nameri was satisfactory, Dampa and Namdapha were classified as poor.
“On Manas tiger reserve, it says there are no human settlements inside the core of the reserve except for an area of 16.3 square km in Panbari on the fringes and 20 hectares at Betbari in North Kamrup which was encroached upon in 1996. Relocation of these settlements is being addressed through negotiations with local people.
“It is a good news for us and shows that the efforts put in during the last few years are finally paying off. There are some concerns, which are being adequately taken care of,” A. Swargiary, field director of the Manas tiger reserve, said.
The report says there is excellent availability of water in the reserve, part of a larger landscape, dynamic ecosystem, change in attitude of local people towards conservation of Manas and good support from Manas.
On the weaknesses, it says there is poor infrastructure in the buffer areas, multiplicity of management in the buffer area, porosity of the southern tip of the Manas river and lack of clarity in the role of volunteers.
It has suggested that the authorities should discuss the issue with the Bodoland Territorial Council to place the buffer areas under the unified command of the field director.
This apart, it should prepare a volunteer deployment programme and create administrative structure so that they can work under the supervision of regular staff.
A source in Manas said though relocation of people from the core areas is on the cards, it looks to be a tough job, as there are several problems. A sum of Rs 10 lakh will be paid to each family for moving out.
It says that Kaziranga has one of the best protection strategies, which are well implemented with 152 anti poaching camps, a number of roads and a well-connected communication system.
It is prepared to meet emergencies arising out of flash floods, the core area is free from human habitation and the wildlife staff trained better at the senior level.
The reserve is estimated to have 106 tigers.
The weaknesses identified for Kaziranga are rapid habitat degradation in and around the tiger reserve, speeding traffic along National Highway 37 and delay in release of funds, among others.
It has suggested a periodic review of tourism activities and the initiation of steps for habitat and population monitoring.
The strengths of Dampa are no human settlements inside the core area, attitudinal change in the local communities and habitat for species of high conservation value, among others.
The long international border which opens up scope for movement of people from neigbouring countries and shifting cultivation in the buffer area are some of its weaknesses.
Pakke has excellent protection mechanism, man management and is free from human habitation. Namdapha has inadequate staff and most of them are not trained, 84 families are staying in the core area and there is no eco-development.
Similarly, at Nameri tiger reserve, the buffer zone is not under the tiger reserve, there is a severe shortage of manpower and severe degradation and encroachment of buffer areas.
The estimated total population of tigers in Assam is 143 with the lower limit being 113 and the upper limit being 173. In 2006, the population was 70.
In the Northeast, the tiger population is 148 with the lower limit being 118 and the upper limit being 178. In 2006 it was 100.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110729/jsp/frontpage/story_14304436.jsp
Guwahati, July 28: Manas is on a roll.
Weeks after winning back its World Heritage Site tag, the national park has earned the distinction of being classified as a “good” tiger reserve, following the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of tiger reserves in India exercise carried out by National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India.
The report was released in New Delhi today. It reveals that most of the tiger reserves in the Northeast have done well in comparison to earlier reports.
Kaziranga has been classified in the “very good” category, while Dampa and Pakke are in the “good” category, and Nameri and Namdapha have been kept in the “satisfactory” category.
MEE is an assessment of how well protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves, community reserves and tiger reserves are being managed and their effectiveness in conserving flora and fauna.
Thirty indicators were used to evaluate the reserves.
Manas was earlier classified as poor while Kaziranga and Pakke were “good”.
Nameri was satisfactory, Dampa and Namdapha were classified as poor.
“On Manas tiger reserve, it says there are no human settlements inside the core of the reserve except for an area of 16.3 square km in Panbari on the fringes and 20 hectares at Betbari in North Kamrup which was encroached upon in 1996. Relocation of these settlements is being addressed through negotiations with local people.
“It is a good news for us and shows that the efforts put in during the last few years are finally paying off. There are some concerns, which are being adequately taken care of,” A. Swargiary, field director of the Manas tiger reserve, said.
The report says there is excellent availability of water in the reserve, part of a larger landscape, dynamic ecosystem, change in attitude of local people towards conservation of Manas and good support from Manas.
On the weaknesses, it says there is poor infrastructure in the buffer areas, multiplicity of management in the buffer area, porosity of the southern tip of the Manas river and lack of clarity in the role of volunteers.
It has suggested that the authorities should discuss the issue with the Bodoland Territorial Council to place the buffer areas under the unified command of the field director.
This apart, it should prepare a volunteer deployment programme and create administrative structure so that they can work under the supervision of regular staff.
A source in Manas said though relocation of people from the core areas is on the cards, it looks to be a tough job, as there are several problems. A sum of Rs 10 lakh will be paid to each family for moving out.
It says that Kaziranga has one of the best protection strategies, which are well implemented with 152 anti poaching camps, a number of roads and a well-connected communication system.
It is prepared to meet emergencies arising out of flash floods, the core area is free from human habitation and the wildlife staff trained better at the senior level.
The reserve is estimated to have 106 tigers.
The weaknesses identified for Kaziranga are rapid habitat degradation in and around the tiger reserve, speeding traffic along National Highway 37 and delay in release of funds, among others.
It has suggested a periodic review of tourism activities and the initiation of steps for habitat and population monitoring.
The strengths of Dampa are no human settlements inside the core area, attitudinal change in the local communities and habitat for species of high conservation value, among others.
The long international border which opens up scope for movement of people from neigbouring countries and shifting cultivation in the buffer area are some of its weaknesses.
Pakke has excellent protection mechanism, man management and is free from human habitation. Namdapha has inadequate staff and most of them are not trained, 84 families are staying in the core area and there is no eco-development.
Similarly, at Nameri tiger reserve, the buffer zone is not under the tiger reserve, there is a severe shortage of manpower and severe degradation and encroachment of buffer areas.
The estimated total population of tigers in Assam is 143 with the lower limit being 113 and the upper limit being 173. In 2006, the population was 70.
In the Northeast, the tiger population is 148 with the lower limit being 118 and the upper limit being 178. In 2006 it was 100.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110729/jsp/frontpage/story_14304436.jsp
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tiger reserve: It's now 'how to approach locals' TNN
PANAJI: Forest minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues said his department is working out modalities of approaching elected representatives and stakeholders in the periphery of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary with the central government's proposal of declaring it a tiger reserve.
"We are in the process of finding a mode of reaching stakeholders, and my department is being sensitized about finding one," Rodrigues told TOI on Tuesday.
Department officials will have to prepare a draft plan to approach the stakeholders and create awareness about this proposal, he said.
Former union minister of environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh, had written, on June 28, to chief minister Digambar Kamat, urging him to consider a proposal to declare Mhadei as a tiger reserve on merit, and to even look at expanding its limits beyond the sanctuary.
Mhadei on Goa's eastern border is contiguous tiger landscape to Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary and Anshi-Dandeli tiger reserve in Karnataka, Ramesh had stated.
Karnataka's tiger landscape comprising Bhimgad and Anshi has a population of 35 tigers, while Goa had five to six big cats as per the census count almost a decade ago.
Rodrigues said his department was contemplating how to put the central government proposal before the elected representatives and stakeholders of the area. "A proposal will be prepared with department officials to reach the common man in habitations in or near the sanctuary areas," he said.
He further said that he would prefer to reach out to stakeholders first and "thereafter seek the general view of others".
When pointed out that a delay in completing the process may lead to further damage to the environment or advantage to the mining or other lobbies, the minister said it was important to spell out what the proposal is about first to the people.
Asked if spelling out merits and demerits of the proposal to the people would be done during the interactive session, Rodrigues said, "Implications of the tiger reserve proposal may not be done at this stage, but after seeking stakeholders' reactions."
Environmentalists have been irked by the forest department's denial of the tiger presence and the diversion of huge tracts of forest to development, especially to mining.
Rodrigues conceded that seeking the people's views may take some time.
National Board of Wildlife member and conservationist, Prerna Singh Bindra, had also chipped in with the suggestion to consider the tiger reserve proposal seriously as it would help the water security of the region. She had written to Goa's CM on July 22, stating that River Mhadei and a few other rivers in Karnataka have their catchment areas in the Mhadei basin.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tiger-reserve-Its-now-how-to-approach-locals/articleshow/9376870.cms
"We are in the process of finding a mode of reaching stakeholders, and my department is being sensitized about finding one," Rodrigues told TOI on Tuesday.
Department officials will have to prepare a draft plan to approach the stakeholders and create awareness about this proposal, he said.
Former union minister of environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh, had written, on June 28, to chief minister Digambar Kamat, urging him to consider a proposal to declare Mhadei as a tiger reserve on merit, and to even look at expanding its limits beyond the sanctuary.
Mhadei on Goa's eastern border is contiguous tiger landscape to Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary and Anshi-Dandeli tiger reserve in Karnataka, Ramesh had stated.
Karnataka's tiger landscape comprising Bhimgad and Anshi has a population of 35 tigers, while Goa had five to six big cats as per the census count almost a decade ago.
Rodrigues said his department was contemplating how to put the central government proposal before the elected representatives and stakeholders of the area. "A proposal will be prepared with department officials to reach the common man in habitations in or near the sanctuary areas," he said.
He further said that he would prefer to reach out to stakeholders first and "thereafter seek the general view of others".
When pointed out that a delay in completing the process may lead to further damage to the environment or advantage to the mining or other lobbies, the minister said it was important to spell out what the proposal is about first to the people.
Asked if spelling out merits and demerits of the proposal to the people would be done during the interactive session, Rodrigues said, "Implications of the tiger reserve proposal may not be done at this stage, but after seeking stakeholders' reactions."
Environmentalists have been irked by the forest department's denial of the tiger presence and the diversion of huge tracts of forest to development, especially to mining.
Rodrigues conceded that seeking the people's views may take some time.
National Board of Wildlife member and conservationist, Prerna Singh Bindra, had also chipped in with the suggestion to consider the tiger reserve proposal seriously as it would help the water security of the region. She had written to Goa's CM on July 22, stating that River Mhadei and a few other rivers in Karnataka have their catchment areas in the Mhadei basin.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tiger-reserve-Its-now-how-to-approach-locals/articleshow/9376870.cms
Killer tracks in tiger reserve Animals fall prey to speeding trains, blame game on A.S.R.P. MUKESH
Trains are meant to observe speed restrictions between Hehegara and Chipadohor in Betla within Palamau Tiger Reserve. File picture
Ranchi, July 26: Around 70 Up and Down trains, often flouting regulation speed limits, use an 8-km railway track that cuts through Palamau Tiger Reserve in the Chipadohor area of Betla forest, proving to be a menace for the animal population.
A three-year-old elephant calf was fatally hit by a goods train speeding at 60kmph on July 22 night. However, the carcass on tracks has simply sparked a war of words between the state forest department and Dhanbad railway division.
Officials at the reserve blame the railways for not sticking to an agreed upon speed limit. But, the railways claim they always do, also clarifying that the death of the calf occurred in an area that was beyond the zone with speed curbs.
At a joint meeting in 2004-05, a mutual agreement was drafted between the forest department and railways. Trains were supposed to run within the speed limit of 20kmph, blow horns and keep high mast lights on. Labourers were supposed to be employed to uproot bushes regularly for visibility and sprinkle lubricants on tracks to ward off animals.
However, the forest department officials claim nothing of the sort happened.
According to PTR director S.E.H. Kazmi, senior railway officials pass the buck, claiming manpower crunch, but do nothing to sensitise employees who man the trains. “No one seems to be aware of any rule. Fortunately, no tiger has been mowed down yet,” he said.
He agreed the track was a threat to ecological sanctity, but said nothing could be done as the rail link existed much before the reserve came into being in 1973. “Diverting it practically is not possible. It’s one of the two routes connecting Delhi and Ranchi,” he said.
However, divisional railway manager (Dhanbad division) Anand Sagar Upadhyay denied rules were violated. There’s an 8km stretch between Chipadohor and Hehegara, but speed restrictions are applicable on 2km. Of the stretch, 1km is a caution zone where a speed limit of 20-25kmph is to be maintained, while the other is a lookout zone, where the driver has to be alert, but not maintain speed limit. The incident took place beyond the restricted 2km and we aren’t at fault,” he said.
He added that they had written to the forest department last year, asking for a review on speed limits. “They (the department) said things are fine,” Upadhyay said, adding according to their records, animal deaths due to trains took place in 1981-82 and 2003-04.
“Our record shows we are enforcing better speeds,” he said, but then went on to add a technical nitty-gritty. “The goods train had a high capacity engine, which meant it could have clocked speed in no time. In this case, even if the driver intended to stop the train, he couldn’t have done so immediately,” he said.
Which means even emergency brakes wouldn’t have saved the animal.
However, even if no one wants to own up responsibility, the death of the elephant is prompting a reaction. Casualties of small animals such as goats, deer, hares, among others, are frequently not recorded as villagers collect the carcass. In the case of larger animals, too, forest department officials plead helplessness, saying they don’t have enough manpower or patrolling jeeps.
But the reason that no one admits is that if all accidents were recorded, it would make both the forest department and the railways cut a sorry figure.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110727/jsp/frontpage/story_14293974.jsp
Ranchi, July 26: Around 70 Up and Down trains, often flouting regulation speed limits, use an 8-km railway track that cuts through Palamau Tiger Reserve in the Chipadohor area of Betla forest, proving to be a menace for the animal population.
A three-year-old elephant calf was fatally hit by a goods train speeding at 60kmph on July 22 night. However, the carcass on tracks has simply sparked a war of words between the state forest department and Dhanbad railway division.
Officials at the reserve blame the railways for not sticking to an agreed upon speed limit. But, the railways claim they always do, also clarifying that the death of the calf occurred in an area that was beyond the zone with speed curbs.
At a joint meeting in 2004-05, a mutual agreement was drafted between the forest department and railways. Trains were supposed to run within the speed limit of 20kmph, blow horns and keep high mast lights on. Labourers were supposed to be employed to uproot bushes regularly for visibility and sprinkle lubricants on tracks to ward off animals.
However, the forest department officials claim nothing of the sort happened.
According to PTR director S.E.H. Kazmi, senior railway officials pass the buck, claiming manpower crunch, but do nothing to sensitise employees who man the trains. “No one seems to be aware of any rule. Fortunately, no tiger has been mowed down yet,” he said.
He agreed the track was a threat to ecological sanctity, but said nothing could be done as the rail link existed much before the reserve came into being in 1973. “Diverting it practically is not possible. It’s one of the two routes connecting Delhi and Ranchi,” he said.
However, divisional railway manager (Dhanbad division) Anand Sagar Upadhyay denied rules were violated. There’s an 8km stretch between Chipadohor and Hehegara, but speed restrictions are applicable on 2km. Of the stretch, 1km is a caution zone where a speed limit of 20-25kmph is to be maintained, while the other is a lookout zone, where the driver has to be alert, but not maintain speed limit. The incident took place beyond the restricted 2km and we aren’t at fault,” he said.
He added that they had written to the forest department last year, asking for a review on speed limits. “They (the department) said things are fine,” Upadhyay said, adding according to their records, animal deaths due to trains took place in 1981-82 and 2003-04.
“Our record shows we are enforcing better speeds,” he said, but then went on to add a technical nitty-gritty. “The goods train had a high capacity engine, which meant it could have clocked speed in no time. In this case, even if the driver intended to stop the train, he couldn’t have done so immediately,” he said.
Which means even emergency brakes wouldn’t have saved the animal.
However, even if no one wants to own up responsibility, the death of the elephant is prompting a reaction. Casualties of small animals such as goats, deer, hares, among others, are frequently not recorded as villagers collect the carcass. In the case of larger animals, too, forest department officials plead helplessness, saying they don’t have enough manpower or patrolling jeeps.
But the reason that no one admits is that if all accidents were recorded, it would make both the forest department and the railways cut a sorry figure.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110727/jsp/frontpage/story_14293974.jsp
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sundarbans have only 90 tigers
KOLKATA: It is neither 274, nor 64, the exact number of tigers in the Sundarbans is 90. Recently, the Wild Life Institute of India (WLII) has informed this to the state forest department, said state's chief wild life warden Sitanshu Bikash Mondal.
Earlier, the WLII set the figure at 64, while the state forest departments used to claim that there were 274 tigers in the Sundarbans and the tiger population was ever increasing.
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) earlier carried out study to refute the claim of the state forest department. The ISI study revealed that the number of Royal Bengal tigers in Sundarbans would be some where closed to 70. However, the forest department questioned the veracity of this study.
According to WLII, there are 1627 tigers in India. Unlike rest of the forests in India, it is really difficult to carry out tiger census in Sundarbans. The entire area is strewn with pneumatophores or breathing roots of mangrove trees. Routinely, each island gets completely inundated. So it is next to impossible to physically access every part of the Sundarbans.
So, WLII and the forest department jointly put camera traps, put radio-collars around some tiger's neck and of course analyse the tiger scat to identify the DNA of the tiger. The tiger scat were collected periodically by the forest guards.
The number of tiger in Sundarbans is difficult to ascertain. More than half of Sundarbans is in our neighbouring country Bangladesh and tiger never follow the political boundaries created by human beings. So tigers often move around a wider area across the Sundarbans. Unless it is a joint Indo-Bangla tiger census, the tiger-population in Sundarbans is difficult to as-certain, said a senior forest officer.
The Indo-Bangla joint initiative was first taken up by the then union forest minister Jairam Ramesh. Ramesh made it a point by inviting the Bangladesh forest minister in Kolkata to take the initiative forward. Now it is up to new forest and environment minister Jayanti Natarajan to take the is-sue forward farther.
According to the forest department, there are 185 rhinoceros. But the gender ratio is quite skewed. To strike a balance, 20 male rhinoceros of North Bengal will be exchanged with 20 female rhinos of Kaziranga national park, Assam shortly.
Earlier, the WLII set the figure at 64, while the state forest departments used to claim that there were 274 tigers in the Sundarbans and the tiger population was ever increasing.
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) earlier carried out study to refute the claim of the state forest department. The ISI study revealed that the number of Royal Bengal tigers in Sundarbans would be some where closed to 70. However, the forest department questioned the veracity of this study.
According to WLII, there are 1627 tigers in India. Unlike rest of the forests in India, it is really difficult to carry out tiger census in Sundarbans. The entire area is strewn with pneumatophores or breathing roots of mangrove trees. Routinely, each island gets completely inundated. So it is next to impossible to physically access every part of the Sundarbans.
So, WLII and the forest department jointly put camera traps, put radio-collars around some tiger's neck and of course analyse the tiger scat to identify the DNA of the tiger. The tiger scat were collected periodically by the forest guards.
The number of tiger in Sundarbans is difficult to ascertain. More than half of Sundarbans is in our neighbouring country Bangladesh and tiger never follow the political boundaries created by human beings. So tigers often move around a wider area across the Sundarbans. Unless it is a joint Indo-Bangla tiger census, the tiger-population in Sundarbans is difficult to as-certain, said a senior forest officer.
The Indo-Bangla joint initiative was first taken up by the then union forest minister Jairam Ramesh. Ramesh made it a point by inviting the Bangladesh forest minister in Kolkata to take the initiative forward. Now it is up to new forest and environment minister Jayanti Natarajan to take the is-sue forward farther.
According to the forest department, there are 185 rhinoceros. But the gender ratio is quite skewed. To strike a balance, 20 male rhinoceros of North Bengal will be exchanged with 20 female rhinos of Kaziranga national park, Assam shortly.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Mhadei tiger reserve pro-people: NBW member
PANAJI: National Board for Wildlife (NBW) member and conservationist, Prerna Singh Bindra, has thrown her weight behind the proposal to declare Mhadei wildlife sanctuary as a tiger reserve, stating that it will help secure the entire regions water resources.
In a letter to chief minister Digambar Kamat, sent on Friday, Bindra urged him to consider the merit of the proposal as suggested by former union minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh.
"Mhadei is the catchment area of important rivers like Mhadei, Malaprabha, Pandhari, Bailnadi, Tillari, and making it a tiger reserve will help consolidate the habitat and address the water security issues of Goa for posterity," said Bindra.
She added that declaring Goa a tiger state would be a matter of prestige during Goa's golden jubilee year of liberation. Doubts being raised in some quarters that the move is anti-people were unfounded, she stressed.
"I am sure as a leader of Goa, you will have the vision to see the benefits of declaring Mhadei as a tiger reserve, and will commit to save the tiger, as has been done by the UPA leader, Sonia Gandhi, and the honourable PM," Bindra stated.
Given the importance and uniqueness of Goa's tiger forests, she suggested that expanding the reserve beyond Mhadei may also be considered.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/mhadei-tiger-reserve-pro-people-nbw-member/articleshow/9329756.cms
In a letter to chief minister Digambar Kamat, sent on Friday, Bindra urged him to consider the merit of the proposal as suggested by former union minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh.
"Mhadei is the catchment area of important rivers like Mhadei, Malaprabha, Pandhari, Bailnadi, Tillari, and making it a tiger reserve will help consolidate the habitat and address the water security issues of Goa for posterity," said Bindra.
She added that declaring Goa a tiger state would be a matter of prestige during Goa's golden jubilee year of liberation. Doubts being raised in some quarters that the move is anti-people were unfounded, she stressed.
"I am sure as a leader of Goa, you will have the vision to see the benefits of declaring Mhadei as a tiger reserve, and will commit to save the tiger, as has been done by the UPA leader, Sonia Gandhi, and the honourable PM," Bindra stated.
Given the importance and uniqueness of Goa's tiger forests, she suggested that expanding the reserve beyond Mhadei may also be considered.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/mhadei-tiger-reserve-pro-people-nbw-member/articleshow/9329756.cms
Friday, July 22, 2011
NTCA's 10-member panel to save tiger corridors, habitat Vijay Pinjarkar
NAGPUR: To check intensive landuse practices like mining, construction of road and railway lines affecting the tiger habitat and corridors, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has set up a 10-member committee of experts.
NTCA is a statutory body under the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) monitoring tiger reserves in the country. The committee will do appraisal of impact of mining, road and rail construction on tiger conservation. The panel of well-known experts from all fields will draw upon the best practices in other countries in this context, while suggesting ecological compatible synergy between conservation and development.
The 10-member panel consists of MK Ranjit Sinh, member, National Board for Wildlife Life (NBWL), Asha Rajwanshi and Qamar Qureshi, both scientists, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, VK Sharma, chief general manager (CGM), NHAI, New Delhi, M Firoz Ahmed, member of NTCA, T Chandni, director (IA), MoEF, HK Chowdhury, AIG (FC), MoEF, one nominee each of the ministry of railways (MoR) and Coal India Limited (CIL), and SP Yadav, deputy inspector general (DIG), NTCA. Yadav will be the member-convener.
Yadav said the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee will include country-level appraisal of the extent of tiger habitat, corridors and other crucial areas for conservation, based on the 2010 all India tiger estimation. The CIL and MoR have been requested to depute their one representative on the panel.
The committee will also appraise ongoing demand for diversion of habitat areas towards infrastructure projects in tiger range states. It will also appraise global best practices adopted to safeguard conservation vis-Ã -vis intensive land use.
The committee will also make general recommendations for harmonising such land uses vis-Ã -vis tiger conservation in the Indian context. The panel will submit its report within a period of six months, Yadav added.
MK Ranjit Sinh, chairman of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), confirmed to TOI about his inclusion in the NTCA committee but said as he had just returned from Rajasthan and will have to check the mandate.
The committee has a key role to play while deciding on various ongoing projects threatening tiger corridors in the region. The prime among them includes the four-laning of NH6 by NHAI between Lakhni and Deori. The road widening cuts the tiger corridor between Navegaon National Park and Nagzira wildlife sanctuary, proposed to be declared as tiger reserve.
Another issue is the stalled four-laning of NH7 from Mansar to Rukhad which threatens both Pench tiger reserves. The four-laning will also rip through some compartments of the newly declared Mansingdeo sanctuary. Besides, there are several mining projects around Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), which pose threat to the reserve.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/NTCAs-10-member-panel-to-save-tiger-corridors-habitat/articleshow/9314209.cms
NTCA is a statutory body under the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) monitoring tiger reserves in the country. The committee will do appraisal of impact of mining, road and rail construction on tiger conservation. The panel of well-known experts from all fields will draw upon the best practices in other countries in this context, while suggesting ecological compatible synergy between conservation and development.
The 10-member panel consists of MK Ranjit Sinh, member, National Board for Wildlife Life (NBWL), Asha Rajwanshi and Qamar Qureshi, both scientists, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, VK Sharma, chief general manager (CGM), NHAI, New Delhi, M Firoz Ahmed, member of NTCA, T Chandni, director (IA), MoEF, HK Chowdhury, AIG (FC), MoEF, one nominee each of the ministry of railways (MoR) and Coal India Limited (CIL), and SP Yadav, deputy inspector general (DIG), NTCA. Yadav will be the member-convener.
Yadav said the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee will include country-level appraisal of the extent of tiger habitat, corridors and other crucial areas for conservation, based on the 2010 all India tiger estimation. The CIL and MoR have been requested to depute their one representative on the panel.
The committee will also appraise ongoing demand for diversion of habitat areas towards infrastructure projects in tiger range states. It will also appraise global best practices adopted to safeguard conservation vis-Ã -vis intensive land use.
The committee will also make general recommendations for harmonising such land uses vis-Ã -vis tiger conservation in the Indian context. The panel will submit its report within a period of six months, Yadav added.
MK Ranjit Sinh, chairman of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), confirmed to TOI about his inclusion in the NTCA committee but said as he had just returned from Rajasthan and will have to check the mandate.
The committee has a key role to play while deciding on various ongoing projects threatening tiger corridors in the region. The prime among them includes the four-laning of NH6 by NHAI between Lakhni and Deori. The road widening cuts the tiger corridor between Navegaon National Park and Nagzira wildlife sanctuary, proposed to be declared as tiger reserve.
Another issue is the stalled four-laning of NH7 from Mansar to Rukhad which threatens both Pench tiger reserves. The four-laning will also rip through some compartments of the newly declared Mansingdeo sanctuary. Besides, there are several mining projects around Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), which pose threat to the reserve.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/NTCAs-10-member-panel-to-save-tiger-corridors-habitat/articleshow/9314209.cms
Private space in the wild is no mild worry Jayashree Nandi, TNN
BANGALORE: Many tiger reserves have vast stretches of revenue land in the core area which are owned by private parties. These are patches of land that were leased out or sold pre-Independence. The new conflict facing the government is: how it can protect wild zones which have private properties thriving within them. One such reserve is Biligere Ranga Temple (BRT) sanctuary in Karnataka that has been recently proposed to be declared a tiger reserve.
These revenue enclosures are owned by and leased to major industrialists as per documents with the district commissioner's office. Secretary, revenue department, K S Prabhakar confirmed: "There are a number of revenue enclosures inside BRT and companies like the Birlas and TVS group own some of them. But I am not sure if any changes would be made to these leases."
Principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) B K Singh also told TOI: "We are aware that there is a revenue enclosure of 400 to 500 acres. The leases are very old. They are growing coffee there. As far as I know four out of five leases have a long time to expire. I am not sure what has to be done about this patch of land. Either the land has to be relocated or acquired by the government."
Even though coffee may be called by many as a non-polluting industry locals raised concerns about pesticide usage and movement of labourers inside the reserve. "When tribals are living inside the forest, officials raise so many questions that we are interfering with the wild but the industrialists own so much land here in the core area. Isn't that going to interfere with the wild? There have been no relocations of tribals so far. We are hoping that BRT will really be the first sanctuary to have Soligas inside. We will continue our conservation work here. We worship our tigers and elephants and will continue sustainable harvesting of honey, lichen, soap nuts and others," said a leader of the soliga tribe from Chamrajanagar district, Madegowda C.
The forest department is clueless whether this huge revenue enclosure can be acquired by the government and handed over to the wild.
The land that is known to be home to Soliga tribals earlier made headlines when tribals did not agree to move out of the core area. Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh had recently announced that BRT could be the first example that would see co-existence of tribals and tigers, since evicting soligas from their homeland could be disastrous.
The forest department seems to have no answers on how such cases would be handled. The Kudremukh national park, also a proposed tiger reserve has a huge chunk of land owned by Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL). The forest department is well aware of this contradiction in land ownership in the forest area but as there has been no directive from the government and the ministry of environments and forests, no action has been initiated with regard to getting back the land from the company.
The land owned by these private companies were leased to them decades ago and it was later that some areas of that land was declared tiger reserve area. In such an area, no activity is supposed to be undertaken including running estates even if that involves minimal human activity. But forest and revenue officials are clueless about the future of the status of the land as leases of some of the patches run into decades.
KIOCL's eco project
KIOCL Ltd recently sent a detailed project report (DPR) to Jungle Lodges and Resort for the eco-tourism project, KIOCL Ltd CMD K Ranganath said. The project will come in 162 hectares of revenue land lease area and not in Kudremukh National Park (KNP) area. "Our project will not be in any conflict with tiger conservation project that the Union ministry of environment and forest wants to start in KNP, and will be in consonance with laws of the land," he said. "The eco-tourism project mooted by us will see the use of electric carts, tap solar and wind energy and also have a no-plastic zone," Ranganath explained. Besides, the use of biodegradable materials including for floor mats will make the project truly 'green'. The other major spin off would be the employment generation for the locals and full utilisation of assets created in Kudremukh township that has been set up using taxpayers' money, he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Private-space-in-the-wild-is-no-mild-worry/articleshow/9319418.cms
These revenue enclosures are owned by and leased to major industrialists as per documents with the district commissioner's office. Secretary, revenue department, K S Prabhakar confirmed: "There are a number of revenue enclosures inside BRT and companies like the Birlas and TVS group own some of them. But I am not sure if any changes would be made to these leases."
Principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) B K Singh also told TOI: "We are aware that there is a revenue enclosure of 400 to 500 acres. The leases are very old. They are growing coffee there. As far as I know four out of five leases have a long time to expire. I am not sure what has to be done about this patch of land. Either the land has to be relocated or acquired by the government."
Even though coffee may be called by many as a non-polluting industry locals raised concerns about pesticide usage and movement of labourers inside the reserve. "When tribals are living inside the forest, officials raise so many questions that we are interfering with the wild but the industrialists own so much land here in the core area. Isn't that going to interfere with the wild? There have been no relocations of tribals so far. We are hoping that BRT will really be the first sanctuary to have Soligas inside. We will continue our conservation work here. We worship our tigers and elephants and will continue sustainable harvesting of honey, lichen, soap nuts and others," said a leader of the soliga tribe from Chamrajanagar district, Madegowda C.
The forest department is clueless whether this huge revenue enclosure can be acquired by the government and handed over to the wild.
The land that is known to be home to Soliga tribals earlier made headlines when tribals did not agree to move out of the core area. Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh had recently announced that BRT could be the first example that would see co-existence of tribals and tigers, since evicting soligas from their homeland could be disastrous.
The forest department seems to have no answers on how such cases would be handled. The Kudremukh national park, also a proposed tiger reserve has a huge chunk of land owned by Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL). The forest department is well aware of this contradiction in land ownership in the forest area but as there has been no directive from the government and the ministry of environments and forests, no action has been initiated with regard to getting back the land from the company.
The land owned by these private companies were leased to them decades ago and it was later that some areas of that land was declared tiger reserve area. In such an area, no activity is supposed to be undertaken including running estates even if that involves minimal human activity. But forest and revenue officials are clueless about the future of the status of the land as leases of some of the patches run into decades.
KIOCL's eco project
KIOCL Ltd recently sent a detailed project report (DPR) to Jungle Lodges and Resort for the eco-tourism project, KIOCL Ltd CMD K Ranganath said. The project will come in 162 hectares of revenue land lease area and not in Kudremukh National Park (KNP) area. "Our project will not be in any conflict with tiger conservation project that the Union ministry of environment and forest wants to start in KNP, and will be in consonance with laws of the land," he said. "The eco-tourism project mooted by us will see the use of electric carts, tap solar and wind energy and also have a no-plastic zone," Ranganath explained. Besides, the use of biodegradable materials including for floor mats will make the project truly 'green'. The other major spin off would be the employment generation for the locals and full utilisation of assets created in Kudremukh township that has been set up using taxpayers' money, he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Private-space-in-the-wild-is-no-mild-worry/articleshow/9319418.cms
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tiger skins seized in Haryana, 5 held
Five tiger skins, worth Rs 1.5.crore, were seized from five wildlfe smugglers arrested in this Haryana town, an official said on Wednesday. Working on a tip-off, police laid a trap near the Panipat bus-stand late Tuesday and arrested the five, busting the gang. "We intercepted a
car, which was coming from Delhi side, Tuesday night and made the recovery of tiger skins. One skin is of an adult tiger while four are of cubs. We have also arrested five occupants of the car," Additional superintendent of Police Pankaj Nain said.
He said that the five revealed that the skins were from from a Delhi-based smuggler Sudarshan alias Bittu and were supposed to be handed to another smuggler in Haryana.
"This gang was active in this region for the last many months. Their interrogation is on and we expect more arrests in the coming days," Nain said.
The arrested men were identified as Irfan, Pawan (both residents of Delhi), Ashok Kumar, Sunil Gupta and Ram Narayan (from different parts of Haryana).
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Tiger-skins-seized-in-Haryana-5-held/Article1-723383.aspx
car, which was coming from Delhi side, Tuesday night and made the recovery of tiger skins. One skin is of an adult tiger while four are of cubs. We have also arrested five occupants of the car," Additional superintendent of Police Pankaj Nain said.
He said that the five revealed that the skins were from from a Delhi-based smuggler Sudarshan alias Bittu and were supposed to be handed to another smuggler in Haryana.
"This gang was active in this region for the last many months. Their interrogation is on and we expect more arrests in the coming days," Nain said.
The arrested men were identified as Irfan, Pawan (both residents of Delhi), Ashok Kumar, Sunil Gupta and Ram Narayan (from different parts of Haryana).
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Tiger-skins-seized-in-Haryana-5-held/Article1-723383.aspx
Tiger Task Force suggestions still hanging fire: Ecologist
Panaji, Jul 19 (PTI) The recommendations given by the Tiger Task Force are still awaiting implementation by the Centre, a senior member of the panel said today. "The Task Force, among other things, had recommended that the management of Tiger Reserves should be made much more participatory and people-friendly," Madhav Gadgil said here. "But the recommendations of Tiger Task Force are not at all being implemented," said Gadgil, who now heads Ministry of Environment nd Forests' (MoEF) panel on Western Ghats. The Task Force was formed by the Centre in 2005 to suggest ways to increase the number of tigers and improve their natural habitat. "I am not happy with the rigid regulatory approach of the Forest Department," said the noted environmentalist. Gadgil was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a youth convention on environment and development. MoEF has asked the Goa Government to send a proposal on declaring Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve. In this regard, Gadgil said "It has to be decided by the State Government as to what kind of participatory process local people will be involved with." Rubbishing contention that people's presence in the reserves would affect the tiger habitat, he said preservation of sacred groves (forest fragments) is the best way to prove that people's participation can do wonders. "In the Western Ghats, the sacred groves are the best example of preservation of bio-diversity. They are not protected by government but by the people," he added.
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-task-force-suggestions-still-hanging-fire-ecologist/759044.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-task-force-suggestions-still-hanging-fire-ecologist/759044.html
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
'Tiger reserve only after all views taken' TNN
DONA PAULA: With the proposed Mhadei tiger reserve being opposed by certain sections, the state environment minister Aleixo Sequeira on Tuesday said the government will need to take into consideration the views of all stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
Sequeira was addressing the inaugural of the Goan Youth Convention on Environment and Development organized by the Centre for Environment Education and the Goa Golden Jubilee Development Council at the Goa International Centre, Dona Paula.
"There are two voices on the issue of the tiger reserve: those in favour and those against. Such reserves require a buffer zone of 10 km and this is also making people apprehensive," said Sequeira.
"With the Salim Ali bird sanctuary at Chorao also having a 10 km buffer zone, I wonder if we can even move any stones in Panaji. Hence these issues need to be deliberated before a stand can be taken," said Sequeira.
But noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil, while addressing the media, was of the view that buffer zones of wildlife sanctuaries and reserves should be considered on a case-to-case basis and there is no need to apply a 10 km buffer zone everywhere.
When queried on the proposed Mhadei tiger reserve in particular, Gadgil-who has been a member of the official Tiger Task Force constituted by the Centre-said he will need to study the issue. In the same breath he called for better management of such reserves with the involvement of locals.
Pointing to environment impact assessment (EIA) reports submitted by mining companies to the government, Sequeira said these need not be true and hence the government will be re-inspecting the reports submitted so far. He felt that most reports were cut-and-paste jobs which didn't reflect ground realities.
"Because we were concerned, we wrote to the Centre not to grant any more environment clearances till the mining policy was in place," said Sequeira.
On the lack of a proper biomedical waste disposal system in the state, Sequeira said that the 4,000-5,000 sq m site identified at Dharbandora is being stalled due to local opposition.
Commenting on the flaws in the Regional Plan (RP) 2021, Sequeira said, "When RP 2021 was proposed there were many suggestions from people to change their respective zones from orchard lands to settlement and commercial zones. We believe monetary benefits were behind most of these suggestions."
Goa Foundation director, Claude Alvares, called on the youth to start rebelling on environmental issues. He claimed mining silt has destroyed the rivers and fields in Goa, yet mining production has increased. "The Goa CM and government have been installed by mining companies," he claimed.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tiger-reserve-only-after-all-views-taken/articleshow/9290055.cms
Sequeira was addressing the inaugural of the Goan Youth Convention on Environment and Development organized by the Centre for Environment Education and the Goa Golden Jubilee Development Council at the Goa International Centre, Dona Paula.
"There are two voices on the issue of the tiger reserve: those in favour and those against. Such reserves require a buffer zone of 10 km and this is also making people apprehensive," said Sequeira.
"With the Salim Ali bird sanctuary at Chorao also having a 10 km buffer zone, I wonder if we can even move any stones in Panaji. Hence these issues need to be deliberated before a stand can be taken," said Sequeira.
But noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil, while addressing the media, was of the view that buffer zones of wildlife sanctuaries and reserves should be considered on a case-to-case basis and there is no need to apply a 10 km buffer zone everywhere.
When queried on the proposed Mhadei tiger reserve in particular, Gadgil-who has been a member of the official Tiger Task Force constituted by the Centre-said he will need to study the issue. In the same breath he called for better management of such reserves with the involvement of locals.
Pointing to environment impact assessment (EIA) reports submitted by mining companies to the government, Sequeira said these need not be true and hence the government will be re-inspecting the reports submitted so far. He felt that most reports were cut-and-paste jobs which didn't reflect ground realities.
"Because we were concerned, we wrote to the Centre not to grant any more environment clearances till the mining policy was in place," said Sequeira.
On the lack of a proper biomedical waste disposal system in the state, Sequeira said that the 4,000-5,000 sq m site identified at Dharbandora is being stalled due to local opposition.
Commenting on the flaws in the Regional Plan (RP) 2021, Sequeira said, "When RP 2021 was proposed there were many suggestions from people to change their respective zones from orchard lands to settlement and commercial zones. We believe monetary benefits were behind most of these suggestions."
Goa Foundation director, Claude Alvares, called on the youth to start rebelling on environmental issues. He claimed mining silt has destroyed the rivers and fields in Goa, yet mining production has increased. "The Goa CM and government have been installed by mining companies," he claimed.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tiger-reserve-only-after-all-views-taken/articleshow/9290055.cms
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Chain link fencing pushes Bandhavgarh tigers to edge
After courting controversy over the chain link fencing of its boundary, Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh is again back in the news. Two of its sub-adult male tigers have been captured and send to Van Vihar in Bhopal after being declared man-eaters.
This happened after a forest guard was killed in a tiger attack last week and its half eaten torso and limbs were found near Hardia forest camp in Tala range of the reserve. Earlier two persons were killed but their bodies were not preyed upon by the big cats.
The two brother sub-adult tigers branded as “man-eaters” and sent to the zoo are aged about two years five months. They were born to a tigress named “Mirchahani” in the reserve in 2009. Generally, tigress keeps her cubs with her for one and a half years, after which they are left to fend for themselves. These cubs too were learning to hunt, sources said.
Justifying his action, Field Director CK Patil said it was a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. “Had the two sub-adults tigers not been sent to zoo, they could have been killed by the local villagers,” he said.
Tiger expert Belinda Wright pointed to the root cause behind the incident. “It is the absurdity of chain link fencing round the reserve that is intensifying man-tiger conflict. It has severely restricted the free passage of big cats and other wild animals within the reserve. The limited space in this high tiger density area is compelling the big cats, particularly the sub-adults to move out and venture into surrounding village areas, she said.
The Pioneer had earlier reported that the Bandhavgarh reserve was slowly getting converted into a zoo with a 108 sq km area enclosed by chain links or iron mesh fencing, which in the long run would aggravate man animal conflicts. All the three kills during the last three months had occurred outside the fencing area.
Wildlife experts pointed out that the reserve houses 60 tigers. “With increasing pressure, the cub tigers have no choice but to move out, and once they are outside the reserve territory can the management simply shrug off its responsibility and send it packing to a zoo?” they asked.
They further added that a tiger is sent to the zoo, when it is unable to hunt for itself but in this case both of them were juveniles. Cramming such animals into a zoo for the rest of their lives is a big blow to wildlife conservation, they claimed.
The experts also argued that there was no proper tracking to conclusively establish which tigers had actually killed and eaten the forest guard. If the forest department is to be believed that the same trapped tigers had eaten the forest guard, then why did they leave untouched the previous two kills? Experts also pointed out that as per guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority a tiger is declared a man-eater only when it kills and preys upon at least three persons.
Belinda further pointed to the heavy presence of forest personnel within the reserve.
“There are forest guards to protect water holes, for grassland management etc making them susceptible to attacks,” she pointed out.
Raghu Chundawat, a wildlife scientist, felt “there should be a proper planning on how to handle such wild caught animals — sending them to a zoo is not the solution”. The growing problem of shrinking tiger habitat vis-a-vis increasing tiger population across the country requires an immediate policy decision, and the reserve management cannot back out from its responsibility, he felt.
Pointing to the grave situation, which had emerged after the forest guard’s killing, the field director regretted that he had no choice. “The assistant field director, including the range assistant and the forest guard, were assaulted by villagers after the third killing and had to be hospitalised. They faced the wrath of the villagers sympathetic to tigers”, he said.
When questioned on the ultimate efficacy of chain link fencing, Patil pointed out that there are 80 surrounding villages with 30,000 population and 50,000 cattle. Further, 4000 pattas (forest land deeds) have already been distributed in the district. In such a situation, how else can we keep away the growing human pressure from the reserve, he shot back.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/354268/Chain-link-fencing-pushes-Bandhavgarh-tigers-to-edge.html
This happened after a forest guard was killed in a tiger attack last week and its half eaten torso and limbs were found near Hardia forest camp in Tala range of the reserve. Earlier two persons were killed but their bodies were not preyed upon by the big cats.
The two brother sub-adult tigers branded as “man-eaters” and sent to the zoo are aged about two years five months. They were born to a tigress named “Mirchahani” in the reserve in 2009. Generally, tigress keeps her cubs with her for one and a half years, after which they are left to fend for themselves. These cubs too were learning to hunt, sources said.
Justifying his action, Field Director CK Patil said it was a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. “Had the two sub-adults tigers not been sent to zoo, they could have been killed by the local villagers,” he said.
Tiger expert Belinda Wright pointed to the root cause behind the incident. “It is the absurdity of chain link fencing round the reserve that is intensifying man-tiger conflict. It has severely restricted the free passage of big cats and other wild animals within the reserve. The limited space in this high tiger density area is compelling the big cats, particularly the sub-adults to move out and venture into surrounding village areas, she said.
The Pioneer had earlier reported that the Bandhavgarh reserve was slowly getting converted into a zoo with a 108 sq km area enclosed by chain links or iron mesh fencing, which in the long run would aggravate man animal conflicts. All the three kills during the last three months had occurred outside the fencing area.
Wildlife experts pointed out that the reserve houses 60 tigers. “With increasing pressure, the cub tigers have no choice but to move out, and once they are outside the reserve territory can the management simply shrug off its responsibility and send it packing to a zoo?” they asked.
They further added that a tiger is sent to the zoo, when it is unable to hunt for itself but in this case both of them were juveniles. Cramming such animals into a zoo for the rest of their lives is a big blow to wildlife conservation, they claimed.
The experts also argued that there was no proper tracking to conclusively establish which tigers had actually killed and eaten the forest guard. If the forest department is to be believed that the same trapped tigers had eaten the forest guard, then why did they leave untouched the previous two kills? Experts also pointed out that as per guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority a tiger is declared a man-eater only when it kills and preys upon at least three persons.
Belinda further pointed to the heavy presence of forest personnel within the reserve.
“There are forest guards to protect water holes, for grassland management etc making them susceptible to attacks,” she pointed out.
Raghu Chundawat, a wildlife scientist, felt “there should be a proper planning on how to handle such wild caught animals — sending them to a zoo is not the solution”. The growing problem of shrinking tiger habitat vis-a-vis increasing tiger population across the country requires an immediate policy decision, and the reserve management cannot back out from its responsibility, he felt.
Pointing to the grave situation, which had emerged after the forest guard’s killing, the field director regretted that he had no choice. “The assistant field director, including the range assistant and the forest guard, were assaulted by villagers after the third killing and had to be hospitalised. They faced the wrath of the villagers sympathetic to tigers”, he said.
When questioned on the ultimate efficacy of chain link fencing, Patil pointed out that there are 80 surrounding villages with 30,000 population and 50,000 cattle. Further, 4000 pattas (forest land deeds) have already been distributed in the district. In such a situation, how else can we keep away the growing human pressure from the reserve, he shot back.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/354268/Chain-link-fencing-pushes-Bandhavgarh-tigers-to-edge.html
Monday, July 18, 2011
Oppn to Adani power plant in Chhindwara grows Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN
NAGPUR: When the Centre is contemplating to put Adani power projects on the fast-track, opposition to the power company is growing in the region.
On Sunday, at a meeting held at India Peace Centre, Civil Lines, a pressure group followed a five-member fact-finding committee was formed to oppose Adani Pench Power Limited (APPL) in Chausara village, 160 km from Nagpur in Chhindwara district.
The team consisting of Baba Shelke, Yashwant Telang, AK Ghosh, Sunil Chokhare and Seema Sahu will visit the proposed project site and submit a report on August 7. Based on the report, a signature campaign will be launched in the city against the project and a memorandum will be submitted to Union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan.
Dr Sunilam, ex-MLA from Multai and founder chief of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, and Advocate Aradhna Bhargava, chief of the Mahila Sangharsh Samiti, who are spearheading the stir against the power plant, said that the project not only threatens Pench Tiger Reserves and its corridors to Kanha but also will snatch away drinking and irrigation water meant for Nagpur region.
The APPL is constructing 1,320 mw (2x660) power plant in Chausara at an estimated cost of Rs 7,390 crore. The plant will require 33.2 MCM (million cubic metres) per annum and will be sourced from the Pench project through a pipeline at a distance of 4 km from the project site. The major issues raised are impact on forest and river due to the project.
In 1987, the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB) had acquired farmers' land of five villages - Chausara, Hiverkhedi, Dhanora, Tekathawadi and Dagabani Piparia - to establish a power plant.
Land acquisition was done at the rate of Rs 1,500-10,000 per acre for 750 acre land. The MPSEB was to start the plant in three years but failed to do so even after 23 years.
As government never took possession of the land, farmers continued to till it. However, in 2010, the government sold the land to Adani group for Rs 13.75 lakh per acre without any fresh public hearing or so.
Since then the struggle for control over the land has begun between the farmers and Adani group. Farmers are resisting land acquisition. Final environment clearance has also not been given.
Dr Sunilam said that as per the Land Acquisition Act, if the purpose for which land is acquired is not met, then acquisition becomes null and void. He said that Adani tried to fence the said land but villagers destroyed the fencing and are doing farming.
Bhargava alleged that the power company has encroached upon five acre crematorium land in Tekathawadi and two acre land in Chausara. "It is a big crime, but no action has been taken against the company," she said.
"It is surprising that Adani group has started construction work without getting clearance from the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF). Former environment minister Jairam Ramesh had earlier told us that no clearance has been given and hence construction can't be done," Dr Sunilam said.
A public hearing held on December 6, 2010, faced strong protests from farmers opposed to hand over their lands for the power project. Those opposing the project are being harassed, intimidated, and threatened.
Both Dr Sunilam and Bhargava have been slapped with more that 50 cases by police, aimed at obstructing government work. On May 22, both were attacked while returning to Chhindwara after a meeting with farmers at Bhulamohgaun. Police have failed to act against the culprits.
Dr Sunilam said that although no diversion of forest land is involved, a MoEF panel felt that since saving the tiger is a major concern, one needs to be clear as to what kind of activities should be permitted in areas close to tiger reserves.
"The plant will use imported coal which has high ash and sulphur contents of about 26-29% and 0.3-0.4% respectively and will damage ecology in a big way," said Dr Sunilam.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Oppn-to-Adani-power-plant-in-Chhindwara-grows/articleshow/9262114.cms
On Sunday, at a meeting held at India Peace Centre, Civil Lines, a pressure group followed a five-member fact-finding committee was formed to oppose Adani Pench Power Limited (APPL) in Chausara village, 160 km from Nagpur in Chhindwara district.
The team consisting of Baba Shelke, Yashwant Telang, AK Ghosh, Sunil Chokhare and Seema Sahu will visit the proposed project site and submit a report on August 7. Based on the report, a signature campaign will be launched in the city against the project and a memorandum will be submitted to Union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan.
Dr Sunilam, ex-MLA from Multai and founder chief of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, and Advocate Aradhna Bhargava, chief of the Mahila Sangharsh Samiti, who are spearheading the stir against the power plant, said that the project not only threatens Pench Tiger Reserves and its corridors to Kanha but also will snatch away drinking and irrigation water meant for Nagpur region.
The APPL is constructing 1,320 mw (2x660) power plant in Chausara at an estimated cost of Rs 7,390 crore. The plant will require 33.2 MCM (million cubic metres) per annum and will be sourced from the Pench project through a pipeline at a distance of 4 km from the project site. The major issues raised are impact on forest and river due to the project.
In 1987, the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB) had acquired farmers' land of five villages - Chausara, Hiverkhedi, Dhanora, Tekathawadi and Dagabani Piparia - to establish a power plant.
Land acquisition was done at the rate of Rs 1,500-10,000 per acre for 750 acre land. The MPSEB was to start the plant in three years but failed to do so even after 23 years.
As government never took possession of the land, farmers continued to till it. However, in 2010, the government sold the land to Adani group for Rs 13.75 lakh per acre without any fresh public hearing or so.
Since then the struggle for control over the land has begun between the farmers and Adani group. Farmers are resisting land acquisition. Final environment clearance has also not been given.
Dr Sunilam said that as per the Land Acquisition Act, if the purpose for which land is acquired is not met, then acquisition becomes null and void. He said that Adani tried to fence the said land but villagers destroyed the fencing and are doing farming.
Bhargava alleged that the power company has encroached upon five acre crematorium land in Tekathawadi and two acre land in Chausara. "It is a big crime, but no action has been taken against the company," she said.
"It is surprising that Adani group has started construction work without getting clearance from the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF). Former environment minister Jairam Ramesh had earlier told us that no clearance has been given and hence construction can't be done," Dr Sunilam said.
A public hearing held on December 6, 2010, faced strong protests from farmers opposed to hand over their lands for the power project. Those opposing the project are being harassed, intimidated, and threatened.
Both Dr Sunilam and Bhargava have been slapped with more that 50 cases by police, aimed at obstructing government work. On May 22, both were attacked while returning to Chhindwara after a meeting with farmers at Bhulamohgaun. Police have failed to act against the culprits.
Dr Sunilam said that although no diversion of forest land is involved, a MoEF panel felt that since saving the tiger is a major concern, one needs to be clear as to what kind of activities should be permitted in areas close to tiger reserves.
"The plant will use imported coal which has high ash and sulphur contents of about 26-29% and 0.3-0.4% respectively and will damage ecology in a big way," said Dr Sunilam.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Oppn-to-Adani-power-plant-in-Chhindwara-grows/articleshow/9262114.cms
Saturday, July 16, 2011
TATR partially closed till Sept 30 TNN
CHANDRAPUR: The partial closure of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) for monsoon period came into effect from Friday following directives of chief wildlife warden SK Khetrapal. As per new arrangements, the interior kuccha roads of the park would remain close for safari, while only 16 tourist vehicles would be allowed collectively in two shifts to stroll along pucca road during the day until September 30.
First day of partial closure proved disheartening for many tourists, who were disallowed after full quota of eight vehicles were completed. "Only eight vehicles each were allowed to enter the park in one shift today. The guide accompanying the vehicle was strictly ordered to ensure that tourist vehicle follows only pucca road between Moharli and Tadoba," sources in TATR said. It is for first time in over 15 years of creation of TATR, when specific tourist regulation directives have been issued for monsoon period.
The proposal seeking closure of the TATR on lines of other tiger reserve was forwarded by CCF and field director Vinaykumar Sinha earlier in May. Chief wildlife warden SK Khetrapal, however, agreed for partial closure for two and half months tagged with certain conditions. All the gates, other than Moharli, have been closed for the tourist during period of partial closure.
However, the closure would not effect the movement of state transport's bus that ferries passengers across tiger reserve or the villagers residing inside the park from any gate. TATR management would observe monsoon patrolling programme to enhance security arrangements in the reserve during the closure period.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/TATR-partially-closed-till-Sept-30/articleshow/9240955.cms
First day of partial closure proved disheartening for many tourists, who were disallowed after full quota of eight vehicles were completed. "Only eight vehicles each were allowed to enter the park in one shift today. The guide accompanying the vehicle was strictly ordered to ensure that tourist vehicle follows only pucca road between Moharli and Tadoba," sources in TATR said. It is for first time in over 15 years of creation of TATR, when specific tourist regulation directives have been issued for monsoon period.
The proposal seeking closure of the TATR on lines of other tiger reserve was forwarded by CCF and field director Vinaykumar Sinha earlier in May. Chief wildlife warden SK Khetrapal, however, agreed for partial closure for two and half months tagged with certain conditions. All the gates, other than Moharli, have been closed for the tourist during period of partial closure.
However, the closure would not effect the movement of state transport's bus that ferries passengers across tiger reserve or the villagers residing inside the park from any gate. TATR management would observe monsoon patrolling programme to enhance security arrangements in the reserve during the closure period.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/TATR-partially-closed-till-Sept-30/articleshow/9240955.cms
Friday, July 15, 2011
Satellites to track Sariska's big cats
Tigers in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve may soon be connected with a satellite, enabling foresters to keep a constant watch on their movement. The system will be a first for India, that too, in a place where the big cats had once vanished.
The satellite system is being planned as the earlier installed radio collars, connected to a wireless system, failed to track the location of some tigers which had gone missing from the reserve in Alwar district, over 140 km from state capital Jaipur.
One of the tigers, called ST-1, which had disappeared from the forest department's radar
last year, was found dead after allegedly being poisoned by residents of a nearby village.
Currently, the reserve has two tigers and three tigresses.
"The shifting of some other tigers is being planned to accommodate a growing population of big cats at Ranthambore National Park; so we have decided to introduce a better tracking system in Sariska," a forest department officer, who did not like to be named because of official rules, told us.
The radio collars currently in use are the hi-tech Very High Frequency (VHF) tracking device strapped around the neck of the big cats.
But now the government is proposing to go in for global positioning system (GPS)-linked radio collars.
Under the new system, 10 wireless towers will be installed at the reserve. The radio collars will be connected to these towers, which will send signals to a satellite connected with a control room being set up in Sariska.
"This control room will give us constant information about tigers' movements in and around Sariska," said the officer.
He said a detailed project report has been sent to the union ministry of environment and forests. "The project is likely to cost around Rs.50 million," the officer added.
Sources said after radio collars were found to be ineffective, the department had launched a system to manually track the big cats.
"Foresters and some guards remain in the field for tracking. It is such a vast area that they too find it difficult to keep proper watch on straying tigers," said the officer.
However, wildlife experts are somewhat skeptical about the new system.
"I am of the opinion that the GPS collars are not suitable for the tigers. There have been some instances in other countries where the wild cats have tried to chew up the external antenna, following which the satellite link got snapped," Babu Lal Jaju, Rajasthan incharge of the NGO People for Animals, told us.
During 2004-05, the forest department and the state government faced all-round criticism over the disappearance of tigers from Sariska.
A report produced in March 2005 by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed that there were no tigers left in the Sariska reserve at all. Poaching was found to be a reason for the dwindling tiger population.
Facing flak from different quarters, the state government decided to relocate tigers from Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan to Sariska.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, originally a hunting preserve of the erstwhile princely state of Alwar, was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955.
In 1978, it was declared a Tiger Reserve. The total area of the park is 866 sq km. Some of the wildlife found in the reserve include leopards, jungle cats, hyenas, jackals, chital, sambars, langurs, wild boar, four-horned deer and many species of birds.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-14/travel/29773009_1_radio-collars-ranthambore-national-park-tiger-population
The satellite system is being planned as the earlier installed radio collars, connected to a wireless system, failed to track the location of some tigers which had gone missing from the reserve in Alwar district, over 140 km from state capital Jaipur.
One of the tigers, called ST-1, which had disappeared from the forest department's radar
last year, was found dead after allegedly being poisoned by residents of a nearby village.
Currently, the reserve has two tigers and three tigresses.
"The shifting of some other tigers is being planned to accommodate a growing population of big cats at Ranthambore National Park; so we have decided to introduce a better tracking system in Sariska," a forest department officer, who did not like to be named because of official rules, told us.
The radio collars currently in use are the hi-tech Very High Frequency (VHF) tracking device strapped around the neck of the big cats.
But now the government is proposing to go in for global positioning system (GPS)-linked radio collars.
Under the new system, 10 wireless towers will be installed at the reserve. The radio collars will be connected to these towers, which will send signals to a satellite connected with a control room being set up in Sariska.
"This control room will give us constant information about tigers' movements in and around Sariska," said the officer.
He said a detailed project report has been sent to the union ministry of environment and forests. "The project is likely to cost around Rs.50 million," the officer added.
Sources said after radio collars were found to be ineffective, the department had launched a system to manually track the big cats.
"Foresters and some guards remain in the field for tracking. It is such a vast area that they too find it difficult to keep proper watch on straying tigers," said the officer.
However, wildlife experts are somewhat skeptical about the new system.
"I am of the opinion that the GPS collars are not suitable for the tigers. There have been some instances in other countries where the wild cats have tried to chew up the external antenna, following which the satellite link got snapped," Babu Lal Jaju, Rajasthan incharge of the NGO People for Animals, told us.
During 2004-05, the forest department and the state government faced all-round criticism over the disappearance of tigers from Sariska.
A report produced in March 2005 by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed that there were no tigers left in the Sariska reserve at all. Poaching was found to be a reason for the dwindling tiger population.
Facing flak from different quarters, the state government decided to relocate tigers from Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan to Sariska.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, originally a hunting preserve of the erstwhile princely state of Alwar, was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955.
In 1978, it was declared a Tiger Reserve. The total area of the park is 866 sq km. Some of the wildlife found in the reserve include leopards, jungle cats, hyenas, jackals, chital, sambars, langurs, wild boar, four-horned deer and many species of birds.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-14/travel/29773009_1_radio-collars-ranthambore-national-park-tiger-population
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Man who was fascinated by city and Tadoba
Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN Jul 12, 2011, 10.26pm IST
NAGPUR: In January 2010, a visit to coal blocks close to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) allotted to Adani group for its power plant in Tiroda, had brought Jairam Ramesh to Nagpur. For all one knows, the Adani tangle of forest land diversion and rejection of coal blocks may be one of the reasons for Jairam's ouster from the environment ministry.
On January 26, 2010, during his maiden visit to Nagpur and Chandrapur, Jairam had virtually fallen in love with Chanda's forests and its tigers. He was also fascinated by the tendu patta and beauty of TATR. He also missed seeing a tiger by a whisker while returning from his trip there.
During his tenure as MoEF, Jairam visited the city thrice, perhaps the first minister to do that. On January 26-27, 2010, he visited Chandrapur and Nagpur. On September 13, 2010, he came to look into environment concerns about Bapu Kuti t Sevagram and then on April 27, 2011, he was here to grant community rights for bamboo to Mendha-Lekha villagers in Gadchiroli. All of these were environmental concerns, very dear to the region.
So, Jairam's first impression as a 'green minister' was the final impression that people have of him here - so much so that they are unable to digest his unceremonious exit from the MoEF. "He was transparent and spoke his mind. Jairam paid the price for being proactive. We are also sailing in the same boat," said a senior forest official.
Green activist Bandu Dhotre, who fought against the Adani coal mines, is hurt and wants to know why it happened. "We will stage protests against Jairam's removal," Dhotre said, "He was so simple and easily accessible that it was never felt that we were talking to a high-profile Jairam."
Jairam was very concerned about Maharashtra and was instrumental in clearing the long-pending upgradation of IFS officials in the state. During his visit to the city in September last, he principally agreed to give two new tigers reserves in the form of Bor and Nagzira-Navegaon.
He was also very positive about Nagpur as the tiger capital and declared it the 'gateway to tiger land.' He was also the one who decentralized NTCA by setting up its first regional office in Nagpur. He made it a point to be present at its inauguration. The other two offices to be set up in Guwahati and Bangalore are yet to be inaugurated.
Jairam was frank to admit that it's a big challenge to protect corridors and sacrifice some development to protect forests too. Greens here hope the new incumbent Jayanthi Natarajan follows his lead.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-12/nagpur/29764414_1_jairam-ramesh-ntca-coal-blocks
NAGPUR: In January 2010, a visit to coal blocks close to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) allotted to Adani group for its power plant in Tiroda, had brought Jairam Ramesh to Nagpur. For all one knows, the Adani tangle of forest land diversion and rejection of coal blocks may be one of the reasons for Jairam's ouster from the environment ministry.
On January 26, 2010, during his maiden visit to Nagpur and Chandrapur, Jairam had virtually fallen in love with Chanda's forests and its tigers. He was also fascinated by the tendu patta and beauty of TATR. He also missed seeing a tiger by a whisker while returning from his trip there.
During his tenure as MoEF, Jairam visited the city thrice, perhaps the first minister to do that. On January 26-27, 2010, he visited Chandrapur and Nagpur. On September 13, 2010, he came to look into environment concerns about Bapu Kuti t Sevagram and then on April 27, 2011, he was here to grant community rights for bamboo to Mendha-Lekha villagers in Gadchiroli. All of these were environmental concerns, very dear to the region.
So, Jairam's first impression as a 'green minister' was the final impression that people have of him here - so much so that they are unable to digest his unceremonious exit from the MoEF. "He was transparent and spoke his mind. Jairam paid the price for being proactive. We are also sailing in the same boat," said a senior forest official.
Green activist Bandu Dhotre, who fought against the Adani coal mines, is hurt and wants to know why it happened. "We will stage protests against Jairam's removal," Dhotre said, "He was so simple and easily accessible that it was never felt that we were talking to a high-profile Jairam."
Jairam was very concerned about Maharashtra and was instrumental in clearing the long-pending upgradation of IFS officials in the state. During his visit to the city in September last, he principally agreed to give two new tigers reserves in the form of Bor and Nagzira-Navegaon.
He was also very positive about Nagpur as the tiger capital and declared it the 'gateway to tiger land.' He was also the one who decentralized NTCA by setting up its first regional office in Nagpur. He made it a point to be present at its inauguration. The other two offices to be set up in Guwahati and Bangalore are yet to be inaugurated.
Jairam was frank to admit that it's a big challenge to protect corridors and sacrifice some development to protect forests too. Greens here hope the new incumbent Jayanthi Natarajan follows his lead.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-12/nagpur/29764414_1_jairam-ramesh-ntca-coal-blocks
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tigers feasting on kill boost hopes of population recovery in Andhra reserve
Camera trap images of three tiger cubs and an adult female at the site of a cattle kill in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra Pradesh have come as a boost to conservationists who hope to see recovery of the big cat population in an extensive area.
The photos, taken by cameras that are triggered off by sensors during the movement of tigers and other animals, show in sequence the scenes that biologists look for as evidence of breeding tigers - a mother and three cubs at a kill.
Preliminary analysis of the images taken at night on July 6 and 7 indicate that the cubs are four or five months old. The site is about a kilometre from the office of the Field Director of the NSTR.
The “India Tiger Estimate 2010” of the Ministry of Environment and Forests records an overall decrease in the tiger population in reserves of Andhra Pradesh among protected areas of Central India and the Eastern Ghats. Madhya Pradesh is another State with a recorded decline, while others in the region are either stable or have recorded an increase.
Among the key conservation points that the India Tiger Estimate report highlights is the need to secure corridors between source sites, to improve the prospects for tiger persistence outside reserves and sanctuaries.
The 3,568 sq km Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, located in the Nallamalai Hills of the Eastern Ghats, is the largest among the 40 tiger reserves in the country. It is adjacent the large Gundla-Brahmeswara Wildlife Sanctuary. It is also home to the historic Srisailam Shiva temple.
A note sent by the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve points out that though the area came under Project Tiger in 1982-83, the NSTR has been a conflict-ridden landscape owing to left-wing extremism for well over a decade. The MoEF found it a challenge to protect it. With left-wing extremist activities in the area waning in recent times, concerted efforts by the Centre and the State resulted in the gradual revival of the ecosystem. The local management team led by Field Director Ajay Naik came up with an innovative strategy, to deploy the local Chenchu tribes for protection duties. As many as 250 young Chenchus have been engaged by the Forest Department to protect forests and wildlife.
Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said, "To me the involvement of Chenchus in tiger protection is very significant and is a model we want to replicate elsewhere. The habitat is tough but the field director and his staff are doing an outstanding job."
The outcome has been an improvement in the spatial occupancy of tigers in the reserve. The recent estimation by the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India in 2010 indicated a population of 60 tigers (lower limit 53, upper limit 66). The management is using as many as 30 pairs of camera traps to monitor tiger presence, besides collection of other evidence in the field during day-to-day patrolling. The reported presence of around 20 tiger cubs in the reserve is an indication of habitat recovery.
Research scientists have pointed to the benefits of carrying out camera trapping in all reserves on a continuous basis, as this would provide a more accurate picture of the national tiger population. Camera trap images also help identify individual tigers, since the stripe markings are unique for the big cat.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article2211406.ece
The photos, taken by cameras that are triggered off by sensors during the movement of tigers and other animals, show in sequence the scenes that biologists look for as evidence of breeding tigers - a mother and three cubs at a kill.
Preliminary analysis of the images taken at night on July 6 and 7 indicate that the cubs are four or five months old. The site is about a kilometre from the office of the Field Director of the NSTR.
The “India Tiger Estimate 2010” of the Ministry of Environment and Forests records an overall decrease in the tiger population in reserves of Andhra Pradesh among protected areas of Central India and the Eastern Ghats. Madhya Pradesh is another State with a recorded decline, while others in the region are either stable or have recorded an increase.
Among the key conservation points that the India Tiger Estimate report highlights is the need to secure corridors between source sites, to improve the prospects for tiger persistence outside reserves and sanctuaries.
The 3,568 sq km Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, located in the Nallamalai Hills of the Eastern Ghats, is the largest among the 40 tiger reserves in the country. It is adjacent the large Gundla-Brahmeswara Wildlife Sanctuary. It is also home to the historic Srisailam Shiva temple.
A note sent by the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve points out that though the area came under Project Tiger in 1982-83, the NSTR has been a conflict-ridden landscape owing to left-wing extremism for well over a decade. The MoEF found it a challenge to protect it. With left-wing extremist activities in the area waning in recent times, concerted efforts by the Centre and the State resulted in the gradual revival of the ecosystem. The local management team led by Field Director Ajay Naik came up with an innovative strategy, to deploy the local Chenchu tribes for protection duties. As many as 250 young Chenchus have been engaged by the Forest Department to protect forests and wildlife.
Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said, "To me the involvement of Chenchus in tiger protection is very significant and is a model we want to replicate elsewhere. The habitat is tough but the field director and his staff are doing an outstanding job."
The outcome has been an improvement in the spatial occupancy of tigers in the reserve. The recent estimation by the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India in 2010 indicated a population of 60 tigers (lower limit 53, upper limit 66). The management is using as many as 30 pairs of camera traps to monitor tiger presence, besides collection of other evidence in the field during day-to-day patrolling. The reported presence of around 20 tiger cubs in the reserve is an indication of habitat recovery.
Research scientists have pointed to the benefits of carrying out camera trapping in all reserves on a continuous basis, as this would provide a more accurate picture of the national tiger population. Camera trap images also help identify individual tigers, since the stripe markings are unique for the big cat.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article2211406.ece
Re-notification issued for tiger, peacock as national symbols
New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) With the notification of tiger and peacock as India''s national animal and bird not making into official records, the Ministry of Environment and Forests today issued a re-notification for this purpose.
"The Government of India had notified tiger and peacock as national animal and national bird respectively.
However, the said notifications are not forthcoming in the official records of the Ministry of Environment and Forests for quite some time," a government release said here.
"In view of this, the MoEF re-notifies the tiger as the national animal and peacock as the national bird of India," Additional Director General of Forests (Wildlife) Jagdish Kishwan was quoted as saying in the release.
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5281718
"The Government of India had notified tiger and peacock as national animal and national bird respectively.
However, the said notifications are not forthcoming in the official records of the Ministry of Environment and Forests for quite some time," a government release said here.
"In view of this, the MoEF re-notifies the tiger as the national animal and peacock as the national bird of India," Additional Director General of Forests (Wildlife) Jagdish Kishwan was quoted as saying in the release.
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5281718
Activists roar for tiger reserve as Goa drags feet
Panaji, July 11 (IANS) Even as the Goa government is dragging its feet over drafting a proposal to set up the Mhadei tiger reserve in a wildlife sanctuary ringed by iron ore mining leases, a green activist in Goa has already launched a petition campaign to speed up the process.
The online petition seeking to expedite the process of setting up the tiger reserve at Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, located 70 km from here, was launched by activist Tallulah D'Silva Monday.
"We the undersigned, residents of Goa, nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, admirers especially of the tiger, are writing to you as we are aware that Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has requested the Goa government to send the proposal for a tiger reserve at Mhadei region," reads the petition, which will be submitted to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.
"We write this to highlight the need to protect and conserve an intrinsic part of our Western Ghats, its forests and biodiversity. There is a dire need to protect and conserve our tiger habitats," it says.
The online petition comes against the backdrop of a sluggish response from the forest department as well as the state forest minister, after Jairam Ramesh last month wrote to Kamat asking the state government to submit a proposal to upgrade the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary to a tiger reserve.
While Goa's chief wildlife warden Shashi Kumar has said that there "are a lot of local factors yet to be taken into account, before setting up of a tiger reserve", according to state Forest Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues, the Mhadei tiger reserve would take some time coming.
"We have to first take the local legislators into confidence, then we have to talk to the local people as to whether they want it or not. How can a decision be taken soon?" Rodrigues told IANS.
According to Tallulah, who started a similar campaign last year, the Mhadei tiger reserve would be a critical habitat which would serve multiple purposes.
"That they are dragging their feet over the issue is obvious because of mining interests. Declaration of a tiger reserve will ensure protection to the catchment areas of important rivers like the Mhadei, Malaprabha, Pandhari...and will address the water security issues for Goa, Karnataka and Maharasthra for posterity," she said.
"There is a strong indication that the floater population (young adults in search of territories) of tigers from neighbouring Anshi Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) are moving into areas of Bhimgad forests (also in Karnataka) and adjoining Mahdei Wildlife sanctuary," Tallulah said.
"This also indicates that the area has a substantial prey base and additional protection as a tiger reserve will help augment this prey base due to additional forestry and conservation initiatives," she said.
Wildlife expert Rajendra Kerkar, who has been campaigning for the setting up of a tiger reserve in Goa for the last 20 years, says that mining leases which surround the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary were discouraging the government from taking active steps towards setting up of the reserve.
"It is beyond doubt that these forests are a home for tigers. However, if the state's handful sanctuaries are notified as tiger reserves, mining - illegal and legal - around these, carried out with the blessings of the politicians and state administration would have to cease," he said.
Goa's Rs.6,000 crore mining open cast iron, manganese and bauxite industry is located in the state's hinterland, nestled in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=250566
The online petition seeking to expedite the process of setting up the tiger reserve at Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, located 70 km from here, was launched by activist Tallulah D'Silva Monday.
"We the undersigned, residents of Goa, nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, admirers especially of the tiger, are writing to you as we are aware that Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has requested the Goa government to send the proposal for a tiger reserve at Mhadei region," reads the petition, which will be submitted to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.
"We write this to highlight the need to protect and conserve an intrinsic part of our Western Ghats, its forests and biodiversity. There is a dire need to protect and conserve our tiger habitats," it says.
The online petition comes against the backdrop of a sluggish response from the forest department as well as the state forest minister, after Jairam Ramesh last month wrote to Kamat asking the state government to submit a proposal to upgrade the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary to a tiger reserve.
While Goa's chief wildlife warden Shashi Kumar has said that there "are a lot of local factors yet to be taken into account, before setting up of a tiger reserve", according to state Forest Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues, the Mhadei tiger reserve would take some time coming.
"We have to first take the local legislators into confidence, then we have to talk to the local people as to whether they want it or not. How can a decision be taken soon?" Rodrigues told IANS.
According to Tallulah, who started a similar campaign last year, the Mhadei tiger reserve would be a critical habitat which would serve multiple purposes.
"That they are dragging their feet over the issue is obvious because of mining interests. Declaration of a tiger reserve will ensure protection to the catchment areas of important rivers like the Mhadei, Malaprabha, Pandhari...and will address the water security issues for Goa, Karnataka and Maharasthra for posterity," she said.
"There is a strong indication that the floater population (young adults in search of territories) of tigers from neighbouring Anshi Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) are moving into areas of Bhimgad forests (also in Karnataka) and adjoining Mahdei Wildlife sanctuary," Tallulah said.
"This also indicates that the area has a substantial prey base and additional protection as a tiger reserve will help augment this prey base due to additional forestry and conservation initiatives," she said.
Wildlife expert Rajendra Kerkar, who has been campaigning for the setting up of a tiger reserve in Goa for the last 20 years, says that mining leases which surround the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary were discouraging the government from taking active steps towards setting up of the reserve.
"It is beyond doubt that these forests are a home for tigers. However, if the state's handful sanctuaries are notified as tiger reserves, mining - illegal and legal - around these, carried out with the blessings of the politicians and state administration would have to cease," he said.
Goa's Rs.6,000 crore mining open cast iron, manganese and bauxite industry is located in the state's hinterland, nestled in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=250566
Monday, July 11, 2011
Green alert: Karnataka transfers 178 forest watchers to tiger reserves
By M Raghuram
In a surprising decision, the government has ordered the transfer of 178 forest watchers to the wildlife division to keep an eye on the tiger reserves of the state.
The order has not only created a serious shortage of personnel in the forest department, but also made life easier for the tree-fellers.
The order copy (No 38/2011-12) issued from the principal chief conservator of forests, exclusively available with DNA, has directed all the deputy conservators of forests, assistant conservators of forests and range forest officers to relieve the watchers immediately to take their positions in four different tiger conservation projects of Nagarahole, Bandipur, Bhadra and Anashi Tiger reserves.
The order transfers 60 watchers from Chamarajanagar, Kollegal, Mysore, Hunsur, Mandya, Chikmagalur, Koppa, Sirsi, Yellapur, Haliyal, Honnavar and Haveri to Bandipur Tiger Reserve, 63 from Karwar, Shimoga, Tumkur, Gulburga, Yadgir, Madikeri, Virajpet, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Koppal, Ramanagar and Belgaum to Hunsur Wildlife division, 37 from Mangalore, Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural districts to Bhadra wildlife division, Chikmagalur and 18 from Kundapur and Kolar to Dandeli wildlife division in Uttara Kannada district.
This decision comes in the wake of Karnataka being declared as having the largest number of tigers in the wild in the country.
Questioning the decision, the green activists are baffled at the government order. “First, the government says no to the world heritage tag offer from the Unesco to 10 different in Western Ghats sites. Now, they have removed the watchers from the forests.
What could be the intention of the government?” asked Panduranga Pai of Sirsi Parisara Okkuta. Many of the forests are Naxalite-infested. It could be recalled that it was a watcher who had first reported Naxalite activities in Kudremukh National Park in 2001.
“Watchers are the primary source of information for the forest department. Their information was like the first information report for the police. Based on their report the officials rush to the spot and take required action in situations.
Without them many of the range forests will not have their eyes and ears,” said a forest official on conditions of anonymity.
However, the principal chief conservator of forests IB Shrivatsava said that the forest department will recruit more watchers and guards in the days to come. But it is a long-drawn process to fill up the posts created due to the en masse transfer.
To fill up the vacancies, it would need a year or so, during which period many things may go wrong, fear the green activists.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_green-alert-karnataka-transfers-178-forest-watchers-to-tiger-reserves_1563558
In a surprising decision, the government has ordered the transfer of 178 forest watchers to the wildlife division to keep an eye on the tiger reserves of the state.
The order has not only created a serious shortage of personnel in the forest department, but also made life easier for the tree-fellers.
The order copy (No 38/2011-12) issued from the principal chief conservator of forests, exclusively available with DNA, has directed all the deputy conservators of forests, assistant conservators of forests and range forest officers to relieve the watchers immediately to take their positions in four different tiger conservation projects of Nagarahole, Bandipur, Bhadra and Anashi Tiger reserves.
The order transfers 60 watchers from Chamarajanagar, Kollegal, Mysore, Hunsur, Mandya, Chikmagalur, Koppa, Sirsi, Yellapur, Haliyal, Honnavar and Haveri to Bandipur Tiger Reserve, 63 from Karwar, Shimoga, Tumkur, Gulburga, Yadgir, Madikeri, Virajpet, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Koppal, Ramanagar and Belgaum to Hunsur Wildlife division, 37 from Mangalore, Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural districts to Bhadra wildlife division, Chikmagalur and 18 from Kundapur and Kolar to Dandeli wildlife division in Uttara Kannada district.
This decision comes in the wake of Karnataka being declared as having the largest number of tigers in the wild in the country.
Questioning the decision, the green activists are baffled at the government order. “First, the government says no to the world heritage tag offer from the Unesco to 10 different in Western Ghats sites. Now, they have removed the watchers from the forests.
What could be the intention of the government?” asked Panduranga Pai of Sirsi Parisara Okkuta. Many of the forests are Naxalite-infested. It could be recalled that it was a watcher who had first reported Naxalite activities in Kudremukh National Park in 2001.
“Watchers are the primary source of information for the forest department. Their information was like the first information report for the police. Based on their report the officials rush to the spot and take required action in situations.
Without them many of the range forests will not have their eyes and ears,” said a forest official on conditions of anonymity.
However, the principal chief conservator of forests IB Shrivatsava said that the forest department will recruit more watchers and guards in the days to come. But it is a long-drawn process to fill up the posts created due to the en masse transfer.
To fill up the vacancies, it would need a year or so, during which period many things may go wrong, fear the green activists.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_green-alert-karnataka-transfers-178-forest-watchers-to-tiger-reserves_1563558
NTCA to study Adani impact on Nagzira wildlife sanctuary-TNN
NAGPUR: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under the ministry of environment and forest monitoring tiger reserves in the country, will study adverse impact on Nagzira wildlife sanctuary with the diversion of 163.84 hectares forest land for Adani power project in Tiroda in Gondia district.
A proposal for diversion of 163.84 hectares of forest land in Garadi village for establishment of 1980 MW coal-fired power plant at MIDC Tiroda is under consideration of the MoEF. The Adani Power Maharashtra Limited (APML) plant falls within 10 km of the forest land proposed for diversion and hence the study.
NTCA sources told TOI that the Authority had on July 1 written to three leading institutes in India to quote rates to take up the study. They are National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur; Pollution Control Research Institute (PCRI), Haridwar; and Environment Protection and Training Research Institute (EPTRI), Hyderabad.
"NTCA proposes to study adverse impact of gaseous and particulate emissions and additional thermal load from the proposed power plant on the flora and fauna in 152 sq km Nagzira sanctuary. We will recommend appropriate mitigation measures to eliminate and minimise the impact," said sources.
If NTCA is to be believed, MoEF has almost made up its mind to divert the said land to APML. TOI on January 1 was first to report about MoEF readying to divert the land close to the sanctuary. Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh is already under pressure from his cabinet colleagues to clear coal blocks for power projects. Government is keen on putting Adani plant on fast-track.
Adani is coming up with 3,300 MW power plant in Tiroda. Work on first phase of two 660 MW units is in full swing and the company needs 163.84 hectare forest land for expansion. It has applied to the MoEF for diversion of the proposed land under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.
Wildlife experts recalled that MoEF's move would be a u-turn by Ramesh, who, during his Nagpur visit on September 13 last year, had said that if the land was close to Nagzira, then permission to divert it would not be granted. Ramesh has already agreed to make Nagzira-Navegaon a tiger reserve.
"The grant of diversion of forest land will be in contravention to MoEF rules that state that any proposal falling within 10 km of sanctuary or national park should be referred to National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) which is not being done in the case of APML," they said.
Earlier, two offences have been registered against the APML for violating the FCA twice - once on May 16 and another on June 4. Even after a year, the forest department has taken no action against the power company for those violations. In June 2010, a six-member committee headed by then PCCF (wildlife) and now head of forest force (HoFF) A K Joshi had visited the proposed site and studied the impact of diverting the said land on wildlife and tigers.
The panel has already stated that diversion of said land to APML would impact Nagzira, which is just 8.5 km from the plant's boundary.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/ntca-to-study-adani-impact-on-nagzira-wildlife-sanctuary/articleshow/9178416.cms
A proposal for diversion of 163.84 hectares of forest land in Garadi village for establishment of 1980 MW coal-fired power plant at MIDC Tiroda is under consideration of the MoEF. The Adani Power Maharashtra Limited (APML) plant falls within 10 km of the forest land proposed for diversion and hence the study.
NTCA sources told TOI that the Authority had on July 1 written to three leading institutes in India to quote rates to take up the study. They are National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur; Pollution Control Research Institute (PCRI), Haridwar; and Environment Protection and Training Research Institute (EPTRI), Hyderabad.
"NTCA proposes to study adverse impact of gaseous and particulate emissions and additional thermal load from the proposed power plant on the flora and fauna in 152 sq km Nagzira sanctuary. We will recommend appropriate mitigation measures to eliminate and minimise the impact," said sources.
If NTCA is to be believed, MoEF has almost made up its mind to divert the said land to APML. TOI on January 1 was first to report about MoEF readying to divert the land close to the sanctuary. Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh is already under pressure from his cabinet colleagues to clear coal blocks for power projects. Government is keen on putting Adani plant on fast-track.
Adani is coming up with 3,300 MW power plant in Tiroda. Work on first phase of two 660 MW units is in full swing and the company needs 163.84 hectare forest land for expansion. It has applied to the MoEF for diversion of the proposed land under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.
Wildlife experts recalled that MoEF's move would be a u-turn by Ramesh, who, during his Nagpur visit on September 13 last year, had said that if the land was close to Nagzira, then permission to divert it would not be granted. Ramesh has already agreed to make Nagzira-Navegaon a tiger reserve.
"The grant of diversion of forest land will be in contravention to MoEF rules that state that any proposal falling within 10 km of sanctuary or national park should be referred to National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) which is not being done in the case of APML," they said.
Earlier, two offences have been registered against the APML for violating the FCA twice - once on May 16 and another on June 4. Even after a year, the forest department has taken no action against the power company for those violations. In June 2010, a six-member committee headed by then PCCF (wildlife) and now head of forest force (HoFF) A K Joshi had visited the proposed site and studied the impact of diverting the said land on wildlife and tigers.
The panel has already stated that diversion of said land to APML would impact Nagzira, which is just 8.5 km from the plant's boundary.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/ntca-to-study-adani-impact-on-nagzira-wildlife-sanctuary/articleshow/9178416.cms
Heritage panel seeks Manas report
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Guwahati, July 10: The World Heritage Committee has asked the Centre to inform it by next year whether the Manas Tiger Conservation Foundation is operational and financial arrangements are in place for the site.
Sources said the committee had asked for the report by February 1 next year for examination at its 36th session in 2012.
The committee in its report said sustained finance to the site remains a critical long-term requirement to secure its full recovery.
It urged the authorities to ensure that the Manas Tiger Conservation Foundation was made operational as soon as possible and that funding for the property from the Centre was channelled through the foundation to avoid future delays in the transfer of funds to the property.
The Centre has informed the committee that the proposal for the Manas Tiger Conservation Foundation is currently awaiting Parliament approval, which is expected to come soon.
Though the foundation was formed two years back, it has still not been operationalised.
“All the hard work seems to have gone in vain and it is now nearly two years but the foundation has still not been operationalised,” a park official said.
The joint IUCN/Unesco monitoring mission, which visited the park in January this year, had pointed out that though lack of funds had not prevented activities necessary to allow recovery of the outstanding universal value of the site, the situation would have been much better if the funds-release problem had been fully addressed.
The slow release of funds for the site from the state government is an issue that has been raised by all previous Unesco/IUCN monitoring missions since 1997.
In fact, in 2009 and 2010 the park management was forced to operate for two years on one year’s budget as the state released the funds at the end of the year, rather than disbursing them directly to Manas at the time of receipt from the federal government.
A 2005 ruling by the Supreme Court states that funds must be released by the state government within 15 days of receipt from the Centre but this has not been implemented in the case of Manas.
Every year, the park management has to submit three annual plans of operation — one for project tiger, biosphere scheme and elephant project, but unfortunately the release of funds is sometimes delayed which has a serious impact on the efficient implementation of management activities.
The monitoring mission had also found the majority of available cash flow to the site comes from the BTC of which a major proportion of these funds is spent on staff salaries.
The park has also been asked to submit a comprehensive tourism management plan and a recovery plan for swamp deer by February 1 next year.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110711/jsp/northeast/story_14221385.jsp
Guwahati, July 10: The World Heritage Committee has asked the Centre to inform it by next year whether the Manas Tiger Conservation Foundation is operational and financial arrangements are in place for the site.
Sources said the committee had asked for the report by February 1 next year for examination at its 36th session in 2012.
The committee in its report said sustained finance to the site remains a critical long-term requirement to secure its full recovery.
It urged the authorities to ensure that the Manas Tiger Conservation Foundation was made operational as soon as possible and that funding for the property from the Centre was channelled through the foundation to avoid future delays in the transfer of funds to the property.
The Centre has informed the committee that the proposal for the Manas Tiger Conservation Foundation is currently awaiting Parliament approval, which is expected to come soon.
Though the foundation was formed two years back, it has still not been operationalised.
“All the hard work seems to have gone in vain and it is now nearly two years but the foundation has still not been operationalised,” a park official said.
The joint IUCN/Unesco monitoring mission, which visited the park in January this year, had pointed out that though lack of funds had not prevented activities necessary to allow recovery of the outstanding universal value of the site, the situation would have been much better if the funds-release problem had been fully addressed.
The slow release of funds for the site from the state government is an issue that has been raised by all previous Unesco/IUCN monitoring missions since 1997.
In fact, in 2009 and 2010 the park management was forced to operate for two years on one year’s budget as the state released the funds at the end of the year, rather than disbursing them directly to Manas at the time of receipt from the federal government.
A 2005 ruling by the Supreme Court states that funds must be released by the state government within 15 days of receipt from the Centre but this has not been implemented in the case of Manas.
Every year, the park management has to submit three annual plans of operation — one for project tiger, biosphere scheme and elephant project, but unfortunately the release of funds is sometimes delayed which has a serious impact on the efficient implementation of management activities.
The monitoring mission had also found the majority of available cash flow to the site comes from the BTC of which a major proportion of these funds is spent on staff salaries.
The park has also been asked to submit a comprehensive tourism management plan and a recovery plan for swamp deer by February 1 next year.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110711/jsp/northeast/story_14221385.jsp
Two tiger cubs brought to Van Vihar from Bandhavgarh
Two tiger cubs were brought from Bandhavgarh National Park to Van Vihar here last night. These two cubs from the same mother are about two-years-old. After arrival of these male tiger cubs, the number of tigers in Van Vihar has reached 12. There are nine tigers and one white tigress already in the Van Vihar.
These two tiger cubs have been kept in separate housing in Van Vihar. They will be quarantined from other animals for one month. During this period, their health checks and vaccinations will be undertaken.
Generally, a tigress keeps a cub with her for one and a half years. After this period, cubs are separated from mother. These two cubs are offspring of Mirachhani tigress of Bandhavgarh National Park, who had given birth to them in the same litter in 2009.
Now the number of man-eater tiger in the Van Vihar has reached 12. Earlier in 2008, another man-eater tiger Nahar was brought to the Van Vihar. Besides these tigers, there are five man-eater leopards also in the Van Vihar. Their names are Salman, Jhiriya, Khusi, Neemu and Nimi. Man-eater tigers and leopards are kept under adequate security and constant vigil is maintained on the enclosures where they are kept. Man-eater tigers become aggressive on seeing human beings. Therefore, they are kept at places where there is minimum human interference. These tigers are used for conservation breeding.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=63623
These two tiger cubs have been kept in separate housing in Van Vihar. They will be quarantined from other animals for one month. During this period, their health checks and vaccinations will be undertaken.
Generally, a tigress keeps a cub with her for one and a half years. After this period, cubs are separated from mother. These two cubs are offspring of Mirachhani tigress of Bandhavgarh National Park, who had given birth to them in the same litter in 2009.
Now the number of man-eater tiger in the Van Vihar has reached 12. Earlier in 2008, another man-eater tiger Nahar was brought to the Van Vihar. Besides these tigers, there are five man-eater leopards also in the Van Vihar. Their names are Salman, Jhiriya, Khusi, Neemu and Nimi. Man-eater tigers and leopards are kept under adequate security and constant vigil is maintained on the enclosures where they are kept. Man-eater tigers become aggressive on seeing human beings. Therefore, they are kept at places where there is minimum human interference. These tigers are used for conservation breeding.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=63623
Sunday, July 10, 2011
More sightings at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
With sighting of tigers in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here now being not as difficult as it used to be till about a year ago, the management has put in place a plan of action to step up its vigil.
Pointing out that a series of measures would be taken in a phased manner to protect the national animal, MTR Field Director K. Srivastava told The Hindu here on Saturday that chances of sighting tigers have increased because their population at Mudumalai was growing. Describing it as a welcome trend, he attributed it to the effective conservation measures implemented by the department with the help of its staff, particularly anti-poaching watchers and the local people.
Twenty anti-poaching camps and two floating camps have been set up. While the routine patrolling has been intensified, elephant patrolling has been introduced. Simultaneously habitat improvement has been taken up to ensure that the prey base is healthy. Tourism is being regulated in the area. Fixed surveillance cameras are being mounted at appropriate places.
Adverting to a scheme now under implementation to rehabilitate people residing in the core area of the MTR, Mr. Srivastava said that it would help the reserve gain about 300 hectares of grass and marshy land. Stating that direct sighting of tigers was being frequently reported, he said: “A heartening feature is that many of them are sub-adults and cubs.” He added that over the last two years, 27 direct sightings had been reported.
Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh and the Wildlife Institute of India have acknowledged the development. Due to better management practices, the population of other animals had also gone up. The number of elephants now is 1,000 against 835 last year, he said
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2215890.ece
Pointing out that a series of measures would be taken in a phased manner to protect the national animal, MTR Field Director K. Srivastava told The Hindu here on Saturday that chances of sighting tigers have increased because their population at Mudumalai was growing. Describing it as a welcome trend, he attributed it to the effective conservation measures implemented by the department with the help of its staff, particularly anti-poaching watchers and the local people.
Twenty anti-poaching camps and two floating camps have been set up. While the routine patrolling has been intensified, elephant patrolling has been introduced. Simultaneously habitat improvement has been taken up to ensure that the prey base is healthy. Tourism is being regulated in the area. Fixed surveillance cameras are being mounted at appropriate places.
Adverting to a scheme now under implementation to rehabilitate people residing in the core area of the MTR, Mr. Srivastava said that it would help the reserve gain about 300 hectares of grass and marshy land. Stating that direct sighting of tigers was being frequently reported, he said: “A heartening feature is that many of them are sub-adults and cubs.” He added that over the last two years, 27 direct sightings had been reported.
Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh and the Wildlife Institute of India have acknowledged the development. Due to better management practices, the population of other animals had also gone up. The number of elephants now is 1,000 against 835 last year, he said
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2215890.ece
NTCA committee on orphaned tiger cubs Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN
NAGPUR: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted a three-member committee for examining issues relating to abandoned and orphaned tiger cubs from the wild, so as to explore the feasibility of their in-situ rearing and release in low tiger density habitats. The committee members are Prof PC Tyagi, YV Jhala, both scientists with Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and SP Yadav, deputy inspector general (DIG) of NTCA as the member convener.
Yadav said that the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee will include country-wide assessment of the wild caught orphaned and abandoned cubs; identification of low density tiger reserves; to give recommendation for rehabilitation of such cubs vis-Ã -vis the NTCA guidelines; to prescribe 'minimum standards' for creation of tiger safaris; and to examine feasibility of ex-situ to in-situ linkage in the context of tiger. The committee will submit its report in 60 days, Yadav said.
MoEF meet on tiger reserves: The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has called a meeting of field directors of all tiger reserves at Bandipur in Karnataka. The two-day meet on July 29 and 30, will be inaugurated by union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh. All chief wildlife wardens of tiger-bearing states have been told to attend the meeting and make presentations on status of tiger reserves in their states.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-05/nagpur/29738237_1_tiger-reserves-tiger-cubs-ntca
Yadav said that the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee will include country-wide assessment of the wild caught orphaned and abandoned cubs; identification of low density tiger reserves; to give recommendation for rehabilitation of such cubs vis-Ã -vis the NTCA guidelines; to prescribe 'minimum standards' for creation of tiger safaris; and to examine feasibility of ex-situ to in-situ linkage in the context of tiger. The committee will submit its report in 60 days, Yadav said.
MoEF meet on tiger reserves: The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has called a meeting of field directors of all tiger reserves at Bandipur in Karnataka. The two-day meet on July 29 and 30, will be inaugurated by union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh. All chief wildlife wardens of tiger-bearing states have been told to attend the meeting and make presentations on status of tiger reserves in their states.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-05/nagpur/29738237_1_tiger-reserves-tiger-cubs-ntca
Friday, July 8, 2011
Tadoba oustees settling in Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN
NAGPUR: Villagers who moved out of Tadoba Andhari Tiger reserve in 2007 are beginning to settle down with their feeling of well-being going up, a study has found. It has also found that this is not as a result of government effort and but due to the various survival strategies adopted by relocated families of Bhagwanpur in Mul tehsil of Chandrapur district.
The study, funded by Ashoka Trust, Bangalore, was conducted by Rucha Ghate and Suresh Ghate of Shodh, the Institute for Research and Development, Nagpur. It says difficulties imposed on the villagers in terms of food insecurity, non-availability of fuel wood and fodder, deprivation of income from sale of non-timber forest produce (NTFPs) had resulted in overall fall of their welfare. Recently, both presented a paper based on the study at a conference on climate change at the University of Michigan, USA.
In Bhagwanpur, welfare plummeted immediately after the relocation for 69 families of Botezari and 40 families from Kolsa inside TATR. This was evident in 2009 when over 17 villagers, tired of their difficulties, returned to Botezari in the hope of starting cultivation again on their old farms. The villagers were arrested and released but cases are still pending against them. Looking at the Bhagwanpur mess, other villages are reluctant to move out.
Shodh, which has been associated with the six villages Rantalodhi, Kolsa, Botezari, Palasgoan, Jamni and Navegaon inside TATR since 1999 when relocation was actually announced, made an attempt to compare the level of welfare and feeling of well-being as perceived by the communities in 2004, 2007 and 2011.
For this, the NGO identified 12 indicators that the community considers important determinant of wellness. These included housing, access to education, opportunities of employment, ownership of agriculture land, productivity of land, livestock, wealth indicators, and species diversity in adjoining forest, accessibility to forest products, crop depredation and threat of cattle lifting by wild animals.
"Our analysis clearly shows that people think they are better off now but it was not so immediately after relocation. The lowering of welfare is the cost borne by the community for protection of tigers," says Ghate.
The study reveals that, the two villages that moved out were poor in civic amenities compared to new location at Bhagwanpur.
For example, the primary health centre (PHC) was 26km from Botezari but it is just 4km from Bhagwanpur. Similarly, bank, school and colleges which were 30-45km away from both the villages are now between of 4-14km. The subdistrict headquarters is also at 14km from earlier 45-75km.
Ironically, villagers were relocated to create inviolate spaces for wildlife but threat to them from wildlife has increased as the relocation site is also surrounded by forests. Within the PA, a large number of herbivores ensured sufficient prey for the carnivores but in degraded forests near Bhagwanpur, spill over population of leopards and tigers from Tadoba finds easy prey in cattle.
The study also reveals that social and cultural fabric of the community has been broken after relocation.
Two major indicators are that Ganesh and Durga festival are not celebrated.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tadoba-oustees-settling-in/articleshow/9145542.cms
The study, funded by Ashoka Trust, Bangalore, was conducted by Rucha Ghate and Suresh Ghate of Shodh, the Institute for Research and Development, Nagpur. It says difficulties imposed on the villagers in terms of food insecurity, non-availability of fuel wood and fodder, deprivation of income from sale of non-timber forest produce (NTFPs) had resulted in overall fall of their welfare. Recently, both presented a paper based on the study at a conference on climate change at the University of Michigan, USA.
In Bhagwanpur, welfare plummeted immediately after the relocation for 69 families of Botezari and 40 families from Kolsa inside TATR. This was evident in 2009 when over 17 villagers, tired of their difficulties, returned to Botezari in the hope of starting cultivation again on their old farms. The villagers were arrested and released but cases are still pending against them. Looking at the Bhagwanpur mess, other villages are reluctant to move out.
Shodh, which has been associated with the six villages Rantalodhi, Kolsa, Botezari, Palasgoan, Jamni and Navegaon inside TATR since 1999 when relocation was actually announced, made an attempt to compare the level of welfare and feeling of well-being as perceived by the communities in 2004, 2007 and 2011.
For this, the NGO identified 12 indicators that the community considers important determinant of wellness. These included housing, access to education, opportunities of employment, ownership of agriculture land, productivity of land, livestock, wealth indicators, and species diversity in adjoining forest, accessibility to forest products, crop depredation and threat of cattle lifting by wild animals.
"Our analysis clearly shows that people think they are better off now but it was not so immediately after relocation. The lowering of welfare is the cost borne by the community for protection of tigers," says Ghate.
The study reveals that, the two villages that moved out were poor in civic amenities compared to new location at Bhagwanpur.
For example, the primary health centre (PHC) was 26km from Botezari but it is just 4km from Bhagwanpur. Similarly, bank, school and colleges which were 30-45km away from both the villages are now between of 4-14km. The subdistrict headquarters is also at 14km from earlier 45-75km.
Ironically, villagers were relocated to create inviolate spaces for wildlife but threat to them from wildlife has increased as the relocation site is also surrounded by forests. Within the PA, a large number of herbivores ensured sufficient prey for the carnivores but in degraded forests near Bhagwanpur, spill over population of leopards and tigers from Tadoba finds easy prey in cattle.
The study also reveals that social and cultural fabric of the community has been broken after relocation.
Two major indicators are that Ganesh and Durga festival are not celebrated.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tadoba-oustees-settling-in/articleshow/9145542.cms
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Vehicles banned on forest route to Sabarimala
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Wednesday prohibited movement of vehicles, other than those of forest officials, through the Fourth Mile-Uppupara forest route to Sabarimala.
The Bench, comprising Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice K. Surendra Mohan, also directed the authorities, including the police, to ensure that this prohibition was enforced forthwith.
The court directed that any official found to have violated the order would be proceeded against.
The court ordered the police to ensure that there was no traffic congestion on the Vandiperiyar-Sabarimala road.
Disaster management
The Bench also reminded the government that it should take urgent steps to put in place a disaster management plan at Sabarimala.
The court issued the directives on a suo motu proceeding initiated in connection with the Pulmedu stampede in January 14 this year in which 102 Sabarimala pilgrims were killed.
Noise pollution
The court said it did not find any reason to permit private vehicles through the Fourth Mile to Uppupara Road as it was not a tourist spot.
The court added that allowing a large number of vehicles through this route would not only create problems such as noise pollution but also affect the flora and fauna of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Tiger reserve
The court said the road passed through the tiger reserve, which has been declared a wildlife sanctuary. So, persons other than forest officials should not be allowed to enter the road.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2201783.ece
The Bench, comprising Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice K. Surendra Mohan, also directed the authorities, including the police, to ensure that this prohibition was enforced forthwith.
The court directed that any official found to have violated the order would be proceeded against.
The court ordered the police to ensure that there was no traffic congestion on the Vandiperiyar-Sabarimala road.
Disaster management
The Bench also reminded the government that it should take urgent steps to put in place a disaster management plan at Sabarimala.
The court issued the directives on a suo motu proceeding initiated in connection with the Pulmedu stampede in January 14 this year in which 102 Sabarimala pilgrims were killed.
Noise pollution
The court said it did not find any reason to permit private vehicles through the Fourth Mile to Uppupara Road as it was not a tourist spot.
The court added that allowing a large number of vehicles through this route would not only create problems such as noise pollution but also affect the flora and fauna of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Tiger reserve
The court said the road passed through the tiger reserve, which has been declared a wildlife sanctuary. So, persons other than forest officials should not be allowed to enter the road.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2201783.ece
Panna trail leads to MLA kin; minister blames dacoit - DNA
Bhopal/Indore: Relatives of a BJP MLA have been linked to a tiger death in the Panna Tiger Reserve.
The forest department recently handed over details of nearly two dozen cases related to tiger deaths in Panna to the home department asking for a CBI probe. The government picked up only three cases considering them worthy of an independent investigation.
One of these cases trails back to a close relative of BJP MLA from Bundelkhand region.
According to Prayatna, an environmental action group that has been demanding CBI probe into the tiger deaths, forest officials had seized a jeep with Uttar Pradesh registration plates (UP 92/9434) in 2007. The jeep was reportedly trying to enter the Panna Tiger Reserve with armed passengers, forcefully.
The jeep was later released to one Babbu Singh, a close relative of a BJP MLA from Bundelkhand region, sources said.
The officials said that a case was lodged under the primary offence report (POR) 355/2007. There was apparently no follow up on the matter for several years.
The other two cases of tiger deaths shortlisted for a CBI enquiry also expose chronic laxity on part of the government.
In one of these cases, forest officials recovered jaw trap and bones of tiger acting on a complainant filed by one Kalyan Singh, resident of village Sukhwah in Panna district. The tiger, whose body parts were seized by the police, was reportedly killed between 2004 and 2005, but the POR was registered only in January 28 this year.
When contacted, highly placed officials said that the forest department had sought details of these cases from the director of the sanctuary. No records were provided to the headquarters.
In the third case taken up by the government, it has been revealed that the officials never lodged a POR about the killing at all. The tiger in this case was killed between 2004 and 2005. The forest department, however, did not register a POR.
Their inaction has raised serious questions on the intentions officials dealing with the Panna tiger deaths.
Ajay Dubey of Prayatna alleged that the forest department has overlooked even more serious cases with clear evidence.
"What is interesting is that they were clear cases of poaching but were recorded as revenge killings," Dubey said.
Reacting to the NGO's allegations, minister for forests, Sartaj Singh told DNA that gender imbalances and threat from dacoit 'Thokia' led to the elimination of the tigers from PTR.
The minister further clarified that, "the forest guards could not protect the tigers due to presence of dacoits in the area."
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-panna-trail-leads-to-mla-kin-minister-blames-dacoit-2241600.html
The forest department recently handed over details of nearly two dozen cases related to tiger deaths in Panna to the home department asking for a CBI probe. The government picked up only three cases considering them worthy of an independent investigation.
One of these cases trails back to a close relative of BJP MLA from Bundelkhand region.
According to Prayatna, an environmental action group that has been demanding CBI probe into the tiger deaths, forest officials had seized a jeep with Uttar Pradesh registration plates (UP 92/9434) in 2007. The jeep was reportedly trying to enter the Panna Tiger Reserve with armed passengers, forcefully.
The jeep was later released to one Babbu Singh, a close relative of a BJP MLA from Bundelkhand region, sources said.
The officials said that a case was lodged under the primary offence report (POR) 355/2007. There was apparently no follow up on the matter for several years.
The other two cases of tiger deaths shortlisted for a CBI enquiry also expose chronic laxity on part of the government.
In one of these cases, forest officials recovered jaw trap and bones of tiger acting on a complainant filed by one Kalyan Singh, resident of village Sukhwah in Panna district. The tiger, whose body parts were seized by the police, was reportedly killed between 2004 and 2005, but the POR was registered only in January 28 this year.
When contacted, highly placed officials said that the forest department had sought details of these cases from the director of the sanctuary. No records were provided to the headquarters.
In the third case taken up by the government, it has been revealed that the officials never lodged a POR about the killing at all. The tiger in this case was killed between 2004 and 2005. The forest department, however, did not register a POR.
Their inaction has raised serious questions on the intentions officials dealing with the Panna tiger deaths.
Ajay Dubey of Prayatna alleged that the forest department has overlooked even more serious cases with clear evidence.
"What is interesting is that they were clear cases of poaching but were recorded as revenge killings," Dubey said.
Reacting to the NGO's allegations, minister for forests, Sartaj Singh told DNA that gender imbalances and threat from dacoit 'Thokia' led to the elimination of the tigers from PTR.
The minister further clarified that, "the forest guards could not protect the tigers due to presence of dacoits in the area."
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-panna-trail-leads-to-mla-kin-minister-blames-dacoit-2241600.html
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Eye in the sky to help track big cats of Palamau A.S.R.P. MUKESH
Ranchi, July 5: Goodbye pugmark spotting. Enter Global Positioning System (GPS).
The 1,014sqkm Palamau Tiger Reserve is set to hit hi-tech highway with navigational satellites monitoring its rich treasure trove of flora and fauna, protecting particularly the towering rows of Shorea robusta or sal from the axe brigade and the majestic but endangered Panthera tigris or Royal Bengal Tiger from poachers.
Divisional forest officer (core) of the reserve Premjit Anand said they had procured four GPS apparatus some time ago and the system would debut soon after reserve officials were trained.
“A three-day crash course is scheduled for our 20-odd front-line members of staff from tomorrow. After successful installation of some four dozen cameras along tiger corridors, we are ready to launch the GPS,” he said, explaining that the system would enable precise monitoring of the entire reserve — right from animal movements to status of check dams and water bodies.
“We have four GPS gadgets at hand for the core area. Once the system takes off, more devices will be introduced to cover buffer zones as well,” he added.
According to Anand, forest guards will be trained on how to use the satellite-based system to capture details on territorial tiger behaviour, distribution of animals in the core area, level of water bodies and tourist movements.
“First, the animal corridors will be mapped based on co-ordinates (latitude and longitude). Then, this data will be linked to three different satellites and fed into the computer through a common server. Once these are done, forest officials will have electronic access to every nook and cranny of the reserve on a real-time basis,” Anand explained.
The Palamau Tiger Reserve is also planning to impose a blanket ban by this year on private vehicles like Rajasthan’s Sariska Tiger Reserve and Uttarakhand’s Corbett National Park.
The idea is for the reserve to gradually organise a fleet of vehicles from local private operators to facilitate tourist tours. But, for starters, the authorities have decided to enforce a colour code on private vehicles.
Bright is bane for big cats and so, only black, white and grey cars will be allowed inside the reserve.
“Animals, especially tigers, tend to react in an unpredictable manner to flashy colours like red, yellow, orange, et al. This leads to accidents. Hence, we will first regulate colours of vehicles and then gradually disallow private vehicles,” Anand said.
According to the senior forest official, banning private vehicles all at once may affect tourist influx. “So, we will go step by step to ensure proper regulation of vehicles and maintenance of the reserve,” he said.
Reserve officials are currently scouting for vehicle operators in the Palamau region to be registered by the forest department.
“We will soon begin registration of local operators. Once we have a substantial pool of vehicles to take tourists around the reserve, we will bar entry of private cars,” Anand said.
adding that the car hire rates would be advertised at the entrance.
Every reserve tour vehicle will have a tracker-cum-guide. “This will help us in two ways. First, tourists will have expert escorts. Second, we will be able to monitor illegal activities such as poaching and damage to flora,” the divisional forest officer said.
The 1,014sqkm Palamau Tiger Reserve is set to hit hi-tech highway with navigational satellites monitoring its rich treasure trove of flora and fauna, protecting particularly the towering rows of Shorea robusta or sal from the axe brigade and the majestic but endangered Panthera tigris or Royal Bengal Tiger from poachers.
Divisional forest officer (core) of the reserve Premjit Anand said they had procured four GPS apparatus some time ago and the system would debut soon after reserve officials were trained.
“A three-day crash course is scheduled for our 20-odd front-line members of staff from tomorrow. After successful installation of some four dozen cameras along tiger corridors, we are ready to launch the GPS,” he said, explaining that the system would enable precise monitoring of the entire reserve — right from animal movements to status of check dams and water bodies.
“We have four GPS gadgets at hand for the core area. Once the system takes off, more devices will be introduced to cover buffer zones as well,” he added.
According to Anand, forest guards will be trained on how to use the satellite-based system to capture details on territorial tiger behaviour, distribution of animals in the core area, level of water bodies and tourist movements.
“First, the animal corridors will be mapped based on co-ordinates (latitude and longitude). Then, this data will be linked to three different satellites and fed into the computer through a common server. Once these are done, forest officials will have electronic access to every nook and cranny of the reserve on a real-time basis,” Anand explained.
The Palamau Tiger Reserve is also planning to impose a blanket ban by this year on private vehicles like Rajasthan’s Sariska Tiger Reserve and Uttarakhand’s Corbett National Park.
The idea is for the reserve to gradually organise a fleet of vehicles from local private operators to facilitate tourist tours. But, for starters, the authorities have decided to enforce a colour code on private vehicles.
Bright is bane for big cats and so, only black, white and grey cars will be allowed inside the reserve.
“Animals, especially tigers, tend to react in an unpredictable manner to flashy colours like red, yellow, orange, et al. This leads to accidents. Hence, we will first regulate colours of vehicles and then gradually disallow private vehicles,” Anand said.
According to the senior forest official, banning private vehicles all at once may affect tourist influx. “So, we will go step by step to ensure proper regulation of vehicles and maintenance of the reserve,” he said.
Reserve officials are currently scouting for vehicle operators in the Palamau region to be registered by the forest department.
“We will soon begin registration of local operators. Once we have a substantial pool of vehicles to take tourists around the reserve, we will bar entry of private cars,” Anand said.
adding that the car hire rates would be advertised at the entrance.
Every reserve tour vehicle will have a tracker-cum-guide. “This will help us in two ways. First, tourists will have expert escorts. Second, we will be able to monitor illegal activities such as poaching and damage to flora,” the divisional forest officer said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)