Thursday, January 31, 2013
Livestock are easy prey for big cats of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve
Tiger kills rhino at Dudhwa national park
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tiger died from poisoning, revenge killing suspected
MoEF team to assess impact of felling on corridors
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Tiger on killing spree, fifth rhino found dead in Dudhwa
Two held with hand grenades in Panna Tiger Reserve
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Anthrax fear grips tiger sanctuaries
'Gory wildlife killing rampant across state'
Rajasthan tigresses named after minister
Curbs on tourist movement hit tribals, artists' livelihood
Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation meet in Feb on tiger passes on canals
By Shishir Arya, TNN | Jan 29, 2013, 03.51 AM IST
Controversial irrigation secretary back in actionMan who blew lid off Maharashtra irrigation scam seeks VRSState's '25% condition' on irrigation projects is disastrousAjit Pawar dada storms back, but has taint washed off?Did Sunil Tatkare mislead House on irrigation benefits?
NAGPUR: With canals coming in the way of tiger habitat, the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) is now gearing up to build bridges over them for the big cats to cross over.
As some of the irrigation canals pass through forests or their fringes, they cut off the two sides or block the tiger corridor hampering the movement of wildlife. The union ministry of environment and forests has stressed that a clearance can only be given to such projects if bridges are built or other measures taken.
A meeting of the VIDC officials has been scheduled on February 21 in which the engineers concerned will be discussing a road map on the bridges or tiger passes.
Six major canals pass through forest areas in the region which include the right bank canal and the one originating from the Mokhabardi reservoir under the Gosikhurd project.
A joint inspection will be held with the forest department, which would be identifying the spots for the bridges, said a source in the state's irrigation department.
It is expected that the forest department may insist on a bridge after every half a km. Apart from it, there would be steps for the animals to get down and drink water from the canal. However, it is common to have steps in the canals to undertake repair works also, added an official.
The VIDC finds the current plan to be a better option in terms of financial calculations. An earlier proposal put up around a year ago entailed building 400-metre wide bridges at frequent intervals. That would have jacked up the overall cost for VIDC by close to 100 crore, the source said.
It has been now planned to have 5 to 10 metre wide bridges instead, which would straightaway cut the expenditure to 10 crore, the officer said. "The bridges will have to be camouflaged with vegetation so as to look like a natural tract. So the concrete bridge will have a one-feet high padding of earth where grass would be grown," the officer added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Vidarbha-Irrigation-Development-Corporation-meet-in-Feb-on-tiger-passes-on-canals/articleshow/18231825.cms
Death knell for the Sunderbans
Atula Gupta
Eco-Degradation
Atula Gupta narrates the story of exploitation of the mangrove forests that border West Bengal and Bangladesh, and also suggests a few measures to save the mangroves.
The mangrove forests in Sunderbans consist of 54 tiny islands, criss-crossed by innumerable tributaries of the Ganges that were once infested by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. But today, the Sunderbans are known as the mystical mangrove forests that hold captive many a species of flora and fauna within their boundaries.
In a place where land and sea hazes away, new life forms propagate and existing ones thrive, in the safety of the knowledge that human hands are still afar. But sadly, the reach of the two-legged primate has increased, so much so, that two separate studies infer that Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine forest on earth may soon become a thing of the past.
According to two independent studies conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this month and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year, the Sunderbans ecosystem is rapidly changing. Scientists from the ZSL state that as human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, as much as 200m of the mangrove coastline is disappearing annually.
The study conducted by the IUCN on the other hand warns that the Indian side of Sunderbans is being subjected to various anthropogenic and natural processes affecting the distribution, quality and diversity of its mangroves thanks to too much human interference.
Nature’s reign
For humans, the primeval mangrove forest of Sunderbans shelters the most unimaginable dangers in its impenetrable undergrowth. Unlike other wildlife parks, where roads, jeeps and guides provide a semblance of control, here visitors find themselves holding their breath and stiffening to a state of alertness as their boats glide through the creeks and rivulets, bordered with mangroves. Even daily existence is a rigorous task.
But it is this seemingly threatening environment that provides a haven for many species including the salt water crocodiles, fishing cats, endangered Olive ridley turtles, terrapins, a large variety of birds and 500 other species of land and aquatic creatures. Not to forget, this largest block of continuous mangrove forest is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.”
But reports prove that the Sunderbans is changing. The scientists found rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh, says the report.
Many know that without the natural protection of the Sunderbans, the coasts of India and Bangladesh would be a playground for huge tidal waves, sea cyclones, and tsunamis. Mangroves represent less than one per cent of forests in the world, but they have a huge impact on climate. They are the most carbon rich forests in the tropics with high carbon capturing potential. The vanishing coast line could therefore trigger catastrophic changes, immersing within itself, villages, towns and even nations.
The other study points how the 4.2 million people who reside near these mangrove belts are devastating the environment for their sustenance. From illegal felling of mangroves to poaching, blocking freshwater flow to unplanned embankments for settlements, human piranhas are gnawing on the body and soul of Sunderbans every day.
The report also points out that in many places, sea water has replaced freshwater because of which plants such as the freshwater-loving Heritiera forms cannot survive. The central part of the Indian Sunderbans receives almost no fresh water because of heavy siltation and clogging of the Bidyadhari channel. “The influence of salinity and effects of climate change, though not well-understood, appear to be promoting the invasion of alien species in some parts of the Sundarbans,” the report adds.
The Sunderbans cover 10,000 sq km of land and water with 40 per cent of the forests in India. It is characterised by the sunderi trees that give the mangroves their name. The roots of these trees hold together small islands of mud, on which they grow, but are at the same time quick to lose the grayish brown silt to water with each incoming tide. The concern is, for how long can the sunderi trees continue to hold on to the essence of the Sunderbans especially when people are persistently changing every natural system through aquaculture, land development and over-exploitation?
It is not for experts and conservationists, but the residents of these floating forests to understand the ground reality. For generations, they have recognised the supremacy of nature by praying to Ma Banabibi, considered as the protector of the inhabitants of the forests and Dakshin Ray worshiped as the God of Tiger.
But today, what will make them and the entire ecosystem last is not just prayers, but a pledge to be protectors. Whether the Sunderbans remains an ageless beauty depends on what role its inhabitants choose to play.Death knell for the Sunderbans
Atula Gupta
Eco-Degradation
Atula Gupta narrates the story of exploitation of the mangrove forests that border West Bengal and Bangladesh, and also suggests a few measures to save the mangroves.
The mangrove forests in Sunderbans consist of 54 tiny islands, criss-crossed by innumerable tributaries of the Ganges that were once infested by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. But today, the Sunderbans are known as the mystical mangrove forests that hold captive many a species of flora and fauna within their boundaries.
In a place where land and sea hazes away, new life forms propagate and existing ones thrive, in the safety of the knowledge that human hands are still afar. But sadly, the reach of the two-legged primate has increased, so much so, that two separate studies infer that Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine forest on earth may soon become a thing of the past.
According to two independent studies conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this month and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year, the Sunderbans ecosystem is rapidly changing. Scientists from the ZSL state that as human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, as much as 200m of the mangrove coastline is disappearing annually.
The study conducted by the IUCN on the other hand warns that the Indian side of Sunderbans is being subjected to various anthropogenic and natural processes affecting the distribution, quality and diversity of its mangroves thanks to too much human interference.
Nature’s reign
For humans, the primeval mangrove forest of Sunderbans shelters the most unimaginable dangers in its impenetrable undergrowth. Unlike other wildlife parks, where roads, jeeps and guides provide a semblance of control, here visitors find themselves holding their breath and stiffening to a state of alertness as their boats glide through the creeks and rivulets, bordered with mangroves. Even daily existence is a rigorous task.
But it is this seemingly threatening environment that provides a haven for many species including the salt water crocodiles, fishing cats, endangered Olive ridley turtles, terrapins, a large variety of birds and 500 other species of land and aquatic creatures. Not to forget, this largest block of continuous mangrove forest is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.”
But reports prove that the Sunderbans is changing. The scientists found rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh, says the report.
Many know that without the natural protection of the Sunderbans, the coasts of India and Bangladesh would be a playground for huge tidal waves, sea cyclones, and tsunamis. Mangroves represent less than one per cent of forests in the world, but they have a huge impact on climate. They are the most carbon rich forests in the tropics with high carbon capturing potential. The vanishing coast line could therefore trigger catastrophic changes, immersing within itself, villages, towns and even nations.
The other study points how the 4.2 million people who reside near these mangrove belts are devastating the environment for their sustenance. From illegal felling of mangroves to poaching, blocking freshwater flow to unplanned embankments for settlements, human piranhas are gnawing on the body and soul of Sunderbans every day.
The report also points out that in many places, sea water has replaced freshwater because of which plants such as the freshwater-loving Heritiera forms cannot survive. The central part of the Indian Sunderbans receives almost no fresh water because of heavy siltation and clogging of the Bidyadhari channel. “The influence of salinity and effects of climate change, though not well-understood, appear to be promoting the invasion of alien species in some parts of the Sundarbans,” the report adds.
The Sunderbans cover 10,000 sq km of land and water with 40 per cent of the forests in India. It is characterised by the sunderi trees that give the mangroves their name. The roots of these trees hold together small islands of mud, on which they grow, but are at the same time quick to lose the grayish brown silt to water with each incoming tide. The concern is, for how long can the sunderi trees continue to hold on to the essence of the Sunderbans especially when people are persistently changing every natural system through aquaculture, land development and over-exploitation?
It is not for experts and conservationists, but the residents of these floating forests to understand the ground reality. For generations, they have recognised the supremacy of nature by praying to Ma Banabibi, considered as the protector of the inhabitants of the forests and Dakshin Ray worshiped as the God of Tiger.
But today, what will make them and the entire ecosystem last is not just prayers, but a pledge to be protectors. Whether the Sunderbans remains an ageless beauty depends on what role its inhabitants choose to play.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/308215/death-knell-sunderbans.html
Monday, January 28, 2013
Few tigers in PTR worry chief justice of Jharkhand
TNN | Jan 28, 2013, 10.05 AM IST
DALTINGANJ: Chief justice of the Jharkhand high court PrakashTatia has expressed concern over a few big cats in the Palamu Tiger Reserve.
"It appears that there is hardly any growth (in the number) of tigers here," said the chief justice, who arrived from Ranchi on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday at Betla, 27 km from here, Justice Tatia stressed the need for a tiger foundation in the state for an all-around development of the big cats.
DFO (buffer) A K Mishra said the chief justice was informed about image of a tigress trapped in camera in Ramandaag area.
Justice Tatia, however, had a word of praise for the elephant ride here which he took with his family in the morning. "The elephant ride of the Betla park is far impressive than that of Kaziranga. The elephant took us into deep forest here," he said asking for more animals to be added to the herd of elephants. At present, there are two elephants for the ride here. The chief justice wanted that entry of vehicular traffic inside the park be restricted and limited. He said the employees of the tiger reserve should get timely salary and their security be ensured.
"Jharkhand has immense potentialities and these need to be tapped, promoted and exploited for tourism," Justice Tatia said. "Jharkhand's violence gets widespread coverage but there are a plenty of beautiful things and if tourism is encouraged here, it will benefit the poor and the commoner."
Tourism can change the face of the economy of the area and earnings coming so from tourism will reach the people who will then be distracted from terrorism. He emphasized that people living outside the state be told of good things about Jharkhand.
On Saturday, Justice Tatia reached Palamu Qilla amid tight security. He spent about half an hour there. "This precious heritage of the past 300 years or so be retained in its antique form as far as possible and I am most surprised to find this qilla (fort) in such a dense forest," he said on the fort. Quoting the chief justice, DFO (core) Premjit Anand said, "The chief justice was so pained to see the Palamu Qilla in terrible ruins."
On justice-on-wheels, Justice Tatia said the state legal services authority would have one more facility soon. He showed keen interest when told that the facility travelled down to interior areas affected by Left wing extremism in Palamu. "The response of the people to this justice-on-wheels has been tremendous in the state," he said. About the second one, Justice Tatia said it would be fitted with more audio and visual facilities.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Few-tigers-in-PTR-worry-chief-justice-of-Jharkhand/articleshow/18217626.cms
Sharad Pawar slams greens, bats for Adani
TNN | Jan 28, 2013, 07.01 AM IST
Subhendu counters Jairam Ramesh remarks at JangalmahalAnti-women politicians should NAGPUR: NCP chief and union agriculture minister SharadPawar batted for Gujarat-based industrial house Adani Group, whose coal mines near Tadoba tiger reserve were cancelled due to concerns over tiger habitat being disturbed. Speaking at a conference organized by Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED) on Saturday, he expressed disagreement with the decision by former minster of environment and forests JairamRamesh, during whose regime the allocation of coal blocks was cancelled. Adani is coming up with a power plant at Gondia which is also the electoral constituency of union heavy industries minister Praful Patel and a key NCP leader.
Pawar said he had worked hard to ensure that the Adani Group's sets up the power plant in Gondia.
"I met Gautam Adani with Praful Patel in Gondia. He said his company had inked a pact to supply power at Rs2.25 a unit to the state government owned MSEDCL for the next 25 years. I wondered how could they calculate the expenditure for such a long period. Adani said he was banking on the coal mines allotted to his company close to the plant. I coordinated with officials in Mumbai to speed up other things. However, environmentalists scuttled the project in the name of tiger conservation by cancelling the mines," said Pawar.
The NCP boss countered the stance of environmentalists that the mine would harm the tiger habitat by saying that the blocks were quite far from the forest. The cancellation of mines has forced the company to import coal from Australia, leading to the calculations doing haywire and the company suffering a quarterly loss of Rs850 crore, Pawar added.
Batting for other units in the power sector too, he came down hard on those opposing concentration of power plants in the region. "There is no need for a hue and cry over power plants siphoning away water meant for irrigation or creating pollution when hardly three of over 20 in the region are operational," he said.
At the same time he also spoke of discouraging industries in Western Maharashtra, where there is a concern over excessive use of water by industries, especially when the region is reeling under a drought. "It is now the turn of areas like Vidarbha, Marathwada and Khandesh to see industrial development," he said.
He said politics of sabotage has also hit the irrigation projects of Vidarbha, referring to the Gosikhurd dam. "A series of complaints have now stopped funds for this project. I will hold a meeting with minister of water resources soon to sort out the issue," he said.
Curiously, he also praised Narendra Modi in a passing mention, saying that he would always cut across party lines when it came to the state's development.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Sharad-Pawar-slams-greens-bats-for-Adani/articleshow/18216466.cms
Friday, January 25, 2013
Poaching of tigers a major concern: CM
TNN | Jan 25, 2013, 06.26 AM IST
Soon, law to deter attacks on scribes: Prithviraj ChavanCM Prithviraj Chavan to meet Dhule riot victimsPrithviraj Chavan orders judicial probe into Dhule riotPrithviraj Chavan inaugurates off-campus centre for a management inst...Chief for Maharashtra women’s commission soon, Prithviraj Chavan says
PUNE: The estimated tiger population in the state has increased from 169 (in 2010) to around 200 at present. While the population has increased, one of the major concerns for the government is poaching. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday said that the government is taking strong steps to curb poaching of tigers and other wild animals.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting of the state wildlife board, Chavan said it has been found that tigers are being poached by electrocution. MSEDCL's 11 KW lines pass from four tiger sanctuaries. The poachers use wires attached with hooks to draw current from the overhead high tension lines and electrocute tigers.
To prevent poaching of tigers by electrocution, two proposals had come up before the state wildlife board. The first proposal was to consider whether the high tension lines can be laid underground, and the second proposal was about whether any rubber coating can be used for the lines passing through the sanctuaries.
While no decision has been taken about these proposals, Chavan said a coordination group will be set up between the MSEDCL and the forest department to work out a proposal whether any joint patrolling team can be deployed along the overhead power lines.
Last year, there were 14 tiger deaths, of which one died due to electrocution. This month, there have been three deaths of which one has died due to electrocution. The estimated tiger population in the state is around 200 at present, he said.
Another proposal for protection of tigers is to create passes over irrigation canals. Chavan said irrigation canals, constructed in Vidarbha region, pass through tiger sanctuaries. The canals obstruct their free movement. Some tigers also get killed in these canals. For preventing such deaths and to allow free movement of tigers, a proposal is on the cards to have some passes over canals. An expert team from the irrigation department will finalise the design.
Meanwhile, the state wildlife board has decided to increase the compensation to families of persons killed by tigers in buffer zones from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The government has also decided to appoint special veterinary doctors who are willing to work in buffer zones around wildlife sanctuaries.
....box story 1:
Pune: Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday said that the state government has sent a recommendation to the central government to get clearance under the Forest Act for the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).
Speaking to reporters after the meeting of the Maharashtra Wildlife Board, Chavan said the eco-sensitive zone around the 14 sq km area of Karnala bird sanctuary has to be first demarcated by experts.
One end of the proposed airport overlaps the eco-sensitive zone around the bird sanctuary up to a distance of 9.5 kms, he said. "The eco-sensitive zone has not been defined. It varies from two to 10 kms depending on the local situation. This area has to be defined by experts. The government has sent a recommendation to the Centre for getting clearance under the Forest Act, mentioning that the eco-sensitive zone be demarcated," Chavan said, adding that the government has already received environmental clearance for NMIA.
The area of the Karnala bird sanctuary is a small area spread over just 14 sq kms, he said. The government is considering whether some additional area can be included in the sanctuary, he added. Chavan pointed out that the National Highway (NH17) from Mumbai to Goa passes from the sanctuary. There is also a proposal for six-laning of the highway. The government had earlier planned to create a bypass to avoid the sanctuary area. However, the estimated cost for the proposal is too high, he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Another-arrest-in-tiger-poaching-case/articleshow/18176570.cms
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Ranthambhore tigress relocated to Sariska
TNN | Jan 23, 2013, 03.10 AM IST
Poaching fears over tiger relocation at SariskaEfforts on to revive tiger population in Sariska national parkSupreme Court lifts ban on tiger tourismCM wants impact assessment of forestsMaharashtra to take up documentation of biodiversity soon
SARISKA: The interim pause in the relocation experiment for re-populating the Sariska tiger reserve with big cats was finally broken when two-year-old tigress Beena 1 was released at the reserve on Tuesday evening.
Wildlife and forest officials tranquilized Beena 1 and fixed a satellite collar in Ranthambhore before it was released at Sariska. The officials are hopeful that its sibling will be tranquilized on Wednesday after which she will also be shifted to Sariska to take the total population of big cats in the reserve to nine.
Tiger relocation to Sariska comes after a long gap. The last tiger, a male ST-6, was relocated to Sariska on February 23, 2011.
Officials of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, managed to tranquilize the tigress at 7.23 am sharp. "We were hopeful that we will also be able to catch her sibling as the duo always stay together. But that was not to be. We waited for about three hours but as we were not able to tranquilize the other tigress we decided to proceed with the relocation of just one tigress today. On Wednesday we shall try relocation Beena 2 to Sariska," officials of the forest department said.
After the tranquilization the tigress was put in a cage atop a Canter and the vehicle proceeded for Sariska. After about six hours, the vehicle finally reached the gates of the reserve in Alwar and the tigress was taken towards the special enclosure set up near Nayapani for a soft launch.
No sooner was the gates of the cage opened the tigress which had then come back to its senses ran away towards a bush and hid itself. Officials say the tigress will be fed with a bait in the night.
Attending the tiger release was state forest and tourism minister Bina Kak, director of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Rajesh Gopal, scientists of the WII, including P K Mullick, D R Parag Nigam and Dr Shankar and chief wildlife warden Rajasthan A S Brar.
"The two tigresses are sub-adults and were straying out of the forest. We have brought them up carefully ever since they were orphaned when they were three months' old and since we did not want any mishap with them, we decided to relocate them. After shifting its sibling probably tomorrow, we are hopeful of some more relocation and this time from outside the state. We are in talks with Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra governments for getting some big cats from there too," Kak said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Ranthambhore-tigress-relocated-to-Sariska/articleshow/18141018.cms
Buxa tiger census in Feb
By Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN | Jan 23, 2013, 05.23 AM IST
JALPAIGURI: Nearly 100 teams - each comprising five men - of the forest department will conduct a tiger census in the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) next month. The volunteers will be trained in the first week of February and several NGOs are expected to join the exercise.
According to the last census, there are 19 tigers in the BTR. "There are 48 beats in the forest that is spread over 750 sq km. Nearly 100 teams will conduct the census," said BTR field director RP Saini. The volunteers will scan pug marks, collect tiger scat and look for other evidences to arrive at the number of tigers in the reserve.
In BTR, pug marks and tiger scat indicate that there has been an increase in their number in the past few years, claim forest officials. Once almost wiped out, the striped beauty has succeeded to turn around here and now regular sightings are reported in Jayanti, Rajabhatkhawa, Nimti, Sankosh and Kumargram areas of the forest.
"Our workers report sightings twice or thrice in a week. Tigers are mostly seen in core areas like Jayanti and Rajabhatkhawa. But recently, they were also sighted in other areas like Sankosh and Kumargram", said a senior forest official of BTR.
However, some contradict this claim as there hasn't been a single attack on cattle or any human being in the last 10 years though there are several villages in the core area.
Wild-life enthusiasts believe tiger sighting in north Bengal is low due to three reasons. Firstly, tiger is a nocturnal animal. Secondly, their number is very low to be seen in a huge forest like the BTR and finally, high density of forestland also works as a hindrance for sighting.
"Kaziranga has the highest number of tiger population in the country. Yet sighting is very low. This is because of the high density of the forest," said Animesh Bose of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Buxa-tiger-census-in-Feb/articleshow/18142159.cms
2 more held in tiger poaching case
TNN | Jan 23, 2013, 02.05 AM IST
NAGPUR: Two more persons were arrested in Deolapar tiger poaching case on Tuesday. With this, the total number of arrested accused has gone up to nine. Three teams of forest officials had arrested seven persons on Saturday. On Tuesday, investigating officials ACF SB Bhalavi and Deolapar RFO AR Sheikh picked up Bhushan Revadia from Untkhana in the city and Dilip Admane of Hiwara-Khanora near Ramtek.
"Both were not directly involved in poaching but were in possession of one tiger nail each. Admane was absconding after he learnt about arrest of the seven poachers," said Sheikh. Forest officials claimed 15 nails have been recovered so far besides other body parts.
Sheikh said the nail was given to Revadia for free by one of the accused from Tumsar. Revadia used to go to Gaimukh near Tumsar to offer prayers where both had met and become friends. All the accused will be produced before judicial magistrate first class ( JMFC), Ramtek, on Wednesday. It is learnt that forest officials are not likely to seek extended custody of the accused.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/2-more-held-in-tiger-poaching-case/articleshow/18140465.cms
Monday, January 7, 2013
Railways inaction leaves foresters fuming
By Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN | Jan 7, 2013, 03.02 AM IST
Indian Railways beat Maharashtra3 elephants killed, 2 injured as train crashes into herdRailways pitches for 5-10 paise fare hike per kilometreMP Dinesh Trivedi seeks speedy trial of tainted leadersRailways to develop stations for more revenue
JALPAIGURI: A day after three jumbos died when the Guwahati-bound Jhajha Express crashed into a herd near Madhugachh, the two injured elephants were rescued on Sunday morning and are undergoing treatment at Rajabhatkhawa.
The accident left foresters fuming and they came down heavily on the railways for taking no measures to curb elephant deaths.
According to officials, the forest department had written to the railways last month asking them to maintain a minimum speed while running through forest areas especially at night. The railways, say reports, refused to agree to the proposal on the grounds that train services would take a hit if it is implemented.
"Instead, they insisted on increasing vigil along the 168-km-long railway track between Alipurduar Junction and New Jalpaiguri. Even if watch towers are set up every 500 meters, how will you monitor the space between the two towers during the night hours," questioned a senior forest official.
"Had we had the mechanism to track elephant movement inside forests, would we allow herds to come near the railway tracks? It is not possible to know the movement of a wild herd.
The only solution is stopping movement of trains on the railway track after darkness," said RP Saini, field director, Buxa Tiger Reserve.
In September 2010, seven jumbos were mowed down by a goods train in Moraghat after which it was decided that regular weeding, up to 30 feet, would be done on both sides of the track to ensure clear visibility for the train drivers. "We have been doing that regularly. The spot where the incident happened on Saturday evening has a clear visibility. Then how did the driver overlook the herd crossing the track? The problem is that the railways never accepts its fault and always blames the forest department," a senior forester said.
Several naturist organizations have time and again appealed to the railways to double the track that passes through Falakata in Jalpaiguri and runs parallel to the one that moves through Dooars.
On Sunday, forest minister Hiten Burman visited the site of the accident. He said his department would write to the railways seeking answers on why jumbo deaths by trains had become a regular affair. But Burman's assurance has failed to please foresters and naturists.
" Mamata Banerjee, Dinesh Trivedi and then Mukul Roy - all of them were railway ministers and could have taken up the matter of doubling the parallel railway track and stopping movement of trains on the Dooars track at night. But when in power, they did nothing despite making numerous appeals. Now what's the point in blaming the railways?" said Animesh Basu of Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Railways-inaction-leaves-foresters-fuming/articleshow/17918348.cms
Dr R K Pachauri sounds climate alert for Sundarbans
Mumbai News www.mid-day.comFind out the freshest and latest news of Mumbai
Nobel laureate and director-general of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) Dr R K Pachauri on Sunday expressed concern over rising sea levels in the Sundarban delta — the world’s largest mangrove forest that straddles India and Bangladesh.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Indian Science Congress, Pachauri said there is a need to take adaptation measures to address the issue. “The rise in sea levels in Sundarbans is a cause of worry,” he said.
Researchers of the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, estimate that the annual rise in sea level from 3.14 mm recorded till the year 2000 increased to about 8 mm in 2010.
The delta consists of 102 low-lying islands of which 48 are inhabited. Nearly 4 million people in the Sundarbans coexist with 26 species of true mangroves, 234 species of birds and 47 species of mammals including the Royal Bengal tiger.
Experts point out that the islands and their ecosystems, including the human and animal communities, are under severe stress for want of natural resources and are highly vulnerable to changes in climate.
Climate change is leading to increased salinity and higher tidal surges, permanent submergence of land masses, experts said. Reports suggest that in the past two decades four islands (Bedford, Lohachara, Kabasgadi and Suparibhanga) were submerged and 6,000 families rendered homeless.
This apart, scientists from University of Calcutta and Jadavpur University have predicted that one of the largest islands (Sagar island) will lose at least 15 per cent of its habitat area by 2020.
Pachauri highlighted the need to strengthen mangrove plantations. “Dykes need to be set up at Sundarbans. It is one of the most important things to maintain biodiversity,” he said. Dykes are natural or artificial slopes or walls to regulate water levels.
Solar energy
Pachauri said India is committed to National Action Mission on Solar Energy. Till now 10,000 MW of solar energy is used as alternative source of power, but the country needs around 25-30,000 MW solar energy as alternative power.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dr-r-k-pachauri-sounds-climate-alert-for-sundarbans/1055566/0
'MP tigress died due to officials' negligence'
Shashikant Trivedi / New Delhi/ Bhopal Jan 07, 2013, 00:18 IST
The death of a tigress in the forests of Katni, Madhya Pradesh, two months ago, was caused due to “the carelessness of government officials”, a new investigation report has said.
“On 16 November, 2012, ‘lineman’ Prakash Chandra Berman had spotted a damaged power transmission pole in the area where the tigress was later found dead. He made repeated requests. But there was no response from his superiors. On 18 November, carelessness turned fatal while the tigress was preying on a stray cow. They both fell on the live, high-voltage, loose electric supply wires and were electrocuted to death,” the investigation report of forest conservation (Katni circle) said. A copy of the report is available with Business Standard.
"It is a clear case of negligence and the investigation report must have made the MP Power Transmission Company an accused in the case. If proper action is not taken against the erring and irresponsible staff and officials, our organisations will file a private complaint in the local court," tiger conservationist Ajay Dubey told Business Standard.
Dubey also raised several questions about the incident. "Why did the forest beat in-charge not report about the incident immediately to his superiors? Why does the primary offence report of the forest department not have names of its own field staff and those of the MP Power Distribution Company staff when the lineman had already reported a damaged pole two days prior to the accident? What steps have been taken by the state government to protect tigers?"
Dubey had earlier demanded that the Supreme Court impose a blanket ban on tiger tourism across India.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) R S Negi, however, clarified while speaking to Business Standard, "We have a process to file criminal cases under the Wildlife Protection Act when any Schedule - I animal is killed. When our team reached the scene of death, there was no one. As a result, the police has made "Unknown" as an accused. After investigations, responsibility will be fixed and a ‘challan’ will be presented before the court either by police or by department staff to bring the accused to justice."
Katni District Forest Officer (DFO) Mohammad Quasim Khan told Business Standard, "Two staff members of the MP Power Discom Company have been found guilty of carelessness and I have filed an FIR (first information report) against them under an electricity act. Since the lineman and the maintenance engineer did not take timely action, the tigress was electrocuted."
Khan also responded to Dubey’s charge that the forest department had ignored and skipped the post-mortem of the tigress even though the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has made it mandatory to ascertain reasons and the time of death of a tiger. "The carcasses of the tigress and the cow were charred due to high-voltage and were beyond postmortem or lab examination limits," explained Khan.
Madhya Pradesh is already facing criticism from various organisations and wildlife activists on the fast-shrinking population of the big cat in the state. In the recent past, three tigresses died in accidents or poacher attacks.
The total number of tigers in Madhya Pradesh was 257 in the last census, while Karnataka reported 300 or more tigers in the count. This resulted in Madhya Pradesh losing the title of 'tiger state'.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mp-tigress-died-due-to-officials-negligence/497946/
Tiger found dead, body parts intact
TNN | Jan 7, 2013, 01.58 AM IST
CHANDRAPUR: A tiger was found dead in forest under south Bramhapuri range on Sunday afternoon. Forest department has ruled out poaching in this case claiming that all body parts of the beast are intact. This is the first instance of tiger death in Chandrapur this year.
DCF, Bramhapuri Forest Division, Sanjay Thavare informed that a forest guard and an NGO activist detected the carcass during patrolling in compartment no. 156 near Ekara (Bhuj) village late on Sunday afternoon. "The carcass is four days old and has decomposed totally. But all body parts are intact," he said and ruled out possibility of poaching.
The gender of the animal could not be determined till evening due to its decomposed state. Guards were posted at the place and post-mortem would be carried out on Monday. Senior officials had left for the spot in the evening.
Nevertheless, forest officials are suspecting it to be a case of revenge killing (by poisoning). However sources said that an official confirmation could be made after the post-mortem report is received tomorrow.
Last year, 10 tigers had died in Chandrapur's forests.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-found-dead-body-parts-intact/articleshow/17917898.cms
Forest dept seeks funds from State for Project Tiger
Ashwini Y S, Bangalore, Jan 6, 2013, DHNS:
Rehabilitation programmes stalled owing to severe financial crunch
Left high and dry by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the State Forest department has been forced to approach the State government in the hopes of getting funds for rehabilitation projects under Project Tiger in Karnataka.
The department, the nodal agency responsible for Project Tiger, claims it is in the throes of a financial crisis as it has suffered a poor flow of funds for rehabilitation projects aimed at reducing human presence in tiger habitats.
Now, the department is placing a proposal for the release of Rs 300 crore in the 2013-14 State budget. Officials from the department, however, are sceptical about the proposal’s acceptance, as the scheme is Centrally sponsored. Furthermore, the Karnataka government has already declined to respond to a similar request made in the last financial year.
Funds needed
The department has sought Rs 92.40 crore for Nagarhole from the State government. It also hopes to get Rs 3.60 crore for Anshi-Dandeli, Rs 4.01 crore for Bhadra, and Rs 200 crore for the Kudremukh National Park. “During the last few years, despite our continued efforts, we have been able to secure funds only for Nagarhole. As a result, we are approaching the Karnataka government. The lack of funds, coupled with continued efforts by NGOs who are persuading forest dwellers not to relocate, has impeded effective rehabilitation,” explained Dipak Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
Karnataka has five tiger reserves: at Bandipur, Bhadra, Nagarhole, Anshi-Dandeli and the Biligiri Ranganatha Temple area — together containing over 285 tigers. An additional 40 to 50 tigers have been identified as residing in other forests, including at the Kudremukh National Park (KNP).
Incidentally, Karnataka has rejected proposals calling for KNP to be declared a tiger reserve despite the Centre’s approval to do so.
Project Tiger aims at ending human interaction in tiger-populated areas and offers a rehabilitation package to help relocate families found in “core” and “buffer” areas. Families in “core” areas are offered Rs 10 lakh as compensation.
A total of 8,374 families have been identified in tiger reserves and national parks, of which 856 families have been relocated till date. The Forest department is yet to begin a survey at the Biligiri Ranganatha Temple, which was declared a tiger reserve in 2011.
Successful beginning
The most successful rehabilitation project has been at Bandipur, which in 1973, became the first forest area to be declared a tiger reserve. A total of 154 families resided in the area — all of whom were rehabilitated and relocated to Sollepur in HD Kote over a period of time.
In Nagarhole, the department has spent around Rs 19 crore — of the total Rs 29 crore released by the NTCA — and has relocated 496 families to Shettihalli Lakkapatna in Hunsur. As many as 133 families have agreed to move, and the department is in the process of completing new homes at the rehabilitation site.
In Bhadra, the department has shifted 418 families to MC Halli and Kelagur near Chikmagalur by spending Rs 17.65 crore till date. At Anshi-Dandeli, of the 4,114 families, only 36 have come forward to accept the package. At Kudremukh National Park, of the 1,382 families which lived there, the department spent Rs 5.59 crore to shift 61 families. Recently, an additional 531 families have volunteered to be relocated.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/303432/forest-dept-seeks-funds-state.html
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