Caught in the frame

A. SHRIKUMAR Wildlife photographer Sriram Janak calls the forest his home, the elephants his love and the white peacock at Thiruparankundram hills his best friend “Just take my elephants on your cover, not me. They are more beautiful,” says Sriram Janak. Sriram has always loved nature and the outdoors. He still keeps water on the windowsill for squirrels and crows, and he gets excited about close encounters with birds. “I wake up in the night to listen to cuckoos on the tree near my house,” he says. “Once, nearly 200 egrets visited the pipal tree in our apartments. I also spotted a golden oriole once.” He jumps to the computer. “Let me show what I do.” Sriram shows pictures of young elephants playing at Corbett National Park. “This was last month, one of my best trips in life. I was blessed to be there.” For the next two hours, he runs slideshows of amazing frames – flying flamingos, fighting tuskers, yawning tigers and charging rhinos. “It was an evening by the Ramganga River. A herd of mother elephants and nearly 20 young ones were playing and having mud bath,” he recalls. “We watched them for hours in silence. Watching elephants is bliss.” Decades ago, armed with a fourth-hand Yashica camera, Sriram used to run behind the flameback woodpecker and paradise flycatcher that visited his grandmother’s backyard. From the backyard, he branched out to nearby Azhagar hills and discovered the purple sunbird and weaver bird. He had little idea then that someday he would come face-to-face with a full-grown wild tusker. At Corbett once, 12 elephants charged his jeep. “Even a whisper or talk can irritate animals in the forest,” says Sriram. “There are numerous instances when we have been charged by elephants and rhinos. Being a wildlife photographer is nothing glamorous or brave. It’s about immense self-satisfaction and love for animals. If you are able to connect with the psyche of animals, then nothing like it.” First tiger encounter Ten years back, he saw his first tiger in Ranthambore. “It was my first trip to the tiger reserve and the initial few safaris were dry and we couldn’t spot a tiger. And then suddenly, we got news on the walkie-talkie that a tiger is sitting right in the middle of the main road. I rushed to the spot and took so many shots.” None of his shots were great, Sriram recalls, but that moment kindled his interest. “If I get one nice shot out of 50 or 60 frames, I am happy for a week and for the next week, I go out for another,” says Sriram. “I bought a macro lens for insects and I am waiting for the rains to shoot.” Kabini Sanctuary in Karnataka and Corbett are his favourites, and he’d rather watch elephants than wait for a tiger. “They are more dynamic and there is always action and you can always get some wonderful shots,” he says. “Elephants have emotions like humans. It’s amazing to see and learn from them.” Learning from animals For Sriram, there is much to learn from animals. He says that it was the white peacock at Thiruparankundram hills that taught him patience. “I waited for one-and-a-half years to spot the bird. One day, I was there by 5.30 in the morning and finally I got to see him,” he says. “I used to go there daily and he started recognizing me. He used to come near, sit beside me and preen and even dance in front of me. He became my best friend here.” Though the area is cordoned off these days, Sriram manages to get in with permission from the forestry and temple authorities. But he rues the plastic debris left by tourists on the hills. It was also the white peacock that brought Sriram fame. “I wrote an article on the white peacock and sent the pictures along to Sanctuary Asia and it got published. Following this, I got a mail from Maneka Gandhi asking for the photograph of the peacock to be displayed at an expo in Delhi to raise funds for charity,” he beams. “I was paid fifty per cent of the money the photo fetched, with which I bought a 70-200 lens, one of the fastest lenses.” Capturing birds Early mornings in the monsoons are best to capture birds around Madurai, according to Sriram. “He would leave a note saying he is off to the hills,” says his wife, Lalitha. “I and my daughter Sumitra have been accompanying him to sanctuaries and national parks. I assist him in changing lenses quickly so that he doesn’t miss the leopard while it’s still on the tree. We are a family who love going on trips into the wild. Once we return to the city, we feel like going back again.” Sriram has been to almost all the sanctuaries in India and once to Kruger National Park in Africa, but his dream is to visit elephant country — Botswana. “I consciously save money for my trips and equipment,” he says. “I invest in shares for living.” A few of his photos have been published on covers of wildlife magazines, and a couple of shots have gone into coffee table books and the Bombay Natural History Society’s journal. Sriram has signed up for Nature’s Best, an international competition, and is waiting for the results. “In India, you really can’t live on photographs,” he says. “Wildlife photography is a costly passion. I have a 200-400 lens. Now, I’ve got a 600 and still the wants never end.” http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article3779723.ece

No school for children in proposed tiger reserve

K A Shaji, TNN | Aug 16, 2012, 02.57AM IST COIMBATORE: The dream of a proper school for tribal children will remain unfulfilled in Ukkiniyam village as permission for constructing a building has been denied by the forest department on the ground that it would be within the proposed Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve area. So, despite the Tamil Nadu government sanctioning 16lakhs for constructing the school building, it will remain only on paper. This has belied the claims of the forest department that it will exclude forest settlements and revenue villages from the core area of the reserve. As a result, 150 tribal children have been denied their right to education. Ukkiniyam is a hamlet in the jurisdiction of the Kuthiyalathur village panchayat. Significantly, the state government had sanctioned 16,05,000 for constructing the building under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan ( SSA) project just three months ago. According to V Mohan Kumar, a parent, Ukkiniyam is a forest village falling under Bhavani Sagar assembly constituency and one can access the nearby state highway only by walking through the dense forest for four kilometers. The village with Irula and soliga tribals is devoid of any basic facilities and the local community was illiterate. There are around 250 families in the village and their livelihood is collecting minor forest produce. They also help forest department in protection initiatives and the village never posed any threat to the wildlife. It was in 2005 that the primary school was started in the village under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and that was the first occasion when literacy came to the village. The illiterate villagers had built a makeshift shed for the school using their own resources and it reflected their keenness to ensure literacy for their wards. During the recent rains, the makeshift building collapsed and the children are now learning lessons by sitting on the open ground. As the region is famous for unexpected downpours, it has been becoming risky for the children and the teachers to continue the education exposed to inclement weather. The situation would turn worse with the onset of North East Monsoon. Meanwhile, many parents have stopped sending their children to the school citing lack of buildings. When Bhavani Sagar MLA, P L Sundaram, raised the issue before district collector and education department officials, they said the objection from forest department is preventing execution of the building project. Talking to TOI, Sundaram said he would even adopt legal means to ensure basic justice for the tribal children, who were just initiated to the world of literacy hardly seven years ago. Forest Department had recently prevented a local body in the region from conducting repair of a road to a forest settlement but the locals had conducted the repair works defying the orders. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/No-school-for-children-in-proposed-tiger-reserve/articleshow/15510244.cms

Valparai tourism to implead in SC case on tiger reserves

K A Shaji, TNN | Aug 16, 2012, 02.32AM IST COIMBATORE: Tourist cottage owners and merchants in the plantation town of Valparai have decided to implead in the case presently going on in Supreme Court with regard to allowing tourism in tiger reserves. The decision in this regard was taken a day after Tamil Nadu government notified buffer zones for tiger reserves in the state to resume tourism activities and Valparai was classified as buffer zone of Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Over 40 homestay providers and more than 600 traders in the tea country have jointly decided to pursue their case in the Supreme Court by availing the services of an eminent advocate in New Delhi. According to them, Valparai is the only municipality in the entire country to come under a tiger reserve, be it core area or buffer zone. What irks the tourism and commercial operators in the hill station is the lack of clarity on what kind of tourism would be permitted in a buffer zone. As per the 2001 census, Valparai has an urban population of 94,962 people and their normal life would be badly affected even if the whole municipality and adjoining tea estates are treated as buffer zone, according to the tourism industry. Before it became Anamalai Tiger Reserve, the Indira Gandhi National Park had a 126-sq-km core area and 832 sq km of buffer zone. Both the core area and the buffer zone had exempted Valparai municipality and surroundings. The tourism industry here wants the same kind of exclusion from the Supreme Court now. "The issue of Valparai is very peculiar. Other areas in the country which stand close to tiger reserves are not urban like Valparai. We are here for generations and being in the buffer zone would land us in trouble,'' says S Jebaraj of Valparai Merchants Association. At present, entry to Valparai is through Aliyar and Attakatty checkposts and they continue to remain part of the core areas of Anamalai Tiger Reserve. So vehicular movement would definitely get affected and even locals would face difficulty in traveling to the plains at night to access hospitals, says Jebaraj. Even small eco-friendly construction works in the buffer zone require long procedures and there are chances of the restricted tourism becoming totally controlled by the forest department, he adds. "It is not a question of tourism alone. We have approached the local municipality, tea plantations and civil society movements to join us in impleading in the case in the Supreme Court. It is easy for the state government to demarcate core and buffer the same way as it was when the ATR was just a national park,'' says Mohammed Shafi, secretary of Valparai Tourist Cottages Welfare Association. Meanwhile, they clarified that the organizations are not against improving the green cover of Valparai and improving forest management in a way that would not escalate the human-animal conflict. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Valparai-tourism-to-implead-in-SC-case-on-tiger-reserves/articleshow/15510067.cms

Declare Pilibhit tiger reserve to save big cats

THURSDAY, 16 AUGUST 2012 09:18 MOUSHUMI BASU N NEW DELHI HITS: 42 After the tragic death of three tigers under Pilibhit Forest Division in the past three months, wildlife experts have come out strongly for the forest division to be declared a tiger reserve. The third tiger was found dead on Sunday. The reserved forest area is home to 36 tigers. The Centre had given its in-principle approval for the forest division to be declared a tiger reserve in 2008. In 2010, the State Government wrote to the Centre in detail. However, the Centre sent back the proposal to the State Government seeking clear delineation of core and buffer zones. Now the matter is pending with the State Government. Further, the areas flanking the forest are very vulnerable to man-tiger conflict. Surrounded by villages that have sugarcane fields, there are repeated instances of tigers straying into these areas. However, fresh hopes have been raised with Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan bringing up the issue of Pilibhit along with four other reserves, in Rajya Sabha recently. While the reason for the death of two tigers on May 24 and May 25 was confirmed as poisoning, the forensic report on cause of death of the third tiger is yet to be received. The body of the tiger,however, had no injury or bullet marks, raising suspicions of poisoning in this case too. Rupak Dey, Chief Wildlife Warden, said, “We are combing the villages and other adjoining areas thoroughly to track poaching gangs that could have led to the incident. We are also trying to find out if there has been any recent case of killing of cattle in the surrounding villages.” He admitted that the two previous killings of big cats were in retaliation to loss of livestock. In order to ensure a better tiger management in the present situation, he said, patrolling would be intensified. “There is little doubt that tigers in Pillibhit are vulnerable. The State Government must not delay the long-pending process of notifying Pilibhit as a tiger reserve,” said Prerna Singh Bindra, standing committee member, National Board For Wildlife. Under the Project Tiger umbrella, Pilibhit will get the advantage of more financial and technical support, along with more focused wildlife protection. Studies indicate a good tiger density in Pilibhit, which also serves as a crucial link between Dudhwa and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in Nepal. UP has barely eight per cent of its area under forest, and Pilibhit is among its finest and deserving of maximum protection. “This will also help mitigate and address the human-tiger conflict which is very acute in this area,” said tiger expert Dr Ulhas Karanth. Recently, a tiger had ventured out of Pilibhit forests reaching Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture campus in Rahmankhera. It, however, did not attack any human during its 108-day stay in Rahmankhera near Lucknow and was sent back to Dudhwa tiger reserve. In 2011, there was yet another incident of tiger straying. It had killed 6 persons and was eventually sent to Kanpur Zoo. A straying tigress from Pilibhit had to be shot dead in 2009 following enormous local pressure after it killed five persons. http://www.dailypioneer.com/home/online-channel/360-todays-newspaper/87527-declare-pilibhit-tiger-reserve-to-save-big-cats.html

Govt to move SC to protect rights of tribals

Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times New Delhi, August 15, 2012 The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will ask the Supreme Court to review its interim order on declaring core and buffer areas in 41 tiger reserves in India after reports of tribals and forest dwellers being harassed in the name of implementation of the court order. Seven states have notified core and buffer areas in tiger reserves since the Supreme Court, in July, asked them to create the distinction and report the action within three weeks. The court had also imposed a ban on tourism in core areas in the same order. However, before complying with the court order the state governments failed to take people living in forests into confidence as required under watershed Forest Rights Act (FRA). “Restrictions have been imposed on movement of forest dwellers,” said Tushar Dash, a forest rights activist after a national consultation on the issue was held this week in Delhi. “Boundaries are being erected without settling of the rights of people living inside tiger reserves in violation of FRA”. Tribal Affairs minister Kishore Chandre Deo told Hindustan Times that a decision was taken on Tuesday to plead in the case. “We will bring to the notice of the Supreme Court that certain processes are to be followed as mandated under different laws to declare critical wildlife habitats (core area). People cannot be moved out without settling their rights,” he said, after holding discussions with senior officials of his ministry. The Forest Rights Act clearly states that critical wildlife habitats cannot be notified without scientific process and settling the rights of the people living in the forests. The Wildlife Protection Act makes consultation with forest dwellers mandatory for declaring the habitats. In these seven states, none of the processes listed in different laws was followed. The forest department officials had apparently acted in haste after the Supreme Court said that a fine of Rs. 50,000 will be imposed on state forest secretaries, if they fail to comply with the interim order within three weeks. Ashish Kothari of NGO Kalpvariksh said such a time-line makes mockery of the due process that has to be carried out for identifying and notifying buffer areas to promote co-existence between the wildlife and humans. “It is impossible to notify buffer zones with due process in seven days as these states have done,” he said. Many forest right activists believe that the Supreme Court order is being used by the state forest departments to usurp the recognition of the rights of those living in the forests. What has not happened since January 2008 --- when FRA was implemented --- the forest departments want to do in three weeks under the grab of the court order. Deo’s ministry has recently notified simplified guidelines for implementation of FRA to ensure that poor tribals and forest dwellers are not harassed. Lakhs of claims of rights have been rejected because of improper interpretation of the guidelines. States where core and buffer zone notified in seven days Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand Where these states have failed? Critical wildlife habitats have to be notified on scientific lines and after consultation with locals under the Wildlife Protection Act Approval of the Gram Sabhas to notify the habitats as mandated under Forest Rights Act has not been done. Traditional forest rights of those living in tiger reserves have not been settled before issuing the notification, a requirement under FRA. Its adverse impact? Movement of tribals has got restricted Tribals not being allowed to collect non-timber minor forest produce from forests Tribals fearing forceful relocation http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Govt-to-move-SC-to-protect-rights-of-tribals/Article1-914059.aspx

Poachers pose new threat to Bengal tiger cubs

By Anis Ahmed and Azad Majumder DHAKA | Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:58pm IST (Reuters) - Royal Bengal tigers have been under threat from habitat destruction, illegal trade for body parts, natural calamities and angry villagers, but their cubs are now facing a new danger -- poachers. Three frail tiger cubs lying in an iron cage in a Dhaka zoo are the first live cubs to be recovered from poachers, who had planned to smuggle the animals out of the country. "(Tigers) come out of the woods in search of food in the villages, and often get caught and killed," said a forest ranger in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh, who asked not to be identified. "Now, the poachers have expanded their illegal trade by catching and smuggling cubs that are easier to trap and safer to move away." There are an estimated 300 to 500 majestic Royal Bengal tigers in the 10,000 square km (6,213 miles) Sundarbans forest, which stretches across part of Bangladesh and India and has been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The numbers of the striped cats, which usually weigh over 200 kg (440 pounds) when fully grown, have been falling steadily. Residents of a Dhaka high rise building found the squeaking and grunting cubs in June when the animals were trying to climb from the ground floor. Special security forces took the cubs to a private zoo, where keepers fed them with bottled milk and put them on display. But due to health problems and stress from the throngs of visitors, the cubs were taken to a specially designed home in Dhaka's Botanical Garden where they are being fed food imported from China. The recovery of the live cubs was a wake-up call for conservationists who had been unaware of illegal trade in tiger cubs. Adult tigers are prized for their skins and their body parts are used in traditional Asian medicine. "We have had reports of tigers being killed by poachers. But this was the first time we saw that they were captured alive," said Reaj Morshed, programme officer at the Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB). Security forces arrested a man and his mother for collecting the cubs and keeping them until the animals could be smuggled out of the country. Each cub was priced at 2 million taka. Since the rescue the government has tightened laws for smuggling tiger cubs and imposed a seven-year sentence and a fine of 500,000 taka fine. Sundarbans forest guards will also be equipped with new guns and trained to curb poaching and smuggling. Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad, the country representative for the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), believes the new law is a step in the right direction. "Previously we didn't have a stringent law to deal with this, but now I think with the law in force and increased awareness on the part of the people, protection will be easier," he said. But not everyone agrees. "This country had plenty of laws to govern the forests but they were never strictly enforced," said Mohammad Badiuzzaman, at a nearby village. "Mere talking of laws and launching of plans will do little to help save the forest and its inhabitants." http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/15/bangladesh-tiger-idINDEE87E09820120815

Tiger tourism: Lobbies fight tooth and nail

Nitin Sethi, TNN | Aug 14, 2012, 01.53AM IST NEW DELHI: Should tourism be allowed a free run in forests that are breeding grounds of tigers? A curious case in the Supreme Court to restrict flourishing tourism in the core of tiger reserves has got many agitated. CMs and state forest ministers are writing to the Centre demanding tourism remain unfettered in their territories. The environment minister and wildlife officers in the Paryavaran Bhawan are inundated with calls. High-decibel tiger conservationists and resort owners — at times there is little distinction between the two — are engaged in hectic lobbying with their power buddies across party lines. Forest officials in states have turned unsure of whether tigers bring tourists to their forests or tourism protects the animal. Top lawyers are engaged by various 'interested' parties. Some other conservationists and tribal groups are holding meetings to discuss how to tackle the fallout of the apex court's final decision, which is likely soon. Ironically, amid this hubbub, tribals and poor farmers, who live in proximity to tiger, are caught in the legal cross fire, and are fast becoming collateral damage. It began with a petition in the SC on whether tourism should be allowed in the core of tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh. The court took up the issue in earnest forcing the Union government to file its recommendations that it was dragging its feet on for several years, unwilling to rein in the powerful tourism-combo. But, the court went a step ahead and also ordered that buffer areas - with thousands of farmers and other poor tribals, besides industry and other businesses — around core of tiger reserves be demarcated. Creating buffer areas gives forest department greater control over land, irrespective of whether they are used for agriculture or mining. The environment ministry took the middle path on tourism. It finally recognized the irony in allowing tour operators, touts, conservationists-turned-entrepreneurs and camera and gear-loaded tourists to walk into forests when poor tribals had been thrown out for conserving the big cat and its breeding grounds. It agreed that the people in vicinity of tiger reserves were making little out of the business where resort-owners can earn upward of Rs 40,000 a night at times against the guarantee of a rare glimpse of the elusive animal. Recommendations were made to weed out tourism from the core of tiger reserves (which are legally meant to be inviolate or free of people) over the next five years and the wildlife tourism business around the national parks and sanctuaries be taxed 10% of their revenue to provide some money to conservation and local tourism. The guidelines, now before the apex court, have got the tourism groups and the state governments (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasathan and Uttarakhand) up in arms and hectic lobbying is on. A motley conglomeration of conservationists and rights groups - Friends of Conservation - have warned that under the ruse of court-imposed deadline, state governments are violating the Wildlife Protection Act and the Forest Rights Act to demarcate the buffers, overriding provisions of these laws which protect the rights of the poor in vicinity of the wildlife zones. Ironic, many point out, since the same state governments are preparing affidavits and writing letters to protect tourism in tiger reserves. Officials warn, albeit in hushed tones, that land around tiger reserves are quietly being hived off in benami transactions to bypass land-transfer rules. Farmers and tribals with little other option are selling their land than facing the brunt of forest-raaj. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/wild-wacky/Tiger-tourism-Lobbies-fight-tooth-and-nail/articleshow/15484080.cms

Centre gives approval for creation of five new tiger reserves

Press Trust of India / New Delhi August 14, 2012, 14:20 This was stated by Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan in the Rajya Sabha today. Spelling out the initiatives taken by Government for conservation of the big cats, the Minister said in-principle approval has been accorded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority for creation of tiger reserves in Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh), Sunabeda (Odisha) and Mukundara Hills (Rajasthan) and Satyamangalam (Tamil Nadu). The proposed Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve constitutes three wildlife sanctuaries including Darrah, Jawahar Sagar and Chambal. In her written reply, Natarajan said that final approval has been accorded to Kudremukh (Karanataka) for declaring it as a Tiger Reserve. States have also been advised to send proposals for declaring areas including Bor, Nagzira-Navegaon (Maharashtra), Suhelwa (Uttar Pradesh), Guru Ghasidas National Park (Chattisgarh), Mhadei Sanctuary (Goa) and Sriviiliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel/Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries/ Varushanadu Valley (Tamil Nadu) as tiger reserves. The Minister said country-level tiger population, estimated once in every four years using refined methodology, has shown an increasing trend with a population estimate of 1706, lower and upper limits being 1520 and 1909 respectively in 2010 as compared to the 2006 estimation of 1411, the lower and upper limits being 1165 and 1657 respectively. http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/centre-gives-approval-for-creationfive-new-tiger-reserves/43973/

Delay on relocation of villages in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve to cost govt dear

Shantha Thiagarajan, TNN | Aug 14, 2012, 05.49AM IST Life at stake: Thirty villages, most of them belonging to mountadan chetty community, have been waiting for relocation for more than five years. UDHAGAMANDALAM: A long delay in the relocation process of forest dwellers and tribals living in 30 villages, including Mudhuguli village, located inside Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris, will cost the state nearly double the amount in compensation as the number of families in the villages has increased significantly in the past five years. Villagers, most of them belonging to the mountadan chetty community, have been waiting to be relocated for the past over five years. In 2005, the community leaders approached Madras high court seeking a directive to the state's forest department to resettle them. The court ruled in their favour in 2007 and told the government that it was duty bound to resettle them. Accordingly a survey was held in 2007 and around 449 families (1,940 people) from 20 villages in Mudumalai panchayat and 10 villages in Nilakottai - both inside the 321 sq km Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary - were found to be eligible for voluntary resettlement under Project Tiger. However, as per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, an individual of age 18 and above is considered a separate family. So the forest department fixed a cut-off date -- December 31, 2010 -- for identifying families that were to be relocated. "We have also come out with a MoU between the forest department and the individuals of the villages on the number of 'families' to be relocated," said P Raghuram Singh, field director, MTR and Mukurthi National Park. "The MoU is technically important to ascertain that the relocation is solely voluntary. After the cut-off date was fixed, we received claims from 763 families from the said 30 villages," he added. As per NTCA guidelines, each family can opt either for a cash package of Rs 10 lakh without involving any rehabilitation or opt for rehabilitation in a village. Almost all villagers who are to be relocated own titled land. The revenue department is scrutinizing the authenticity of the 763 families who have submitted the claims. "Also a sub-committee comprising the forest and revenue officials and representatives from the villages to decide about the allotment of land in Ayyankolli, which has been identified by the forest department for rehabilitation," said A Ameer Haja, deputy director, MTR. Singh too added that the process of relocation has been speeded up. Villagers say they had expected to be relocated at least a year after the court gave its verdict in 2007. They say the government is moving very slowly as it is more than five years since the court directive. "We are desperate now. We are farmers and our livelihood is at stake," said the villagers. Besides, the isolated existence inside the forest has deprived them of hospital and educational facilities. Many of the children are forced to discontinue their studies after class VIII. According to Singh, the government has identified 398.47 hectares of land for relocation near Ayyankolli, of which 289.49 hectares come under the Gudalur forest division.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Delay-on-relocation-of-villages-in-Mudumalai-Tiger-Reserve-to-cost-govt-dear/articleshow/15486064.cms?

In tiger reserves, tourists are not the core issue

PANKAJ SEKHSARIA The Hindu OUT OF BOUNDS: Banning tourism may not be the answer, but unless conservation itself is renegotiated, progress will be unlikely on the issues raised by the Supreme Court judgment. Photo: K.R. Deepak If anybody has rights over forest areas, it is the traditional communities that have lived there for generations In an order that will have far reaching consequences, the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves with immediate effect on July 24. The order is up for review within three weeks, but the stage has been set for a period of considerable turmoil in matters related to wildlife tourism, particularly that where the tiger is involved. There has been wide coverage of the development in the print and electronic media and the virtual world too has come alive with opinions, claims, allegations and counter allegations. A large section of the wildlife conservation community has been quite outraged and this is an important comment on the political economy of wildlife conservation as also of the wildlife tourism industry. One prominent wildlife photographer who is also hotelier posted a photo of a dead tiger on Facebook with a prominent caption — “Tourism did not kill him — goat herders did.” Other comments have expressed indignation at a situation where villagers will be allowed to stay inside, but tourism will have to leave. It is noteworthy that wildlife conservation and tourism are implicated in an interesting and important overlap of interests. Those wanting conservation of wildlife are increasingly benefitting from it as tourism operators or then as consumers of a wild experience. Dilemmas, contradictions The case has been made for a very long time that tourism benefits wildlife because it constitutes non-consumptive consumption of the resource that can also benefit local communities in the process and secondly, that tourist presence denies poachers the chance to get at their quarry. The simplicity of these arguments conceals the fault lines of a situation that is far more nuanced and complex both on the ground as well as in the policy domain. While conservation has been projected as an important national agenda, there is no denying that in the present paradigm, its majority stake is restricted to a small section of the urban middle and upper-middle class. There is much evidence, in fact, of the hardships experienced by and atrocities inflicted on local communities in the name of conservation. Ironically, the same paradigm is expected to benefit the same people from the same wildlife conservation, albeit through the tourism route. It is unlikely that the math will add up! The dilemmas, even the contradictions perhaps, are evident, for instance, in an editorial of the business newspaper Mint (“Saving India’s forests,” July 30, 2012). It argues that giving tourists access to forests will ensure their protection and conservation but giving forests dwellers rights under the Forest Rights Act is likely to make them “an instrument for their destruction.” Champati Sarath (“Ban on tourists no boon for tigers,” The Hindu, July 31, 2012), similarly, talks a language of the rights of people (read tourists) to visit national parks. We are failing to account for the fact that these tiger-inhabited landscapes have been peopled by forest dwellers and traditional communities for generations and that they have entitlements and rights here. One of the key pleas of the petitioner, that led to the Supreme Court order in fact, was that no tourism should be allowed in places where traditional communities had been displaced in the name of conservation. The case of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu is illustrative. At about the time that the entire country is discussing the ban on tourism in the core of tiger reserves, 19 tribal dominated village panchayats in the Sathyamangalam have been protesting and opposing the tiger reserve for fear of the impacts it would have on their livelihoods. The larger framework within which all of this operates also needs to be borne in mind — the overall economic paradigm where everything is meant for consumption; where GDP and economic growth takes precedence over everything else, where mining, dams, roads and railways are ripping apart habitats of wildlife and homes of traditional communities. This is a paradigm where even wildlife and conservation is being asked to pay for itself. Banning tourism is, perhaps, not the solution but if the parameters of the debate and the discussions around conservation are themselves not renegotiated, there is unlikely to be much progress. For many proponents, tourism, if done sensitively, is part of the solution to the many conservation related challenges we face today. For the moment however, the shoe is on the other foot. The solution has become the problem and the Supreme Court order should be welcomed for the debate it has fostered and a new perspective it could potentially engineer. Whether this results in a wash out or a shake-out depends on how the various stakeholders choose to respond, and in this case the wait in unlikely to be a long one. (Pankaj Sekhsaria edits the bimonthly newsletter on wildlife, Protected Area Update that is published by the environmental action group, Kalpavriksh. Email: psekhsaria@gmail.com) http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article3713517.ece?homepage=true

Three more tigers for Sariska

Jaipur: Spread over 866 sq km, the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan was once home to 15 tigers. Poaching reduced the number to zero till re-population began with the shifting of five tigers from another park. Now, three more of the majestic cats are to be relocated to increase their numbers to eight, an official said. "There are at present three tigers and two tigresses in the reserve. A high-level meeting was held recently in which it was decided that at least three more tigers will be relocated to Sariska soon," a senior forest department officer told IANS. He said the modalities of the relocation are being discussed at present. "The relocation is being carried out to enhance the tiger population in Sariska. We are planning to bring more tigresses to the reserve," said the officer. He added that the areas surrounding the reserve will be declared an eco-sensitive zone to provide the tigers a safe environment. 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 the Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan to Sariska. Five tigers from Ranthambore have been shifted to Sariska since 2008. The Sariska Tiger Reserve, originally a hunting preserve of the erstwhile princely state of Alwar, was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955 and attained the status of a National Park in 1979. IANS http://zeenews.india.com/news/rajasthan/three-more-tigers-for-sariska_791225.html

Coal mining threatens forests, tigers: Greenpeace

PTI | Aug 1, 2012, 07.42PM IST "From 2007 to 2011, the coal mine lease area and coal production capacity have nealry doubled compared to pre-2007 levels" Greenpeace campaigner Ashish Fernandes said. BHUBANESWAR: Environment watchdog Greenpeace on Wednesday sought an immediate moratorium on new coal projects in the country citing evidences that the mining threatened forests and wildlife. "From 2007 to 2011, the coal mine lease area and coal production capacity have nealry doubled compared to pre-2007 levels" Greenpeace campaigner Ashish Fernandes told reporters here. Greenpeace also released a report titled, 'How Coal Mining is Trashing Tigerland', saying how coal mining threatened over 1.1 million hectares of forest in 13 coalfields in central India. Fernandes said virtually all new coal mines and a proportion of the planned power plants were located in central India covering Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and parts of Odisha and eastern Maharashtra. These places were also home to 35 percent of the country's tiger population, he said. A look at landscapes where coal mining was well established such as Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh or Chandrapur in Maharashtra demonstrated the industry's devastating impact on forests, he said. But there are other locations where the problem was already or would soon be equally severe, he said. "If India continues its reliance on coal to meet its energy needs, the destruction already seen in these areas will be multiplied exponentially across much of central India," he said. Saying that blackout in north and east India was not a reason to fast-track coal projects, Fernandes said: "The blackout is a wake-up call for the government to revisit its unsustainable energy policy." The Greepeace report overlaid maps of the 13 coalfields with forest cover, protected area boundaries and the latest government data on tiger, elephant and leopard presence. Almost all the coalfields overlap with endangered species habitat -- of the 1.1 million hectares of forest at risk, over 185,000 hectares are inhabited by tigers, over 270,000 hectares by leopards and over 55,000 hectare by elephants, the report said. "The government continues to clear coal power projects and mines way beyond requirements, often overriding the objections of its officials and committees. We are asking for an immediate moratorium on all new forest clearances, until the criteria for determining forests off limits to mining are agreed upon and implemented, with proper public consultation and input," said Biswajit Mohanty, a National Board for Wildlife member. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/Coal-mining-threatens-forests-tigers-Greenpeace/articleshow/15315154.cms

MP to move SC for review of ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves

New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh government will approach the Supreme Court for a review of its order banning tourism in core areas of tiger reserves as such a move could affect the livelihood of many, state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said here today. "This order will definitely have a substantial effect. Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench are parks which are visited by not just Indian but also foreign tourists," Chouhan said. "We are going to approach the Supreme court and our request is that the Indian government should also support our cause," he added. Chouhan also said that while saving tigers was important, there was no certainty that the national animal will be saved if tourism is completely banned. "Most of the people who live in these areas are tribals who get employment because of the tourists. So, these people know that if the tigers are there, there would be employment. If we ban tourism totally, these people would be angry and unemployed," Chouhan added. The Madhya Pradesh CM also said that due to spottings by tourists, there was more awareness about the presence of tigers. "If we impose a total ban, who will watch them? In such a scenario, the threat against tigers would increase," he added. Chouhan also said if there is no tourism, the attitude of the people towards the tigers would change. "If the tiger attacks some of their cattle, they'll start wishing that it is no longer there. And then incidents like poisoning the water, which tigers drink, could happen," Chouhan said. The MP CM said a limited ban, which could ensure that tigers are not disturbed in its habitat, could be implemented. He said he had a positive meeting with Union Minister for Environment and Forest Jayanthi Natarajan in this regard. PTI http://zeenews.india.com/news/eco-news/mp-to-move-sc-for-review-of-ban-on-tourism-in-core-areas-of-tiger-reserves_791152.html

Buffer zone of Panna Tiger Reserve to be developed: Chouhan

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the buffer zone of Panna Tiger Reserve will be developed soon and a notification in this regard will be issued after holding discussions with villagers to be relocated from there. Notifications for buffer zones of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura and Sanjay Tiger Reserves have already been issued, Chavan said while addressing the state Wildlife Board here yesterday, according to official release issued here. Congratulating staff of Panna National Park over successful tiger relocation, the chief minister directed to keep advance action plans ready for safety of tiger cubs. There was no tiger at Panna in 2009 after which four tigresses and a tiger were translocated there. At present, there are five adult tigers and 14 cubs in the National Park, the release said. Besides tiger, Madhya Pradesh has also rehabilitated 50 bisons in Bandhavgarh National Park, the release said. Stating that compensation against loss of life and cattle in attack by wild animals has been increased, Chouhan said the process has been brought under the ambit of Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act to ensure speedy payment. The government will give a compensation of Rs one lakh against loss of life due to wild animals, Rs 75,000 for permanent disability and Rs 20,000 for injury. Chouhan said wildlife is "grandeur of the state" and fund crunch will not be allowed to come in way of its conservation. It was informed at the meeting that the Central Zoo Authority and the Supreme Court have given permission for establishing a zoo and rescue centre at Mukundpur in Satna district and its construction will start soon. PTI

Court order halts tourism in 5 tiger reserves in Karnataka

KARNATAKA BUREAU The Supreme Court directive has been implemented in both Bandipur and Nagarahole National parks without distinguishing between core zone and buffer zone, according to B J Hosmath, Field Director, Project Tiger. File photo: M.A.Sriram Conservationists worried that this may stifle education- and conservation-related activities Following the Supreme Court ban, the Department of Forests has stopped all tourism activities in the core areas of tiger reserves in Bandipur, Nagarahole, Anshi-Dandeli, Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT) and Bhadra wildlife ranges. The department’s order is valid till August 22, when the matter will come up for further hearing in the Supreme Court. According to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Deepak Sarmah, there will be no tourism activity in Bandipur range; Nagarahole, D.B. Kuppe and Antarsante ranges in the Nagarahole National Park; Lakkavalli and Muttodi in the Bhadra range; Punasoli and Kulgi in Anshi-Dandeli range, and K. Gudi in the BRT range. On Wednesday, orders were sent to all deputy conservators of forests and chief conservators of forest (Wildlife) of the five reserves. But tourism activity will continue in Bheemeshwari, Bannerghatta, Bhagavathi (Kudremukh), Daroji Bear Sanctuary, Dubare, and the blackbuck sanctuary in Bidar as these are not tiger reserves, a forest official said. IMPACT ON TOURISM The closure of these five key wildlife reserves for tourism activities will directly impact the sector. Anshi-Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district, Bandipur National Park, Nagarahole National Park, and Bhadra in Chikmagalur district together accounted for 1,34,293 tourists in 2011. Though this is a fraction of the total number of tourists visiting the State across various categories, the impact of the ban will be most felt by State-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) Ltd. which runs resorts in Nagarahole, Bandipur, K. Gudi, Lakkavalli and Kulgi. The closure of these tourism hubs will lead to a 50 per cent loss in revenues, Managing Director, JLR, P. Anur Reddy told The Hindu. He said that 80 per cent of tourist traffic was in tiger reserves, and that 40 safari vehicles had stopped plying from Wednesday morning. JLR was earning Rs. 10 lakh annually from safari in tiger reserves, he added. Bookings cancelled B.J. Hosmath, Field Director, Project Tiger, told The Hindu that all bookings for the quarters of the Department of Forests had been cancelled. Mr. Hosmath pointed out that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had identified the two national parks — together encompassing over 1,500 sq km — as “core critical tiger habitats” and hence the apex court directive had been implemented in both Bandipur and Nagarahole without distinguishing between core zone and buffer zone. Wildlife and conservation activists have welcomed the order. They, however, are worried that this may stifle education- and conservation-related activities in these ranges. Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth welcomed the move. He, however, noted that one should not lose sight of non-commercial and educational values of nature tourism and public support they generate for conservation. In a press release, he added: “Certainly, all tourist residential facilities should be moved out of core habitats and critical corridors at the earliest. The economic power of tourism should be leveraged to create more habitat outside, not to overload existing tiger habitats, as all too often happens.” Praveen Bhargav, trustee, Wildlife First, Bangalore, said the attempt to crash land an African model of high intensity vehicle-borne tourism into our relatively small reserves had thankfully been stymied by the Supreme Court. However, this must not lead to stopping of education- and conservation-related activities that were very important to secure a future for tigers, he added. ‘No delineation’ Though the Supreme Court ban on tourism is restricted to core areas of tiger reserves, sources told The Hindu there was no delineation of core zone and buffer zone in both Bandipur and Nagarahole and the demarcation of “tourism zone” was done for convenience. Keywords: tiger reserves, department of forests, Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Bhadra wildlife ranges http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3683454.ece?homepage=true

Tourism banned in three tiger reserves

P. OPPILI B. ARAVIND KUMAR The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve near Ooty wearing a deserted look on Wednesday, following a ban on tourists' visit as per a Supreme Court order. Photo: Special Arrangement Following the Supreme Court order, State wildlife authorities on Wednesday, banned tourism in the three tiger reserves of Mudumalai in Udhagamandalam, Anamalai near Pollachi, and Kalakkad – Mundanthurai in Tirunelveli district. Officials in the forest headquarters said the field directors of the three tiger reserves have been asked to instruct the district forest officers concerned to stop allowing tourists till the apex court passes further judgement. Incidentally, the core tiger habitat in Mudumalai, which includes Theppakadu elephant camp, and Anamalai, where Top Slip is, are the core tourist spots thronged by several thousands of tourists every year. Senior forest officials concede that no distinction was earlier made between core areas and buffer areas in the reserves. The clearances of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has been obtained for Anamalai and Kalakkad – Mundanthurai, said an official, adding that the process of notification by the State government was definitely on. In Mudumalai and Anamalai, the relocation of original residents through ‘golden handshake’ was making a slow progress as the tribals could not be evicted without their wish, say forest officials. As the MoEF has given guidelines for eco sensitive zones (buffer areas), the forest officials, and in certain cases the district administrations would have tough time in the immediate future to allay the apprehensions of several thousands of settlers in areas like Sigur, Singara and Thengumarahada, adjoining the Mudumalai tiger reserve. According to an official of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), conservation efforts and habitat improvement programmes alone will go on in the tiger reserve, and tourism activities will not be permitted. (With inputs from V.S. Palaniappan in Coimbatore) N. Anand writes from Chennai: Tourists from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in Theppakadu had to beat a hasty retreat on Wednesday as the guest houses belonging to Hotel Tamil Nadu and forest department were closed following the Supreme Court’s order. The tourists numbering about a dozen were unaware of the development until they reached the spot about 300 metres from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Velayudham, Manager, Hotel Tamil Nadu, Theppakadu, said there about 15 rooms in the area that could accommodate easily 110 persons. The room occupancy in these places had been over 80 per cent throughout the year as it was the connecting point for three southern states namely Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3685691.ece

Green brigade hails SC order on tiger reserves

Neha Shukla, TNN | Jul 26, 2012, 04.38AM IST LUCKNOW: The Supreme Court's interim ban on tourism activities in the core areas of tiger reserves has been hailed by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF). The environment and forest minister Jayanthi Natarajan, while welcoming the SC order, said she will "personally write to all the chief ministers of the tiger states to follow the directives". The officials, neither in the Central ministry nor the state forest departments, though are guarded in their comments and term the order as "highly sensitive". A senior official in the Central ministry said, "Conservationists are extremely happy but private tour operators are very much disappointed." Following the SC order, entry of tourists will be banned in the protected areas of all 39 tiger reserves in the country. The final order will come on August 22. UP forest officials refused to comment till they see the order's copy. "So far we have only heard or read about the order, let's see it (order's copy) first," said a senior official. The ban will, however, not have an immediate impact on Dudhwa reserve as it is currently closed for tourism. Besides, Dudhwa is not a significant tiger reserve in terms of revenue collection. But, the ban's impact will be seen in the national parks like Bandipur, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Ranthambore, Kaziranga and Kalakad-Mundanthurai, which earn huge revenue from tiger tourism. Though officials in the Madhya Pradesh forest department refused to comment on the repercussions of the order, they did not deny having a high tourist turnout during the season. The state earns close to Rs 15 crore by way of entry fee only. The entry fee, on an average, is not more than Rs 22 for the national parks. "Add to it the amount spent by a tourist to buy a tour package to the state's tiger reserves, the tourism earnings easily shoot up to Rs 150-200 crore," said a private tour operator. The state forest department not only uses the earning to manage the national parks but also shares it with the state. Karnataka and Rajasthan also earn considerable revenue through tiger tourism. The forest officials in Rajasthan forest department refused to comment on the ban. The private tour operators in wildlife reserves are mostly small time businessmen. The Travel Operators for Tiger in India, which is an association of private tour operators specialised in wildlife and eco-tourism, said there must be around 800 private tour operators in the country working for wildlife tourism. In most of the cases, tour operators are locals owning a lodge and running a food-joint. The ban on tourism in the core area will allow tourists to go till the buffer zone only. And since tiger sightings are rare in the buffer areas, the ban might dissuade tourists from visiting the national parks. The ban will not only hit the tour operators but also the local people as well who earn their livelihood from tourism. The bigger groups, however, will not be affected by the ban. "The only hope is if the state forest departments develop buffer zones to the level of core areas," said Vishal Singh, director, Travel Operators for Tiger in India. India is one of the most popular destinations for wildlife and eco-tourism in the world after Africa and South America. Foreign tourists also visit tiger reserves in India to see, apart from tigers, birds, swamp deer and other wildlife animals. India is the only country after Thailand and Siberia to have tigers, but from the point of view of tourism it scores over other countries. Tour operators say the states should replicate the model followed abroad wherein tourism revenue is used to conserve wildlife. It's a fact that biotic pressure on the national parks and forests in India is increasing, but model put in place by countries like Rwanda can be replicated. Rwanda allows tourism inside its forest area where tourists come to see Gorillas. The country allows a specific number of tourists inside the forest area and for a limited time. Besides, armed guards accompany tourists in the forests to prevent man-animal conflict. The country charges 750 US dollars per tourist for the visit. And despite restrictions, the number of tourists visiting forests has increased. The earnings are used for forest and wildlife conservation. India can adopt a similar model. The officers in MoEF, however, do not buy the argument. "The ban on tourism in the core area is nothing but a hype," said a senior officer. "The Supreme Court has only interpreted the law. It has enforced Section 38V of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which asks the states to ensure the inviolate status of the core/critical tiger habitat. The main objective of creating a tiger reserve is to conserve tigers, tourism is only a by-product," the officer added. Meanwhile, in the first major impact of the order, tour operators are preparing to make refunds to tourists who may cancel the bookings to the tiger reserves. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/the-good-earth/Green-brigade-hails-SC-order-on-tiger-reserves/articleshow/15153880.cms

Sahyadri buffer not notified to protect political interests?

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Jul 25, 2012, 05.16AM IST NAGPUR: Notifying buffer zones around tiger reserves is mandatory as per the amended Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) of 2006, but even two years after Sahyadri in Western Maharashtra was declared a tiger reserve the state government is yet to notify its buffer. The state had notified Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR), along the crest of western ghats in Kolhapur wildlife division, on January 5, 2010. The STR consists of Chandoli National Park (317.67 sq km) and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary (423.55 sq km). Declaring a buffer zone is important, due to pressure from projects like mining, roads, resorts and wind mills that want environment clearance in the vicinity. Going against this principle, the state is trying to protect such projects, which have come up in a big way around Sahyadri, and hence delaying notification of buffer area. A Supreme Court bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and Ibrahim Kalifulla on Tuesday warned of contempt proceedings and imposition of exemplary costs on states which fail to notify buffer zones around reserves. Chief wildlife warden SWH Naqvi said, "Plan to notify STR will be expedited; it is almost ready. We are waiting for National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) decision to clear rationalization of the boundary of Koyna sanctuary." However, as per minutes of the 25th NBWL meeting held on June 13, the board agreed to regularize over 1,000 land deals, besides 10 resorts and 215 windmills that have come up in the ecologically sensitive zone of STR. The NBWL has recommended exclusion of these projects from the buffer and rationalization of Koyna sanctuary on the grounds that Maharashtra will instead notify proposed sanctuaries like Rajmachi (122 sq km), Sudhagarh-Tamni (220.18 sq km), Tipagad (52.4 sq km), Isapur (121.55 sq km) and Kolamarka (187 sq km). Naqvi justified rationalizing of Koyna sanctuary, saying Sahyadri should not be a paper tiger reserve. However, rationalization of Koyna will be subject to a PIL filed by local NGO led by Nana Khamkar in Bombay High Court, and an application before the centrally empowered committee (CEC) regarding violation of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and Forest Conservation Act 1980. Khamkar told TOI that attempts to delay Sahyadri buffer notification were made to clear controversial projects that had been allowed to come up near the tiger reserve bypassing forest and wildlife laws. He added that without taking the Centre's nod, state had announced the development of the New Mahabaleshwar hill station and included 14 Koyna villages in it. In a few years, most of the land in the villages has been sold illegally. Member of state's buffer zone committee Kishor Rithe admits it is essential to notify buffer of any tiger reserve. In case of Sahyadri, since final notification and denotification of Koyna sanctuary is in process, the delay in buffer is considerable. "Hope the government will do it soon, once sanctuary final notification and critical tiger habitat (CTH) renotification is settled," Rithe added. The apex court had twice - on April 4 and July 10 - asked the state to notify buffer of Sahyadri but state failed to comply. If the state fails to comply within three weeks, it shall be saddled with a cost of Rs50,000, recoverable from principal secretary (forest) of the state concerned. The court also imposed a cost of Rs10,000 each on Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra and Jharkhand for not complying with its orders. Forest secretary Praveen Pardeshi did not reply to a query sent to him. Rationalizing Koyna Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary was notified on September 16, 1985, under section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The notified area of the sanctuary is 423.55 sq km, which includes 229.45 sq km forest area and 198.02 sq km non-forest area. The enquiry officer appointed under WPA 1972 for the enquiry into Koyna had conducted enquiries between 1995-1998 under sections 19 to 25 of the said act and submitted their reports to the district collector. The enquiry officer and subdivisional officer, Karad, had passed orders for exclusion of non-forest area of 14 villages of Patan taluka of Koyna sanctuary, admeasuring 99.65 sq km. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Sahyadri-buffer-not-notified-to-protect-political-interests/articleshow/15134253.cms

Another tigress loses life in territorial battle

TNN | Jul 25, 2012, 05.22AM IST CHANDRAPUR: Yet another tigress has been found killed, this time in North Brahmapuri range, in territorial fight. Carcass of the tigress was discovered near Dudhwahi village on Tuesday morning. A villager passing through the Adyal-Dudhwahi road first saw the carcass in the morning. He reported the matter to villagers of Dudhwahi who in turn informed a forest guard. On getting information senior officers of Brahmapuri forest division rushed to the spot. ACF NG Waghade claimed that tigress was 3-4 years old. He ruled out the possibility of poaching claiming that all vital body parts of the beast are intact. "The carcass was recovered in compartment no. 125 of North Brahmapuri range. Its teeth, nails and skin are intact; hence there is no possibility of poaching. We have recovered signs of territorial fight on the scene. The tigress was killed in a fighting with another tiger," said Waghade. The scene itself gave impression of the territorial fight. The scrubs around the carcass were tampered. The dead tigress had multiple injuries. There were deep canine marks on its head. The claw injury marks were found on head, neck and back of the body. The carcass was fresh and it appears that scuffle between two tigers took place early in the morning, he said. "We have also found pug marks of another tiger on the spot. An eyewitness claimed to have seen another tiger in the same area," Waghade said. Senior officers including CCF, Chandrapur forest circle, BSK Reddy and DCF, Brahmapuri forest division, Sanjay Thawre also visited the scene and inspected the carcass. Two veterinary doctors carried out the post mortem in the presence of NTCA representative Prafulla Bhamburbar, while Bandu Dhotre was present as representative of PCCF during the post mortem. Vets confirmed the cause of death as massive brain haemorrhage. "It has severe canine injury on the skull, which caused haemorrhage leading to death," said Dr Parag Khobragade, who along with other vet Dr Megha Vankar carried out the post mortem. The carcass was cremated before senior officers and witnesses. Large mob of onlookers had gathered on the spot to see the dead tiger. Eight tiger deaths in 2012 So far eight tigers have died in Chandrapur this year. This is third successive incident in which tiger has been killed either in territorial fight with another tiger or by any other animal. On June 29, a tiger cub, killed by wild dogs, was found in Dhaba range. On June 30, the carcass of a full grown tiger, killed in territorial fight with another tiger, was found in FDCM Junona range. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Another-tigress-loses-life-in-territorial-battle/articleshow/15134306.cms

SC ban on tourism in national parks: Guides, hotel owners worried

Rachna Singh, TNN | Jul 25, 2012, 05.07AM IST JAIPUR: The tiger town of Sawai Madhopur is in disbelief over the Supreme Court order banning tourism in the core areas of national parks in the country. The little town thrives only on account of tiger tourism that gives livelihood to many like the guides, drivers to the chain of hotels and the handicraft industry. In the past few years, Ranthambore saw quick proliferation of hotels, lodges and rented accommodations, all catering to the tiger safari in the reserve. "At the moment there are 40-50 small and big hotels in Ranthambore and about 50 more are in various stages of construction. With an inventory of 2,000 rooms today, the place is expected to get another 500 rooms in near future," said Balendu Singh, a local hotelier and an honorary wildlife warden. While stressing on the fact that this is only an interim order, Balendu said: "National Tiger Conservation Authority has been lobbying for a ban on tourism in the core area. If this comes around, it would affect eight districts in the state, namely Alwar (Sariska), Dausa, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Baran, Chittorgarh and Kota where tiger ranges fall in." Echoing the same, Yadevendra Singh, president of guides association said: "The government with their limited resources cannot save the tiger. Tiger tourism is as big in Rajasthan as monument tourism in other places. With so much awareness about the tiger, importance of bio-diversity, conservation, tourism has increased leaps and bounds contributing directly or indirectly to the cause of the tiger." "If 20 years back, there were only four gypsies that went into the forest, today even 40 are less. Today there are 104 guides, 300 vehicle owners and drivers and over 2000-3000 people who are directly or indirectly associated with the industry that are dependent on the tiger. It is in our interest to ensure that the tiger and its habitat are maintained," said Yadevendra. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/SC-ban-on-tourism-in-national-parks-Guides-hotel-owners-worried/articleshow/15134159.cms

Tiger Foundation for Palamu reserve in offing

TNN | Jul 25, 2012, 12.32AM IST DALTONGANJ: Decks have been cleared for the setting up of Tiger Foundation (TF) and Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP) for the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) here. Sources said the possible obstacles have been overcome in this regard. The main hurdle was the absence of notification of the Buffer Area of the PTR. The Buffer Area of the PTR has been notified by an order of the governor of the state on July 14. Sources said this is the first time that the PTR's Buffer Area has been notified since the former came into existence here in 1974. A total of 715.85 sq km out of 1,026 sq km of PTR has been notified as the Buffer Area. The conservator of the Buffer Area, Anil K Mishra confirmed the notification. Sources said the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Delhi had put on hold the formation of TF and TCP in absence of the notification. After the formation of this TF, funds allotted by the NTCA will be directly handed over to the PTR authorities without involving the state. Thus, the persisting problem of getting funds from the state government as late as in the third week of March (the last financial month of any financial year) will be a thing of the past once this TF is set up here. Further the TCP envisages a massive spectrum for the conservation of this big cat. As the Buffer Area has been notified there cannot be expansion or deletion of even an inch of this notified area without seeking permission from the Supreme Court, said one official. The inhabitants of 136 villages, falling under the Buffer Area of the PTR, will head for a bleak future as they will not be allowed to claim any right on the land where they are settled since the last two decades. The notified Buffer Area will be the sole property of the PTR henceforward said the official. There cannot be any settlement of land falling under this notified area with traditional tribal dwellers.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Tiger-Foundation-for-Palamu-reserve-in-offing/articleshow/15128093.cms

SC order: Wildlife wing in Maharashtra bans tourism in tiger reserves

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times Supreme Court’s Tuesday order to ban tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves would boost the protection and conservation of big cats in the tiger projects in the state, particularly Tadoba, Pench and Melghat reserves feel nature-lovers and conservationists. The Court order came in response to a public interest litigation which claimed that tourism activities were putting pressure on crucial tiger habitats and tiger safaris and resorts should instead be shifted to buffer zones. A bench of Justice Swatanter Kumar and Ibrahim Kalifulla also warned of contempt proceedings and imposition of exemplary costs on state which failed to notify the buffer zones in their respective tiger reserves. "The tourism activities in all the tiger reserves in Maharashtra, particularly Tadoba, Pench and Melghat will be stopped following the Apex court’s order as all the entry gates of these reserves are in core areas," said Kishore Rithe, member, National Board for Wildlife. However, the Maharashtra government already notified buffer zones in three of its four tiger reserves, recently. They are Tadoba, Pench and Melghat while nothing was done in Sahyadri tiger reserve of western Maharashtra in this regard. The Pench tiger reserve in Nagpur district, with a core area of 275 sq kms, has a 500-sq km buffer zone while the Melghat reserve, with a total area of 2,300 sq kms, has 1,268 sq km buffer zone. Tadoba is spread over 623 sq kms and 1150 sq kms as its buffer zone. The buffer zones were notified in accordance with the 2006 amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which make buffer zones mandatory for protection areas notified as critical tiger habitats (CTH). All these three tiger reserves received CTH status in December 2007. The Supreme Court expressed its strong displeasure that several states, despite earlier directions, failed to notify the buffer zones in their respective reserves and warned that if they failed to comply within three weeks the defaulting states shall be saddled with a cost of Rs. 50,000 each, recoverable from the principal secretary, forest department of the concerned state. The apex court also imposed a cost of Rs. 10,000 each on Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Jharkhand for not complying with its directions. SWH Naqvi, the state wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Maharashtra, claimed declaring of buffer zone in Sahyadri tiger reserve was under process. "We have already declared buffer zones for three reserves. We also value and respect the Supreme Court order and will act accordingly," he added. Rithe claimed that the national tiger conservation authority has agreed to allow 20% of the core area for tourism. "The issue is expected to be discussed before the Apex court during the next hearing on August 22," he said. However, the recent order would make it mandatory for those states which are still hostile to declare buffer zones in tiger reserves. Virendra Tiwari, the field director of Tadoba tiger project said that the tourist activities in the reserves would be stopped from Wednesday in the wake of the apex court’s order. "We will refund entry fees to those who had made the advance booking for visiting the reserves," he informed. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/SC-order-Wildlife-wing-in-Maharashtra-bans-tourism-in-tiger-reserves/Article1-894989.aspx

A terrible setback: tourism minister Bina Kak

TNN | Jul 25, 2012, 05.11AM IST JAIPUR: The park is closed at the moment and I will be able to comment only when I read the whole judgment. But on the face of it, this would be a terrible set back, said Rajasthan minister for tourism and forests, Bina Kak, while commenting on the Supreme Court's decision to ban tourism in core areas of Project Tiger forests. "The mismanagement of tourism in Madhya Pradesh should not affect other parks. Our national parks are very well managed. In fact most of the times tourism industry acts as the custodian of the park. It is the guides and tourists who give us first hand information of the park. I have asked for a copy of the judgment and will also write to the MoEF," said Kak. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/A-terrible-setback-tourism-minister-Bina-Kak/articleshow/15134196.cms

SC bans tourism in core areas of tiger reserves

CNN-IBN New Delhi: In a big victory for conservationists, the Supreme Court on Tuesday banned tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves. The order came in response to a public interest litigation by activists which argued that tourism activities were putting pressure on crucial tiger habitats and that tiger safaris and resorts should be shifted to buffer zones instead. According to the latest tiger census, there are approximately 1700 big cats left in India. The Supreme court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on states which haven't filed an affidavit about notification of buffer zones around tiger reserves. Only two states have filed affidavits till now. The court ordered that there will be no tourism in core areas till the matter is disposed off. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sc-bans-tourism-in-core-areas-of-tiger-reserves/273925-3.html

ATR’s governing body reconstituted

The governing body will facilitate and support the management of conservation of tiger and bio-diversity and will take initiatives in eco-development by involving people. Consequent to the delimitation of Assembly Constituencies and the elections based on the delimitation, re-organisation of local bodies and formation of Tirupur and Pollachi forest divisions, Ministry of Environment and Forests has reconstituted the governing body of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). The reconstitution has been done under the provisions laid down in sub-section (5) of Section 38 X of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, an order issued by C.V. Sankar – Principal Secretary to Government for Environment and Forests said. The governing body will facilitate and support the management of conservation of tiger and bio-diversity and will take initiatives in eco-development by involving people. The reconstituted governing body will be led by Minister for Forests as its President and Principal Secretary to Government for Forests and Environment as Vice-President. The members of the committee would include Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of ATR, District Forest Officers of Pollachi and Udumalpet (Deputy Directors of ATR) as members, R. Arumugam – Wildlife Consultant and K. Kalidasan – President of OSAI, Members of the Legislative Assembly representing Madathukkulam and Valparai, G.T. Vasudevan, Member of the District Panchayat fromUdumalpet, Forest Range Officers of Ulandy and Udumalpet while the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden will be the member secretary. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/article3677848.ece

Palamu Tiger Reserve's lone male tiger counting its days

TNN | Jul 24, 2012, 06.23AM IST DALTONGANJ: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) has just one aging male tiger. The tiger is about 9 to10 years old. Average life span of a tiger is 12 years that too only if it is not domesticated or kept in captive. Sources in the PTR said going by this account the lone male tiger of PTR has not many years to live on. The actual crisis will arise when this lone male tiger dies. The PTR officials when asked conceded this to be a major cause of concern. However none of the officials were ready to give comment officially. "We have been asked by the principal chief conservator of the forest-cum- chief-wildlife warden A K Malhotra not to speak to media," said one official. Sources said there are 5 female tigers in PTR. Copulation is very rare now and the prey base for a tiger has shrunk considerably. "A tiger now requires covering 30 to 40 sq km to hunt its prey which is reducing its copulative power," the official said. "For a tiger the maximum prey base where it can have its prey is 20 sq km. But in PTR the prey is not available and hence the tigers have to toil a lot and move forward to catch a prey. So there is very little time left for copulation," quipped the official on conditions of anonymity. The officer suggested that the only way to resolve the crisis is to import tigers from other tiger reserves in the country as it has been done in Kanha and Ranthambore where tigers were dispatched from other tiger reserves to set right the gender imbalance there. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Palamu-Tiger-Reserves-lone-male-tiger-counting-its-days/articleshow/15115486.cms

Wildlife wing uses CCTV for Pench tiger project to prevent poaching

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times In its bid to stem the poaching activities in the famous Pench Tiger Reserve, some 70 kms from Nagpur, the state wildlife wing will be installing closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) at the main gate of the reserve within a fortnight. Pench is a sensitive inter-state tiger reserves on the Nagpur-Jabalpur national highway and it’s always a target of the inter-state poachers. The recent decision to install CCTVs would work as a watchdog to prevent such activities in the area. The state wildlife warden, SWH Naqvi informed that the CCTVs would be set up at Pench soon so that poaching and other acts that affect the protection and conservation could be prevented. The state wildlife wing is using CCTVs in Pench on an experimental basis and if it is successful, such systems would be introduced in other wildlife sanctuaries, and particularly in tiger reserves. Besides, more entry gates of the sanctuaries would be equipped with the CCTVs in the coming days. Virendra Tiwari, the field director of Tadoba Tiger Reserves, said that if the experiment of CCTVs is successful in Pench, it will be installed in Tadoba soon. Tadoba was in the news in recent past for killings of several tigers by the poachers. Bodies of three tigers were found near Tadoba in Chandrapur district in May-June this year while as many as 11 tigers were allegedly killed by poachers in the district since January this year. The proposal of installing CCTVs would be a path-breaking for the conservation and protection of the big cats in the region. “We will at least be able to identify the movement of vehicles and people who enter the reserves with the help of footage of CCTVs after its installation,” said Srinivas Reddy, the field director of Pench tiger project. Pench tiger reserve, bordering Madhya Pradesh, is located at a distance of 70 kms from Nagpur, and has around 20 tigers, besides other several species of endangered animals. Meanwhile, relocation of Fulzari village in Pench tiger reserves was opposed by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha. The state government had agreed to compensate Rs. 10 lakh to each villager as a relocation package. “Villagers will not move from the area unless their constitutional rights are settled. The decision for relocation must be based on gram sabha’s consent as per the existing provision,” Arun Wankar, the convenor of the Sabha said. According to him, the government had granted traditional rights to extract minor forest produce to the villagers but now they are not allowed. Besides, rights of the people have not been settled under the forest rights act of 2005, he pointed out. Fulzari, with a population of 240 people and 45 houses, is the only village inside the tiger reserve which is awaiting relocation. The decision to relocate the village has been taken by the wildlife wing of the state as it is in the “critical tiger habitat”. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Wildlife-wing-uses-CCTV-for-Pench-tiger-project-to-prevent-poaching/Article1-894370.aspx

Wildlife wing uses CCTV for Pench tiger project to prevent poaching

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times In its bid to stem the poaching activities in the famous Pench Tiger Reserve, some 70 kms from Nagpur, the state wildlife wing will be installing closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) at the main gate of the reserve within a fortnight. Pench is a sensitive inter-state tiger reserves on the Nagpur-Jabalpur national highway and it’s always a target of the inter-state poachers. The recent decision to install CCTVs would work as a watchdog to prevent such activities in the area. The state wildlife warden, SWH Naqvi informed that the CCTVs would be set up at Pench soon so that poaching and other acts that affect the protection and conservation could be prevented. The state wildlife wing is using CCTVs in Pench on an experimental basis and if it is successful, such systems would be introduced in other wildlife sanctuaries, and particularly in tiger reserves. Besides, more entry gates of the sanctuaries would be equipped with the CCTVs in the coming days. Virendra Tiwari, the field director of Tadoba Tiger Reserves, said that if the experiment of CCTVs is successful in Pench, it will be installed in Tadoba soon. Tadoba was in the news in recent past for killings of several tigers by the poachers. Bodies of three tigers were found near Tadoba in Chandrapur district in May-June this year while as many as 11 tigers were allegedly killed by poachers in the district since January this year. The proposal of installing CCTVs would be a path-breaking for the conservation and protection of the big cats in the region. “We will at least be able to identify the movement of vehicles and people who enter the reserves with the help of footage of CCTVs after its installation,” said Srinivas Reddy, the field director of Pench tiger project. Pench tiger reserve, bordering Madhya Pradesh, is located at a distance of 70 kms from Nagpur, and has around 20 tigers, besides other several species of endangered animals. Meanwhile, relocation of Fulzari village in Pench tiger reserves was opposed by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha. The state government had agreed to compensate Rs. 10 lakh to each villager as a relocation package. “Villagers will not move from the area unless their constitutional rights are settled. The decision for relocation must be based on gram sabha’s consent as per the existing provision,” Arun Wankar, the convenor of the Sabha said. According to him, the government had granted traditional rights to extract minor forest produce to the villagers but now they are not allowed. Besides, rights of the people have not been settled under the forest rights act of 2005, he pointed out. Fulzari, with a population of 240 people and 45 houses, is the only village inside the tiger reserve which is awaiting relocation. The decision to relocate the village has been taken by the wildlife wing of the state as it is in the “critical tiger habitat”. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Wildlife-wing-uses-CCTV-for-Pench-tiger-project-to-prevent-poaching/Article1-894370.aspx

Wildlife wing uses CCTV for Pench tiger project to prevent poaching

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times In its bid to stem the poaching activities in the famous Pench Tiger Reserve, some 70 kms from Nagpur, the state wildlife wing will be installing closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) at the main gate of the reserve within a fortnight. Pench is a sensitive inter-state tiger reserves on the Nagpur-Jabalpur national highway and it’s always a target of the inter-state poachers. The recent decision to install CCTVs would work as a watchdog to prevent such activities in the area. The state wildlife warden, SWH Naqvi informed that the CCTVs would be set up at Pench soon so that poaching and other acts that affect the protection and conservation could be prevented. The state wildlife wing is using CCTVs in Pench on an experimental basis and if it is successful, such systems would be introduced in other wildlife sanctuaries, and particularly in tiger reserves. Besides, more entry gates of the sanctuaries would be equipped with the CCTVs in the coming days. Virendra Tiwari, the field director of Tadoba Tiger Reserves, said that if the experiment of CCTVs is successful in Pench, it will be installed in Tadoba soon. Tadoba was in the news in recent past for killings of several tigers by the poachers. Bodies of three tigers were found near Tadoba in Chandrapur district in May-June this year while as many as 11 tigers were allegedly killed by poachers in the district since January this year. The proposal of installing CCTVs would be a path-breaking for the conservation and protection of the big cats in the region. “We will at least be able to identify the movement of vehicles and people who enter the reserves with the help of footage of CCTVs after its installation,” said Srinivas Reddy, the field director of Pench tiger project. Pench tiger reserve, bordering Madhya Pradesh, is located at a distance of 70 kms from Nagpur, and has around 20 tigers, besides other several species of endangered animals. Meanwhile, relocation of Fulzari village in Pench tiger reserves was opposed by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha. The state government had agreed to compensate Rs. 10 lakh to each villager as a relocation package. “Villagers will not move from the area unless their constitutional rights are settled. The decision for relocation must be based on gram sabha’s consent as per the existing provision,” Arun Wankar, the convenor of the Sabha said. According to him, the government had granted traditional rights to extract minor forest produce to the villagers but now they are not allowed. Besides, rights of the people have not been settled under the forest rights act of 2005, he pointed out. Fulzari, with a population of 240 people and 45 houses, is the only village inside the tiger reserve which is awaiting relocation. The decision to relocate the village has been taken by the wildlife wing of the state as it is in the “critical tiger habitat”. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Wildlife-wing-uses-CCTV-for-Pench-tiger-project-to-prevent-poaching/Article1-894370.aspx

The Environment Ministry is back to its old days

From one minister who came across as a loose cannon (Jairam Ramesh), to another who is now rarely seen or heard in the media (Jayanthi Natarajan), the dusty corridors of the Environment and Forest Ministry has seen many radical changes these last five years. This month Jayanthi Natarajan will complete one year of being in the Environment Ministry - an appropriate time to analyze how she has fared since she took charge. Natarajan in her first interaction with the media made it clear she that she would maintain a low profile but would continue to talk tough when it came to protecting the nation's natural environment and resources. Her low profile in the media in subsequent months had us convinced that hers would be a stoic but mature response to a Ministry that has courted many a controversy in recent times. The Minister may have got good press, at two international level negotiations, at Durban and at Rio and has succeeded well in ensuring that the country's "development agenda" is not hampered by pressures from the developed world. But on the domestic front, the functioning of this Ministry in the last one year leaves much to be desired. To start with Jayanthi Natarajan can lay claims to being a true green minister. She has given the green signal to every single project that has come to it for clearance, even those with ecologically disastrous consequences. Since she took over she has chaired three meetings of the National Board of Wildlife, a premier decision making body that decides whether a crucial wildlife habitat should be signed away or not for a road or a dam project, not even one project has got a firm no. And then there are projects which her own ministry's Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has advised her to reject. For instance the 300 MW Alaknanda hydro-electric project is being constructed on the main tributary of the Ganga- by private company GMR. The Forest Advisory Committee and the Wildlife Institute of India had both recommended rejecting the project, because of the high ecological importance of the area. But Natarajan over-ruled her own committee and gave a yes, despite the fact that the dam will destroy part of the buffer of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve rich in biodiversity and home to endangered wildlife such as the such as the snow leopard, brown bear and 16 endangered plant species. The second project that Ms Natarajan cleared, in spite of her own expert committee saying no, is the Lower Demwe hydro project in Arunachal Pradesh. The construction of the dam will involve felling of over 50,000 trees along with submerging the habitat of wild animals like the dolphin, the wild buffalo and the Bengal Florican. And yet Ms Natarajan has given a green signal. The Ministry has as its foremost mandate the protection of India's biodiversity. We have yet to see this Minister, visiting even one national park or tiger reserve nor pass any significant resolution that comes strongly in support of biodiversity. On the positive side, Natarajan has shown that she will not take decisions simply to be in the news, and she studies an issue carefully before responding and when she does, she responds with gravitas. Now, that could be the way forward for a Ministry that has become the most watched in recent times for its decisions. Unfortunately between a minister who couldn't keep his mouth shut, and another who has been largely quiet, the loser has been the environment. Industry-wallahs can cry themselves hoarse about India's growth is being stifled with the "license raj" of the Environment ministry but take a look at official figures to decide if this really true. In 2011, Ministry has granted environmental clearance to 181 coal mines, 267 thermal power plants, 188 steel plants and 106 cement units Further an astounding 210,000 MW of thermal power capacity , has been cleared, that's 60,000 MW more than what has been proposed till 2017! Jayanthi Natarajan has not courted controversy, but that's not good enough. She hasn't taken any tough decisions either. http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/bahardutt/258/63721/the-environment-ministry-is-back-to-its-old-days.html

Activists fear foul play as another tiger dies

SUNDAY, 22 JULY 2012 23:19 PNS | DEHRADUN HITS: 114 A male tiger was found dead in the Terai West forest division on Sunday. With this, the total number of tiger deaths in and around the Corbett national park this year has increased to more than 10. While officials aver that the latest tiger fatality was the result of a territorial fight with another tiger, wildlife activists doubt this explanation because there have been reports of wounds inflicted by weapons; apart from that, the range where the body was found is very sensitive from the view point of poaching. According to official sources, the body of an eight-year-old tiger was discovered on Sunday morning in the Belpadav area of Bannakhera range in the Terai West forest division. According to the divisional forest officer Nishant Verma, prima facie the death appears to be the result of a territorial fight with another tiger. “However, the bone of one hind leg of the tiger is dislocated and there are some other injuries which prevent us from ruling out foul play, though the exact cause of the death will be known after the post-mortem report is received. We will conduct a broad investigation and trace the movements of this tiger to about a month ago, talk to the forest dwellers and inquire if any cattle were killed by this tiger,” he said. Sources state that more than 10 tigers have died in and around Corbett this year which include three in Corbett, one in Rajaji national park, one in Ramnagar forest division and four tiger cubs burnt alive and one in Amangarh area of Bijnore in Uttar Pradesh which borders Corbett. These figures do not include the couple of tiger poaching cases reported, but not yet confirmed. Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) Uttarakhand in-charge Rajendra Agrawal rejected the theory of territorial fight causing the latest tiger death. “The wounds on the tiger’s body point at human intervention and as the area where its body was discovered is a sensitive area. We want a detailed investigation into this death because there are strong signs of foul play,” he stressed. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/dehradun/82656-activists-fear-foul-play-as-another-tiger-dies.html

Resorts in MTR buffer zone to face the heat

TNN | Jul 18, 2012, 05.23AM IST UDHAGAMANDALAM: As the Union environment and forests ministry has submitted eco-tourism guidelines to the Supreme Court, a number of tourist resorts located in and around the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris are likely to face trouble as many of them would fall under the prposed buffer zone. However, the buffer zone surrounding MTR is yet to be notified as a proposal for the same is still pending with the state government. According to the proposal, at least 10-15 km of forest area surrounding the core tiger reserve will come under the buffer zone. About 6-10 km of patta and revenue lands surrounding the area will also come under the buffer zone. As per the guidelines of the Union government, all tourist operators within five kilometers of all 600 plus tiger reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and corridors in the country will have to share a minimum of 10% of their turnover as 'local conservation fee'. The guidelines also suggest that the charges will be utilised for protecting wildlife areas besides providing financial assistance to communities living around the protected areas. If the proposed MTR buffer zone is accepted by the government, most of the resorts in the Masinagudi and Bokkapuram areas surrounding the MTR will fall under the buffer zone. According to green activists, there are more than 80 resorts operating close to MTR and most of them are illegal. However, forest officials clarified that the proposed buffer zone will not adversely affect the tribals in the area. "The rights of tribals and other forest dwellers in the buffer zone will not be affected even if the proposed buffer zone is declared", said A Ameer Haja, deputy director, MTR and Mukurthi National Park. "The forest dwellers will be financially supported the project tiger scheme. They will also be involved in eco-tourism activities", he added. According to Haja, eco-tourism guidelines will only curb big time developments like mining and other anti-conservation activities in the buffer zones. "The eco-tourism guidelines by the environment and forest ministry is a good idea as people's participation in conservation is facilitated and it is a win-win situation", said AC Soundararajan, an environmentalist. However, there are drawbacks also. "How many of the tourist operators functioning in the buffer zones of the eco sensitive areas would show the real turnovers to the government?" he asked. Implementation of guidelines will be a challenge for the government, he said. Among the three tiger reserves in Tamil Nadu, the proposed buffer zone in MTR houses many tourist resorts. Many of these resorts also fall under the proposed Sigur elephant corridor in the Nilgiris. A case in this connection is pending with the Supreme Court. Till 90s there was not much human interference in areas close to MTR. Masinagudi and Bokapuram presently proposed buffer zone of the MTR had enjoyed the status of 'Natural Forest' irrespective of the ownership of the land. But, during the past few years several resorts came up in these areas without considering the ecological fragile condition and the safety of wildlife in the area. According to activists many of them are built after allegedly obtaining license from panchayat for constructing residential buildings. In the recent past there is significant increase in the number of visitors also. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Resorts-in-MTR-buffer-zone-to-face-the-heat/articleshow/15025164.cms

Tiger strays out, attacks villagers in Ranthambore

TNN | Jul 18, 2012, 04.38AM IST JAIPUR: Panic gripped Mai village in Khandar range area outside the Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district when two persons were injured after a tiger attacked them. The incident took place on Tuesday morning when some villagers gathered outside a bush apprehending the presence of a tiger. Armed with batons and stones, the villagers waited outside the bush. Suddenly, the tiger jumped on two of the villagers and disappeared inside the dense forest area, wildlife sources said. Soon after, wildlife officials including director of the park, Rajesh Gupta and a team of rapid action force rushed to the spot to identify the tiger. "The tiger was T-20 which had came out of the core area and was found at Mai village in Khandar range. It was immediately tranquilized. Later, our team left the big cat in the park area," district forest officer Y K Sahoo said. "One of the injured on whom the tiger pounced upon had got his shoulder fractured," the officer said. Though it was the first incident of the year, the Ranthambore National Park had witnessed straying incidents of the tigers in the past. It may be recalled that in 2010, a forest ranger Daulat Singh Shaktawar was injured after being attacked by a tiger. Likewise a 22-year-old villager was also injured by a tiger in the area. In 2011, a forest guard was also injured after a tiger pounced upon him. The attack on the villagers by tigers from the park early has not come as a surprise for the forest officials. While some feel that such instances are common in tiger sanctuaries all around, others blame it on the over crowding of the Ranthambore park. During monsoon, tigers spread out to the periphery of the forest and often stray out. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Tiger-strays-out-attacks-villagers-in-Ranthambore/articleshow/15024812.cms

Adani Power Ltd revives coal mine plan near Tadoba

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Jul 17, 2012, 02.32AM IST NAGPUR: Three years after Adani Power Ltd (APL) proposal for coal mining was rejected in Lohara west and Lohara extension near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur, the power major is back in action. It is seeking environment clearance to its mining plan with slightly changed boundaries. It would still entail loss of over 1400 hectares of forests which is equivalent to 1300 football fields. Papers in possession of TOI show that on April 7, 2012, APL through Santosh Kumar Singh, general manager (corporate environment group), submitted a revised proposal to the state nodal officer proposing to reduce the area of Lohara coal blocks by removing compartment numbers 389 (379 hectares) and 390 (221 hectares) in Mamla under the FDCM. Both are in buffer zone of TATR. Earlier, Adani was allocated Lohara west and Lohara extension coal blocks in Wardha valley coalfield in November 2007 to meet fuel requirement of Tiroda power project in Gondia district about 160 kms from the site. In November 2009, a high-level panel of ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) backed by then in charge minister Jairam Ramesh had rejected the proposal saying the mining project was within the buffer zone of TATR and the area was part of the tiger corridor. A five-member committee has been set up to examine Adani's revised proposal. The panel is headed by CCF (territoral), Chandrapur, while CCF of TATR, general manager of FDCM (North Chandrapur), deputy conservators of Chandrapur and Brahmapuri are members. The committee has been asked to submit a report whether the revised proposal will affect wildlife, its corridors and TATR. Ramesh also suggested that MoEF and ministry of coal (MoC) must work in tandem to identify 'Go' and 'No-Go' zones. The proponents were asked to meet the deficit in coal requirement by importing coal or from other coal blocks. However, after change of guard in the MoEF, Adani again wants to enter area known for rich wildlife presence. Recently, coal minister Shriprakash Jaiswal had also said that environment clearances had become easier after Ramesh's exit. In an MoC meeting on January 11 & 12, 2012, 195 coal block allottees under 'Go' and 'No Go' zones were advised to pursue forest clearances afresh. Accordingly, APL has begun fresh bid for Lohara blocks. Work on company's 3300MW power project in Tiroda is in full swing. It is being implemented in two phases. The Phase I (1320MW) is planned to be commissioned in 2012 while Phase II (1980mw) is slated to be completed in 2012-2017. "The company has sent an urgent request to the MoC to convince the MoEF to grant environment and forest clearance with redefined boundary of Lohara west and Lohara extension," senior forest officials told TOI. The original proposal needed diversion of 1,750 hectares land of which 1,600 hectares was forest land. In revised plan, 1,550 hectare land is needed of which 1,402 hectares is forest land. However, deleting two compartments will not reduce threat to TATR and dispersing tigers. Vishwas Karanjgaokar, public relations officer (PRO) for corporate affairs, Adani Enterprises Ltd, said the company will submit an entirely new proposal by conducting a fresh survey of flora and fauna in the affected area. However, Bandu Dhotre, chief of Eco-Pro, Chandrapur, who had launched a 14-day hunger strike in 2009 against proposed coal mines in Lohara warned of a renewed struggle. "The Adani mines in Lohara will lead to loss of over 13 lakh trees, apart from losing tiger corridor towards south-east. What is need to re-allot these coal blocks which have already been rejected earlier by the MoEF to firms like ACC and Nippon in 1998 and again to Adani in 2009," Dhotre asked. On Sunday, state chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, appearing in a live TV programme to save the tigers, had said mining will not be allowed near the tiger reserves in the state. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Adani-Power-Ltd-revives-coal-mine-plan-near-Tadoba/articleshow/15011008.cms