If you thought the mining project of Adani Mining Private Limited was the only threat to the dense forest cover around Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), get ready for a shock.
The Adani mining project is just a tip of iceberg as five companies have been allotted coal blocks in the area which would prove to be the last nail in the coffin of the most glamorous tiger reserve of the state. Surprisingly, state government undertaking Maharashtra State Mining Corporation is one of the companies lobbying for mining permissions in the area. Interestingly, the area, the Corporation is eyeing is within the buffer zone of TATR.
The major coal blocks in the vicinity of TATR are Agarzari Coal Block and Lohara (East) coal block both admeasuring 800 hectares. Lohara (East) Coal Block was allotted to ACC in 1999. But the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) rejected the proposal on the grounds that the proposed mining site is close to TATR and mining activities would destroy the tiger reserve. The coal block is not allotted to Murli Agro Products Limited and Grace Industries Limited.
“There are around eight companies that have been allotted coal blocks in the Wardha Valley Coal Field spread in Chandrapur Ballarshah belt,” said Swanand Sovani of Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, Nagpur. It is hard to believe that the same coal block where the MoEF rejected mining permission few years back has once again been allotted for mining, Sovani added.
According to information the extractable coal reserve of the area is to the tune of 309.832 metric tones. “All the other companies are waiting for approval to Adani Mining to start their process. If allowed, mining would destroy over 17,000 hectare of rich forest cover in the region,” alleged Dr SM Chopne, president of Green Planate, a Chandrapur based NGO.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Have Flamingos skipped the city this year???
The arrival of winged visitors of the city – flamingos - seems to have deferred this year. Though the number of the number is remarkably low till this month, ornithologists have kept their fingers crossed anticipating more flocks by next month.
“Flamingos are major attraction of birders and other people. But this year there has been a great level of disappointment for them,” said naturalist Sunjoy Monga. The arrival of flamingos has been delayed over last four years, which is a serious cause of concern, he added.
Monga feels that all the organic and other discharge, the effluents and possibly the release of warm waters from the varied, extensive high-end industry on two sides could have played a major role in influencing the ecology of this Sweri Bay. “Call it something going against traditional conservation wisdom, in that, the very sights and smells here defy conservation logic,” Monga said.
Gujarat is said to have the largest number of wintering Lesser Flamingos – over three lakh birds. Even there, the numbers were very low during January this year. It is obvious that most of these flamingos do not breed there and so there is an urgent need to monitor this species.
“It would be premature to comment on the number as arrival of flamingos continues till March. Let us hope for better and wait till March,” said Prashant Shinde of Shrishti Dnyan Mandal. According to Shinde, around 6,000 flamingos have made it to Sewri Bay and the number might increase in days to come. The situation at Mahul creek is relatively dismal. Last year around 25,000 flamingos had come here. But this year the number has gone down to around 8,000. “The situation this year is bleak majority of the birds arrived last month,” said Waman Koli, local fisherman from Mahul.
“The fact that up to 20000 flamingos come to Mumbai during winter, indicates the importance that the region locally holds for this species,” Monga said.
The Bay is home not only to thousands of flamingos for over seven months but also sustains plenty of other marine biodiversity, and an estimated quarter of a million other migratory waders like sandpipers, plovers and others, besides numerous terns, gulls and others. Nearly 150 species of birds have been recorded on the Bay and its immediate surrounds.
“Flamingos are major attraction of birders and other people. But this year there has been a great level of disappointment for them,” said naturalist Sunjoy Monga. The arrival of flamingos has been delayed over last four years, which is a serious cause of concern, he added.
Monga feels that all the organic and other discharge, the effluents and possibly the release of warm waters from the varied, extensive high-end industry on two sides could have played a major role in influencing the ecology of this Sweri Bay. “Call it something going against traditional conservation wisdom, in that, the very sights and smells here defy conservation logic,” Monga said.
Gujarat is said to have the largest number of wintering Lesser Flamingos – over three lakh birds. Even there, the numbers were very low during January this year. It is obvious that most of these flamingos do not breed there and so there is an urgent need to monitor this species.
“It would be premature to comment on the number as arrival of flamingos continues till March. Let us hope for better and wait till March,” said Prashant Shinde of Shrishti Dnyan Mandal. According to Shinde, around 6,000 flamingos have made it to Sewri Bay and the number might increase in days to come. The situation at Mahul creek is relatively dismal. Last year around 25,000 flamingos had come here. But this year the number has gone down to around 8,000. “The situation this year is bleak majority of the birds arrived last month,” said Waman Koli, local fisherman from Mahul.
“The fact that up to 20000 flamingos come to Mumbai during winter, indicates the importance that the region locally holds for this species,” Monga said.
The Bay is home not only to thousands of flamingos for over seven months but also sustains plenty of other marine biodiversity, and an estimated quarter of a million other migratory waders like sandpipers, plovers and others, besides numerous terns, gulls and others. Nearly 150 species of birds have been recorded on the Bay and its immediate surrounds.
Forest Minister or Mining Minister??
It is probably the first incident in the state that in a bid to support a project, a cabinet minister has gone to the extent of threatening Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) of dire consequences of opposing the project.
The activists of Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, Nagpur were stunned when state forest minister Babanrao Pachpute got angry over objection to proposed coal mine of Adani Mining Limited on the periphery of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. So much so that Pachpute went to the extent of cautioning the activists not to try his faith on non-violence.
The stand taken by forest minister to support a mining project has even shocked senior forest department officials.
It was during a meeting of the NGOs and representatives of Adani Mining Limited held at Nagpur on January 20. The minister asked the NGOs to suggest measures to reduce impact of mining on the surrounding forest and even proposed to form a committee for the purpose. Reacting to the proposal, NGOs demanded that the proposal per se should be scrapped and the question of discussions on ways to reduce adverse impact of mining did not arise at all.
Sources said that the minister was visibly angry in the meeting and came down heavily on the activists opposing the project. He indicated to resort to violence to curb the opposition saying, “Me ahimsavadi aahe. Majhya ahimsechay maryadanche tumhi ullaghan karat aahat.” (I am a believer of non-violence. You are crossing the limits), sources, who were present at the meeting said.
The statement came as a major blow to the NGOs and even the forest department officials present in the meeting were shocked. “It was not at all expected from a minister. We had a hard time to come to the terms with situation after he made the statement,” said a senior forest department official.
When contacted Babanrao Pachpute said, “I had made it clear right in the beginning that no one should oppose development. The meeting was called to discuss the wildlife conservation plan. We have formed a committee to discuss ways to mitigate adverse effects of mining on the forest.”
A ten-member committee headed by nodal officer Conservator of Forest Shailendra Bahadur has been formed to discuss the ways to minimise the effects of mine on the forest. However Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Wildlife B Majumdar has strongly opposed appointment of Shailendra Bahadur on the committee as he is nodal officer who is part of the process of paper work for the proposed mine.
Swanand Soni of Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, Nagpur said, “We are not against power generation. But the company should explore other sources of coal. We will oppose the mine till last breath.” Soni, who was appointed on the committee without consent, has opted out of it.
The activists of Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, Nagpur were stunned when state forest minister Babanrao Pachpute got angry over objection to proposed coal mine of Adani Mining Limited on the periphery of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. So much so that Pachpute went to the extent of cautioning the activists not to try his faith on non-violence.
The stand taken by forest minister to support a mining project has even shocked senior forest department officials.
It was during a meeting of the NGOs and representatives of Adani Mining Limited held at Nagpur on January 20. The minister asked the NGOs to suggest measures to reduce impact of mining on the surrounding forest and even proposed to form a committee for the purpose. Reacting to the proposal, NGOs demanded that the proposal per se should be scrapped and the question of discussions on ways to reduce adverse impact of mining did not arise at all.
Sources said that the minister was visibly angry in the meeting and came down heavily on the activists opposing the project. He indicated to resort to violence to curb the opposition saying, “Me ahimsavadi aahe. Majhya ahimsechay maryadanche tumhi ullaghan karat aahat.” (I am a believer of non-violence. You are crossing the limits), sources, who were present at the meeting said.
The statement came as a major blow to the NGOs and even the forest department officials present in the meeting were shocked. “It was not at all expected from a minister. We had a hard time to come to the terms with situation after he made the statement,” said a senior forest department official.
When contacted Babanrao Pachpute said, “I had made it clear right in the beginning that no one should oppose development. The meeting was called to discuss the wildlife conservation plan. We have formed a committee to discuss ways to mitigate adverse effects of mining on the forest.”
A ten-member committee headed by nodal officer Conservator of Forest Shailendra Bahadur has been formed to discuss the ways to minimise the effects of mine on the forest. However Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Wildlife B Majumdar has strongly opposed appointment of Shailendra Bahadur on the committee as he is nodal officer who is part of the process of paper work for the proposed mine.
Swanand Soni of Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, Nagpur said, “We are not against power generation. But the company should explore other sources of coal. We will oppose the mine till last breath.” Soni, who was appointed on the committee without consent, has opted out of it.
India lost 21 tigers in last 3 months
The total number of tigers – India’s national animal – has gone down by 21 during last three months.
According to the information collected by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), three tigers were poached in the country between November 2008 and January 2009. Of these, one tiger was electrocuted in Kanha Tiger Reserve in November 2008, one tiger was poisoned at Wynad, Kerala in December 2008 and another tiger was reportedly electrocuted near Sakoli in Bhandara district of Maharashtra this month.
The WPSI has seized seven tiger skins and a skeleton during the same period from various places in the country like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The death count is most likely to increase as some tigers are missing and their fate unknown, this include two tigresses those are missing from Chandrapur district.
According to various forest departments in the country, 17 tigers found dead in various protected areas were killed by other tigers over territory fight. This include one each in Corbett tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, Mysore in Karnataka, four cubs and two adult tigers were found dead in Kanha Tiger Reserve, seven tigers were found dead in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve in Assam, while one tiger died during tranquilisation in the Sunderbans in December 2008. Three tiger cubs were recently rescued near Junona in Chandrapur district, which are currently at Maharajbag Zoo in Nagpur along with a cub rescued from forest near Chandrapur.
“The rescued cubs should also be treated as loss since they will never return to the wild. However, the records are sufficient enough to claim that forests have lost 21 tigers,” said Nitin Desai, central India director of WPSI.
According to the information collected by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), three tigers were poached in the country between November 2008 and January 2009. Of these, one tiger was electrocuted in Kanha Tiger Reserve in November 2008, one tiger was poisoned at Wynad, Kerala in December 2008 and another tiger was reportedly electrocuted near Sakoli in Bhandara district of Maharashtra this month.
The WPSI has seized seven tiger skins and a skeleton during the same period from various places in the country like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The death count is most likely to increase as some tigers are missing and their fate unknown, this include two tigresses those are missing from Chandrapur district.
According to various forest departments in the country, 17 tigers found dead in various protected areas were killed by other tigers over territory fight. This include one each in Corbett tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, Mysore in Karnataka, four cubs and two adult tigers were found dead in Kanha Tiger Reserve, seven tigers were found dead in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve in Assam, while one tiger died during tranquilisation in the Sunderbans in December 2008. Three tiger cubs were recently rescued near Junona in Chandrapur district, which are currently at Maharajbag Zoo in Nagpur along with a cub rescued from forest near Chandrapur.
“The rescued cubs should also be treated as loss since they will never return to the wild. However, the records are sufficient enough to claim that forests have lost 21 tigers,” said Nitin Desai, central India director of WPSI.
Bird Smuggling
The anti poaching squad of the state forest department has arrested three persons and recovered two wild birds – one black winged kite and two hawks - from them. The black winged kite was seized from domestic airport while the other two birds were seized from a shop in Crawford Market.
The black winged kite, seized, can easily be trained to hunt and even spying. The Indian armed forces had recently captured one such bird on India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan that was reportedly sent for spying.
Identified as Mohammed Siddiq Sayyad alias Javed, 25 and Farhan Anwar Khan, 23, the accused are residents of Dongri, while Ashfaq Momin, a resident fo Jogeshwari owns a pet shop at Crawford Market.
Siddiq Sayyad had posted an advertisement on a website on January 19 to sale black winged kite. “We received information about the advertisement and possible sale of the birds in the city on January 20,” said assistant conservator of forest SG Phale. Following the information, the officials immediately jumped into action and started surveillance of the accused. After watching his activities for almost a week, forest department officials decided to trap Mohammed Siddiq Sayyad.
Meanwhile, officials got information that he was coming to domestic airport to sale the bird to a person on January 31. Accordingly, a trap was set with the help of activists of Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai and Mohammed Sayyad and his friend Farhan Khan were arrested when they took out the bird from the car at around 5 pm on January 31.
The duo was booked under sections 9, 39, 40, 42, 44, 48(a), 49 and 51 of Wildlife Protection Act. During interrogation, the duo confessed that the bird was procured from Ashfaq Momin. “Momin owns Royal Pet Shop at Crawford Market. The shop was raided on February 5 on information given by Sayyad,” Phale said. M
The black winged kite, seized, can easily be trained to hunt and even spying. The Indian armed forces had recently captured one such bird on India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan that was reportedly sent for spying.
Identified as Mohammed Siddiq Sayyad alias Javed, 25 and Farhan Anwar Khan, 23, the accused are residents of Dongri, while Ashfaq Momin, a resident fo Jogeshwari owns a pet shop at Crawford Market.
Siddiq Sayyad had posted an advertisement on a website on January 19 to sale black winged kite. “We received information about the advertisement and possible sale of the birds in the city on January 20,” said assistant conservator of forest SG Phale. Following the information, the officials immediately jumped into action and started surveillance of the accused. After watching his activities for almost a week, forest department officials decided to trap Mohammed Siddiq Sayyad.
Meanwhile, officials got information that he was coming to domestic airport to sale the bird to a person on January 31. Accordingly, a trap was set with the help of activists of Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai and Mohammed Sayyad and his friend Farhan Khan were arrested when they took out the bird from the car at around 5 pm on January 31.
The duo was booked under sections 9, 39, 40, 42, 44, 48(a), 49 and 51 of Wildlife Protection Act. During interrogation, the duo confessed that the bird was procured from Ashfaq Momin. “Momin owns Royal Pet Shop at Crawford Market. The shop was raided on February 5 on information given by Sayyad,” Phale said. M
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Elephant died........... overdose of tranquiliser???
The state has lost an elephant as a result of mindless policies of state forest department and irresponsible implementing officials. The incident took place on January 12 at Savantvadi.
Lack of experience on part of forest department officials to tranquilise animals once again proved fatal for a 35-year-old female elephant. The state forest department, as a part of the drive to relieve people of Savantvadi and adjoining villages of the elephant maniac, decided to tame wild elephants and domesticate them.
The Principal Chief Conservator of
It is claimed that officials concerned were given proper training to tranquilise the animal and tame it. Even an elephant expert from
According to sources, a team of forest department led by divisional forest officer Naresh Zurmure went on the mission to tranquilise the female elephant on Saturday morning and after searching for some time, fired tranquiliser at the animal. When the animal fell down in afternoon, it was dragged to an open space with the help of domesticated elephants. After reaching the spot around a km away, the elephant was chained there.
Though the animal was stable initially, its condition deteriorated on Sunday. Sources said that hypovolumic shock resulting out of stress for being in captivity led to the death of the animal. However, actual cause of death could only be ascertained after the viscera report expected next week, sources said.
When contacted, state forest minister Babanrao Pachpute said, “Any conclusion in the matter could be drawn only after thorough inquiry into the matter which would begin soon.” The DFO Naresh Zurmure refused to comment on the issue claiming to be busy in meeting.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wild Buffaloes are vanishing
The wild buffaloes, third biggest mammal on land, are facing extinction and are a step away from the point of no return if measures to protect them are not taken. The startling revelation was made during the visit by Kishor Rithe of Satpuda Foundation and Bivash Pandav, programme leader, tiger and other big cats, WWF-International, Nepal, to Sitanadi-Udanti Tiger Reserve (SUTR) in Chattisgarh and Sunabeda-Khariar Tiger Reserve in Orissa.
“Udanti is one of the homes of last remaining wild Buffaloes in central India. We were shocked to see the situation of the animal here,” said Rithe. Bivash Pandav who is in charge of 11 countries to co-ordinate WWF International’s tiger and other big cats programme, said, “Wild buffaloes are found only in north-east region and in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra in central India. The species, listed under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, needs to be protected at any cost as these are ancestors of all domestic buffaloes and are must to maintain century old gene pool.” The population of wild buffaloes has drastically dropped to seven from 35 in 2002. Surprisingly, there is not a single male among the seven surviving animals in wild. During the visit to SUTR, the team recorded presence of hyena and a pair of Jackals near village Sankara and chital, sambar and blue bull in the sanctuary. However there was virtually no evidence of presence of wild buffalo. The visit to Udanti WLS of SUTR was also shocking. “We visited the enclosure where a wild buffalo and a nine-month old calf have been kept. Though the field protection is good, there is no increase in the wild buffalo population,” Rithe said.
Terming the situation of wild buffalo in Udanti as very critical Pandav said, “The time seems to be running out for the animal in Udanti and just a step away from the point of no return. This is not the time to do any kind of experiment. Only clear and concerted action by all genies involved would save this mega herbivore species.” There are doubts about origin of the only female wild buffalo in an enclosure. There is an urgent need to conduct the DNA analysis to ascertain the same. Kishor Rithe opined that that captive breeding programme should be implemented under the guidance of experts in wild buffaloes to increase the population of the animal.
The wild Asian buffalo is the ancestor of the domestic water buffalo. The wild Asian buffalo has been domesticated for thousands of years and bred around the world into various, mostly smaller, breeds of less than 500 kg (1100 lb). The domesticated water buffalo is now found in most tropical and subtropical regions.
The most important threats to wild Asian buffalo are interbreeding with feral and domestic buffalo, habitat degradation, and hunting. Diseases and parasites (transmitted by domestic livestock) and competition for food and water between wild buffalo and domestic stock are also serious threats.
The wild Asian buffalo originally ranged from eastern Nepal, and India, east to Vietnam and south to Malaysia. By 1963, it had been substantially reduced numerically and eliminated from the greater part of its former range.
At that time it was thought to be restricted to three zones - the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, the lower reaches of the Godavari River at the confluence of the borders of the states of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh and the Saptkosi River, Nepal, close to the border with India. As of 1990, remnant populations were thought to occur in Assam and Orissa in India, in Nepal, and in two sanctuaries in Thailand.
“Udanti is one of the homes of last remaining wild Buffaloes in central India. We were shocked to see the situation of the animal here,” said Rithe. Bivash Pandav who is in charge of 11 countries to co-ordinate WWF International’s tiger and other big cats programme, said, “Wild buffaloes are found only in north-east region and in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra in central India. The species, listed under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, needs to be protected at any cost as these are ancestors of all domestic buffaloes and are must to maintain century old gene pool.” The population of wild buffaloes has drastically dropped to seven from 35 in 2002. Surprisingly, there is not a single male among the seven surviving animals in wild. During the visit to SUTR, the team recorded presence of hyena and a pair of Jackals near village Sankara and chital, sambar and blue bull in the sanctuary. However there was virtually no evidence of presence of wild buffalo. The visit to Udanti WLS of SUTR was also shocking. “We visited the enclosure where a wild buffalo and a nine-month old calf have been kept. Though the field protection is good, there is no increase in the wild buffalo population,” Rithe said.
Terming the situation of wild buffalo in Udanti as very critical Pandav said, “The time seems to be running out for the animal in Udanti and just a step away from the point of no return. This is not the time to do any kind of experiment. Only clear and concerted action by all genies involved would save this mega herbivore species.” There are doubts about origin of the only female wild buffalo in an enclosure. There is an urgent need to conduct the DNA analysis to ascertain the same. Kishor Rithe opined that that captive breeding programme should be implemented under the guidance of experts in wild buffaloes to increase the population of the animal.
The wild Asian buffalo is the ancestor of the domestic water buffalo. The wild Asian buffalo has been domesticated for thousands of years and bred around the world into various, mostly smaller, breeds of less than 500 kg (1100 lb). The domesticated water buffalo is now found in most tropical and subtropical regions.
The most important threats to wild Asian buffalo are interbreeding with feral and domestic buffalo, habitat degradation, and hunting. Diseases and parasites (transmitted by domestic livestock) and competition for food and water between wild buffalo and domestic stock are also serious threats.
The wild Asian buffalo originally ranged from eastern Nepal, and India, east to Vietnam and south to Malaysia. By 1963, it had been substantially reduced numerically and eliminated from the greater part of its former range.
At that time it was thought to be restricted to three zones - the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, the lower reaches of the Godavari River at the confluence of the borders of the states of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh and the Saptkosi River, Nepal, close to the border with India. As of 1990, remnant populations were thought to occur in Assam and Orissa in India, in Nepal, and in two sanctuaries in Thailand.
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