Over 12 jumbos die in Mudumalai

DC | B. Ravichandran | 06th Apr 2013
Ooty: While more than a dozen wild jumbos were said to have died due to dehydration and shortage of fodder in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in recent times, the greens here accuse the MTR administration of poor water management and lack of care for animal health, for the jumbos’ death.

These are not happy times for MTR as the dry weather has been prolonging since December. But, it appears that the MTR administration and chief wildlife warden (CWW) in the state failed to take up the challenge posed by the testing weather to protect the jumbos.

While the official sources in MTR put the jumbo toll around 12, in recent times, S. Jaya­chandran, joint secretary of Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM) said more than 20 jumbos, including the two that died on Friday at the buffer zone, have died over the past three months. “Nobody denies that MTR has been experiencing drought. But, wildlife management can be enhanced. Though the state government and the chief minister show keen interest in wildlife conservation, it is the bureaucrats who lack commitment and mess up things and there is no transparency on animal deaths.”

Though officials in MTR attributed natural causes for the jumbos’ death, it is a fact that they died due to dehydration, lack of fodder and infections caused by contaminated water in slushy pools.

It is learnt that the administration does not have sufficient facilities to provide tanker water in all the vulnerable areas. The TNGM would seek the intervention of the judiciary if the forest officials in Chennai failed to act to set right things in MTR for healthy animal life.

Jayachandran said MTR should learn lessons from the adjacent Bandi­pur tiger reserve in Kar­na­taka where water management is good and the animals are taken care of.

As officials in MTR declined to talk to the media, citing instructions from the CWW, sources said the infighting and factions among the top officials and lack of planning were the reasons for the present situation.

A highly-placed forest department official told DC that the CWW would be instructed to look into the issue.

Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130406/news-current-affairs/article/over-12-jumbos-die-mudumalai

Power project stuck as TN fails to constitute wildlife board

K A Shaji, TNN Apr 1, 2013
COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu's failure to constitute a State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) is posing problems for at least three major projects mooted by the AIADMK government, including the much anticipated 2X500MW Coal-based Thermal Power Plant at Tuticorin.

According to top sources in the Union ministry of environment and forests, three proposals that came up for clearance were turned down at a recent meeting of the standing committee for National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which said these were submitted directly by the state without getting the mandatory approval of the state board. The committee then found that Tamil Nadu was the only one state in the country that had not constituted the SBWL. Like NBWL, which frames wildlife protection policies at the national level, SBWL is expected to undertake the task at the state level. Any project that could have an impact on a protected wildlife area has to get the clearance of both SBWL and NBWL.

The refusal of NBWL to discuss the Tuticorin power plant mooted jointly by Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited and the state department of power happens at a time when Tamil Nadu is facing an extraordinary energy crisis. According to NBWL standing committee member and senior wildlife scientist A J T Johnsingh, there is no option left before the state government other than to constitute SBWL at the earliest. The NBWL clearance is mandatory for the Tuticorin project as it comes within the 10 km periphery of Mullakadu range of forests.

Proposals for a bridge on Chennai-Pulicat Road and a fish landing centre at Periyamongagodu near Thiruvallur are similarly stuck as NBWL standing committee has refused clearance. While 1.11 hectare of forest land from Pulicat Bird Sanctuary will have to be transferred for constructing the bridge on Pasiyavaram Road, the fish landing centre needs 0.65 hectare of forest land from the same sanctuary. NBWL will look at the proposals only after these are cleared by its state counterpart. "According to Section-6 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (amended in 2006), each state government is bound to constitute a state board for wildlife under the chairmanship of the chief minister or administrator in the case of a Union territory. It is a curious case that Tamil Nadu is lacking such a board. It is high time the state government constituted the board as interests of wildlife must be protected while undertaking bigger development projects,'' said K Mohan Raj of Tamil Nadu Green Movement.

According to Johnsingh, Uttarakhand was giving Tamil Nadu company till last year. "But that state constituted the board in 2012 leaving Tamil Nadu as the only one without the board. Setting up the SBWL will help boost conservation and ensure protection of forest wealth. The Supreme Court has stressed the importance of review of projects by such a board on a number of occasions. The nation board can decide on projects only on the basis of the findings of the state board,'' he said.

Sources in the ministry said NBWL members, Kishore Rithe, Prerna Singh Bindra, M K Ranjit Singh and N Madhusudan, expressed concern that Tamil Nadu has approached the national body without even constituting its local board.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-04-01/coimbatore/38188792_1_nbwl-sbwl-state-board

Human settlements, a threat to Sathyamangalam tiger reserve

P. OPPILI

Unauthorised temples, new resorts disturbing the tranquillity

The presence of a large number of people in
core areas disrupts movement of animals

Unauthorised temples, new resorts and makeshift shops inside the core area are major threats the newly formed Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is facing.

The State government announced the formation of the fourth tiger reserve in the State through a notification, issued on March 15 this year.

Members of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement pointed out that several unauthorised places of worship were found inside the tiger reserve. There are three main temples – Karuvannayan temple near Nandhipuram, Bannariamman temple Bannari and Madeswara temple in Kongalli. The three temples are under the control of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board. Apart from them, several unauthorised temples are found inside the core area, say the members.

People visiting these temples camp there, even cook, and travel in large numbers into the core areas in trucks. Their movement creates a lot of disturbance to the wildlife. The State government must immediately relocate the unauthorised temples from the core areas, the members pointed out.

Another important issue is the springing up of new resorts in the core areas. S. Jayachandran of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement said Kongalli, Mavallam, Araiya Palayam and Hasanur are the places where the resorts are coming up. There were more than 200 resorts inside the STR.

Man-animal conflict

In the long run, it will lead to man-animal conflict, he said. The department officials have to immediately promulgate the ecologically sensitive zone to stop any more resorts in the core areas, he said.

Environmentalists also pointed out that during festival season, people set up shops, stay in the forests and defecate in the core tiger reserve area. Temporary shops have come up right on the elephant corridors located between Susilkuttail and Bannari. The Forest department authorities have to intervene and take action under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, the activists said.

‘Make them partners’

Raman Sukumar, Professor and Chairman, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, who began his research on elephants in the early 1980s, said the tiger population had increased substantially in the Sathyamangalam area. A good number of settlements over a century old were in Hasanur, Talamalai, Geddasal, Chikkahalli, Neydalapuram and Kadambur, to name a few. People in these settlements co-existed with the tigers over time. These people should be made partners in the management of the tiger reserve.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/human-settlements-a-threat-to-sathyamangalam-tiger-reserve/article4560872.ece

Greens seek active hill conservation authority

K A Shaji, TNN | Mar 12, 2013
COIMBATORE: Two weeks have gone since district collector M Karunagaran issued an order banning illegal constructions in villages notified under the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA). The order has had minimal impact. Meanwhile, Madras high court has sought affidavits from the forest department and the district administration in two weeks on a public interest litigation that sought all illegal constructions by a spiritual centre in Boluvampatti to be demolished. In the same time, green groups in the region have come out in open demanding immediate steps for the strengthening of the HACA which, according to them, can ease man-animal conflict in the region.

Tamil Nadu Green Movement president Dr V Jeevanandan and general secretary A Rangarajan said they written a letter to chief minister J Jayalalithaa requesting a total revamp of HCA. "Non-compliance of HACA regulations is triggering human-animal conflict in the region. District administration must act to preserve elephant paths and habitat in the Coimbatore region,'' says Jeevanandan.

According to activist Mohammed Saleem, Coimbatore forests come under Elephant Reserve No 8 notified by the ministry of environment and forests. This means, village lands abutting the elephant reserves are ecologically sensitive. "HACA and the district administration must not allow indiscriminate land use change, road building and other construction in these lands. PWD, TWAD board, highways and TANGEDCO must limit activities in HACA-notified villages,'' he says.

The collector's order on illegal constructions mentions villages including Devarayapuram, Kalikka Naykkan Palayam, Ikkarai Boluvampatti, Mathampatti, Theethipalayam, Thondamuthur, Perur Chettipalayam, Sundakkamuthur, Ettimadai, Alandurai, Madhavarayapuram, Vellimalaipattanam, Narasipuram, Pooluvampatti, Mavuthampatti, Velliyankadu, Thekkampatti, Odanthurai, Chinnathadagam, Veerapandi, Somayampalayam, Nellithurai, Sikkadasampalayam, Sirumugai, Periyapothu, Vettaikaranpudur, Kaliyapauram, Kottur, Angalakurichi, Thurayur, Jallipatti, Ardhanaripalayam and Aanamalai. According to Rangarajan, land use patterns have been violated in these villages and non-agricultural activities including setting up of industries, recreational firms, educational institutions and residential complexes are replacing agriculture. "HACA has failed in all respects," says Jeevanandam. "Government must stop all non-forestry activity in these villages and revise Coimbatore master plan giving prime consideration to ecology of the region,'' he adds.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Greens-seek-active-hill-conservation-authority/articleshow/18917230.cms

Panel to submit report on private forests by April

P. OPPILI
A high-level committee, comprising officials of the Forest, Agriculture and Revenue Departments, constituted to examine the issues under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forests (TNPPF) Act 1949, will submit its report to the government by April.

Forest Department sources said the committee headed by an officer in the rank of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Conservation Act) visited 11 districts in the State and recorded the grievances of private patta holders.

The farmers wanted amendments to the existing Act whereby they could look at changing the crop for cultivation, get permission for felling trees in their property, and get permission for sale or lease of their land and growing of crops and trees in their land.

A senior Forest Department official said it was for the first time a high-level committee was formed. The State Forest Minister, while moving the demand for grant for the Forest department for 2012-13, made the announcement that the government will constitute a committee to look into the issues under the TNPPF Act of 1949. The government order issued on September 3, 2012 said the committee must submit its report within four months from the date of issue of this order.

Conservationists and nature lovers have, however, requested the Forest Department to uphold the TNPPF Act 1949. Tamil Nadu Green Movement, in a letter to the Chairman of the Committee, said the Act was enacted to prevent indiscriminate destruction of private forests with the customary and prescriptive rights therein and for certain other purposes.

The Act is important especially in the Nilgiris district, which is rich in floral and faunal diversity, which are highly endemic. Protected areas such as Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Mukuruthy National Park and crucially important reserve forests of Nilgiri North are flanked by private forests, which offered landscape connectivity to the animals. Environmentalists in the district have constantly relied upon this Act from time to time to prevent illegal activities such as tree felling and construction of buildings.

Reviewing the functionality of the Act with a view to reducing its vigour or to repeal the same at the instance of a few persons, who claimed that they were affected due to implementation of this Act, is purely based on personal and vested interests, the letter said. The Act has been useful in preserving and protecting the forests and tree cover in various parts of the State, the letter noted.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/panel-to-submit-report-on-private-forests-by-april/article4486843.ece

Foresters, cops hand in glove in killing fields

A haul of hunted black sniped hare and a jungle cat (endangered scheduled animal). —DC

Chennai: In 2010, a group of friends with police connections entered Kalakad Munda­nthurai tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli with telescopic rifles, guns and snares. The group, after a few rounds of liquor, hunted endangered mouse deer, wild cat, (endangered animals scheduled under the wildlife protection Act), black sniped hare and a few protected birds. After skinning, the meat was cooked and the feast served.

When they were caught red-handed by the local police, the group bribed them and petty cases were registered under the Cr.P.C. and Wildlife Protection Act, burying the issue. The clueless forest department has been maintaining silence till date for reasons best known to them. Pictures and videograph evidence available with this newspaper reveal the sorry state of affairs and unchecked poaching in the southern part of Tamil Nadu.

“When Bollywood star Salman Khan killed an endangered (black buck) deer in Rajasthan, the local wildlife officials framed charges against him and produced him in court but in Tamil Nadu, the situation is different. You can kill scheduled animals and if you are caught, you can still walk out of forest reserves using your clout,” fumes A. Rangarajan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Green Movement.

If this is the state of a “well-protected”’ sanctuary, one shudders to think as the state of affairs in other low-profile parks and sanctuaries. We request the chief minister to initiate legal action as per the wildlife protection Act 1972 and Arms Act into these happenings and check the legality of weapons so that such incidents don’t happen again, he added.

The forest department has to initiate a quick recruitment drive with young and able field staff to effectively patrol the forests and guard them effectively. Streamlining recruitment and increasing field presence is the need of the hour and the situation of wetland birds is even worse, said wildlife activist S. Jayachandran.

“The videos and photographs are shocking and expose the poor anti-poaching system in Tirunelveli. It’s time to scale up patrolling and independent biologists and wildlife activists should be encouraged to visit the forests,” opines N. Balaji a naturalist who frequents KMTR.

A highly-placed official in the state forest headquarters told DC that the particular incident was unheard-of. “We will look into the issue and take action,” the top official assured.

A forest department official who viewed the pictures and videos available with DC said most of the animals gunned down belong to schedule 2 and 3 of the wildlife Act. As per the Act, poaching of schedule 2 (highly endangered animals) can lead to imprisonment up to three years with a fine not less than `10,000.

Mouse deer hunting will invite serious punishment and can lead up to seven years’ imprisonment as the animal enjoys the schedule 1 status enjoyed by lion, tigers and whales, the official added.

KMTR becomes a haven for poachers

Tirunelveli: The dense tropical forests of the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in the south of the Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district has become a safe hunting ground for poachers despite the region being a biodiversity hot spot.

Even the authorities here have been indulging in poaching, say environmental activists, who add that though a team led by a police DSP had been nabbed by Forest department officials on December 24, 2012 in the Kalakkad forest of KMTR, they were let off on the intervention of a Congress MLA.

The Innova car (KL-01 AW 8181) reported to have been used by the illegal intruders, according to the environmentalist, belonged to the MLA’s brother. The Ervadi police who intercepted the intruders had also seized two double barrel guns, one of which was of English make.

Another complaint of 200 teak trees being felled in the Karayar range in KMTR three months ago was also swept under the carpet as the accused was one of the rangers. Deputy Director of KMTR, Gurusamy, however, said that the complaint was a false one. He, however, agreed that five men with two guns had been arrested in the Kalakkad range at KMTR, which did not fall under his jurisdiction.

The issue of smuggling of trees from the Kattalai Malai above Karayar was also brushed aside by the KMTR deputy director, who told this newspaper that the trees were being felled on a private patta land at Kattalai Malai.

He added that the Manjolai Tea Estate, run by the Bombay-Burma Trad­ing Company, had been accused of serious violations of the Forest Act and said that the government had filed a case against the estate administration in the Madurai High Court Bench seeking cancellation of the lease accorded to the company by a private party before independence. The company has allegedly encroached into forest land beyond the 8000 acres that it had leased for 99 years.

Speaking to this newspaper, an anti-poaching watcher said that poaching of wet land birds, mouse deer, wild cats and hares was rampant in the KMTR forest.

Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130218/news-current-affairs/article/foresters-cops-hand-glove-killing-fields

Salman Khurshid's Nilgiris stay irks activists

By Express News Service - COIMBATORE

Tamil Nadu Green Movement flays Salman Khurshid for staying in a resort at Bokkapuram declared illegal by HC. Express

The representatives of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM) raised strong opposition against the stay of the Union Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid at a private resort in Bokkapuram.

According to the movement’s authorities, the Madras High Court had declared the resort illegal and had ordered it to be vacated.

In a statement, K Mohan Raj, coordinator of TNGM, said, “According to privileged information, Salman Khurshid had visited the Nilgiris and planned to stay in a private resort in Bokkapuram. This is when the state government has allotted a VIP guest house in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve as a protocol to the Minister. The Minister visited his relatives a few days ago and stayed in the resort that is declared illegal by the High Court of Madras and a clear mandate has been issued to vacate the resort. In this light, we find this move to be an unfortunate development and extremely discouraging to see the Minister patronising a disputed resort on a controversial location.”

Further, the TNGM has also alleged that the Minister’s relatives owned resorts in the elephant corridor in Sigur Plateau. “The area where the resort is situated has been notified as Elephant Corridor based on the orders of High Court of Madras and the matter is pending now before the Supreme Court. These resorts are dismembering a vital corridor that connects the elep hant population in Eastern and Western Ghats. If the Minister had opted to stay in Mudumulai Tiger Reserve guest house, he would have sent the right and encouraging signal,” Mohan Raj added.


Source: http://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article1404051.ece