Forest Department measures to protect elephant corridors

M. SOUNDARIYA PREETHA
In the wake of rapid development in areas near the reserve forests in the district and increasing elephant movement into villages, the Forest Department has taken a series of measures recently to ensure that new constructions do not come up in the elephant corridors or affect elephant movement in the forest area.

The department has intimated the appropriate authorities on constructions coming up without its permission in the Hill Area Conservation Act (HACA) notified villages or buildings that are promoted on the agricultural land in the areas close to the forest without getting a “no objection certificate” from the department.

Village panchayats

It has also told nearly 20 village panchayats (in the HACA notified area) that are seeing several new buildings coming up that the structures need no objection certificate from the department.

The unauthorised constructions should not be given power or water supply. This will act as a deterrent, says District Forest Officer V. Thirunavukarasu.

The department has also suggested to the District Local Planning Authority (LPA) that the land classification should not be changed in the sensitive villages identified by it near the forest.

Further, the Forest Department has recently asked the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to gets its concurrence before installing street lights in the tribal hamlets in the forest area. This is to ensure safety of the people there and that elephant movement is not affected.

Mr. Thirunavukarasu The Hindu on Friday that as many as 22 tribal hamlets in Karamadai range did not have electricity supply till about five years ago.

When the Tangedco started the process of providing electricity to all hamlets, the supply was given only to the households.

Streetlights

However, when streetlights were provided under the Tamil Nadu Habitations Improvement Scheme, several lights had come up.

“There is no ban on erection of streetlights. However, we want to permit it after evaluating the local conditions before the electricity poles are erected,” he said. The lights could be permitted based on the local conditions.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/forest-department-measures-to-protect-elephant-corridors/article4380826.ece

Vigil stepped up following bush fire near Ooty

D. RADHAKRISHNAN

Prompt action:The bush fire that broke out above
Valley View near Udhagamandalam on Monday.
—Photo: M. Sathyamoorthy

Vigil on the disaster management front particularly with regard to bush fires has been stepped up following the occurrence of a bush fire on a hill at Valley View, near here, on Monday.

The fire just above the Hanuman temple was noticed late in the afternoon and immediately personnel of the forest, police and fire and rescue services departments swung into action to extinguish it.

Speaking to The Hindu, forest department sources said that about one hectare of forest land had been affected by the blaze.

Suspecting carelessness on the part of some smoker to be the cause of the fire, they hoped that the people would help the department prevent such fires.

With Summer and the tourist season round the corner, “the threat of bush fires keeps us on our toes,” they said and added that without the cooperation of the people such fires cannot be prevented. The people in general and tourists in particular should exercise utmost caution while passing through forests. On no account should they light match sticks or smoke. Items, which can be ignited easily should not be taken into the forests. Roadside cooking should be avoided.

In the event of bush fires breaking out due to the carelessness of the people, the consequences would be catastrophic. Irreparable damage would be done to the forest wealth.

In addition to charring the flora, bush fires would cause the death of wildlife in different forms.

The lives of people residing in the vicinity would also be placed in jeopardy. Since it is the duty of all sections of the society to protect the forests, if anyone came across signs of a bush fire breaking out they should put it out. They should also inform the nearest forest official.

The practice of burning dry grazing areas in or near forests for facilitating fresh growth of grass would be viewed seriously.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/vigil-stepped-up-following-bush-fire-near-ooty/article4380831.ece

Forest, Law departments against transferring ownership of kumki land

R. KRISHNA KUMAR

State Cabinet has decided to confer their absolute ownership to farmers

• Kumki land is wasteland where privileges are enjoyed by kumkidars, without ownership rights
• ‘Transferring ownership of Kumki lands amounts to granting of forest land for non-forest purpose’

The Forest and Law departments are opposing the State Cabinet’s decision to confer absolute ownership of kumki land to farmers, saying these lands have been classified as forests.

Kumki land is defined as government wasteland where certain privileges like right to collect minor produces like timber for domestic use and to raise fodder for cattle are enjoyed by the kumkidars, who do not have land ownership rights per se or to use it for non-agricultural purposes.

But the Cabinet recently agreed to bestow ownership to kumkidars in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and intends to introduce an amendment to the Karnataka Land Grant Rules by inserting Rule 17B to pave the way for transfer of ownership, which would benefit thousands of farmers.

Differing views

But copies of the correspondence of the Forest and Law departments on the subject made available to The Hindu makes it clear that there is difference of opinion on the subject and the issue is likely to be get ensnared in legal imbroglio as a few environmentalists are toying with the idea of approaching the court to stall the move.

The Forest Department had stated that “kumki land in South Canara district are statutorily recognised forests and clearly fall within the definition of ‘forest’ as per the definition of the Supreme Court of India in T.N. Godavarman Thirumalpad vs Union of India case”.

In its detailed note replete with various provisions of the Karnataka Forest Act and other laws to reinforce the argument, the Forest Department opposed the amendment and said: “District forests includes all land at the disposal of the government not included within the limits of any reserved or village forests nor assigned at the survey settlement as free grazing ground or for any other public or communal purposes”. Hence it argued that kumki lands fall clearly within the definition of “district forests”.

However, the Advocate-General ruled otherwise and opined that kumki lands cannot be construed as statutorily recognised forest land as they are not mentioned as forests in the records of the Government of Karnataka and gave concurrence for Cabinet approval.

But the Law Department supported the Forest Department’s stance and stated that transferring ownership of kumki lands amounts to granting of forest land for non-forest purposes and was not permissible without the prior approval of the Union government.

Law Department contention

Citing the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, the Forest Conservation Rules 1981 and ruling of the apex court, the Law Department said: “The State government cannot amend the existing Land Grants Rule 1969 to make provision for grant of kumki lands in South Canara which are also forest lands”.

It even recommended that before amending the Karnataka Land Grant Rules 1969 by inserting Rule 17-B, the proposal may be forwarded to the Union government as required under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. However, the Cabinet ignored these objections and went by the Advocate-General’s opinion and intends to grant ownership to kumki land holders.

This attempt to rush through the amendment despite strong reservations by the Forest Department and the Law Department, is being perceived as an attempt to obviate the need to seek prior approval of the Union government as required under the law. Sources said there are fears that the Centre may delay granting permission and the election code of conduct may come into force denying the Bharatiya Janata Party an opportunity to reap electoral gains at environmental costs.

There are thousands of acres of kumki lands in Dakshina Kannada and if ownership rights are granted, it will set a precedent to pave the way for similar rights to those holding Bane and Jamma land in Kodagu, Soppina Betta in Uttara Kannada, most of which contains evergreen forest patches and transferring ownership will spell doom for the environment.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/forest-law-departments-against-transferring-ownership-of-kumki-land/article4376755.ece

National Green Tribunal refuses permission to brick kilns near Kaziranga National Park

PTI

While disposing of the pleas, the tribunal noted that
there was controversy whether the units are located
within the no-development zone or outside it as
claimed by the brick kilns in their application.

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has refused permission to some brick kiln units from operating in the no-development zone near Kaziranga National Park in Assam, saying they do not have consent of authorities and are also one of the "most polluting industries".

While disposing of the pleas, the NGT bench headed by Justice A S Naidu, who recently retired from the tribunal, also noted that there was controversy regarding whether the units are located within the no-development zone (NDZ) or outside it as claimed by the brick kilns in their application.

"It appears that the consent order for setting up the brick kiln is not available. Therefore, it is not possible for us to appreciate the clauses/conditions imposed. That apart, there is controversy with regard to exact location of the brick kiln(s) i.e. as to whether the same is situated within the NDZ or outside.

"The applicant(s) cannot be permitted to function within the NDZ of Kaziranga National Park in the absence of consent," the bench said.

The brick kilns had moved the NGT seeking review of its February 15, 2012 order restraining grant of fresh approvals to industries or stone-crushing units and renewal of licences of existing ones operating in the NDZ near the park.

The February 15 order had come in a case filed by Assam- based activist Rohit Chaudhary, seeking directions to stop quarrying and stone-crushing units around Kaziranga.

In their appeal seeking permission to operate, the brick kiln owners had claimed they were situated beyond the NDZ and were set up after complying with all the formalities.

This contention was opposed by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and Chaudhary's counsel.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/National-Green-Tribunal-refuses-permission-to-brick-kilns-near-Kaziranga-National-Park/articleshow/18322990.cms

The Gaur and the Gourmands

by Ganesh Raghunathan
Nothing in nature goes to waste. This was what we documented by setting up a camera-trap at the carcass of a dead gaur. On 23 December 2012, the staff of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department found a dead young adult gaur on the boundary of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve and a tea plantation. In the past, the practice would have been to either bury or burn the carcass. This time, however, we were all curious to see what would happen if the carcass was left to nature.

Therefore, with the support of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the plantation company (Parry Agro Industries Ltd), we set up a Reconyx HC 500 camera-trap to record the process of disintegration of the gaur when left undisturbed in the human-dominated landscape. We set up the camera-trap on 23 December 2012 and let it run till 7 January 2013.

On the first two days, we did not have any captures on the camera-trap and the body of the gaur began to swell and decompose. Then, from the second night onwards, the action began. A time-lapse video, pieced together from 20,345 images taken by the camera-trap over the 15-day period, records how a variety of mammals, birds, and insects consume the remains of the gaur.

Watch this!

This is a stunning illustration of how natural processes of decomposition, scavenging, and disintegration operate when a carcass of an animal like the gaur is left undisturbed, even in a landscape of tea plantations. It goes to show how life and death are interconnected  in the dynamics of prey and predator, carcass and scavenger, in the communities in nature, of which we too form a part. In a little over a fortnight, this is all that was left of the carcass.

Incredible, isn’t it, the number of creatures that benefit from even one dead animal? For those of you who have watched the video closely, can you guess (and name as accurately as possible) all the animal species that one can see in this video? Just post your answer in the comments below.

Source: http://conservation.in/blog/the-gaur-and-the-gourmands/

Collector, foresters at odds on access to Girnar temples

DARSHAN DESAI

Issue of conservation versus livelihood to the fore

• My order was not for free movement at night or to allow violation of Wildlife Act: Bhardwaj
• Chief Wildlife Warden alone can permit anyone to stay in sanctuary area: Forest Dept.

The right of way and livelihood of priests and devotees visiting some 133 temples in the Girnar wildlife sanctuary, close to the lion safari park, has become a bone of contention with forest officials calling the Junagadh Collectorate’s directives that they be allowed free movement a violation of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Collector Manish Bhardwaj’s orders are in effect being interpreted that the priests and their workers, who stay on the premises of the temples along with devotees, many of whom spend the night there, could move in and out of the forest even after sunset.

Settlement agreement

The Girnar region that has 30-odd lions in a 180 sq.km- radius was declared a sanctuary area in 2008, preventing any human activity inside.

But the temple staff, besides local tribal settlers, has been residing in this area for generations. All was fine until the region, hitherto controlled under the Forest Act, was given sanctuary status.

Speaking to The Hindu , the Collector defended his orders, insisting that the local settlers and the temple trusts were given the rights of way, use of water and performance of pooja in 1955 by a settlement agreement.

“We have received complaints that priests and temple workers were being harassed by the Forest Department even before sunset while carrying their supplies through the gates installed at various places in the sanctuary. Most of these gates are not even manned,” Mr. Bhardwaj said.

“My order was not for free movement at night, nor was it to say the Wildlife Protection Act should be allowed to be violated.”

The Forest Department, on the other hand, maintained that it was only the Chief Wildlife Warden who had the authority to grant anyone entry or permission to stay in the sanctuary area. Aradhana Sahu, Deputy Conservator of Forests for the division, insisted that allowing access there to people at night was not in the interest of conservation. She said she had apprised her seniors of the situation.

“Never any complaint”

The dispute has once again brought to light the ticklish issue of conservation versus livelihood of forest settlers. The temple trusts, which control the 133 religious places inside the sanctuary, pointed out that the priests and their people had lived in the forests for ages and there was never any complaint of wildlife violations or poaching against them.

“It is not just the priests in the jungle but also the local settlers who co-exist with the wildlife. Brazenly declaring regions a sanctuary without taking a holistic view will only create more problems,” a veteran forest officer told The Hindu , requesting anonymity.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/collector-foresters-at-odds-on-access-to-girnar-temples/article4376597.ece

Wild cat ventures into villages

Panic gripped villagers of Turkapally, Kothapally, Molkamamidi, Venkateswarlabavi in Amrabad mandal in Nallamalla forests following movement of a wild cat in the villages.

According to reports, on Friday night a Cheetah attacked and killed a cow and four goats near Turkapally village. The wild cat left after cowherds raised an alarm and chased it away.

Forest Department officials said as the villages were close to the Rajiv Reserve Forest Sanctuary in Nallamalla forests, and wild animals tend to venture into villages.

On Saturday morning, forest officials patrolled the villages and drums were used to make the wild cat move into deep forests. Villagers informed that water sources like ponds, tanks etc had dried up much ahead of summer and wild animals were venturing into villages.

Though, it is an annual practice of the Forest Department officials to provide water or fill up tanks in summer season in the forests, they were yet to take up the task this year, villagers alleged.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/wild-cat-ventures-into-villages/article4374194.ece

Turtles’ existence at stake

G.V.R. SUBBA RAO

Commercial fishing spelling doom for them, say wildlife activists

• Rampant use of synthetic nets by fishermen to blame
• Turtles sustain internal injuries from hooks or external injuries from entanglement

Who cares?:Carcass of a turtle that was washed ashore
at Manginipudi beach near Machilipatnam.
— Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

Blame it on commercial fishing, the very existence of sea turtles is in peril. Due to rampant use of synthetic nets by fishermen, many turtles are getting entangled and perishing.

Many turtles are getting washed away to the shore. The incident at Manginapudi is causing concern to wildlife activists.

For beach lovers however, it is a moment to capture on camera.

The turtles sustain internal injuries from hooks or external injuries from entanglement, including strangulation or amputation, such as the one in this photograph.

“We have never seen turtles drifting to the shore. Of late, the turtles are seen dead on the beach,” says Rani, a fisherwoman at Manginapudi. The fishermen explain that sea turtles are inadvertently snared by commercial fishing gear.

“Generally, we release them (tortoises) back into the sea if we accidentally catch,” says Erthalamu, a fisherman.

The problem has aggravated because of fishing in the deep sea.

The Kerala boats are to be blamed for the death of tortoises, he adds.

Another fisherman Yesu says: Their (Kerala) boats and nets are very big. They don’t release the turtles into the sea when accidentally caught in the net.

They use sharp tools such as screwdrivers to injure the animals and free them from the nets.

Will inquire: DFO

When contacted, DFO (Wildlife) G. Anand said: “The activities going on in the deep sea are not under our jurisdiction. The matter, however, needs to be probed before we jump to conclusions.”

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/turtles-existence-at-stake/article4374611.ece

Narmada's catchment area to be converted into organic farming belt

PTI
BHOPAL: An ambitious 10-year action plan to convert river Narmada's catchment area into organic/natural farming belt will be released during the upcoming three-day International River Festival.

The International River Festival (IRF '13) will be held from February 8-10 on the banks of Narmada at Bandrabhan in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.

The festival is held here regularly where foreign delegates also participate and deliberate on the issue of river conservation.

"The experience from years of continuous work for environment and Narmada river conservation has made us realise that the river is most affected by chemical fertilisers/pesticides used for agriculture in the catchment area," Rajya Sabha MP from BJP and Narmada Samagra's (NGO) secretary Anil Madhav Dave said today.

"This affects the Narmada river indirectly as the chemical fertilisers/pesticides pollute the ground water, which percolates and adds to the flow of the river," he said.

Narmada, which originates from Amarkantak in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, has a total basin area spread over 23 districts across 98,796 sq kms, both in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and a small portion in Maharashtra.

"We are committed to work through our 72 units from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and converting the catchment area of Narmada river into an organic/ natural belt," Dave said.

"It would not be merely organic farming but an eco-friendly method of agriculture through which Narmada river can be conserved from chemical impurities and in the process farmers will also get economic sustainability," he said.

Confident of achieving the target, Dave said the NGO plans to mobilise, convince and empower marginal farmers carrying out farming in Narmada basin to change the existing practice into organic/ natural farming, over a period of ten years.

"This will ensure sustainable livelihood for them and help in our mission of river conservation," he said.

The action plan will be presented during the IRF for deliberations among the participants and it will be released during the event, he added.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/the-good-earth/Narmadas-catchment-area-to-be-converted-into-organic-farming-belt/articleshow/18287545.cms

Tribunal bans throwing of debris into Yamuna

J. VENKATESAN

Costs to be collected for removing debris

The Yamuna in Delhi:Debris lying on the river bank.
FILE Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

With a view to cleaning the Yamuna, the National Green Tribunal on Thursday restrained any body, person or authority from throwing debris of any kind, including solid wastes, on the banks of the Yamuna or the water body near the grand old river.

A Full Bench of the Tribunal, comprising its Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, judicial member Justice P. Jyotimani and expert members D.K. Agrawal, G.K. Pandey and A.R. Yousuf, passed this order after hearing counsel for various parties.

The Bench said: “Since it is an admitted position that even private parties are throwing debris on the river bank, on the basis of the principle of ‘polluter pays’ it will be in the interest of justice that these authorities are directed to recover amounts spent for removal of debris which are thrown by the private persons, from them.

It said “persons” will include a company, partnership, sole proprietorship and individuals. All these authorities should exercise their statutory powers and not only preventing all persons throwing debris on the river bank, but even require them to pay for the purposes of removal of debris which are thrown by them. This shall be in the discretion of the authorities and will be implemented upon compliance with the principle of natural justice.

Earlier, counsel appearing for various authorities submitted that huge debris were lying on the river bank as well as near water bodies adjacent to the Yamuna. They said: “The debris is so huge that it is bound to affect the course of the river and in any case shall lead to serious pollution of the Yamuna, particularly during the rainy seasons.”

The Tribunal said in its order: “It is matter of common knowledge and in fact is hardly disputed before us that debris is being thrown on the river bank and it is a serious threat to the change of course as well as water pollution of the Yamuna. In these circumstance, we are of the considered view that certain directions need to be issued forthwith in order to ensure that pollution of Yamuna is prevented and the debris from the site are removed. Another aspect that we may notice here is that even municipal solid wastes are being thrown on the river bank and its water course. This also requires immediate preventive and precautionary directions.

Thus, the Bench said we order and issue the following directions: “The State of Uttar Pradesh, DDA, Government of NCT Delhi and East Delhi Municipal Corporation shall forthwith start removing debris from the river bank of Yamuna and the water body. It is stated that the above Corporation has already issued a notification where various dumping sites have been identified. One such site is stated to be at Gazipur, which is exclusively meant for dumping of municipal solid wastes. Thus, for the present, these authorities shall ensure that municipal solid wastes are removed from the river bank and said water bodies and dumped at the above site. The construction and other materials shall be removed to other identified sites. In the event no sites have been identified by any authority, we hereby direct all the Corporations and the DDA, State of Uttar Pradesh and the NCT of Delhi to notify within two weeks from today the sites for dumping of debris. In the event of no site being available, as temporary measure all the above public Authorities/ Corporations and State of Uttar Pradesh shall start removing debris and bring them to the end of ‘highest flood level’ of river Yamuna. The stored debris shall be converted into a wall at that end point. In our considered opinion it would prevent unauthorised entry, flood and prevent pollution of the Yamuna. The lifting of debris shall start forthwith and all these authorities shall cooperate and work in tandem with each other to achieve the above object and ensure compliance of these directions. This Committee shall frame one time guidelines for ensuring the implementation of the above order.” The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 28.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tribunal-bans-throwing-of-debris-into-yamuna/article4367360.ece