Greens want ecological stability...

Even as union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee readies to present economic vision of India in 2012-13 general budget, greens have sounded a note of caution saying 'economic stability cannot be achieved without ecological sustainability'.

"If short-term economic gains are not replaced by a longer-term ecological and economic vision, India will probably end up as an economic basket case because our large population cannot be sustained for more than a year or two if the mismanagement of our natural resources continues at a fast pace in this era of climate change," said Bittu Sahgal, noted environmentalist and editor of Sanctuary Asia, India's environmental news magazine.

Sahgal said, "The first thing I would like to see in budget 2012-13 is some sign that our government recognizes climate change as a serious threat to our survival. In the years ahead, perhaps around 25% of our national budget will have to be invested in countering climate change and the sooner we start walking this path the better."

"The finance minister must recognize that India's economy is sitting on a bedrock of ecological stability. Digging cheap coal or bauxite out from under natural forests may help window dress his budget, but it amounts to selling India's family ecological 'silver'. The loss of ecosystems will drive our people into penury," Sahgal said.

Satpuda Foundation chief Kishor Rithe says it is to be seen how much importance the government gives to wildlife and forests. Giving more grants for joint forest management committees (JMFCs) and eco-development committees would only imply rural development through wildlife and forests. Hence, government should not discriminate when it comes to allocation of funds.

Even as the state forest department received Rs 408 crore under various heads in 2011-12, the amount is less if the norm of 2.5% allocation for forestry of total state budget is concerned. The forest department budget has increased four times in the last six years from 0.37% to 1%. Considering the threat perceptions, the budget for forest and wildlife needs to be doubled.
Rithe says government enhanced the relocation package to Rs 10 lakh per family, but where is the money? Proposals worth Rs 200 crore to relocate villages are pending with the Centre. "Nationally, minimum Rs 5,000 crore is needed to relocate 760 villages in core areas," he added.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), feels last year's budget took some good decision like 'Green Mission'. However, environmental problems are mainly related to forests which are degraded and disappearing vastly from the Indian landbanks.

"Even JFM and EDC policies are not effective to save forest and wildlife. Tremendous illegal collection of fuelwood, illicit timber cutting, bamboo extraction, fire and poaching for easy money are responsible for habitat loss," said Bhamburkar.

Debi Goenka, of Mumbai's Conservation Action Trust (CAT), agree with the view. "I really hope that money is needed for demarcation and protection of forest lands in the field. More funds are required for equipment for forest guards and foresters who actually protect the forests."
"I think it is time that provisions are made for starting a separate wildlife cadre - may be the Indian Wildlife Service. This would bring in wildlife trained officers to the protected area (PA) network and prove to be a big step ahead as many PAs are tottering due to untrained managers at the helm. Considering the large number of posts lying vacant in the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), the government should extend some special incentive/allowance to make WCCB posting attractive to officers," said Nitin Desai, director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Central India.

Harshawardhan Dhanwatey, president of Tiger Research and Conservation Trust (TRACT), says, "Most of our rivers originate in forests. If the forests are degraded, one can imagine what will happen. Hence, government should consider it to be an important sector when it comes to allocation of funds."
 
Wishlist Of Greens And Environmentalists
* More funds to relocate villages in core areas
* A separate wildlife cadre
* Boost for eco-development committees
* More focus on carbon credits and climate change
* More funds for tigers in non-protected areas
* Provision for secret funds for intelligence gathering
* Harness renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels
* Cut taxes on green equipment

Source by : Times Of india

Greens disappointed with Pranab

Conservationists and environmentalists are shocked at the lack of concern shown by union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee towards wildlife, forests and environment, which have great ecological, economic and social value.

Noted environmentalist and editor of Sanctuary Asia magazine, Bittu Sahgal, who had great expectations, said, "I'm disappointed but not surprised. Economists seem bent upon reinforcing their reputation for knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing."

"Last year, the FM had shown some concern by allocating Rs 200 crore from the National Clean Energy Fund ( NCEF) under the Green India Mission. But this year, there is no mention of forest and wildlife in his budget speech," remarked conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar.

However, climate change expert Prof Nishikant Kale begs to differ. He says Pranab moved a step forward by announcing Rs 200 crore for research to develop plant and seed varieties that yield more and can resist climate change. He said Rs 100 crore has also been allocated for eco-development programme.

Kale further said, "If not much, the allocation for the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) has been slightly increased by 5% from Rs 2,491 crore last year to Rs 2,629 crore this year. The FM has also announced relief for industries in renewable energy sector."

The climate change expert said Pranab fully exempted hybrid vehicles from basic customs duty. Earlier, such vehicles costing Rs 12.5 lakh outside India used to cost Rs 30 lakh here due to high duty. The national afforestation and eco-development programme too saw an increase from Rs 253 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 342 crore this year. "We certainly hope to benefit from the above decisions," he said.

Kaustav Chatterjee, founder of environment protection NGO Green Vigil, said, "Pranab has tried to encourage solar thermal projects. The FM has fully exempted plant and equipment etc for the initial setting up of such projects from special duty." He added concessions have also been given to encourage consumption of energy-saving devices.

However, Shrikant Deshpande of Nature Conservation Association (NCA), fighting a PIL in the high court against large-scale felling by NHAI, says Pranab's efforts are too little, considering the importance of forests.

"On one hand the FM talks of solar power plants while on the other he doesn't mind allocating coal mines even in sensitive forest areas. His allocation for environment is poor when compared to highways, which are cutting into our tiger corridors," Deshpande said.

Source By : Times of india

Manmohan Singh sends emissary to persuade save Ganga activist to end fast..

As the health of 'Save Ganga' activist GD Agarwal deteriorated, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sent coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal as his emissary to persuade him to break his fast.

Jaiswal will be discussing the issues raised by Agarwal, who has been fasting on the banks of the Ganga since January 14, and is expected to brief the Prime Minister tomorrow.

Noted water conservationist Rajendra Singh has been asked by environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan to join Jaiswal in the discussions with Agarwal.

Agarwal has been hospitalised as his health deteriorated further after he stopped drinking water since March 8.

Three non-official members of the National Ganga River Basin Authority, including Rajendra Singh had resigned from their posts protesting protesting government's "apathy" towards Agarwal.

Agarwal, who has served as a scientist at IIT-Kanpur and with the Central Pollution Control Board, has been consistently campaigning for several years to save the holy river Ganga. 

 

 

Source By :times of india

Jayanthi rewrites Jairam, ‘no-go’ is now ‘inviolate’

Former environment minister Jairam Ramesh’s “go, no-go” policy to keep some areas out of bounds for mining is back — with a different name. The environment ministry under Jayanthi Natarajan plans to demarcate some “inviolate areas” which will not be considered for green clearances. 

The ministry had agreed to the recommendations of the B K Chaturvedi committee that all mining projects should be considered on merit. However, it has told a group of ministers chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the “MoEF will set up a mechanism whereby coal mines falling in ‘inviolate areas’ would not be considered for green clearances.” 

A committee headed by the MoEF secretary will help identify the ‘inviolate areas’. It has been asked to suggest neutral parameters for mining and allied activities, government officials present at the GoM said.

Sources in the coal ministry said that the 'go, no-go' system had made uncertain the fate of nearly 200 coal blocks with reserves of 660 million tonnes. Even if these blocks are granted green clearances now, it might be 2-3 years before they are developed, they said. 

The sources said Mukherjee and Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma are keen that coal projects are not subjected again to the same objections as under the ‘go, no-go’ regime. Both are of the view that all projects in which substantial investments have been made, but are awaiting forest clearance, should be taken up in earnest.

Source:Indian Express.

Gujarat Won’t Part With Its Pride !!!!!!!!!

The threat of Gujarat losing its hegemony over hosting the last breed of Asiatic Lions is getting real. Last month, during a hearing of the Asiatic lion relocation case in Supreme Court, the forest Bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and CK Prasad had remarked that the lions are not the "property" of the state but belong to the nation.

Following further arguments this Monday, opinion of the State Wildlife Board (SWLB) has now been sought by SC. Geared up for defence, a sudden meeting of the SWLB chaired by Narendra Modi has been called on Friday in Sachivalaya with the main agenda to discuss the arguments to be presented in the court, so as not to share the lions "under any circumstances" with Madhya Pradesh's Kuno Palpur Sanctuary.

Even as the arguments are continuing, forest officials in Gujarat fear the worst. SC has also observed that the court's concern is conserving the critically endangered species, rather than fighting over the ownership of the lions. Gujarat's counsel Hemantika Vahi told DNA, "We are not disputing that they are national property. Our main argument is the limited prey base and poaching incidents reported from MP."

Hearing of the case has been scheduled for every Monday in the Supreme Court. Arguments of the SWLB will be heard coming Monday, where the National Board for Wildlife in India (NBWLI) and MP officials have also been asked to remain present.

The NBWLI has supported the movement of a few prides to MP to save them from any epidemic and maintaining genetic diversity. Wildlife activist Faiyaz Khudsar had filed a PIL in the SC requesting the translocation of the lions from Gir to Kuno on the grounds that a singular epidemic can wipe out the entire population.

Despite the ongoing assembly session, chief minister Narendra Modi is expected to chair the meeting. "He has been personally following this matter since the case was filed in 2006," a senior forester said. Modi has taken over as chairman of SWLB since 2004, earlier held by the state's forest minister. Though the neighbouring state is governed by BJP, Modi's equations with CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan are not known to be the best and the lions are believed to have contributed to it.

Source: Sanctuaryasia

Illegal lion shows a roaring business in Gir sanctuary

Illegal lion shows continue in the outskirts of Gir sanctuary. Despite the forest department's efforts to curb this illicit trend that has heckled animal rights activists to no end, the practice of entertaining tourists by offering buffalos as bait for the Asiatic lions continues undeterred.

The modus operandi of the illegal lion show organizers is simple: An old and weak buffalo is tied in any farmland, close to the abode of lions. Later, as the sun sets the lions move out in search of food. As lions feed on the buffalo, the tourists who are present begin clicking photographs.

A senior officer said that on several occasions some of forest beat guards have also been found to be involved in such shows. Beat guards who are working in the area act as informers to various hotels in the region which promise 100% lion-sighting to tourists.

A senior forest officer said that there are some hotels and resorts in Dhari region that have been attracting tourists in this fashion. Dhari, said the sources, is not in the tourism circuit of Gir. Earlier, for lion sighting one had to drive around a long way to reach Sasan or Devaliya which are the official tourism sites within the sanctuary. However now, the illegal shows have begun drawing tourists to places which are on the outskirts of the sanctuary.

In the past, relatives of forest officials were found to have been involved in such illegal shows, said the officials. The sources said that the area near Dhari was notorious for such shows as lions often pass through, while moving out of the sanctuary towards Bhavnagar. The area of Dhari and Amreli forms the natural corridor.

Not just Amreli, but near Sasan too one could earlier find such illegal lions shows in Babra Virdi area towards the tourism zone.

Those organizing the show mint money. First, the show-organizer collects around Rs 5,000-10,000 from the tourists for a glimpse of lions eating the bait. Later, the same buffalo would be shown to the authorities as a productive animal which had been preyed upon by a lion. Proving this would entitle the buffalo owner to get a compensation ranging from Rs 8,000-10,000 from the forest department.

by :times of india

Blue whales can hear sounds in wider range....

Blue whales can be affected even by sounds that are outside their vocalisation range, according to a new study.

Mariana Melcon and colleagues from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography observed the response of blue whales in the Southern California Bight to mid-frequency sounds created by military sonar, which occur between 1000Hz to 8000Hz, much higher than blue whale calls, which are 100Hz and lower.

They collected thousands of hours of recordings over two summers, and found that, when mid-frequency active (MFA) sonar (which is used to find submarines) was active in the region, blue whales' low-frequency vocalizations, known as "D-calls", dropped by almost half: a sign, the authors posit, that despite being well outside the whales' vocalization range, such relatively high-frequency sounds are within their hearing range.

One possible explanation for being able to hear sounds of such high frequency, Melcon and colleagues suggest, "is that it may be advantageous, for instance, to hear their predators, ie. killer whales, which vocalize in the same frequency range as MFA sonar," Discovery News reported.

Conversely, when confronted with the noise of shipping, which does largely fall within their vocalization range, the whales increased their D-calls - which "may be the vocal response of the animals to overcome the noise".

This new research just published in the online open-access journal PLoS One.

Indian, Australian scientists to participate in workshop on climate change

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in collaboration with the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, will conduct an international workshop on 'Preparing for climate change on marine systems in Australia and India' from March 6-10 in the city.

Michael Carter, consul commercial and trade commissioner of Australia at Chennai will inaugurate the workshop at 10 am on Tuesday. Seven scientists from Australia led by Stewart Frusher, associate professor, IMAS, will participate in the workshop. The Indian team of 14 scientists will be led by G Syda Rao, director, CMFRI.

Funded by the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund, the aim of the workshop is to bring together an inter-disciplinary research team from both countries to improve understanding on the impacts of climate change on marine resources and stakeholders.

Both these regions have been identified as global warming hotspots.

Environment and forest ministry to demarcate no-go areas for mining within a month

The Union environment and forests ministry (MoEF) will demarcate the no-go areas for mining within a month. However, this time around, they have been rechristened as "inviolate areas".

The exercise will be carried out by a panel chaired by environment and forest secretary T Chatterjee.

The original no-go demarcation was scrapped since the coal ministry and industry had complained about it. Earlier, it was decided by Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, to instead demarcate "inviolate areas", where mining would not be permissible.

In the GoM meeting held on Thursday, it was decided that the process of demarcating the inviolate zone would be conducted within a month. The Chatterjee-led panel has been tasked to chalk out fresh criteria for the demarcation process that would decide how liberal the new regime is.

GoM members also pushed hard for a revaluation of the environment ministry's decision not to open Mahan and Chhatrasal captive coal blocks in Madhya Pradesh. The ministry has been asked to review its decision for which another panel will be sent to the sites.

Mahan had been allocated to the Aditya Birla Group and Essar in a joint venture, and the firm has made substantial investments in their power plants based on separate environment clearances. While the environmental clearance did put conditions about securing forest clearance, the GoM members noted that no concern had been raised for long, besides companies had pumped funds into the projects.

Chhatrasal block has been allocated to the Reliance Ultra Mega Power Project but the environment ministry's statutory Forest Advisory Committee had recommended against clearing the venture as it impinges upon the Rihand reservoir apart from other concerns.

The GoM would consider the two blocks' fate once the panel submits its report in 10 days.

The GoM also discussed if power projects could be given clearance without assessing the environmental and forest implications of the linked coal blocks. It was suggested that a decision could be taken based on a pool of coal supply being assured in advance as long as the quality of the mineral needed for the particular power project was available in the pool.

Green tag sought for Western Ghats

The entire Western Ghats must be considered as ecologically sensitive, especially to ensure the sustainability of the rivers of the Indian Peninsula, the Madhav Gadgil Committee report has said. Peninsular rivers such as the Krishna, Godavari and Cauvery that drain the Deccan Plateau and flow eastwards originate in the Western Ghats.

"Hundreds of shorter perennial monsoon fed west flowing rivers like Sharavati, Netravathi, Periyar and the Bharathapuzha travel through steeper and more undulating topography before emptying into the Arabian Sea. A rough estimate reveals that 245 million people in the five Western Ghats states directly depend on these rivers for their diverse water needs. Geographically, the Western Ghats is the catchment for river systems that drain almost 40% of the land area in India," reads the report. According to the report, the Ghats meets all these criteria and so deserve to be protected in its entirety.

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report Part II has now been placed unofficially in the public domain. The committee, which prepared the report was headed by noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil. Though the report was submitted in August last year, the union ministry of environment and forests has been reluctant to make it public.

The recommendation of declaring the entire ghats that traverse through the six states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa Maharashtra and Gujarat would mean a complete ban on mining and stricter green laws for other industries such as power and agriculture. The panel has based its recommendation on various studies carried out by scientists and institutions across the six states, geo-spatial database, etc.

By:times of india