Second chargesheet filed in Amit Jethava murder case

Ahmedabad:The city crime branch on Friday filed a voluminous supplementary chargesheet in the RTI activist Amit Jethava murder case. The report was filed after the arrest of the sixth accused Shailesh Pandya, who is a sharpshooter.

One Bahadursinh Rathod, who is believed to have helped the accused persons in carrying out illegal mining activities in the prohibited Gir sanctuary, has been shown as an absconder in the chargesheet. The investigating agency has been maintaining that Pandya had fired on Jethava on July 20, last year in front of the Gujarat high court campus.

They were chargesheeted last year. Pandya was arrested after the first chargesheet was filed. Jethava was killed after he filed a PIL in the high court against illegal mining activities in the Gir sanctuary.

During a hearing on Jethava’s PIL earlier this week, the high court expressed satisfaction over the state government’s actions to curb illegal mining and the judges proposed to dispose of the petition. On getting a nod from the counsel of Jethava’s family, the high court disposed of the PIL.

Meanwhile, Jethava’s father moved the high court demanding CBI probe in the murder case. This petition is pending in the high court.

‘Stop mining in 1 km area around forests’

HC Directs Govt To Take Immediate Action

The Gujarat high court has directed the state government to stop all mining activities within one km area from the boundary of all 34 sanctuaries, national parks and conservation reserves in the state. This court order is applicable even if the mining is being undertaken by companies which have a noobjection certificate.

The high court told the government to ensure implementation of this order — which is on the lines of a 2006 directive by the Supreme Court — by Friday. The court also directed the government to file an action taken report by February 24. The report is to be drawn up by the state department of forests and environment.

For proper implementation of the norm, the state government has been asked by Justice RR Tripathi to form a high power committee of the principal secretaries of the industries and mines department, forests and environment department and revenue department.

The issue emerged during a hearing on a petition filed by Param Udhyog, demanding permission for mining. The high court came to know about a government resolution passed on April 2, 2008, stating that after obtaining due NOC, mining activity would be permitted even in the prohibited five-kilometre zone from the boundary of reserve forest or sanctuary. In case of Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary, the limit was extended to 10 kilometre. However, an affidavit filed by the government made it clear that though it is a policy decision, the government will give NOC in case to case basis.

Advocate for the petitioner, Amit Panchal, highlighted that the state government’s resolution of 2008 was contradicting the 2006 SC orders. The state government assured the high court that it would amend the GR to the effect that mining or industrial activity in the one-kilometre zone would be completely prohibited. Following this assurance, the HC asked the government to stop all mining activities.


by : TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ropeway to Girnar from Bhesan

Thanks to jaydev Sir , He send me this mail.

First Vulture Chick hatched in captivity at Sakkarbag Zoo is good News but next lot of Long-billed Vultures' chicks of Girnar cliffs may not be that lucky.



Without doing any proper survey Ropeway company is saying that first condition put by Hon'ble Minister to recheck alternate alignment is not viable. They are saying it may cause man-animal conflict. This statement is rubbish. If Ropeway starts from Bhesan there is no possibility at all for man animal conflict. The place is completely out of the Girnar Sanctuary and if people seat on ropeway car from Bhesan and reach Ambaji by ropeway, how on earth it can cause man-animal conflict? Lions which are are there between Bhesan and Ambaji are same which are between Jatahankar (present Ropeway starting point) and Ambaji. Possibilities (if any) for man-animal conflict are same in both cases. But in latter one (Jatashankar-Ambaji rout) damage to LBVs' nesting is guaranteed.


Now every one, including Usha Braco is saying that present alignment is passing through nesting Colony of LB Vultures on Girnar cliffs, in that case Bhesan point is only alternative. Hope the survey will be done by responsible persons and vulture experts too.
 
Again .....lots Thanks to jaydev Sir

'Save the Whale Shark and sea turtle Campaign' in Saurashtra coast village

We make Gir eco friends group and completed “Dariyai jiv srushti bachavo jan jaguti abhiyan” in saurashtra coast area. Our main thought is people know about sea turtle and whale shark nearly.


We went to local people, fisherman and coast area school to explain about the trouble of whale shark and sea turtle life.

The first step, therefore, will be to create general awareness among the locals and hopefully steer the fishermen towards whale shark tourism to keep sharks alive which will increase their income. Across the saurashtra coast are planned Poster campaigns and major awareness drives in villages.

Apparently the infrastructure to develop whale shark tourism is lacking and there are currently no dive operations active in this area. It is hoped that the current 'Save the Whale Shark and sea turtle Campaign' can create sufficient public awareness to jump-start the necessary development.

In the past whale sharks have been slaughtered in large numbers when they visit the Gujarat coast, India, between March-May. In the past 10 years this has increased considerably as a means of making quick money.

Official figures before 2001 reveal, every year, over 150 whale sharks are caught along the Gujarat coast. Independent figures, however, show this figure to be closer to 500. The Data supplied by the Shark Research Institute (SRI) helped the Government band the trade and fishing in May 2001 by placing the endangered fish in schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act. This has reduced the number of whale sharks taken but legal protection is not enough as it is not possible to continuously police the state's large coastline. Awareness, therefore, is the only future key to protect and conserve this endangered species.

Over millions of years of their existence, sea turtles have evolved a variety of remarkable strategies for survival. They use a wide range of habitats, thus playing a critical role as flagship species for the conservation of the oceans' ecosystems and diversity. Many of these habitats face mounting threats today around the world. Sea turtles are also an important part of the traditional culture of many coastal indigenous peoples all round the world.

Sea turtles migrate long distances between their feeding grounds and nesting sites. After they hatch and return to the sea, only the females return as adults to nest, males may never come back to land at all. Consequently, knowledge of their biology has been confined to the small time interval when they come on to land to nest. Thus there are many questions that scientists are only just beginning to understand: Where do the hatchlings go after they leave the nesting beach? Does the turtle come back to nest on the same beach where it hatched? How do females navigate to the same nesting beaches again & again, covering several thousand kilometers?

We thanks to our team and local people for given us support. We are also hearty thanks to Mr. Nitin Bondre, Shapoorji palloonji & his Co. ltd.

Non-violence in Lion Kingdom

Inscriptions At The Rock Edict In Girnar Give An Insight Into The Mind Of Ashoka


Frown on animal slaughter

Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, has caused this Dhamma edict to be written. Here (in my domain) no living beings are to be slaughtered or offered in sacrifice. Nor should festivals be held, for Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, sees much to object to in such festivals, although there are some festivals that Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, does approve of.

Green revolution
Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals.

Saving is good
Everywhere in my domain the Yuktas, the Rajjukas and the Pradesikas shall go on inspection tours every five years for the purpose of Dhamma instruction and also to conduct other business. Respect for mother and father is good, generosity to friends, acquaintances, relatives, Brahmans and ascetics is good, not killing living beings is good, moderation in spending is good.

For successors to follow
This edict has been written so that it may please my successors to devote themselves to promoting these things and not allow them to decline. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, has had this written twelve years after his coronation. This Dhamma edict has been written on stone so that it might endure long and that my descendants might act in conformity with it.

Keep up the good work
To do good is difficult. One who does good first does something hard to do. I have done many good deeds, and, if my sons, grandsons and their descendants up to the end of the world act in like manner, they too will do much good. But whoever amongst them neglects this, they will do evil. Truly, it is easy to do evil.

An alert ruler
In the past, state business was not transacted nor were reports delivered to the king at all hours. But now I have given this order, that at any time, whether I am eating, in the women's quarters, the bed chamber, the chariot, the palanquin, in the park or wherever, reporters are to be posted with instructions to report to me the affairs of the people so that I might attend to these affairs wherever I am.

Religious harmony
All religions should reside everywhere, for all them desire self-control and purity of heart. But people have various desires and various passions, and they may practise all of what they should or only a part of it. But one who receives great gifts yet is lacking in selfcontrol, purity of heart, gratitude and firm devotion, such a person is mean.

Generosity pays
What does bear great fruit, however, is the ceremony of the Dhamma. This involves proper behaviour towards servants and employees, respect for teachers, restraint towards living beings, and generosity towards ascetics and Brahmans

Don’t kill, don’t deport
Indeed, Beloved-of-the-Gods is deeply pained by the killing, dying and deportation that take place when an unconquered country is conquered.

by:timesofindia

State to convert 11 villages on Gir periphery to revenue land

Activist warns of commercial exploitation, increasing man-animal conflicts

The state government has decided to limit the Gir Sanctuary area, deleting 11 villages on its periphery and converting them to revenue land. This comes in the wake of a previous effort to create an extended Gir by increasing the boundaries to accommodate the increasing lion population.

Officials said the state government has in principle approved a proposal for the ‘Rationalisation of Boundaries in Gir Sanctuary’. This proposal essentially means 1939.38 hectares of forest settlement villages will be converted to revenue land, while the reserve forest area to be declared as sanctuary will be limited at 2141.40 hectares.

There are 14 forest settlements in the sanctuary and 11 of these villages are located on the periphery. The other three villages are located inside the sanctuary. The proposal aims to convert the 11 villages on the periphery to revenue villages and delete the areas from the sanctuary limits.

The rationale behind the move is that these areas are under cultivation and no negative impact on the habitat is expected as a result of their deletion as they are not available to wildlife in any way.


“There are forest areas that are contiguous to the sanctuary. These may be added to the sanctuary for efficient wildlife conservation and provision of additional suitable habitat to wildlife,” said P M Christian, Deputy Secretary, Forest and Wildlife Department.

He added: “The proposal is pending with the Government of India so its status is not known. The proposal is yet to get a final clearance.”

Mahesh Pandya, an environment activist said the proposal of converting villages on the sanctuary periphery to revenue land will promote faster conversion of farm land to non-agriculture ones and promote commercial construction of hotels and the like.

“This will limit the space for wildlife and create major obstacle and increase man-animal conflicts. The Forest Department’s logic that the areas are under cultivation and not used by animals for habitat is misleading. Lions and other animals have been restricted by villagers in the areas and fatal incidents have also been noticed in the past. Instances of lions falling in farm wells have also been reported which shows that lions and other animals can use the land if allowed

By Times of india