PROTECTED AREA UPDATE News and Information from Protected Areas in India and South Asia
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PROTECTED AREA UPDATE News and Information from protected areas in India and South Asia Vol. XV No. 4 August 2009 (No.80) LIST OF CONTENTS Madhya Pradesh 10 EDITORIAL 2 Road widening through Pench TR opposed A new minister at the helm Change in Field Directors at Kanha, Panna and NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES Bandavgarh TRs Andaman & Nicobar Islands 3 No more tigers in Panna TR – it’s official now; CEE to develop nature interpretation centre at four cats to be translocated Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park Maharashtra 11 Andhra Pradesh 3 CAT asks state to appoint Head of Forest Force Checklist of the birds of Pulicat within eight weeks Two biosphere reserves proposed for Andhra CEE to develop nature interpretation centre at Pradesh Nandur Madhmeshwar WLS Assam 4 Villagers relocated from Botezari arrested for Gibbons in Gibbon WLS not crossing over the ‘violating’ and entering Tadoba Andhari TR railway line 11.44 acres reclaimed by Sanjay Gandhi NP Hand reared Asiatic black bears released in Manas NGO alleges that Sanjay Gandhi NP authorities NP claiming land illegally in Malad area Hydroelectric projects in the North East may pose Soil testing in Tulsi Lake area in Sanjay Gandhi threat to KNP: Researchers NP without FD permission Rhino count in Kaziranga now 2048 Dogs form 50% of leopard diet in Kaziranga Tiger Foundation not formed yet; Sanjay Gandhi NP reserve deprived of central funds Orissa 13 Chattisgarh 6 Nandankanan now a member of world zoo body Wildlife enforcement workshop held in Raipur Rs. Three crore project to deal with human Gujarat 6 elephant conflict at Chandaka WLS State Wildlife Board allows for diversion of land Rs. 5 crore Elephant Management Plan for state in four PAs E-bulletin on the Forest Rights Act in Orissa More wells around Gir covered after government Greenpeace report on turtle-fisheries issues in hikes subsidy Orissa Gujarat cites Panna TR case to keep lions to itself Rajasthan 15 93 lion deaths in Gujarat in last three years 70 black bucks die in Tal Chappar WLS due to Himachal Pradesh 7 ‘weather shock’ Panel says no to scrapping of sanctuaries Sikkim 16 Karnataka 8 Forest fires across the state in March Only elephants to ferry tourists in PAs PANDA Newsletter from ENVIS Sikkim Project Elephant Directorate in Madikeri Tamil Nadu 16 Proposal to close road through Bandipur NP, Field Guide to the plants of the Northern Nilgiri Wayanad WLS withdrawn Biosphere Reserve Kerala 9 Nature Interpretation Centre in the Tiger population in Wayanad WLS estimated at Sathyamangalam WLS 20-25 Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Uttarakhand 17 Rs. 8.5 crore security plan for Corbett TR West Bengal 17 EDITORIAL Nepal police fire at elephant herd Community based tourism project in North Bengal A new minister at the helm NATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA 18 SC to CAMPA: Provide Rs. 1000 crore per year to Ever since the new government was sworn in, states in next five years there has been a flurry of activity on the Interactive database on threatened lakes environment front. The new Union Minister for Proposal for a National Green Tribunal Environment and Forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh Tripartite MoUs to be signed between Centre, has certainly been very active, as he has gone State and Project Tiger Reserves around the country meeting officials, people’s Simlipal TR, Pachmari and Nokrek NP added to representatives and NGOs alike. UNESCO’s Global Biosphere Reserve The developments and his Network pronouncements too have been wide ranging – Forest Administration to be ‘modernised’ to deal covering a diversity of issues that include the with naxal threat NTCA directives on tourism in tiger reserves proposed Coastal Zone Management regime Whitley Award for Dr. MD Madhusudan (allowing for its lapse), ensuring that Prem Bhatia Award for Environmental Journalism provisions of the Forest Rights Act are met to Gargi Parsai prior to seeking diversion of forest lands under Tiger relocation protocol approved the Forest Conservation Act; a change in the Environment in the Indian Parliament: An structure and operation of the CAMPA fund; Analysis 2007 engagement with a range of actors on provisions of the Biological Diversity Act SOUTH ASIA 22 (BDA) and more resources and steps for Consultation on Landscape Approach to wildlife conservation in general and the tiger in Biodiversity Conservation and Management particular. in the Eastern Himalayas There are still initial days, but clearly, those working on matters of livelihood UPCOMING 22 security, issues of the environment and wildlife International Conference on Wildlife protection see a glimmer of hope in all that has Conservation, Health and Disease Management been happening. It has been clear that over the years there has been a relentless assault at the Protected Area Update hands of a development paradigm that only Vol. XV, No. 4, August 2009 (No. 80) understands the language of industrialization, Editor: Pankaj Sekhsaria urbanization and growth in the GDP. This, Illustrations: Madhuvanti Anantharajan therefore, will also then be the location of the Produced by: Kalpavriksh biggest challenge for the new minister and the Ideas, comments, news and information may new government. please be sent to the editorial address: The undeniable reality is that the KALPAVRIKSH, Apartment 5, Shri Dutta Krupa, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) 908 Deccan Gymkhana, Pune 411004, and the concerns it is supposed to advance Maharashtra, India. Tel/Fax: 020 – 25654239. have been at the bottom of the priorities of Email: [email protected] successive governments for a long time. If Website: www.kalpavriksh.org anything, the MoEF has been considered an unnecessary irritant in the path of development Publication of the PA Update Vol. XV, No. 4 and economic growth - a line of thinking that is has been supported by the Duleep Mathai not going away very soon. Dealing with particular legislations or policy frameworks, Nature Conservation Trust, the Foundation for while necessary, is not what is going to stem Ecological Security and Greenpeace India. the rot. There has to be an attempt at dealing Protected Area Update Vol XV, No. 4 2 August 2009 (No. 80) Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) with, or at least questioning the fundamental issues related to ‘development’. In the current NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES political and economic climate it will not be the easiest thing to do, but then if there is one space and Ministry that can even start the process it is without doubt, the MoEF. ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS The developments are, certainly, going to be watched with deep interest as they unfold. CEE to develop nature interpretation centre --- at Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park The Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad will be developing a Nature Interpretation Centre at the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Wandoor, in the Andaman Islands. The aim of the centre would be to sensitize public at large about the importance of marine life and garner their support and motivate action towards conservation of fragile OBITUARY marine eco-systems. More details of the proposal are not Mr. Mir Inayatullah, the former Principal Conservator of Forest, Jammu and Kashmir presently available. (J&K), passed away recently owing to a sudden Source: Interpretation Centre at Wandoor, heart complication. He had a distinguished Andaman & Nicobar’, ceenario, May 1- career as a forest and conservation administrator 15, 2009 and served the state in various capacities. Contact: CEE. Email: [email protected] He was Chief Wildlife Warden of J&K CF, Wildlife, Van Sadan, Forest in the 1970s and 80s and is credited with taking Department, Port Blair – 744102. path -breaking steps that led to the adoption and implementation of significant policy decisions ANDHRA PRADESH that helped protect threatened species like the Kashmir Stag (Hangul), Snow Leopard and Checklist of the birds of Pulicat Black-necked crane. He was also instrumental in the creation and protection of a number of The Pulicat Lake Bird Lover’s Society new protected areas in J&K. (PLBLS) has published ‘Birds of Pulicat Lake In a period when the political situation – A Checklist’. The 60 page publication has in J&K was tense and the relationship between been authored by Chennai based Dr. PJ the state and the center was often marked by an Sanjeeva Raj and Prof Odd Jacobsen of the incapacitating sullenness, Mr. Inayatullah used Bergen University College, Norway. his immense people skills to keep the focus on the need to find collaborative solutions for Contact: Dr. PJ Sanjeeva Raj, 17/1724, 21st conserving the state's wildlife and forests. Main Road, Anna Nagar, Chennai – Remembering Mr. Inayatullah’s 600040. Email: [email protected] contribution, George Archibald, the renowned conservationist called him “the father of Two biosphere reserves proposed for conservation in Kashmir”. He will be Andhra Pradesh remembered and missed by his admirers in India and abroad. KV extends its heartfelt The Union Ministry of Environment and condolences to Mr. Inayatullah’s family. Forests has proposed the creation of two biosphere reserves (BRs) in Andhra Pradesh. One of these will be in the Chintapalle area in Protected Area Update Vol XV, No. 4 3 August 2009 (No. 80) Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Visakhapatnam district while the second one Hand reared Asiatic black bears released in has been proposed in the Seshachalam hills Manas NP spread over the Chittoor and Kadapa districts. Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Three orphaned Asiatic black bears that were Forests and Environment, announced this hand reared have been returned to the wild in recently in Hyderabad following a meeting with the Manas National Park. The bears were the State Chief Minister, Mr.