Conditional Nod to the Girnar Ropeway Project

NEWS Conditional nod to the Girnar Ropeway project The Girnar Ropeway project in Gujarat The loss of vultures has important eco- nate alignment of the ropeway project, gets in-principle approval subject to six nomic, cultural and human health conse- preferably along the Datter/Bhesan side, specific conditions. They include mini- quences. Vultures have helped to clean with a view to ensure that it does not cut mum disturbance for the long-billed vul- up and remove dead livestock and even across the prime vulture habitat and ture, Girnari Giddh habitat, cafeteria for human corpse. An immediate impact has minimizes disturbance to the nesting, vultures, increase in the height of two been the explosion in the feral dog popu- roosting and ranging sites of long-billed towers along the ropeway, a cess on lation. vultures and other wildlife species, and ticket turnover revenue for conservation The construction of a ropeway from submit a report within two months. and setting up of a technical monitoring Bhavnath Taleti Ambaji Temple in the The height of the ninth and tenth tower group. Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary at Junagarh of the ropeway will be increased to avoid The long-billed vulture, Gyps indicus has been under consideration of the disturbance to the vulture nesting sites is one of the 20 most endangered birds in Ministry of Environment and Forests located in the area. A high-resolution the world. The species has been included (MoEF), Government of India, for over a camera will be placed on the ninth tower in the IUCN red list of threatened ani- year. The ropeway project was on the to monitor the movement of vultures and mals. The Bombay Natural History Soci- hold since September 1995. But it was if required, the movement of cabins on ety (BNHS), Mumbai has reported that only after the declaration of the Girnar the ropeway will be regulated to avoid the vulture population, especially the Reserve Forest as the Girnar Wildlife any accidental collision of vultures with Indian white-backed, long-billed and Sanctuary in May 2008, that the Central the cabins. slender-billed vultures has declined Government approval has been necessi- A cafeteria for vultures will be con- almost 99.9% in recent times. tated. structed at an appropriate location, to be Further studies established in 2004 A technical group of the Standing decided in consultation with the experts, that the presence of the drug Diclofenac, Committee of the National Board for to provide supplemental feed to the vul- used widely as a painkiller for livestock Wildlife believes that the construction of tures apart from attempting to divert their in the Indian subcontinent, was found in the ropeway might cause the local ex- movement away from the ropeway. the tissues of dead cattle and was prov- tinction of these vultures. The Commit- A cess of Rs 5 per ticket or 2% of the ing fatal for the vultures. It caused kid- tee visited the site in last December and ticket turnover revenue, whichever is ney failure in these birds. The study also has advised against the construction of a higher, will be imposed. This will be given revealed that 11.1% of the livestock ropeway. to the Gir Lion Conservation Society for carcasses available to vultures were con- On 7 February 2011, MoEF had given conservation-related activities in and taminated with the drug. Another major clearance to this project subject to six around the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, threat to the vultures is from the loss and conditions. The Government of Gujarat with equal focus on long-billed vultures. deterioration of habitat. will conduct a study to consider an alter- A technical monitoring group of offi- cers from the Gujarat Forest Department, and local voluntary organizations con- cerned like BNHS and WWF will be set up to advice on safety protocols and to monitor the implementation of the conditions governing the clearance of the ropeway project. The Girnari Giddh population that will be affected by the ropeway project is between 20% and 25% of the total population of long-billed vultures in Gujarat, but less than 10% of the vulture population in the estate. The ropeway project would minimize man–animal conflict in the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Jaimini Sarkar (S. Ramaseshan Fellow). Long billed vulture. e-mail: [email protected] CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 100, NO. 7, 10 APRIL 2011 965.

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