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The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011 EPTRI-ENVIS Newsletter ISSN : 0974-2336 Vol.17, No.4. 2011 discussed about In-Situ conservation (on site natural habitat) and Ex-Situ conservation (off site natural habitat) by giving example of Sheshachalam Biosphere Reserve and establishing Botanical Garden, respectively. Similarly many speakers, namely, Prof. PVGD Prasad Reddy, AU; Smt. K. Leela Laxma Raddy, President, CGR; Sri The Eastern Ghats R. Deleep Reddy, Chairman, GrACE; Prof. PVV Prasad Rao, AU; Prof. Uday Bhaskar Reddy, HoD, Dept. of Env. Science, AU; Dr. Sai Bhaskar and Md. T. Naziaya were discussed on status of Eastern Ghats and how to Protect it. A E P T R I - E N V I S N e w s l e t t e r recommendation was made unanimously to make Vizag one of the regional centres for conservation of Eastern Ghats ENVIS CENTRE ON ECOLOGY OF EASTERN GHATS and Ministry of Environment and Forests would be requested to make arrangement to establish Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for central as well as State level.

The ENVIS Centre on Eastern Ghats is a decentralized Environmental Information Centre established by the Ministry of FORTH COMING EVENTS Environment and Forests, Government of India on thematic issue of Ecology of Eastern Ghats

Volume-17 Issue-4 October-December, 2011

Date: 5 to 6 May 2012 Title: 3rd International Conference on Food Engineering and Biotechnology (ICFEB 2012) Venue: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Organiser: CBEES Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.icfeb.org/ Last date for abstract: 10 February 2012

Date: 27 to 30 September 2012 Title: Sustainable Alternatives for Poverty Reduction and Ecological Justice (SAPREJ 2012) Venue: Chania, Greece Organizer: Institute of Theology and Ecology - Orthodox Academy of Crete Email: [email protected] Website: http://saprej2012.webs.com/ Last date for abstract: 30 June 2012.

Date: 22 to 26 June 2013 Title: The Fourth International Society for Seed Science Meeting on Seeds and the Environment Venue: Shenyang, Liaoning, China Organizer: Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Contact Name: Seed Ecology IV Organizing Committee Website: http://seed2013.csp.escience.cn/dct/page/1

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are not those of the editors' or of the EPTRI

From: ENVIS Coordinator To, Printed matter ENVIS Centre on Ecology of Eastern Ghats, ...... Environment Protection Training & Research Institute 91/4, Gachibowli, Hyderabad-500032, A.P.,India Ph: +91-040-23180103, 23180114, 23180100 Fax. No: +40-23180135 Website:http://eptrienvis.nic.in ENVIS CENTRE ON ECOLOGY OF EASTERN GHATS Email: [email protected] ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION TRAINING & RESEARCH 8 INSTITUTE The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.1 7, N o. 4, 2 01 1 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011 CONTENTS High Mg–Al granulites from the Sunki locality in the and exploitation of the ecology, said Priyankaa Varghese, central portion of the Eastern Ghats Province record Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) west region of Karimnagar evidence for the high-temperature peak and retrograde district. Page no. evolution. Peak metamorphic phase assemblages from 1. Editorial 2 two samples are garnet + orthopyroxene + quartz + Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- ilmenite + melt and orthopyroxene + spinel + sillimanite + national/tp-andhrapradesh/article2460837.ece?css=print melt, respectively. Isochemical phase diagrams 2. Time series data of (pseudosections) based on bulk rock compositions Ostrich pair big draw at S.V. Zoological Park Funds released under c a l c u l a t e d i n t h e c h e m i c a l s y s t e m Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park located here skirting the Project Tiger during Na2O–CaO–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–Fe Tirumala hill base can now boast of having a pair of ostrich in XI five year plan( in lakhs) 2O3 (NCKFMASHTO) and Al contents in orthopyroxene THE EASTERN GHATS its sprawling sanctuary. in Andhra Pradesh 2 indicate peak UHT metamorphic conditions in excess of 960 °C and 9.7 kbar. Microstructures and the presence of ENVIS NEWSLETTER The cute looking pair, procured from Tamil Nadu Veterinary VOL.17, No 4,2011 cordierite interpreted to record the post-peak evolution University, Chennai, was brought to the zoo ahead of 3. Occupancy of Tiger show that the rocks underwent decompression and minor Deepavali and became a good draw at the zoo during the ( Panthera tigris) in cooling from conditions of peak UHT metamorphism to festival holidays. The two huge and long-legged birds, Eastern Ghats 3 conditions of ~ 900 °C at ~ 7.5 kbar. In situ U–Pb isotope formally let into their enclosures in the midst of some VIPs, EDITORIAL analyses of monazite associated with garnet and cordierite being strange to the campus tried to keep aloof and shy away

4. Abstracts 6 using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe from the visitors, especially the photographers when they In this issue of the 207 235 (SHRIMP) yield a weighted mean Pb/ U age of ca. 980 tried to get a close snap of their heavily plumed bodies. Eastern Ghats newsletter Ma, which is interpreted to broadly constrain the timing of Ostrich is the largest flightless bird found in open dry an article deals with the Conservation 5. News & Events 7 high-temperature monazite growth during decompression grasslands of E. Africa, South Africa and in Sahara and they of Tiger in Eastern Ghats. In addition to these and melt crystallization at ~ 900–890 °C and 7.5 kbar. feed on seed, grass, plant matter and small invertebrates. abstracts of Eastern Ghats Bio-diversity and 6. Forth Coming events 8 However, the range of 207Pb/235U monazite ages (from ca. Males have black feathers and female's grayish brown and Time Series data on Funds released under 1014 Ma to 959 Ma for one sample and ca. 1043 Ma to 922 they have powerful eyesight and hearing sense. Project Tiger during XI five year plan Ma for the second sample) suggest protracted monazite ( in lakhs).for Andhra Pradesh, Source:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Time Series Data on Funds released under Project growth during the high-temperature retrograde evolution, national/tp-andhrapradesh/article2575347.ece News & Events and Forth coming events and possibly diffusive lead loss during slow cooling after are presented. Tiger during XI five year plan(in lakhs) for Andhra Pradesh. decompression. The results of the integrated petrologic and geochronologic approach presented here are ENVIS COORDINATOR Regional Convention On Eastern Ghats inconsistent with a long time gap between peak conditions on 19th November 2011 Cover Page: Waterfall in Sileru, . and the formation of cordierite-bearing assemblages at Year Funds (in lakhs) lower pressure, as proposed in previous studies, but are Visakhapatnam An appeal was made through the regional convention on consistent with a simple evolution of a UHT peak followed Eastern Ghats on 19th November 2001 held at Seminar Hall, Photo Credit: M.Giridhar 2007-2008 73.9175 by decompression and cooling. Platinum Jubilee Guest House, Andhra University campus, Visakhapatnam to all individuals, civil society organizations, 2008-2009 5. C. Sudhakar Reddy & Chiranjibi Pattanaik, Published by 56.9830 citizens, students, scientists, and policy makers working with Gomphostemma eriocarpum Benth. (Lamiaceae) - a new similar vision to make a common cause and to be a part of EPTRI, Hyderabad record for the Eastern Ghats, India, October 2011| Vol. 3 | common struggles for the restoration to the damaged Eastern 2009-2010 Supported by 138.2540 No. 10 | Pages 2147-2149 Ghats. Ministry of Environment and Forests Smt. D. Purandheswari, Minister of State for Human 2010-2011 155.6450 Botanical explorations conducted in the state of Orissa (MoEF) Resources Development inaugurated the one day Regional resulted in collecting Gomphostemma eriocarpum Benth., Convention on Eastern Ghats organized by Greens Alliance which forms a new addition to the flora of Orissa. for Conservation of Eastern Ghats (GrACE) and addressed 200 the gathering by speaking “ Nature is mother, can give every NEWS & EVENTS thing and Protection of mother is the responsibility of every ENVIS Team 150 2007-2008 2008-2009 citizen to get better life”. She said, according to Vedic saying 100 2009-2010 “Vruksho Rakhati Rakshitaha” which means if the tree is Dr. Razia Sultana, ENVIS Coordinator 50 2010-2011 protected it will protect the mankind and Eastern Ghats with Mr. B.L.N. Murthy, Program officer Bears will soon become extinct in Karimnagar, says huge amount of plants which are to be protected. 0 Divisional Forest Officer Mr. M.Giridhar, Program Officer Fund (in lakhs) The population of the wild bear albeit sloth bear is declining in Dr. Prabhata Kumar Swain, Senior Program Officer of Smt J.V.S. Prabhavathi, Data Entry Operator Karimnagar, which has the highest number of wild bear ENVIS Division of EPTRI shared the moment with special emphasis on the policy options to protect Eastern Ghats. He Source: http://moef.nic.in population in the State, due to stone and granite quarry operation 2 7 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No4, 2011 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No4, 2011

Tiger occupancy seen in Orissa part of Eastern Ghats Gaur and Wild pig (Sus scrofa), which found perfect ABSTRACTS Occupancy of Tiger ( Panthera homes in the dense forested habitats of India, enabling the tigris) in Eastern Ghats tiger to thrive. And from North-West India which is closer to the mainland mass, allowed the inflow of Ethiopian Similipal 1. A.Benniamin. 2011. Pteris tripartita Sw. A New Record Giridhar Malla fauna dominated by bovids like Gazelle (Gazella ENVIS-EPTRI, Hyderabad bennetti), blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) etc. Satkosia for Eastern Ghats. International Journal of Biological Technology (2011) Vol.2 (1): 14-15. ISSN: 0976 – 4313 Tiger, the magnificent animal, has been a part of our lore Pteris tripartita Sw. has been collected from Alazhar hills of Tigers, which once ranged widely over the Indian Malkangiri and lives for centuries. Roaming in shadowy monsoon subcontinent, are now confined to an area of 350,000 to & Koraput Madurai District; Tamil Nadu is reported for the first time forests, cool mangrove swamps and the cold, frosty forests 2 from Eastern Ghats. The detailed description and colour 400,000 km . Even within this reduced range breeding of its few remaining homes, the tiger is celebrated as the populations are now restricted to a few protected reserves photograph is provided to facilitate for easy identification. striped king of beasts. In India, the tigers live grasslands, and the adjoining areas, covering about 40,000km2, less dry forests and evergreen hills. Thousands of years ago, than one percent of the tiger's historical range. 2. R. Kottaimuthu, R. Kumuthakalavalli .2011. ) Ethno Tiger occupancy in Andhra Pradesh part of Eastern Ghats nine different sub-species of tigers roamed all over the Asia. botany and Taxonomy of Theriophonum Fischeri Sivad. Currently Tigers occur largely in the forest areas of 17 They were named after the places in which they lived. But (Araceae). Life science leaflets 20: 956-960, 2011. ISSN states in India. The distribution of tigers and their densities today three of these are extinct (Bali Tiger, Caspian Tiger 0976-1098. in these areas vary on account of several ecological and and Javan tiger) and the only five species remain (Bengal Theriophonum fischeri Sivad. (Araceae) is endemic to South anthropological factor like forest cover, terrain, natural tiger, Indo- Chinese tiger, Malayan tiger, Sumatran tiger, Papikonda India. The present collection from Karandamalai, Pannamalai prey availability, presence of undisturbed habitat and and South- china tiger). and Sirumalai hills, Southern Eastern Ghats extends its quality of managerial efforts taken towards protection. NSTR distribution further towards southern parts of Eastern Ghats. Tiger is the symbol of India's wealth of wildlife. With its Broadly the country was divided into six tiger occupied Hitherto unreported uses of this plant are also provide thick yellow coat of fur with dark stripes and combination of landscapes. They are: grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the 1) Shivaliks and the Gangetic Plains 3. Anburaja V1, Nandagopalan V2 and Prakash S3. 2011. tiger its pride of place as the national animal of India. The Fly as pollinator in Caralluma umbellata Haw. 2) Central Indian Landscape Royal Bengal Tiger is found throughout the country (except (Asclepiadaceae) found in the Pachamalai hills, Eastern in the north-western region) and also in the neighboring 3) Eastern Ghats Ghats, Tamil Nadu. Journal of research in Biology (2011) countries, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. One of the Tiger occupancy in Karnataka part of Eastern Ghats Vol.6: 403-407, 4) Western Ghats earliest portrayals of the tiger in India was found in the Pollination studies have been done in the Caralluma Harappan seals from the Indus valley culture, dating back to 5) North-East hills & Brahmaputra Plains and umbellata, a member of Asclepiadaceae found in the 2500 BC, and depicting an intricate association between 6) Sundarbans Pachamalai hills of Tamil Nadu. The hills lie between people and tigers. The rock paintings of Warli tribe, which latitudes 11°09'00" to 11°27'00" N and longitudes 78°28'00" date back to around 3000 BC, also feature the tiger. Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains to 78°49'00" E. The studies were carried out between April along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from BRT 2006 and April 2008. The main scope of the work was to The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is a tiger Orissa state in the north, through Andhra Pradesh and investigate the pollination of the C. umbellata. Pollinator subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent, which is the Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. captures were carried out by (1) stalking near plants visually most numerous tiger subspecies with populations estimated The Eastern Ghats are located between 77 22' to 85 20' E searching for arrival of probable pollinators and (2) random at 1,520–1,909 in India, 440 in Bangladesh, 124–229 in longitudes and 11 30' to 21 0' N latitudes. They are eroded captures in the sampling area. The phenology of flowering is Nepal and 67–81 in Bhutan. In 2010 it has been classified as and cut through by the four major rivers of Southern starting in the month of February and extended up to April. Pic Source: Google Earth endangered by IUCN. The total population is estimated at India, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri. The The fruit set is starting in the month of June onwards. The fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend, and mountain ranges run parallel to the Bay of Bengal. pollination in the C. umbellata is mainly done by house fly. A With joint collaboration between States of Eastern Ghats none of the Tiger Conservation Landscapes within the These mountains are rich in biodiversity, forest are mostly fleshy odour is produced during the peak flowering season. and thorough measures and considering the resilience of Bengal tiger's range is large enough to support an effective dominated by Evergreen, Semi-evergreen, Tropical moist This odouring attracts the pollinator towards the flowers. The the Tiger and given proper protection, it is hoped that the population size of 250 adult individuals. deciduous, etc. Dominant tree species which cover these activity of the pollinator is almost peak during 14:15 hrs to tiger will once again stage a remarkable come back and the areas are Terminalia arjuna, Shorea robusta, Buchanania 17:30 hrs. The time duration of the fly retaining in the flower population will reach the optimum levels in the next The tiger originated in the landscape that is now China and lanzan etc. is varied from few minutes to 25 minutes. The average time of coming years of conservation. even about two million years ago had a wide distribution the fly visiting the flower is 8.29 ± 7.98 minutes. Some of the main areas where source populations of tigers over South-East Asia. Tigers came into India some 10 References: are present in the Eastern Ghats: , thousand of years ago through the Assam gateway (Mani, 4. F.J. Korhonen , A.K. Saw, C. Clark, M. Brown, S. 1) Similipal Tiger Reserve. Bhattacharya,2011. New constraints on UHT metamorphism 1974); this arrival was possibly much before the appearance 1. Wildlife Institute of India, Tiger Report 2010. of earlier man (Homo sapiens, 60,000 to 40,000 years ago). 2. WWF -India, Conservation of Tiger In Andhra Pradesh, in the Eastern Ghats Province through the application of phase 2) Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Along the same gateway, in the course of time, other large WWF-APSO equilibria modeling and in situ geochronology. Gondwana Research Volume 20, Issue 4, November 2011, Pages 764-781 mammal fauna from the humid tropics of the oriental realm 3) Nagarjuna-Sagar Tiger Reserve. e.g. Sambar (Cervus unicolor), buffalo (Bubalus arnee), 4) Biligiri Rangan Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. 6 3 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011

Others areas where tiger occupancy is observed are both precious wildlife and its overall ecology. Nagarjuna-Sagar, which are important sources of Biligiri Rangan wildlife sanctuary: Malkangiri and Koraput districts, Papikonda Wildlife irrigation and power in the State, are located in the Sanctuary, Visakhapatnam agency, Khammam and People inside and outside the sanctuary are very much Reserve. The reservoirs and temples of Srisailam are Tiger occupancy: A recent survey has revealed the Warangal districts. dependent on it and thus affecting the capacity of forest by major attractions for a number of tourists and pilgrims presence of 17 Tigers in this sanctuary. removing the firewood, timber and a number of minor from all over the country and abroad. The area is hilly, Similipal Tiger Reserve: forest produce. Ecotourism, through unrestricted tourist considerably varying from plains to precipitous cliffs. Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (539.58 Tiger occupancy: 23 (12- 34) in 1088 sq.km inflows to the reserve, also substantially affects the forest. sq.km) was declared a sanctuary of 322.4 sq.km on 1974 and Similipal Tiger Reserve was originated primarily as a This disturbance is affecting the natural distribution and High hills, deep- valleys and gorges are characteristic extended to its present size on 1987. The sanctuary is unique hunting ground for the royalty. Similipal is situated in the behaviours pattern of higher animal groups in the reserve features. The hill ranges contain number of plateaus of in that it is situated at the junction of the Eastern Ghats and biotic province, Chhotanagpur Plateau in the heart of the and therefore need to be regulated. which Amrabad, Srisailam, Peddacheruvu, Sivapuram, Western Ghats and therefore has floral representatives of erstwhile Mayurbhanj State and derives its name from the Nekkanti are note-worthy. Nagarjuna-Sagar receives both regions. Its southern boundary adjoins the Tamil Nadu, magnificent and enchanting Simul (Silk Cotton Tree). The Satkosia Tiger Reserve: rains from South-West monsoon as well as North-East Satyamangalam forest which has good tiger occupancy. hills with numerous peaks and valleys in between, rise monsoon. The South-West monsoon is active from steeply from the plains of Udala in the south and Baripada in Tiger occupancy: 8 (7-9) in 450 sq.km second half of June to end September. After a dry spell of The hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or the south-east and extend up to Jashipur in the north-west, one month during October, North-East monsoon Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the Bisnoi in the north and Thakurmunda to the west. There are Satkosia Tiger Reserve is the second tiger reserve of the becomes active. The River Krishna is the oldest river in hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name. several streams flowing in all directions and ultimately state of Orissa, situated at its heart on either side of river the country, which has cut its basin almost 200 m deep draining into the Bay of Bengal. Mahanadi including the gorge portion. The big mountains with water falls at Ethipothala, Pedda Dukudu, Gundam The Biligiris are Charnocktite hills, covered with tropical are standing both side of the river which nature created and Chaleswaram. dry broadleaf forest, part of the South Deccan Plateau dry Similipal Tiger Reserve was created in 1973. The gorge. The gorge is narrow but very deep having strong deciduous forests eco-region. The forests range from scrub Government of Orissa declared Similipal Sanctuary with an undercurrent of water. The length of this gorge is 7 kosa The wildlife is generally confined to the plateaus during forests at lower elevations, degraded by over-use, to the tall area of about 2200 km2 in 1979. Government of Orissa which is equivalent to 22 Kms. The name of the gorge is monsoon and in valleys during summer. The perennial deciduous forests typical of the eco-region, to stunted shola proposed 303 km2 area of the Similipal Sanctuary as called as the Satkosia gorge. In the name of this gorge state water sources are generally located in the valleys and the forests and montane grasslands at the highest elevations, National Park in 1980. The area of the proposed National Govt. declared its 745.52 Sq. Km. area as Satkosia gorge plateaus suffer from acute scarcity for water during which exceed 1800 meters. The forests form an important Park was increased to 845 km2 in 1986. Government of sanctuary in the year 1976. The Baisipalli sanctuary was summer. Forest Types of the Reserve are: Southern wildlife corridor between the Western Ghats and the Eastern India in 1994 declared the creation of Similipal Biosphere also declared as sanctuary in the year 1983 the adjacent of Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest, Hardwickia Ghats, linking the largest populations of Asian Elephants Reserve. the Satkosia southern part. Forest, Southern Thorn Forest, and Southern Euphorbia and tigers in southern India. The most conspicuous Scrub. mammals are the herds of wild elephants. The other The Similipal Tiger Reserve is a rich heritage of biological Threats: With about 35 villages within the sanctuary and mammals include sambhar, chital, the shy barking deer diversity. It is home to some of the charismatic animals such 80 in the buffer zone, the biotic pressures exerted on the The dominant species are: Anogeissus latifolia, which are quite common here and the rare four-horned as tigers, elephants, leopards, spotted deer and mouse deer. It reserve in the form of timber extraction, NTFP collection, Cleisthanthus collinus, Terminalia spp., Pterocarpus antelope. Carnivores include tigers, leopards, wild dogs, is also the treasure house for lavish population of wild fauna. Grazing of livestock and fishing is high. Similarly, the marsupium, Hardwickia binata, Boswellia serrata, lesser cats and sloth bears and among arboreal mammals Similipal Tiger Reserve represents a rich biodiversity of location of the reserve close to the Talcher coal-mines and Tectona grandis, Mandelia suberora, Albizzia spp. two species of primates and three species of squirrels mostly hitherto unexplored invertebrate fauna. It is a natural consequently in the industrial hub of the region Animal species of the Reserve include: Tiger, Leopard, including the giant flying squirrel are recorded.BRT falls in home to a wide diverse array of invertebrate groups, comprising of industries such as NALCO, NTPC, TTPS, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Pangolin, Spotted Deer, Sambar, the landscape with Nagarhole, Bandipur, Wayanad, communities, due to its naturally diversified habitat. The Bhushan steels and straps, Jhindal steels and many other Mouse Deer, Black Buck, Chinkara, Chowsinga, Mudumalai, Brahmagiri, Satyamangalam, and Cauvery dense, thick, close tree canopies and extensive grasslands small industries exerts high pressure on the region. Mugger, Python, Cobra, Peafowl, etc. wildlife sanctuaries which make them altogether as the favour abundance of various invertebrate and vertebrate largest contiguous single population in the world with 354 fauna. They inhabit different forest types and their habitats Nagarjuna-Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve: Threats: The forest is an oasis for five surrounding to 411 tigers approximately. at various altitudes in the protected area. districts and meets their demand for timber and fuel. The Tiger occupancy: 60 (53-66) in 2159 sq.km smugglers operate in the interior areas and move timber Threats: NTFP collection, grazing of livestock, Habitat Threats: Despite a near four decade long history of state to the plains. destruction, plastic wastes is the major threats to the endeavours at biological conservation, perhaps the first Nagarjuna-Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve spreads over Sanctuary. protected area in India's natural conservation history /efforts five districts viz. Nalgonda, Maheboobnagar, Kurnool, There is a considerable grazing pressure on the fringe the uniquely endowed natural habitat located in North Prakasam and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna areas that also affects the core area. The core area has 26 There are still some other tiger occupied forests in the Orissa, has also had its share of environmental problems / River flows through the Reserve over a length of 130 km. tribal villages with 1,500 people. One village has been unexplored forest patches of Eastern Ghats. By strictly threats like anthropogenic pressure , habitat loss, akhand The Nagarjuna-Sagar-Srisailam Sanctuary was notified relocated in 10 years. Efforts to relocate other villages enforcing laws these areas can be secured. shikar etc. The growing population of 65 villages located in 1978 and declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983. The are on but it is felt that these Chenchu tribal could co- within the core / buffer zone of the sanctuary is poses one of Reserve was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary exist with the natural system since their needs are basic Tigers need ample prey and undisturbed patches of forests greatest challenge to its existence. The rapid loss and in 1992. Before independence, the southern half of the and simple. for their survival, unlike other animals' tigers are animals deterioration of habitat through anthropogenic forest fires, Reserve area was under the control of the British while the which breed and can regain its population as fast as possible. jhumming practices, Akhand Shikar [traditional mass northern half was controlled by the rulers of princely State In this situation it is better to work with the people to And moreover corridor play a vital rule in dispersing the killing of wildlife during Chaitra Sankaranti during April to of Hyderabad, who maintained it as a reserve for royal protect the forest. Low herbivore populations and the tiger populations and help in establishing territories. May by the local tribal] in Similipal are the major threats to hunting. The multipurpose reservoirs, Srisailam and question of cattle lifting by tigers needs to be researched 4 and a detailed analysis of the prey base have to be done. 5 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011

Others areas where tiger occupancy is observed are both precious wildlife and its overall ecology. Nagarjuna-Sagar, which are important sources of Biligiri Rangan wildlife sanctuary: Malkangiri and Koraput districts, Papikonda Wildlife irrigation and power in the State, are located in the Sanctuary, Visakhapatnam agency, Khammam and People inside and outside the sanctuary are very much Reserve. The reservoirs and temples of Srisailam are Tiger occupancy: A recent survey has revealed the Warangal districts. dependent on it and thus affecting the capacity of forest by major attractions for a number of tourists and pilgrims presence of 17 Tigers in this sanctuary. removing the firewood, timber and a number of minor from all over the country and abroad. The area is hilly, Similipal Tiger Reserve: forest produce. Ecotourism, through unrestricted tourist considerably varying from plains to precipitous cliffs. Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (539.58 Tiger occupancy: 23 (12- 34) in 1088 sq.km inflows to the reserve, also substantially affects the forest. sq.km) was declared a sanctuary of 322.4 sq.km on 1974 and Similipal Tiger Reserve was originated primarily as a This disturbance is affecting the natural distribution and High hills, deep- valleys and gorges are characteristic extended to its present size on 1987. The sanctuary is unique hunting ground for the royalty. Similipal is situated in the behaviours pattern of higher animal groups in the reserve features. The hill ranges contain number of plateaus of in that it is situated at the junction of the Eastern Ghats and biotic province, Chhotanagpur Plateau in the heart of the and therefore need to be regulated. which Amrabad, Srisailam, Peddacheruvu, Sivapuram, Western Ghats and therefore has floral representatives of erstwhile Mayurbhanj State and derives its name from the Nekkanti are note-worthy. Nagarjuna-Sagar receives both regions. Its southern boundary adjoins the Tamil Nadu, magnificent and enchanting Simul (Silk Cotton Tree). The Satkosia Tiger Reserve: rains from South-West monsoon as well as North-East Satyamangalam forest which has good tiger occupancy. hills with numerous peaks and valleys in between, rise monsoon. The South-West monsoon is active from steeply from the plains of Udala in the south and Baripada in Tiger occupancy: 8 (7-9) in 450 sq.km second half of June to end September. After a dry spell of The hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or the south-east and extend up to Jashipur in the north-west, one month during October, North-East monsoon Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the Bisnoi in the north and Thakurmunda to the west. There are Satkosia Tiger Reserve is the second tiger reserve of the becomes active. The River Krishna is the oldest river in hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name. several streams flowing in all directions and ultimately state of Orissa, situated at its heart on either side of river the country, which has cut its basin almost 200 m deep draining into the Bay of Bengal. Mahanadi including the gorge portion. The big mountains with water falls at Ethipothala, Pedda Dukudu, Gundam The Biligiris are Charnocktite hills, covered with tropical are standing both side of the river which nature created and Chaleswaram. dry broadleaf forest, part of the South Deccan Plateau dry Similipal Tiger Reserve was created in 1973. The gorge. The gorge is narrow but very deep having strong deciduous forests eco-region. The forests range from scrub Government of Orissa declared Similipal Sanctuary with an undercurrent of water. The length of this gorge is 7 kosa The wildlife is generally confined to the plateaus during forests at lower elevations, degraded by over-use, to the tall area of about 2200 km2 in 1979. Government of Orissa which is equivalent to 22 Kms. The name of the gorge is monsoon and in valleys during summer. The perennial deciduous forests typical of the eco-region, to stunted shola proposed 303 km2 area of the Similipal Sanctuary as called as the Satkosia gorge. In the name of this gorge state water sources are generally located in the valleys and the forests and montane grasslands at the highest elevations, National Park in 1980. The area of the proposed National Govt. declared its 745.52 Sq. Km. area as Satkosia gorge plateaus suffer from acute scarcity for water during which exceed 1800 meters. The forests form an important Park was increased to 845 km2 in 1986. Government of sanctuary in the year 1976. The Baisipalli sanctuary was summer. Forest Types of the Reserve are: Southern wildlife corridor between the Western Ghats and the Eastern India in 1994 declared the creation of Similipal Biosphere also declared as sanctuary in the year 1983 the adjacent of Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest, Hardwickia Ghats, linking the largest populations of Asian Elephants Reserve. the Satkosia southern part. Forest, Southern Thorn Forest, and Southern Euphorbia and tigers in southern India. The most conspicuous Scrub. mammals are the herds of wild elephants. The other The Similipal Tiger Reserve is a rich heritage of biological Threats: With about 35 villages within the sanctuary and mammals include sambhar, chital, the shy barking deer diversity. It is home to some of the charismatic animals such 80 in the buffer zone, the biotic pressures exerted on the The dominant species are: Anogeissus latifolia, which are quite common here and the rare four-horned as tigers, elephants, leopards, spotted deer and mouse deer. It reserve in the form of timber extraction, NTFP collection, Cleisthanthus collinus, Terminalia spp., Pterocarpus antelope. Carnivores include tigers, leopards, wild dogs, is also the treasure house for lavish population of wild fauna. Grazing of livestock and fishing is high. Similarly, the marsupium, Hardwickia binata, Boswellia serrata, lesser cats and sloth bears and among arboreal mammals Similipal Tiger Reserve represents a rich biodiversity of location of the reserve close to the Talcher coal-mines and Tectona grandis, Mandelia suberora, Albizzia spp. two species of primates and three species of squirrels mostly hitherto unexplored invertebrate fauna. It is a natural consequently in the industrial hub of the region Animal species of the Reserve include: Tiger, Leopard, including the giant flying squirrel are recorded.BRT falls in home to a wide diverse array of invertebrate groups, comprising of industries such as NALCO, NTPC, TTPS, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Pangolin, Spotted Deer, Sambar, the landscape with Nagarhole, Bandipur, Wayanad, communities, due to its naturally diversified habitat. The Bhushan steels and straps, Jhindal steels and many other Mouse Deer, Black Buck, Chinkara, Chowsinga, Mudumalai, Brahmagiri, Satyamangalam, and Cauvery dense, thick, close tree canopies and extensive grasslands small industries exerts high pressure on the region. Mugger, Python, Cobra, Peafowl, etc. wildlife sanctuaries which make them altogether as the favour abundance of various invertebrate and vertebrate largest contiguous single population in the world with 354 fauna. They inhabit different forest types and their habitats Nagarjuna-Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve: Threats: The forest is an oasis for five surrounding to 411 tigers approximately. at various altitudes in the protected area. districts and meets their demand for timber and fuel. The Tiger occupancy: 60 (53-66) in 2159 sq.km smugglers operate in the interior areas and move timber Threats: NTFP collection, grazing of livestock, Habitat Threats: Despite a near four decade long history of state to the plains. destruction, plastic wastes is the major threats to the endeavours at biological conservation, perhaps the first Nagarjuna-Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve spreads over Sanctuary. protected area in India's natural conservation history /efforts five districts viz. Nalgonda, Maheboobnagar, Kurnool, There is a considerable grazing pressure on the fringe the uniquely endowed natural habitat located in North Prakasam and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna areas that also affects the core area. The core area has 26 There are still some other tiger occupied forests in the Orissa, has also had its share of environmental problems / River flows through the Reserve over a length of 130 km. tribal villages with 1,500 people. One village has been unexplored forest patches of Eastern Ghats. By strictly threats like anthropogenic pressure , habitat loss, akhand The Nagarjuna-Sagar-Srisailam Sanctuary was notified relocated in 10 years. Efforts to relocate other villages enforcing laws these areas can be secured. shikar etc. The growing population of 65 villages located in 1978 and declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983. The are on but it is felt that these Chenchu tribal could co- within the core / buffer zone of the sanctuary is poses one of Reserve was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary exist with the natural system since their needs are basic Tigers need ample prey and undisturbed patches of forests greatest challenge to its existence. The rapid loss and in 1992. Before independence, the southern half of the and simple. for their survival, unlike other animals' tigers are animals deterioration of habitat through anthropogenic forest fires, Reserve area was under the control of the British while the which breed and can regain its population as fast as possible. jhumming practices, Akhand Shikar [traditional mass northern half was controlled by the rulers of princely State In this situation it is better to work with the people to And moreover corridor play a vital rule in dispersing the killing of wildlife during Chaitra Sankaranti during April to of Hyderabad, who maintained it as a reserve for royal protect the forest. Low herbivore populations and the tiger populations and help in establishing territories. May by the local tribal] in Similipal are the major threats to hunting. The multipurpose reservoirs, Srisailam and question of cattle lifting by tigers needs to be researched 4 and a detailed analysis of the prey base have to be done. 5 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No4, 2011 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No4, 2011

Tiger occupancy seen in Orissa part of Eastern Ghats Gaur and Wild pig (Sus scrofa), which found perfect ABSTRACTS Occupancy of Tiger ( Panthera homes in the dense forested habitats of India, enabling the tigris) in Eastern Ghats tiger to thrive. And from North-West India which is closer to the mainland mass, allowed the inflow of Ethiopian Similipal 1. A.Benniamin. 2011. Pteris tripartita Sw. A New Record Giridhar Malla fauna dominated by bovids like Gazelle (Gazella ENVIS-EPTRI, Hyderabad bennetti), blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) etc. Satkosia for Eastern Ghats. International Journal of Biological Technology (2011) Vol.2 (1): 14-15. ISSN: 0976 – 4313 Tiger, the magnificent animal, has been a part of our lore Pteris tripartita Sw. has been collected from Alazhar hills of Tigers, which once ranged widely over the Indian Malkangiri and lives for centuries. Roaming in shadowy monsoon subcontinent, are now confined to an area of 350,000 to & Koraput Madurai District; Tamil Nadu is reported for the first time forests, cool mangrove swamps and the cold, frosty forests 2 from Eastern Ghats. The detailed description and colour 400,000 km . Even within this reduced range breeding of its few remaining homes, the tiger is celebrated as the populations are now restricted to a few protected reserves photograph is provided to facilitate for easy identification. striped king of beasts. In India, the tigers live grasslands, and the adjoining areas, covering about 40,000km2, less dry forests and evergreen hills. Thousands of years ago, than one percent of the tiger's historical range. 2. R. Kottaimuthu, R. Kumuthakalavalli .2011. ) Ethno Tiger occupancy in Andhra Pradesh part of Eastern Ghats nine different sub-species of tigers roamed all over the Asia. botany and Taxonomy of Theriophonum Fischeri Sivad. Currently Tigers occur largely in the forest areas of 17 They were named after the places in which they lived. But (Araceae). Life science leaflets 20: 956-960, 2011. ISSN states in India. The distribution of tigers and their densities today three of these are extinct (Bali Tiger, Caspian Tiger 0976-1098. in these areas vary on account of several ecological and and Javan tiger) and the only five species remain (Bengal Theriophonum fischeri Sivad. (Araceae) is endemic to South anthropological factor like forest cover, terrain, natural tiger, Indo- Chinese tiger, Malayan tiger, Sumatran tiger, Papikonda India. The present collection from Karandamalai, Pannamalai prey availability, presence of undisturbed habitat and and South- china tiger). and Sirumalai hills, Southern Eastern Ghats extends its quality of managerial efforts taken towards protection. NSTR distribution further towards southern parts of Eastern Ghats. Tiger is the symbol of India's wealth of wildlife. With its Broadly the country was divided into six tiger occupied Hitherto unreported uses of this plant are also provide thick yellow coat of fur with dark stripes and combination of landscapes. They are: grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the 1) Shivaliks and the Gangetic Plains 3. Anburaja V1, Nandagopalan V2 and Prakash S3. 2011. tiger its pride of place as the national animal of India. The Fly as pollinator in Caralluma umbellata Haw. 2) Central Indian Landscape Royal Bengal Tiger is found throughout the country (except (Asclepiadaceae) found in the Pachamalai hills, Eastern in the north-western region) and also in the neighboring 3) Eastern Ghats Ghats, Tamil Nadu. Journal of research in Biology (2011) countries, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. One of the Tiger occupancy in Karnataka part of Eastern Ghats Vol.6: 403-407, 4) Western Ghats earliest portrayals of the tiger in India was found in the Pollination studies have been done in the Caralluma Harappan seals from the Indus valley culture, dating back to 5) North-East hills & Brahmaputra Plains and umbellata, a member of Asclepiadaceae found in the 2500 BC, and depicting an intricate association between 6) Sundarbans Pachamalai hills of Tamil Nadu. The hills lie between people and tigers. The rock paintings of Warli tribe, which latitudes 11°09'00" to 11°27'00" N and longitudes 78°28'00" date back to around 3000 BC, also feature the tiger. Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains to 78°49'00" E. The studies were carried out between April along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats run from BRT 2006 and April 2008. The main scope of the work was to The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is a tiger Orissa state in the north, through Andhra Pradesh and investigate the pollination of the C. umbellata. Pollinator subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent, which is the Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. captures were carried out by (1) stalking near plants visually most numerous tiger subspecies with populations estimated The Eastern Ghats are located between 77 22' to 85 20' E searching for arrival of probable pollinators and (2) random at 1,520–1,909 in India, 440 in Bangladesh, 124–229 in longitudes and 11 30' to 21 0' N latitudes. They are eroded captures in the sampling area. The phenology of flowering is Nepal and 67–81 in Bhutan. In 2010 it has been classified as and cut through by the four major rivers of Southern starting in the month of February and extended up to April. Pic Source: Google Earth endangered by IUCN. The total population is estimated at India, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri. The The fruit set is starting in the month of June onwards. The fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend, and mountain ranges run parallel to the Bay of Bengal. pollination in the C. umbellata is mainly done by house fly. A With joint collaboration between States of Eastern Ghats none of the Tiger Conservation Landscapes within the These mountains are rich in biodiversity, forest are mostly fleshy odour is produced during the peak flowering season. and thorough measures and considering the resilience of Bengal tiger's range is large enough to support an effective dominated by Evergreen, Semi-evergreen, Tropical moist This odouring attracts the pollinator towards the flowers. The the Tiger and given proper protection, it is hoped that the population size of 250 adult individuals. deciduous, etc. Dominant tree species which cover these activity of the pollinator is almost peak during 14:15 hrs to tiger will once again stage a remarkable come back and the areas are Terminalia arjuna, Shorea robusta, Buchanania 17:30 hrs. The time duration of the fly retaining in the flower population will reach the optimum levels in the next The tiger originated in the landscape that is now China and lanzan etc. is varied from few minutes to 25 minutes. The average time of coming years of conservation. even about two million years ago had a wide distribution the fly visiting the flower is 8.29 ± 7.98 minutes. Some of the main areas where source populations of tigers over South-East Asia. Tigers came into India some 10 References: are present in the Eastern Ghats: , thousand of years ago through the Assam gateway (Mani, 4. F.J. Korhonen , A.K. Saw, C. Clark, M. Brown, S. 1) Similipal Tiger Reserve. Bhattacharya,2011. New constraints on UHT metamorphism 1974); this arrival was possibly much before the appearance 1. Wildlife Institute of India, Tiger Report 2010. of earlier man (Homo sapiens, 60,000 to 40,000 years ago). 2. WWF -India, Conservation of Tiger In Andhra Pradesh, in the Eastern Ghats Province through the application of phase 2) Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Along the same gateway, in the course of time, other large WWF-APSO equilibria modeling and in situ geochronology. Gondwana Research Volume 20, Issue 4, November 2011, Pages 764-781 mammal fauna from the humid tropics of the oriental realm 3) Nagarjuna-Sagar Tiger Reserve. e.g. Sambar (Cervus unicolor), buffalo (Bubalus arnee), 4) Biligiri Rangan Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. 6 3 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.1 7, N o. 4, 2 01 1 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011 CONTENTS High Mg–Al granulites from the Sunki locality in the and exploitation of the ecology, said Priyankaa Varghese, central portion of the Eastern Ghats Province record Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) west region of Karimnagar evidence for the high-temperature peak and retrograde district. Page no. evolution. Peak metamorphic phase assemblages from 1. Editorial 2 two samples are garnet + orthopyroxene + quartz + Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- ilmenite + melt and orthopyroxene + spinel + sillimanite + national/tp-andhrapradesh/article2460837.ece?css=print melt, respectively. Isochemical phase diagrams 2. Time series data of (pseudosections) based on bulk rock compositions Ostrich pair big draw at S.V. Zoological Park Funds released under c a l c u l a t e d i n t h e c h e m i c a l s y s t e m Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park located here skirting the Project Tiger during Na2O–CaO–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–Fe Tirumala hill base can now boast of having a pair of ostrich in XI five year plan( in lakhs) 2O3 (NCKFMASHTO) and Al contents in orthopyroxene THE EASTERN GHATS its sprawling sanctuary. in Andhra Pradesh 2 indicate peak UHT metamorphic conditions in excess of 960 °C and 9.7 kbar. Microstructures and the presence of ENVIS NEWSLETTER The cute looking pair, procured from Tamil Nadu Veterinary VOL.17, No 4,2011 cordierite interpreted to record the post-peak evolution University, Chennai, was brought to the zoo ahead of 3. Occupancy of Tiger show that the rocks underwent decompression and minor Deepavali and became a good draw at the zoo during the ( Panthera tigris) in cooling from conditions of peak UHT metamorphism to festival holidays. The two huge and long-legged birds, Eastern Ghats 3 conditions of ~ 900 °C at ~ 7.5 kbar. In situ U–Pb isotope formally let into their enclosures in the midst of some VIPs, EDITORIAL analyses of monazite associated with garnet and cordierite being strange to the campus tried to keep aloof and shy away

4. Abstracts 6 using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe from the visitors, especially the photographers when they In this issue of the 207 235 (SHRIMP) yield a weighted mean Pb/ U age of ca. 980 tried to get a close snap of their heavily plumed bodies. Eastern Ghats newsletter Ma, which is interpreted to broadly constrain the timing of Ostrich is the largest flightless bird found in open dry an article deals with the Conservation 5. News & Events 7 high-temperature monazite growth during decompression grasslands of E. Africa, South Africa and in Sahara and they of Tiger in Eastern Ghats. In addition to these and melt crystallization at ~ 900–890 °C and 7.5 kbar. feed on seed, grass, plant matter and small invertebrates. abstracts of Eastern Ghats Bio-diversity and 6. Forth Coming events 8 However, the range of 207Pb/235U monazite ages (from ca. Males have black feathers and female's grayish brown and Time Series data on Funds released under 1014 Ma to 959 Ma for one sample and ca. 1043 Ma to 922 they have powerful eyesight and hearing sense. Project Tiger during XI five year plan Ma for the second sample) suggest protracted monazite ( in lakhs).for Andhra Pradesh, Source:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- Time Series Data on Funds released under Project growth during the high-temperature retrograde evolution, national/tp-andhrapradesh/article2575347.ece News & Events and Forth coming events and possibly diffusive lead loss during slow cooling after are presented. Tiger during XI five year plan(in lakhs) for Andhra Pradesh. decompression. The results of the integrated petrologic and geochronologic approach presented here are ENVIS COORDINATOR Regional Convention On Eastern Ghats inconsistent with a long time gap between peak conditions on 19th November 2011 Cover Page: Waterfall in Sileru, . and the formation of cordierite-bearing assemblages at Year Funds (in lakhs) lower pressure, as proposed in previous studies, but are Visakhapatnam An appeal was made through the regional convention on consistent with a simple evolution of a UHT peak followed Eastern Ghats on 19th November 2001 held at Seminar Hall, Photo Credit: M.Giridhar 2007-2008 73.9175 by decompression and cooling. Platinum Jubilee Guest House, Andhra University campus, Visakhapatnam to all individuals, civil society organizations, 2008-2009 5. C. Sudhakar Reddy & Chiranjibi Pattanaik, Published by 56.9830 citizens, students, scientists, and policy makers working with Gomphostemma eriocarpum Benth. (Lamiaceae) - a new similar vision to make a common cause and to be a part of EPTRI, Hyderabad record for the Eastern Ghats, India, October 2011| Vol. 3 | common struggles for the restoration to the damaged Eastern 2009-2010 Supported by 138.2540 No. 10 | Pages 2147-2149 Ghats. Ministry of Environment and Forests Smt. D. Purandheswari, Minister of State for Human 2010-2011 155.6450 Botanical explorations conducted in the state of Orissa (MoEF) Resources Development inaugurated the one day Regional resulted in collecting Gomphostemma eriocarpum Benth., Convention on Eastern Ghats organized by Greens Alliance which forms a new addition to the flora of Orissa. for Conservation of Eastern Ghats (GrACE) and addressed 200 the gathering by speaking “ Nature is mother, can give every NEWS & EVENTS thing and Protection of mother is the responsibility of every ENVIS Team 150 2007-2008 2008-2009 citizen to get better life”. She said, according to Vedic saying 100 2009-2010 “Vruksho Rakhati Rakshitaha” which means if the tree is Dr. Razia Sultana, ENVIS Coordinator 50 2010-2011 protected it will protect the mankind and Eastern Ghats with Mr. B.L.N. Murthy, Program officer Bears will soon become extinct in Karimnagar, says huge amount of plants which are to be protected. 0 Divisional Forest Officer Mr. M.Giridhar, Program Officer Fund (in lakhs) The population of the wild bear albeit sloth bear is declining in Dr. Prabhata Kumar Swain, Senior Program Officer of Smt J.V.S. Prabhavathi, Data Entry Operator Karimnagar, which has the highest number of wild bear ENVIS Division of EPTRI shared the moment with special emphasis on the policy options to protect Eastern Ghats. He Source: http://moef.nic.in population in the State, due to stone and granite quarry operation 2 7 The Eastern Ghats, EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol.17, No.4, 2011 EPTRI-ENVIS Newsletter ISSN : 0974-2336 Vol.17, No.4. 2011 discussed about In-Situ conservation (on site natural habitat) and Ex-Situ conservation (off site natural habitat) by giving example of Sheshachalam Biosphere Reserve and establishing Botanical Garden, respectively. Similarly many speakers, namely, Prof. PVGD Prasad Reddy, AU; Smt. K. Leela Laxma Raddy, President, CGR; Sri The Eastern Ghats R. Deleep Reddy, Chairman, GrACE; Prof. PVV Prasad Rao, AU; Prof. Uday Bhaskar Reddy, HoD, Dept. of Env. Science, AU; Dr. Sai Bhaskar and Md. T. Naziaya were discussed on status of Eastern Ghats and how to Protect it. A E P T R I - E N V I S N e w s l e t t e r recommendation was made unanimously to make Vizag one of the regional centres for conservation of Eastern Ghats ENVIS CENTRE ON ECOLOGY OF EASTERN GHATS and Ministry of Environment and Forests would be requested to make arrangement to establish Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for central as well as State level.

Volume-17 Issue-4 October-December, 2011

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are not those of the editors' or of the EPTRI