PROTECTED AREA UPDATE News and Information from protected areas in India and South Asia No. 34 & 35 February 2002 EDITORIAL Jharkhand Obituary: Anil Agarwal Elephant numbers increase in Dalma NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES First elephant reserve in Jharkhand Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Flamingoes flock to Pulicat Eco-development project in Ranganthitu Rains bring hope for Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary Kudremukh mining lease extension: Centre says 20 Kambalakonda to be declared national park years, state says five Call to declare Uppalapadu tank a bird sanctuary Entry curbs to enter Kudremukh NP Assam One day workshop on protected areas held CEE workshop on elephant conservation in NE Tourism development for Gudvi Bird Sanctuary UNESCO support for Kaziranga and Keoladeo NPs Bridge over Kabini in Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarhole) NP Manas opened for day tourists Call to include Nagarhole under Project Tiger Proposal for first sanctuary in Barak Valley Meet to identify land for Nagarhole evacuees Brahamaputra eroding Kaziranga Bird sanctuary proposal in Almatti dam reservoir Pollution threat to Kaziranga wetlands Kerala Kaziranga officials plan using weedicide Illegal tree felling around Silent Valley Bid to boost wildlife tourism in Assam Kerala not to increase Mullaperiyar dam height 485 rhinos killed in Assam since 1985 Allegations of smuggling fauna from Parambikulam Veterinary camp in Nambar, Garampani and Pobitora Sabrimala in Periyar in crisis: Study Bihar Madhya Pradesh SC issues notices to government regarding Valmiki Underground cable laying in Madhav NP without Chattisgarh permission under FCA 50 villages to be relocated from Indravati, Pamed Update on work in Kuno Delhi Tiger electrocuted in Panpatha WLS in Bandavgarh Landfill proposal for Asola WLS Maharashtra Gujarat 5th State Sanctuaries Conference held Vadodara wildlife division to be expanded Stray dogs threat to deer in Sagareshwar No more tigers in Gujarat: Its official Meet on relocation of villages from Melghat held Tourist zone, interpretation centre in Jambughoda Monitoring Committee for Mahabaleshwar Eco- Rs. 200 crores for PAs in Gujarat Sensitive zone Battery operated bus in Gir Zoo to release monkeys into Radhanagari WLS ‘Biodiversity Conservation Plan for Gir’ reviewed Mizoram LPG use reduces dependance on fuelwood in Gir Sanctuary status for Palak lake, Thorang area Poachers from Chattisgarh arrested in Gir Orissa Large number of lions now outside Gir 151 elephants poached in Orissa in last decade Five lion deaths in Gir in September Crocodile attacks in Bhitarkanika Gulf of Mannar in UNESCO biosphere list Long term management plan for Chilka Haryana New legislation for Chilka Bhindawas dry this winter Financial assistance for Chilka bird poachers Jammu & Kashmir Joint action for protection of turtles Sanctuaries proposed in six forest areas Over 1300 olive ridleys killed War affects birds at Gharana Elephants to patrol Simlipal Honorary Wildlife Wardens appointed Protected Area Update 34 & 35 1 February 2002 Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Punjab Nepal No funds for Abohar this year Bengal Florican survey in Royal Suklaphanta WR Hyacinth threat to Harike again Pakistan Rajasthan Plea against oil exploration in Kirthar rejected Bird populations in Bharatpur drastically down UNESCO support for Keoladeo NPs INTERNATIONAL Sikkim Global Tiger Forum meet held Court frees Russians caught in Khangchengdongza New fund for turtle conservation Tamil Nadu World Wetlands day on Feb. 2 Anthrax prevention measures in Mudumalai Project Elephant workshop calls to protect corridors OPPURTUNITIES Uttaranchal Research assistants for tiger survey project Villagers, NGO organise workshop on ecotourism in Grants from Field Veterinary Program, WCS Nandadevi UNEP – WCMC Biodiversity scholarships FD issues show cause notices to IMF for Nandadevi expedition WHAT’S AVAILABLE? Garbage removed from Nandadevi Woodpecker Census figures from Corbett A Report of Workshop on Sariska Conservation Two elephants poached in Rajaji Fauna of Renuka Wetland WTI study investigates causes of elephant deaths by The Corbett Foundation Newsletter trains in Rajaji The Birds of Assam Railways to be requested to move track outside Status of Felis caracal in MP, India Rajaji Uttar Pradesh UPCOMING Highest fine slapped for poaching 6th National Consultation on Wildlife Conservation Foresters to be armed and People’s Livelihood Rights Sanctuary proposal for Gangetic dolphin National Seminar on Relevance of Biosphere Nawabganj desilting; soil to be used for highway Reserves and Protected Areas construction Rail tourism package for Dudhwa PA UPDATE MATTERS West Bengal Funding support from FES to continue Sunderbans in UNESCO biosphere list Information needed / Back issues available / Update ADB technical mission advices against nuclear plant available on CD in the Sunderbans Appeal to declare Santragachi a sanctuary THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN Animal census in North Bengal from Feb. 8 Train injures another elephant in North Bengal RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE IBWL First dhole sighting in the Neora Valley NP More compensation for tiger victim families Tourism, deforestation threaten Singalila EDITORIAL NATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA National Wildlife Action Plan released The Indian Board for Wildlife National Workshop on Community Conserved Biodiverse Areas The Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL) finally met First meeting of the IBCN held after five years. The National Wildlife Action Plan IBA survey projects sanctioned (NWAP) too was approved and released. So are we Project for a Protected Area Network on wetlands in in for a new era in India's wildlife history? Hard to India say, for two reasons. One, some of the bold Ban on fishing marine species relaxed pronouncements of the IBWL and the NWAP need to Amendments to the Wildlife act be followed up with hard actions on the ground. Then SC notice on Wetlands there are also, some contradictory messages that are Wildlife crime intelligence cell fails to take off emanating from these processes, which need Crane conservation meet uncertain resolution. Parts of the Prime Minister's speech at the SOUTH ASIA IBWL meeting, and the IBWL statement itself, are Afghan war to affect migratory birds? excellent. In particular, the message against Indo-Nepal border curbs affect elephant migration destructive projects in wildlife habitats is clearer than ever before. Of course we will need to push hard to Protected Area Update 34 & 35 2 February 2002 Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) see something happening on the ground. A test case collecting some honey. City-bred conservationists, on could well be the renewal of the mining lease in the the other hand, will continue to zoom in and out of Kudremukh National Park in Karnataka. While the these PAs regardless of the impacts that these State Government is inclined to renew the mining activities, and our own growing consumerism, is lease for only five years, the Centre seems to want to causing inside wildlife habitats. Can we really hope extend it to 20 years. We have to wait and watch to save India's wildlife by making enemies of all what finally happens. In any case we do think that these millions of people? the PM and the IBWL needs to be congratulated for While the Wild Life Act has undoubtedly the strong stand they have taken. helped to save many wildlife habitats, so have the However old biases continue, particularly myriad mass movements against big dams, with respect to the other critical issue that needs to be commercial trawling, mining, roads and railways, and dealt with if conservation in India has to succeed: the other destructive projects. Indeed, IBWL's neglect and the injustice meted out to thousands of pronouncements against the industrial destruction of resident communities whose lives are delicately wildlife habitats will be ineffective, without the linked to the natural resource base for survival. Para support of such mass movements. Yet it risks 4 of the IBWL statement, for e.g., says "protecting alienating them, if it continues to advocate an interests of the poor and tribals living around exclusionary vision vis-à-vis people inside protected protected areas" (emphasis ours). Next, it says, areas. "access to minor forest produce, outside of national Intriguingly even the speech by the Prime parks and sanctuaries". Now why on earth are we Minister at the IBWL does acknowledge this. He trying to hide the 3-4 million people who are inside actually talks of people in and around protected protected areas? Does the IBWL seriously expect areas, and even suggests that legal changes be them all to move out to eke a living? And that too in considered if their involvement in conservation is to a country where land is at a premium, and the be made effective. Why then does the Resolution of government has been consistently unsuccessful in the IBWL itself look so different on this aspect? resettling more than one or two villages? It is time that the IBWL accepted the reality We urban conservationists zealously protect of people's interaction with natural resources inside our own turf when it is threatened. For our water and PAs, and boldly strode in the direction that many electricity, highways and expressways, we scream other tropical countries have already taken: of blue murder when the government does not deliver. centrally involving local people in conceiving, At the same time we have no problems denying even managing, and receiving benefits from protected the basic resources for survival to people who have areas. lived for generations in an area. Of course, this is not at all to say that all Obituary: Anil Agarwal communities are conservationists, nor that villagers are any less prone to commercial and industrial In the passing away of Anil Agarwal, pressures than anyone else. But these issues too founder of the Centre for Science and cannot be ignored, just as the IBWL statement has Environment (CSE), we have lost one of done by only talking of people outside PAs. the strongest pillars of the environmental The longer we hide these issues under the movement.