Public awareness and local community support for prevention are the first line of defence in the fight against forest fires at Nagarahole National Park.
Wildlife First conducted 125 awareness camps on forest fire prevention in January and February. These were held around the borders of Nagarahole National Park in Kodagu district. As many as 23,000 students and 1,100 teachers residing around the national park and other forest areas participated, said Praveen Bhargav, trustee, Wildlife First.
He said two public rallies were organised, including one at Madikeri.. “During the course of the campaign, schoolchildren were told about the need to conserve forests and wildlife. Key facts that all forest fires are man-made and cause irreversible damage to wildlife and the eco-system were highlighted,” Mr. Bhargav said.
More than 30,000 pamphlets in Kannada were distributed with an appeal to alert the Forest Department in case of fire. Wildlife First is planning to put out radio and TV spots on AIR Madikeri Station.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru -March 08th, 2015
Pamela and Anil Malhotra bought 55 acres of land 23 years ago, and today they have converted it into a beautiful forest of over 300 acres. Here’s how SAI Sanctuary, the only private wildlife sanctuary in India, came to host animals like Bengal Tiger, Sambhar and Asian Elephants.
Wouldn’t it be great to wake up to the sound of chirping birds, with fresh air and splendid scenery around? In the busy lives of our cities when even house sparrows are fast disappearing, this seems like a dream. But a couple has converted this dream into a reality by creating a wildlife sanctuary of their own.
The couple, passionate about wildlife and nature conservation, bought 55 acres of land to plant native trees and protect the environment. Today, they are responsible for creating over 300 acres of wild life sanctuary that hosts animals like Bengal Tigers, Asian Elephants, Hyena, Wild Boar, Leopards, Sambhar, etc.
Dr. A.K. Malhotra and Pamela Malhotra, the NRI duo behind this amazing SAI (Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary Trust first went to the Himalayas, but as the laws in the Northern part of the country have a land ceiling of 12 acres, they came down South to give shape to their dreams of preservation and protection of nature and wildlife.
Anil and Pamela Malhotra are responsible for a beautiful wildlife sanctuary.
“The problem is, we expect the government to do everything. Like-minded people, NGOs and other agencies should purchase land and do their own bit to conserve the wildlife,” says Pamela.
They bought around 55 acres of unused and abandoned land from the farmers who were not using it due to excess of rainfall in Kodagu district of Karnataka. “We chose Kodagu because it is the micro hotspot of bio diversity in the entire planet,” Pamela says.
The passion to expand the green cover grew stronger and they kept buying lands from farmers who weren’t using them. This way the land was used and also farmers got money to repay their debts as the land was anyway lying idle. Gradually the 55 acre forest cover became larger and today covers 300 acres of the land.
There were a lot of native trees that already existed there. The couple decided to retain those and follow three important rules: no chopping down of any tree, no human interference and no poachers.
And with this thought, the efforts to make a wildlife sanctuary started in 1991.
The sanctuary also has a river flowing in the heart which meets the water needs of the animals.
After 23 years, their unmatched passion for wildlife and nature has helped them transform the 55 acres of barren land in 1991 into a one-of-its-kind wildlife sanctuary spread over 300 acres, probably the only private sanctuary in the country!
The sanctuary also has a beautiful river in the middle that is home to several aquatic species like fishes and snakes, including the King Cobra.
The huge trees and thick forest has also helped several birds like hornbill find their homes. There are over 305 species of birds that visit this sanctuary regularly.
The dense forest cover.
“We make sure that we don’t interfere with these animals. Elephants are very important for regeneration of the forests as they swallow the seed completely without breaking it, unlike other species. Around 30 species of trees totally depend upon elephants for regeneration,” says Pamela.
Several cameras are installed across the sanctuary to identify new animals and keep a track on poachers. “People think that animals need the forest. But the truth is, the forest needs the animals equally. While the forest helps animals in providing shelter and food, animals help forests in regeneration – they are both inter-dependent and we should make efforts to preserve both,” says Dr. Anil.
“A few days ago, I saw in the camera recording that a family of wild dogs and seven small puppies from that family were trying to attack a Sambhar just in front of my house gate. They were born a few days back and now had grown up. So, the fact that each puppy survived is commendable. That means the sanctuary is a good host to all these wild animals,” says Pamela.
When the Malhotra couple purchased the land, there were already native species of cardamom and other trees that were planted. They decided not to disturb those and planted more native trees around the existing ones.
As the green cover expanded, the animal and bird species increased too. The flora of this sanctuary includes hundreds of varieties of indigenous trees, many of which are of medicinal value.
“Our aim is to preserve the flora and fauna, especially the rainforests, for the future generation. We believe that when we die we should give back the same (if not better) Earth which we got from our ancestors to the next generation,” says Dr. Anil.
A family of elephants are frequent visitors of this sanctuary.
The duo makes sure that they do not interfere or disturb the existing eco-system. “Even the dead wood provides nutrition to the soil,” says Pamela.
The couple has grown 10-12 acres of coffee and around 15 acres of cardamom on the land. They are also involved in organic farming on the same land. The sanctuary, which offers a unique experience to the visitors, runs completely on solar and alternate energy. For days of heavy rainfall in the monsoon, the three small windmills meet the needs of providing enough electricity to the sanctuary.
“We also make sure that people who visit here are responsible tourists. We only take those people who are actually interested in exploring the beauty of nature. Smoking and drinking is not allowed as it disturbs the animals and the overall air which is so pure,” says Pamela.
When Malhotra couple started this sanctuary, they invested their own money. Now they are a registered not-for-profit trust which runs on donations which get tax exemptions.
Apart from funds, another challenge comes while patrolling the sanctuary. As the area is very large it is hard to keep track of the poachers. To counter this, they spread awareness about preserving wildlife and nature in schools and nearby villages.
The sanctuary also hosts animals like Hyena, Sambhar and Bengal Tigers.
“To avoid any mishap, we don’t allow people to walk alone here. There is always a guide or we accompany the visitors ourselves,” says Pamela.
The sanctuary also won the “Wildlife and Tourism Initiative Of The Year” award by Sanctuary Asia in conjunction with Tour Operators for Tigers in 2014.
In conclusion, Pamela has a thought she’d like to leave us with, “Overcome your fear and respect the animals’ power. The animal might not understand our words but they do understand our feelings.”
Pamela and Anil also advice people to be careful about the lifestyle they follow. Eating organic food, recycling things, using more energy-efficient devices are some of the basic things they advise everyone to follow.
“When I carried buckets of water in the Himalayas, I realized how precious it is. We should not waste it. It is only when we face problems we realize importance of things,” she says.
“For anyone who wants to bring a change, we advise them to set one single goal and believe that they can achieve it,” says the couple.
Watch the official trailer of a documentary on SAI Sanctuary being made by filmmaker Mellissa Lesh here:
This is an appeal that Pamela and Anil Malhotra have made to all wealthy Indians to save our forests, wildlife and fresh water sources. They are even willing to help anyone who is willing to try.
Want to know more about this sanctuary? Contact them at – saisanctuary@gmail.com
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> Changemakers / by Shreya Pareek / February 23rd, 2015
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source: http://www.bollywoodhelpline.com / Bollywood Helpline.com / Home> News & Gossip / by Siddharth Dhongle / Tuesday – March 03rd, 2015
Orders stoppage of tree-felling until MoEF approval
Protestors against the illegal felling of more than 50,000 trees in Kodagu for the sake of a power transmission line have a reason to smile. Ahead of their hearing by the Karnataka High Court, the National Green Tribunal’s order on Friday in a separate case seems to have revived their hopes of protecting the trees.
Order on activist’s PIL
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), on Friday, ordered all agencies to refrain from felling trees while executing linear projects in forest areas, unless an approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 was obtained. The NGT ruling was a response to a petition filed by Maharashtra-based activist Milind Pariwakam who objected to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)’s project of widening of NH-6 and NH-7 in the Vidarbha region. This would involve felling trees and diverting forest land through the fragile Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. The NGT ruling is likely to have a nationwide impact in preventing diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
The NGT clearly stated that all linear projects like railway lines, development of roads, canals and laying of transmission lines through forests must obtain permission from the MoEF under FCA -1980. Although the Chennai Bench of NGT had refused to stall the project last year, activists hope that the latest order will have an impact.
Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Sajan Aiyappa, coordinator of the Save Cauvery Campaign, said, “Previously, when we approached the NGT’s Southern Bench, it had dismissed the petition on technical grounds and so we approached the High Court. The case has been posted for hearing on Monday. However, we welcome the order by the NGT in Maharashtra. We hope that the order will force authorities to take note of the seriousness of the issue and safeguard the fragile eco-system of Kodagu.”
The activists clarified that they were not against the project, but only concerned about the felling of 50,000 trees which would have a catastrophic impact on the rainfall of Kodagu. This, they say, would adversely affect the flow of water to the Cauvery and in turn affect the availability of potable water in Mysuru and Bengaluru.
Felling continues
“Despite the case being posted for hearing before the High Court, the authorities, a few days ago, cleared many trees within the limits of coffee estates. We have submitted scientific reports on the variety of species of trees in plantation areas. The court must take note of this and help us in safeguarding the eco-system,” yet another activist said.
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Niranjan Kaggere, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / February 23rd, 2015
The State Forest department is preparing a report on ways to mitigate the impact on the environment in Kodagu, when the 400 KV high tension power line is laid.
The report on the environment mitigation plan comprises short-term and long-term measures.
The measures are being listed keeping in mind development and protection of green cover.
It will be sent to the government by the end of this week, which will then be forwarded to the Power Grid Corporation and the Union government for funds and approval, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) Vinay Luthra told Deccan Herald.
Some of the listed measures include organising anti-depredation camps, building better barriers, not disrupting the existing waterholes, providing natural fodder spaces for animals, not using weapons against animals and if carrying weapons, getting them registered with the Forest department to ensure that animals are not harmed, not coming in contact with animals, not indulging in afforestation activities, not camping inside forest areas, reducing loss of green cover as much as possible and in regard to work in forest areas, ensuring that all permissions have been obtained and following rules like no-stay inside the forest during night hours, not hunting, not entering restricted forest area without permission and so on.
The report plans to ensure that no human or animal casualty is reported, but in the last 30 days two people have died due to man-elephant conflict and one person sustained injuries while working near coffee estates.
The power line from Mysuru to Kozhikode will pass through Kodagu. Of the 210-km line, 50 km will pass through coffee and paddy fields in Kodagu and the rest is through pristine Western Ghats regions – touching borders of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Dubare and Devamachi Reserve Forests.
This line is part of the central power grid project and will supply power to many southern regions, including Bengaluru.
Due to protests, this project been delayed by over five years. Lines have already been laid till Mysuru and Kerala, except some patches in Wyanad. It was to be completed in 2007, but was stalled. Work started again in November 2014.
During a meeting of agitators from Kodagu and power corporation companies last week, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar affirmed that the project would not be held back or delayed further. Shivakumar said that the project was important for Bengaluru and industries, to ensure 22-hour power supply daily, especially during summers. But agitators from Kodagu said that it was a scam. C P Muthanna, a retired colonel in the Army and president of the Coorg Wildlife Society, pointed out that there was already a 220-KV line in the region, which can be upgraded to 400 KV and used, instead of occupying fresh land and axing over 50,000 trees for the new line.
DH News Service
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / by Bosky Khanna, Bengaluru / DHNS – February 17th, 2015
Brigadier who carved the 22-acre Cariappa park out of defence land near MG Road slams colleagues for barring entry to public The man who opened the Army’s doors to Bengalureans has slammed his colleagues for barring the city’s residents from entering the Cariappa Memorial Park in the heart of the city.
(The 22-acre park was meant…)
The 22-acre park was meant to be the Army’s gift to the city but has been closed since 1998, two years after it was inaugurated. A board next to the now-abandoned park’s gate reads: `Restricted area’. The present Army establishment in the state says the park area, categorized as A1 defence land, cannot be made available to the public under Ministry of Defense guidelines.
Brigadier (Retd) Ashok Nagpaul, who established the park on defence land to foster closer interaction between the Army and public, said the Army cannot block entry into the park. “The land not only belongs to the defence but also to the people of Bengaluru,” said the former Commanding Officer for Karnataka and Kerala.
“There was 57 acres of land lying wasted. There were illegal activities like prostitution and other things that used to happen in that area, so I decided to build a parade ground and the park,” Nagpaul, 72, said over the phone from Pune.
A top Army official said that with defence land being rampantly encroached on, the Army cannot afford to give its land for public use.”In 1994 maybe people were not conscious about utilization of defence land, but consequent to which in lots of places we started losing defence land, and … very stringent guidelines were framed that you cannot use defence land for public purposes,” the official told ET, declining to be identified.
Until 1994, the park area was part of a larger parcel of land between Cubbon Road and MG Road.
source:http://www.articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Collection> MG Road / by ET Bureau / February 17th, 2015
IIHR is targeting 35,000 hectares of paddy land mostly left fallow for 6 months to grow vegetables
If things go according to plan, Kodagu, the land of coffee and pepper, may turn into one of the major destinations for high-value vegetable cultivation a few years from now.
A survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) showed that paddy was being cultivated on about 35,000 hectares of plain land in the hilly district of Kodagu. Most of this is being left fallow for six months from October to March after the monsoon. Vegetable experts in the IIHR want to make best use of the land during the “off- season” by motivating people to take up vegetable cultivation.
“It is possible to cultivate vegetables during the off-season as their water requirement is not as huge as paddy,” says A.T. Sadashiva, Principal Scientist in the IIHR’s vegetable Crops’ Division. Also, the weather in Kodagu is similar to that of Ooty, where vegetables are in high demand, he said. Above all, vegetable farming fetches at least one-and-a-half times more returns than paddy, he says.
Preliminary work towards promotion of vegetable cultivation has already begun. The IIHR has developed model farms on about 50 hectares in different areas of Kodagu where high-value hybrid varieties developed by it are being cultivated. “We have also held four field days since 2012 in different areas such as Suntikoppa, where cultivation of different vegetables at the model farms has been showcased. Observing the overwhelming response to such events, we plan to have two more such field days shortly,” he says, while expressing confidence that it may be possible to encourage farmers to take up vegetable cultivation on a minimum of 100 hectares this year.
At present, vegetables like okra, tomato, beans, yard-long beans and chillies are being promoted, while other vegetables such as carrot will be introduced in the next phase, he says. Onion cultivation has also been introduced on an experimental basis.
The marketing network for the vegetables in Kodagu is not advanced. The IIHR is in talks with the State Horticulture Department, which has promised to provide facilities for sale of vegetables in different parts of the district, Mr. Sadashiva says, adding that plans are also afoot to sell the vegetables to other districts and States as and when the production increases.
It is possible to cultivate vegetables during the off-season as their water requirement is not as huge as paddy
A.T. Sadashiva Principal Scientist, IIHR
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by B.S. Satish Kumar / Bengaluru – February 22nd, 2015
Though bitter in taste if eaten raw, Dendrocalamus brandisii in Coorg has been since slowly making it to the local menu
Till recently, it was like any other species of bamboo that dotted the vegetation. The locals have for long a fair penchant for the edible varieties of bamboo shoots but no liking for the abundantly available Burma bamboo. Nobody dared to give the bamboo shoot a try for fear of it being poisonous.
The turning point, however, came when a team of scientists from Institute of Wood Science and Technology (IWST) in Bangaluru visited Coorg to propagate the vegetarian properties of Dendrocalamus brandisii. Based on their over a decade long research on the Burma bamboo species, for the first time it was disclosed that bamboo shoot eschewed by the people of Coorg and adjoining areas for over a century in fact is considered among one of the top 10 edible bamboo species in the world.
Unlike the Chinese species, although bitter in taste if eaten raw, Dendrocalamus brandisii in Coorg has been since slowly making it to the local menu list.
“It is surprising that in Coorg, where this species was first introduced nearly a century back in 1913, the shoots have not been commercially exploited even though shoots of other species like B. bambos and D. strictus found in natural forests in Coorg have been utilised in some form or other. Pickles made from B. bambos are traditionally an important delicacy in Kogadu cuisine,” says senior scientist Dr Syam Viswanath (in pic), spearheading the research at IWST.
Much of the ignorance about the high level of edible properties of Burma bamboo has to do with the fact that its value as an edible material has never been recognised in Coorg. The common perception has been that the shoots of the bamboo species are poisonous. Further, absence of any information about the nutritional benefits, processing and consumption of the bamboo shoot have been the main reason for underutilisation of D. brandisii or Burma bamboo.
In China, D. brandisii bamboo shoots species is cultivated in Hangzhou province. The emerging shoots are harvested and after removal of the sheath, it is sliced into thin pieces and consumed raw like salad. In case of D. brandisii in Coorg, the shoots are bitter due to higher content of cyanogenic glucosides and need to be processed before they are ready for consumption.
Sowmya C , Ph.D scholar working on edible bamboo shoots in Tree Improvement and Genetics Division at IWST has found out that the nutritional composition of some of the common bamboo species exploited for edible shoots like B. balcooa, B. nutans, B. polymorpha, Melocanna baccifera found in North-eastern states is on-par with D. brandisii grown in Coorg.
The protein and carbohydrates contents in 100 gm of fresh bamboo shoot are about 2.31gm and 4.90 gm, respectively. Consumption of 100 gm of fresh shoots will supply adequate amount of protein essential for the body. The D. brandisii shoots are also rich in dietary fibre, 4.03 gm/100gm, higher than other commonly available vegetables. Dietary fibres are proven to have beneficial effects on lipid profile. It also helps in management of hypertension and obesity.
Culinary experiments with the Burma bamboo shoots have revealed that simple cooking techniques like pressure cooking and steaming can remove the bitterness in the bamboo shoots in comparatively lesser time than traditional methods like 48-72 hours of soaking in water.
Besides, the newly found edible properties of Burma bamboo by people of Coorg, the culms ofthe bamboo species have long been used in construction works, making of furniture, farm implements, baskets, handicrafts and for making ‘chandraki’ in sericulture industry. The bamboo has also the potential of making incense sticks by the agarbatti industry.
Due to its good physical and mechanical properties and thorn less character, it can be introduced in suitable agro-climatic zones like Coorg for raising compact plantations, in landscaping and in homesteads. Moreover the vegetative propagation of this species using rhizomatous side branches from culms is a simple cost effective multiplication technique according to Dr T.S. Rathore, Head, Tree Improvement and Genetics Division, IWST, Bangalore. IWST has also developed techniques for macro and micro propagation of this species for large scale commercial exploitation.
Director IWST Dr Ramakanth says, “Dendrocalamus brandisii is among the 19 commercially viable bamboo species identified by the National Mission on Bamboo Application (NMBA). This is based on assessment of inherent characteristics of the bamboo found suitable for end users.”
The very fact that it is fast growing, makes Burma bamboo ideal for exploitation in farm forestry and agro forestry in humid tropics. Its good physical and mechanical properties makes it a much sought after species by locals for farm construction, making ladders, fencing, small furniture, basket making and sericulture industry.
“Though National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and NMBA have rightly prioritized Dendrocalamus brandisii, it is essential to ack-nowledge the commercial potential of this underexploited species and aspects of value addition to effectively utilize and popularise this natural bio-resource in other suitable agroclimatic zones of India,” underlines Dr Sunder Naik, retired Indian Forest Service officer and President of Bamboo Society of India.
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Others> Sci-Tech / by Agencies / February 11th, 2015
District-in-Charge Minister K J George has directed the officials to prepare an action plan for multi village drinking water scheme to supply water to Gonikoppa, Ponnampet in Virajpet and Chettalli in Somwarpet.
Speaking to media persons on Friday, he said that the plan will be chalked out to mitigate drinking water woes.
Tender has been invited for sand extraction, and sand will be available for public use in the next 15 days, he said. Only those government lands with five acres and above encroachments, are being cleared in the district.
Notices issued
Notices are being issued to those parties who have encroached less than five acre of land to ascertain whether they have submitted applications for regularisation of land.
He said that the district administration had been receiving complaints pertaining to unauthorised home stays in the district, and that all the home stay owners should register.
An action plan of Rs 5.4 crore has been prepared for the development of Raja Seat.
Measures will be taken to release funds for the construction of General K S Thimmaiah Memorial and Kalabhavana in the district.
Five acres of land has been identified for the construction of Zilla Panchayat Bhavan on the outskirts of city at Vidyanagara, the minister added.
George added that the Cabinet sub-committee to collect public opinion on Kasturirangan report will visit the district on January 31.
Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari, MLC T John and others were present.
DH News Service
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS – Madikeri, January 17th, 2015
Vested interests are creating confusion in the minds of people’
To preserve the greenery in Kodagu, there is a need to implement recommendations of Kasturirangan report on conservation of Western Ghats. If the recommendations are not implemented, then the environment will be at stake, said office bearers of Wildlife First.
Addressing a press meet here on Thursday, K M Chinnappa, A Thammu Poovaiah, T M Somaiah, P M Muthanna and M K Appacchu said that the report will not harm environment and its dwellers. However, a few vested interest, politicians and officials are engaged in creating rumours against the report. It has created fear in the minds of the people.
“Timber mafia, mining lobby and encroachers are engaged in misleading people. Thousands of trees have been felled to facilitate the work on high-tension wire in Virajpet. Will the environment in Kodagu intact if hydel power and railway line projects are implemented,” they asked.
“Those who have opposed the report have not read the report. It is better if people read the report on their own. If we initiate a discussion, then we are projected as pseudo environmentalists and anti-development.”
He lamented at the untoward incident reported during state-level committee’s visit to collect opinion on the recommendations in Madikeri.
The office-bearers said as per the recommendations, only 37 per cent of the Western Ghats have been identified as Specially Economic Areas. There is no problem in taking up development work in the remaining 63 per cent of the area. “ESAs are those areas considered sensitive, less populated, National Park, Reserve forest, project tiger and elephant corridor areas. Only 55 villages in the district have been identified as SEAs and not the entire district,” they said. “There is no proposal to acquire agricultural and coffee estates. There is no restriction on the felling of trees on private land. The land owners can seek permission and fell trees in Kodagu as per the Karnataka Forests Act 1963 and Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976. There is no proposal to check felling of silver, acacia trees grown by the land owners.
They said “the recommendations have not laid down any restrictions on the cultivation of coffee, black pepper, paddy and oranges in Kodagu. It has not laid down restrictions on the construction of houses as well. Commercial activities like coffee, tea processing units, home stays, commercial complex, cement unit, furniture units and tiles manufacturing units are listed in green zones and no restrictions have been laid down on it.”
The recommendation has banned quarry, sand mining, setting up of thermal power projects and construction of more than 20000 square metre building in the identified areas, they added.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DHNS, December 19th, 2014
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