Subject: JPAM Update 16, text form


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JPAM UPDATE
News on Action Towards Joint Protected Area Management

No. 16									       April 1998
	

LOCAL NEWS

BIHAR 

Palamau Tiger Reserve: Daily wage workers lose their lives 

Tragic news recently came from Palamau Tiger Reserve, Bihar. Two daily wage
employees of the Reserve, Shri Aziz Quraishi and Shri Sukhdeo Parahiya,
lost their lives in a land mine explosion at Terhwa Nala of Chungroo
village while patrolling the forest. Their vehicle was blown into pieces.
Divisional Forest Officer S.E.H. Kazmi, who was accompanying them and had
just got off the vehicle, survived. 

Kazmi reports that Quraishi was one of Project Tiger's best drivers and
information gatherers, and had been responsible for many seizures of
smuggled timber. Parahiya was an excellent tracker, with extraordinary
knowledge of tigers. 

The perils of protecting wildlife in areas with 'terrorist' activities are
at their extreme in Palamau Tiger Reserve. WPSI reports that the mine was
specifically detonated to kill Mr. Kazmi. After the explosion he radioed
for help but the enforcement authorities were unwilling to come to his
assistance for fear of the Naxalites. He had to walk 10 km. for help, and
then return the next day (again on foot, because of landmines) to collect
the scattered remains of the two bodies. Timber and Katha (Acacia catechu)
smugglers are reportedly protected by a section of the Naxalites, and
Palamau now contains the last stands of Katha trees in the area.
Understandably, without protection suuport, no member of the forest staff
now dares to go into the field.

Pl. see the appeal in the box below. 

Contact: S.E.H. Kazmi, Divisional Forest Officer, Daltonganj South
Division, Project Tiger Circle, Palamau, Daltonganj 822101, Bihar. Belinda
Wright, Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India, Thapar
House, 124 Janpath, New Delhi 110001, India. Tel: 91-11-6213864; Fax:
3368729; Email: blue@nda.vsnl.net.in (or) wpsi.wildlife@gems.vsnl.net.in.

Source: Appeal issued by S.E.H. Kazmi, and emails from WPSI. 

APPEAL

Quraishi and Parahiya were not regular government servants, and have left
behind families (including 6 children) now facing a future of economic
hardships. Due to lack of funds, the Forest Department had apparently been
unable to pay them wages for the past ten months! Hence any financial
assistance or compensation from the government is unlikely.The Wildlife
Protection Society of India (WPSI) is arranging to have funds sent to the
bank account that has been set up to help the families of the deceased.

You are requested to provide financial help to the families of the
deceased. Kindly send your contributions, by cheque, demand draft or money
order, in the name of Account No. 1021, Palamau Kshetriya Gramin Bank,
Hamidganj, Daltonganj. The contributions should be sent to Shri Vishwanth
Shah, IFS, Attached Officer, Project Tiger Circle, Palamau, Daltonganj,
Bihar, or to WPSI (address above).


GUJARAT

Bamboo cutting stopped in Shoolpaneshwar Sanctuary

Readers may recall earlier reportage in JPAM Update No. 9 regarding the
rampant cutting of bamboo inside the Shoolpaneshwar Sanctuary by the SPM
Paper Mills. SPM had for the last few years received a permit from the
Forest Department to do this cutting, apparently only of dead bamboo. Local
NGOs had reported that under this pretext, a lot of green bamboo was also
being taken away; they alleged that in the year 1994-95 alone, about 0.12
million tonnes of bamboo was cut. At one point, Sanctuary officials had
justified the cutting, saying that the resulting openings favoured wild
herbivores!

The NGO ARCH-Vahini, which has been actively fighting for the rights of
tribals who inhabit the Sanctuary, and who reportedly have a tough time
meeting basic needs because of the Sanctuary's restrictive rules, has
repeatedly highlighted the bamboo cutting issue. Finally, the Gujarat High
Court took notice of the media coverage, and directed a CBI enquiry into
the matter. The CBI report, accompanied by revealing video footage, showed
that there were a series of irregularities in the way that SPM was doing
the cutting, including violations of the Forest Working Plan for the area.
Finally, on a writ filed by ARCH-Vahini, the court has directed that all
cutting be stopped, and that the state government take firm steps to
conserve the resources of the sanctuary. It has also authorised NGOs to
monitor the situation, and report any irregularities. 

Meanwhile, in an interesting development, the tribal villages situated
inside the Sanctuary chose a "people's candidate" to fight the Lok Sabha
elections. This was supported by ARCH-Vahini. The fate of the candidate
(Manga Vasava) is not known at the time of going to press. 

Contact: Rajesh Mishra, ARCH-Vahini, Mangrol, Tal. Rajpipla, Dist. Rajpipla
393150, Gujarat.
Sources: 'Soorpaneshwar Abhyaranya: C.P.M. Bahar'. In Lokrah, Rajpipla,
3/2/1998 (in Gujarati); Note on Manga Vasava issued by ARCH-Vahini. 

Habitat destruction affects Wild Ass population in Rann of Kutch

The Wild ass (Equus hemionus khur), found only in India, is restricted to
the  salt desert ecosystem in the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. With drastical
deterioration in its habitat, its future is severely threatened. It has
found its food base in the vegetated islands of the desert (which are the
only dry patches during the area's periodic inundation by salt and
freshwater) shrinking, and has to increasingly compete for this food base
with huge numbers of livestock. Its major stronghold is the Dhrangadhra
Sanctuary, covering virtually the whole of the Little Rann (an area of
about 4,850 sq.km.), with an estimated population of about 2,400. 

In the last two decades, salt traders and extracters have enveloped and
encroached the sanctuary area with salt-pans. Fishermen exploit the area
during the monsoon, in violation of the Wild Life Act. Thousands of
domestic cattle enter the Rann daily to graze illegally, depriving the
local wildlife of fodder and spreading diseases. Nearly 900 sq.km. of the
sanctuary is forest land but is being used as a transit route for
commercial products, in alleged violation of the Forest Conservation Act.
The army occupies 1,000 sq.km. of the sanctuary for a field firing range,
again causing wildlife disturbance. A branch of the Narmada canal has been
planned on the fringe of the sanctuary, which, according to a Wildlife
Institute of India report, could cause further havoc.
The sanctuary is short of manpower and equipment to patrol its vast area,
according to the Wild Ass Sanctuary superintendent. Fodder bed plantations
for the asses and guarding of the areas fringing the sanctuary have been
undertaken as a measure to protect the animal. Although no legal action can
be taken against the rampant salt-panning, the Revenue Department has
stopped issuing new licenses.

Wildlife experts insist that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests
set up a fact-finding mission to visit the sanctuary and ensure that the
laws are enforced.

Source : Balaram, G. Wild Habitat Deteriorating, Wild Ass of the Rann Find
Going Tough. Times of India. 2/2/98.


Gir: villages will not be part of extended area

Revenue villages and agricultural land in Gir forest area will not be
included or be a part of the proposed extension to the existing national
park, the Deputy Conservator of Forests said in a statement. The people in
these villages will hence remain unaffected by the extension.

It may be noted here that following earlier notifications which included
one lakh hectares of land of Gir forest in the national park, apprehension
was created among dwellers in this area that their villages would also be
included in the park, and they had made a representation against it. The
clarification was issued to dispel this apprehension.

Contact: Deputy Conservator of Forests (WL), Sasan Gir 363 125, Dist.
Junagadh, Gujarat.

Source : Anon. 'Villages Will Not be a Part of the National Park'. Times of
India 25/3/98. 


JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Militant activities threaten existence of the Kashmir stag 

The Hangul or Kashmir stag (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is reported to be
slipping towards extinction in its last bastion, the Dachigam National
Park. Unofficial estimates point to an alarming decline of this majestic
deer over the decade of militancy, from 818 to its lowest-ever population
of between 100 to 170 individuals. 

Set up as a royal hunting reserve in 1910, and declared a sanctuary in
1951, Dachigam was voted the best National Park in the country in the
1980s. It then turned into a sanctuary for militants and renegades, who
shot and injured an estimated 200-250 Hangul.

Dachigam is a prime example of the devastation wrought upon the Valley by
the years of turmoil. There are no more than 15-16 functionaries of the
Wildlife Department to watch over the 141 sq. km. Park, whose altitudinal
range (1700-4000 m) make patrolling doubly difficult. Dachigam is home to
20 mammal species, 150 bird species and 50 species of trees. For fear of
the lurking threat of the militants, the park is not guarded/patroled by
the wildlife functionaries during the night.
Besides poaching of the Hangul and birds like the Monal and the Koklas
pheasants, the last few years were an open season for timber felling,
extraction of gravel, stones and boulders, and grazing with the connivance
of either the wildlife functionaries or the militants. The deforestation
accruing from these illegal activities has contributed to the siltation of
the Dal Lake and a falling capacity of the woodlands to absorb the
pollution from the urban areas. The Park forms half the catchment area of
the Lake and provides a substantial part of the freshwater supply of
Srinagar, the state capital.

The Park's infrastructural facilities were nearly wrecked over the
militancy years. The interpretation centre suffered a bomb blast, while the
library lies in neglect and is used to billet security forces. Wildlife
functionaries are not spared by militants, a few having fallen to their
rifles over the years. It is now known if the relative decline in militancy
in the state has now improved matters. 

Source : Indian Express 7/2/98


MADHYA PRADESH

Fishy goings on in Pench Tiger Reserve 

With a reported annual income of about Rs. 2 crores, the commercial fish
mafia of Nagpur has for the last three years lobbied successfully to
exploit the fishing potential of the Pench resevoir spread across Madhya
Pradesh and Maharashtra, inside the National Park boundaries. The fishing
activities are being prevented and discouraged within the Maharashtra shore
by strict surveillance from a patrol boat donated to the forest department
with the initiative of Tiger Link.

However, the conflict continues in Madhya Pradesh, with news suggesting
that the Congress Party in Chhindwara (former Environment Minister Kamal
Nath's constituency) had promised the fishing mafia of Nagpur unbridled
access to the Pench reservoir. The matter has actually reached the Supreme
Court which issued very strict orders allowing only 300 or so fishing
licences to be issued to local villagers, for fixed routes and for fixed
times.

However, it is reported that no less than 1000 people are being pushed into
the National Park from all sides to fish, and they camp there for days on
end. This appears to be a clear contempt of court, and NGOs have demanded
that the concerned M.P. government officials should go to jail for this.

The issue is complicated by the fact that a number of villagers are
dependent on fishing for their economic livelihood, and the above mentioned
case in the Supreme Court had considered their needs. However, clearly
vested commercial interests are exploiting the situation, and have thwarted
NGO attempts at reconciling the genuine livelihood interests of villagers
with the conservation values of Pench.

Contact : Bittu Sahgal, Sanctuary Magazine, 602 Maker Chambers V, Nariman
Point, Mumbai 400 021. Tel: 91-22-283 0061; Fax : 287 4380. Email:
bittu@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in


MAHARASHTRA

Mining at Radhanagari Sanctuary
 
A Division Bench of the Bombay High Court has restrained the Indian
Aluminium Co. Ltd (INDAL) from carrying out any mining activity within the
Radhanagari Bison Sanctuary in District Kolhapur, in a writ petition filed
by the Bombay Environmental Action Group.
Armed with a lower court order, INDAL has earlier stripped the protective
cover from a key plateau in the Sanctuary, using bulldozers. It is reported
that, thus far, not one truck of bauxite has actually been smelted by the
company.

Radhanagari Sanctuary contains many endemic and rare plants, insects,
birds, and mega-fauna including leopard, gaur (Bos gaurus) and tiger. A
proposal is being readied by a special investigative team to propose this
vital Western Ghats forest as a Project Tiger Reserve.  

Meanwhile, INDAL and researcher Sharad Subramanyan have stated that the
mined area is outside the current sanctuary limits, and even if the
sanctuary is extended as proposed to include this area, the mine will be 8
km. from the core area. They also state that the mining technology used
will cause minimal disturbance to the area. Activists from Kolhapur and
Bombay maintain, however, that the mining poses a serious hazard, not just
because of the actual mining activity but also because of the access roads
and other associated activities. The High Court will hear the matter
further before final judgement is passed. 



Contact: Bittu Sahgal, see MP above. Debi Goenka, Bombay Environmental
Action Group, c/o 4 Kurla Industrial Estate
LBS Marg
Mumbai 400086
India

Tel: 91-22-5700638 
Telefax: 91-22-5701459

e-mail: debi@ilbom.ernet.in

Sources: Postings by Bittu Sahgal and others, and subsequent discussion
between them and Sharad Subramanyan, on
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu, Feb-March 1998. 


Meeting on Communities in Melghat Tiger Reserve 

Melghat Tiger Reserve is once again in the centre of controversy, following
the state government's zealous drive to build or tar roads throughout the
Reserve, ostensibly as a response to NGO demands for amenities to villages
affected by malnutrition deaths last year. Conservationists have opposed
this move, fearing that it will only open the area to further commercial
exploitation, and arguing that tribals outside the Reserve are more
affected by malnutrition than those within, who have adequate forest
resources to survive on. 

The NGO Co-ordination Committee (the NGO CC), of NGOs working with
communities living in and around the Reserve, held a meeting on 28th
January, 1998, at Chikhaldara inside the Reserve. While this was one of
their regular meetings to assess the state of their work on issues such as
malnutrition, they had also invited conservationists to discuss the above
controversies. NGOs present at the meeting included YUVA Nagpur, Oxfam
Nagpur, Koro Kora, ADIM, Utkarsh, Upekshit, Apeksha Home Society, Kal ke
Liye, Prem, Sarita, Human Rights Law Network, Kalpavriksh, and Amravati
Nature Conservation Society. The discussions brought out the following main
points: 

(i) The serious communication gap between wildlifers and human rights
activists on the status of communities inside the Reserve must be bridged
with regular correspondence and meetings.

(ii) Community-based NGOs clarified that they did not want major tarred
roads through the Reserve, but rather 'traditional' approach paths, to
ensure access for villagers especially in the difficult monsoon months. 

(iii) Other developmental amenities being demanded included medical and
educational facilities; however, NGOs agreed that they should try to build
on local health and learning traditions and only supplement these with
allopathic and formal educational systems where necessary. 

(iv) On the proposed hydro-electricity dam proposed on the edge of the
Reserve, the NGOs were eager to fight against it. 

(v) There was general agreement that forced relocation was unacceptable,
nor was a situation where villagers are so cut off from basic amenities
that they are forced to ask for relocation. 

(vi) Community-based NGOs agreed to work out, with the 22 villages inside
the Reserve, joint management plans which would help to protect the forests
and wildlife as also meet livelihood requirements. 

(vii) To this end, a joint statement between conservationists and human
rights organisations would be worked on; the Melghat NGOs would discuss
this in their next meeting. 

(viii) The government would be jointly pressurised to release all
information relevant to Melghat; urban NGOs would help local groups to
obtain such information. 

(ix) The Amravati Nature Conservation Society member requested NGO members
to report poaching cases to him, especially where forest staff were
involved; he also promised immediate payment of compensation for cattle
kills, using his position as Honorary Wildlife Warden for Amravati
district. 

Contact: Datta Patil, YUVA Nagpur, 295 Abhyankar Nagar, Nagpur 440 010,
Maharashtra. Tel/Fax: 91-712-54 3561; Ashish Kothari, at editorial address;
Bittu Sahgal, see MP above. 


Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary

The Maharashtra government has declared 217.30 hectares of reserve forest
at Rehekuri in District Ahmednagar as a sanctuary for the endangered
Blackbuck, locally known as 'Kalvit'.

The wildlife authorities had initiated a project with a small Blackbuck 
population (15) in the 1980s; the population has shot up to about 400. The
Blackbuck, found only in India, has suffered a serious decline in numbers
all over the country in the past few decades. According to a forest range
officer of the sanctuary, a population of 40 lakhs in the 19th century has
recently receded to 4 lakhs (Editorial note: the basis for these figures,
which seem grossly exaggerated, is unclear). He attributes illegal poaching
by tribals as one of the reasons for this considerable reduction in the
Blackbuck population. 

Another threat to the animal was from wolves and dogs which hunt it, taking
a heavy toll of fawns.

These factors led the government to take the decision to declare Rehekuri
as a sanctuary. Simultaneously Ramling-Ghat in Beed district and an area in
Akola district have also been declared as sanctuaries. Protection, food,
water and prevention of diseases, research and counting process are some of
the major responsibilities of the officials. More than 15 forest guards
patrol the sanctuary. The state government has also made accommodation
facilities to promote eco-tourism.

Source : Press Trust of India. Rehekuri - A Sanctuary for Black Bucks.
Indian Express 25/3/98. 


ORISSA

Rare migratory birds sighted at Chilka 

Ornithologists have sighted some rare migratory birds this winter in the
Chilka lake, a bird sanctuary and one of the country's largest waterfowl
habitats. Baikal teal (Anas formosa), the resident bird of lake Baikal in
northern Asia, was found in the 'Nalaban' for the first time this year.

About two million birds had arrived at the lake since October 18, 1997. The
influx which continued till the second week of January, was expected to end
now, and the winged visitors have started leaving at the first hint of
summer towards the end of February or early March.

Source : Deccan Herald, Jan.22, 1998 (PTI), reported in
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu. 


TAMIL NADU

Expansion of Mudumalai and Mukurthi Sanctuaries

Mudumalai and Mukurthi Sanctuaries, two of Tamil Nadu's most important
wildlife reserves, have reportedly been expanded. Mudumalai has been
expanded by 240 sq km. to a total of 561 sq km., possibly to include dry
thorn forests and scrub in the Sigur area. Mukurthi, home of  the
threatened Nilgiri tahr (Hermitragus hylocrius), has been increased by 33
sq km. to 111 sq km, possibly to include adjacent grasslands. No further
details are as yet available. 

Source: http://www.coimbatore.com/news.htm/project/aquatic_botany/pfiest.htmla, as reported by Jagdish
Krishnaswamy on nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu, 13 March, 1998.
UTTAR PRADESH

Proposed dolphin sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh 

The 160 km. stretch in the upper part of the Ganga between Bijnor and
Narora barrage in Uttar Pradesh will soon be declared a Dolphin sanctuary,
according to sources of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature. Though it has
been listed under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972,  the
Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica)is fast vanishing. Conservationists
put its  present population at around 2,500, down from 4,000-5,000 in 1982.
Of the 130-160 dolphins killed annually on an average, as many as 100 are
in the Ganges between Buxer and Farakka.

The proposed sanctuary would be the second in the country after Vikramshila
in Bihar. A detailed plan to save the dolphin also includes: to ascertain
the current status of the dolphin; to set up trans-boundary aquatic
biodiversity protected areas between India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan on
rivers like Narayani, Ghaghara-Karnali, Ganga, Brahmaputra and Padma; to
find an ecologically sustainable substitute for dolphin oil used in the
riverine fishery; and to develop an awareness programme on the conservation
of dolphins.

The Ganga river dolphin, commonly known as Susu, is one of the four
freshwater dolphins of the world. It is killed for its meat and oil. The
oil is used by the fishermen to catch fish, and in . folk medicine, for
curing joint pains, burns, rickets, pneumonia and cold and cough. It is
also used in soap making and tanning. Though hunting of dolphins has been
going on for centuries, conservationists say, of late, habitat degradation
is mainly responsible for its depletion.

Contact: Chief Wildlife Warden, 17 Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar
Pradesh. Tel: 91-522-283 902; Fax: 91-522-283 871. 

Source: Vivek Tiwari (vivek@ee.princeton.edu), on
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu. 


STATE NEWS

ANDHRA PRADESH

Wildlife and environmental problems: Response from the state

In response to a letter to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, sent by
Ashish Kothari of IIPA, expressing concern about the increasing tiger
killings in the state, we got the following letter from the Special Chief
Secretary, Dr.C.S. Rangachari (paraphrased): 

Reports of serious deforestation and the poaching of tigers in the
Nallamali forests have been incorrect. However, there have been some stray
incidents of poisoning/tiger kills by the local cowherds in an attempt to
protect their cattle. The growing militancy in the forest areas of
Mehaboobnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad and some other Telangana regions in A.P.
has been interfering with the normal protection duties of the Forest
Department staff , besides posing a threat to the wildlife. The FD is
taking necessary action to counter these problems.

An Environmental Surveillance Cell, comprising the heads of  all
enforcement directives/departments (Customs, Police, Railways, and Posts)
along with NGOs like World Wide Fund for Nature,  has been constituted
under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to the Governor of A.P. This
Cell reviewed the causes for the decline of the tiger population in this
state and made recommendations offering maximum protection to wildlife.

Procedures for compensation to be paid to the victims of cattle loss have
been simplified, permitting immediate payment. Incentives in the form of
rewards have been announced for information on cattle kills, poaching
activities and even accidental kills. The Police Personnel have been
involved in collecting intelligence on the poaching activities and also to
control the trade in fake skins of wild animals. Special Training
Programmes are organised to sensitise non-forest officials in conservation
activities. The forest personnel are similarly trained in detection and
systematic prosecution of offence cases. Grazing within the Sanctuary areas
is regulated by levying a heavy grazing fee. Discouragement of migratory
grazing in the Sanctuary, in turn helps improve  the habitat for the tiger.

Support from the local villagers in this conservation movement has been
sought by forming Eco-Developmental Committees and Vana Samrakshan Samitis
(Forest Protection Committees). Efforts to improve the economic and social
status of the native tribals are being made by addressing their fuel and
fodder requirements and by providing income generating programmes,
livestock and agricultural improvement programmes.

Readers may wish to respond to these claims by the State Government. 

Contact: Dr.C.S. Rangachari, IAS., Special Chief Secretary to Government,
E.F.S.&T. Department, A.P. Secretariat, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. 

Source : Letter no. 12939/FOR III.97-3, dated 28 February, 1998, from
Dr.C.S.Rangachari to Ashish Kothari.


JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Birds in Trouble

The Wildlife Department of Jammu and Kashmir is being pressured to certify
that there are too many birds in the wetlands such as Hokarsar, according
to a report from Srinagar. The idea is to alter the Wildlife Act to allow
culling.

The only way to prevent this tragedy (of legalizing bird hunts), would be
to provide hard data on the decline of migratory species, and make a case
for the protection of wetlands not only from shooting, but also from
reclamation, toxic dumping, and pesticide contamination. 

Any details and opinions, quoting numbers or surveys of the annual
waterfowl census, are invited along with official letters from conservation
organizations, stating a decline in waterfowl numbers migrating between the
Trans Himalaya and India. 

These should be sent to Vikram Singh, Journalist, Indian Express, Srinagar,
J&K, India, Tel: 91-194-451672; Fax: 452661. 

Source: Bittu Sahgal (bittu@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in) on
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu.


MADHYA PRADESH

NGOs protest against World Bank aided forestry project

Several community-based organisations have continued protesting against the
World Bank aided Forestry Project in the state, arguing that it will
further alienate tribal and other forest-dependent people from their
resource base, and benefit mostly industrial interests. These
organisations, through forums like the Campaign on People's Rights over
National Parks and Sanctuaries, have also questioned the effect of this
Project on the state's protected areas, and the people who live in them. 

In a new twist to the controversy, a Delhi-based NGO, the Society for
Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), has taken up a study commissioned by
the World Bank, to assess the state wildlife authorities' claims that local
communities are being involved in the management of forests. The Raipur
Wildlife Division has been chosen for this study, and in particular the
Udanti and Sitanadi Sanctuaries. 

However, several mass-based NGOs (Kisan Adivasi Sangathan, Kesla; Narmada
Bachao Andolan; Ekta Parishad; Bargi Bangh Visthapit Evam Prabhavit Sangh,
Jabalpur; Shramik Adivasi Sangathan, Betul; and Bhimgadh Bandh Visthapit
Prabhavit Sangh) have protested the involvement of PRIA in this study, and
have appealed to NGOs to reject the World Bank's attempts to rope them into
rubber-stamping its Forestry Project. PRIA's response to this is not known.


Contact: Gautam Bandyopadhyaya, Ekta Parishad, House No. 1192, Sector 1,
P.O. Shankar Nagar, Raipur, Madhya Pradesh 492 007. Tel: 91-771-421 926;
Fax: 91-771-510 465. Rajesh Tandon, Society for Participatory Research in
Asia, 42 Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi 110
062. Tel: 91-11-698 9559, 698 8508.


Sal borer attack: an excuse for clear-felling? 

Madhya Pradesh has India's second largest area under Sal (Shorea robusta)
tree cover. The sal heart-wood borer infestation has been endemic to the
districts of Mandla and Balaghat. Several studies in the past have
suggested measures to control and prevent the epidemic caused by the
beetles. Unfortunately, the dominant opinion amongst forest officials has
been to clear-fell sal forests in a vast area; reportedly several hundred
thousand trees have already been cut, despite environmentalists and some
experts suggesting that this is not necessary. 

The then Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Saifuddin Soz halted
all felling operations and constituted a task force in January 1998 to go
into the matter. According to some of the non-governmental members, the
task force worked in a rather hasty and non-participatory manner, and was
not amenable to the views of these members, who had to send a dissenting
note to the Minister. 
In a report specific to two protected areas in the area, Kanha National
Park and Phen Sanctuary, a subgroup of the task force reported that a very
small percentage of trees here were affected, that they were mostly the
ones already defective and weak, and that a number of trees already felled
did not show any signs of borer attack. They also suggested that beetle
catching by trap-tree operations has been neglected in the past, perhaps
causing the present epidemic in some areas.

There was, instead of large-scale felling, a need for restoration of damage
in earlier clearfelled areas, a multi-disciplinary study to assess the
problem, strengthening corridors between protected areas (in particular
Kanha National Park and Phen Sanctuary), and allowing natural controls to
take effect as they have in the past when such epidemics have hit sal
forests. 

Contact: P.K. Sen, Director, Project Tiger, Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Annexe No. 5, Bikaner House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi 110 003.
For a dissenting note to the official task force report, contact: Utkarsh
Ghate, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore 560 012. Tel: 91-80-334 0985; Fax: 331 5428; Email:
utkarsh@ces.iisc.ernet.in. 

Source: See What's Available?, below. 

MAHARASHTRA

Several state-wide meetings and activities

Activity relating to protected areas in Maharashtra has considerably
stepped up: 

1. A group of about 25 wildlife conservationists, Government officials and
media persons met in November 1997, at Kolkhas, Melghat Tiger Reserve,
Dist. Amravati, Maharashtra. This meeting was called by the Mobile Tiger
Conservation Action Force of the Nature Conservation Society of Amravati
(NCSA), in an attempt to explore new working policies for the protection
and conservation of wildlife and forests in Central India. A summary of the
discussions:

(i) Pench National Park (Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh):  The residents of
the Todladoh colony (M.P.) continue fishing in the reservoir, rejecting
alternate suggestions being provided to them by the Forest Department.
Commercial fishing too is carried on in violation to the directives of the
Supreme Court This should be contested in the Supreme Court and evidence in
the form of video recordings and photographs should be provided. Media
persons have offered to provide support against illegal fishing in
Totaladoh reservoir.

(ii) New PAs in Vidarbha : The seven new sanctuaries created in the
Vidarbha region require special protection from grazing. Sanctuaries such
as the Ambabarawa and Pal are facing a tremendous problem due to the influx
of thousands of migratory sheep. There appears to be a nexus among some
politicians, forest officials and the sheep owners. An Ordinance to deal
with this needs to be developed.

(iii) Proposed PAs: A decision regarding the conversion of five more areas
into protected areas is suggested. The areas include Pohara Malkhed,
Mahendri (Dist. Amravati), Mansinghdeo (Nagpur), Lonar and Budhaneshwar
Girda (Buldhana).

(iv) The Bhingara forest near Dist. Buldhana which links Ambabawara and
Yawal (Pal) Sanctuaries is also facing the problem of land encroachment by
influx of tribals from M.P. The Maharashtra government should take steps to
curb this influx.

(v) Melghat Tiger Project: Participants strongly opposed the Maharashtra
government's decision of deleting certain areas from the Melghat Sanctuary.
This deletion, they feared,  is for the purpose of the Rs. 1,400 crore
Upper Tapi Irrigation Project.

(vi) A newly created Aurangabad Wildlife Division was suggested to control
the biotic pressure and divert traffic from the road passing through  the
Gautala Sanctuary and to specify the boundaries of the Jayakwadi Bird
Sanctuary.

Additional recommendations that came forth in the meeting include :

(i) NCSA would immediately conduct a village study in Melghat for
collecting information and the peoples' opinions.

(ii) Traffic should be banned on the Paratwada Dharani road at/during the
night.

(iii) The water contribution data (by rivers and forest in Melghat) should
be used by the Tiger Project Office to focus on  the Tiger Reserve as a
water conservation/recharging unit.

(iv) Joint patrolling of the M.P.- Maharashtra border area is essential.

(v) A monthly inspection should be made in core areas of PAs, by a
committee appointed by the Forest Department, comprising journalists,
lawyers, NGOs and nature lovers.

(vi) The next meeting of the State Wildlife Advisory Board should be held
in the Vidarbha region to give the PAs here more attention. 

Contact: Kishore Rithe, Nature Conservation Society - Amravati, Pratishtha,
Bharat Nagar, Akoli Road, Nr. Sainagar, Amravati 444 605, Maharashtra. Tel:
91-721-672 359. 


2. A meeting on people and protected areas of Maharashtra, earlier
scheduled for 16-18 January, has been postponed. The meeting, being
organised by the Sahbhagi Vanjivan Sanwardhan Samanvay, Maharashtra, is
being held at Sevagram, Wardha. Issues for discussion include official and
people's perceptions of PAs, and possibilities of participatory management.
NGOs and forest officials are expected to participate.

Contact: Organising Committee, 4th Maharashtra Protected Areas Meeting, 509
Juni Ramdaspeth, Nagpur 440 010, Maharashtra. 

3. With the completion of the draft Directory of National Parks and
Sanctuaries in Maharashtra, prepared by a team at the Indian Institute of
Public Administration, a state-level meeting on the management of protected
areas is to be called towards the middle of this year. The draft, which
runs into several hundred pages of data, maps, and analysis, has been
reviewed by several experienced conservationists and forest officials of
the state, and is soon to go to press. 

Contact (regarding draft directory): Pratibha Pande, c/o Indian Institute
of Public Administration, Indraprastha Estate, New Delhi 110 002 or Neema
Pathak at the editorial address. 

Contact (regarding proposed meeting): M.G. Gogate, Chief Wildlife Warden,
Government of Maharashtra, Jaika Motors Building, 4th Floor, Civil Lines,
Nagpur 440 001, Maharashtra. Tel: 91-712-526 758. 

ORISSA

A serious situation has emerged along the Orissa coast as wanton killing of
the endangered Olive Ridley turtles by fishing trawlers continues unabated.
The Orissa government's professed measures for protection of the Olive
Ridley turtles off the Gahirmatha coast in Kendrapara district appears to
have yielded little result.

The Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India (WII), estimated over 10,000
turtles to have been killed between December and February alone. The WII,
which is undertaking a research programme on this rare species, maintained
that the actual casualty figure could be much more as it had only listed
those washed ashore on a 282 km. coastline stretching from Gahirmatha in
the north to Dankur village bordering Andhra Pradesh in the south. There is
also an alarming increase in the number of dead turtles along the Paradeep,
Jatadhara and Devi coasts. 7,300 turtles out of about 20,000 seen close to
Devi river edge had already been killed.

This points to a complete lack of enforcement of the Orissa Marine Fishing
Regulation Act, 1982, prohibiting trawling within five km. from the
shoreline. Neither are steps being taken for the mandatory use of the
turtle excluder device (TED) in the trawler nets operating in the area. On
the contrary, according to environmentalist Banke Behary Das, the trawlers
and gill netters have stepped up their activities even in the marine
sanctuary area during the current nesting season.

Fisheries secretary Abhayananda Rath, however, insisted that trawling was
the last cause for the deaths. He suggested excessive 'fatigue' due to long
migration, apart from the ageing process and swallowing of toxic substances
released in the sea as the probable reasons. He did not deny the role of
trawlers in the killing of turtles, but suggested that a post-mortem should
be undertaken to arrive at a definite conclusion.

Forest officials and environmentalists are worried over the absence of
Olive Ridleys at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, their traditional nesting
site. Meanwhile, three to four thousand female Olive Ridley turtles have
been reported to have gone ashore to nest on the night of March 23rd, 1998,
at Orissa's second major nesting site, a 2 km. long beach north of the
mouth of the Rushikulya river.

Readers are requested to send notes of concern and requests for urgent
action against the trawlers to : 

1. The Chief Secretary, Government of Orissa (fax: 91-674-400244)

2. The Honourable Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India,
Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex, New Delhi 110 003. Fax : 91-11-436 2222;
Email: mosef@envfor.delhi.nic.in

Contact: Banke Behary Das, Orissa Krushak Mahasangh, 'Parivesh Bhawan',
14-Ashok Nagar, Bhubaneswar 751 009, Orissa, India. Tel: 91-674-400 305;
Fax: 404 222, 409 125. Belinda Wright, Executive Director, Wildlife
Protection Society of India, Thapar House, 124 Janpath, New Delhi 110 001,
India. Tel: 91-11-621 3864; Fax: 91-11-336 8729; Email:
blue@nda.vsnl.net.in (or ) wpsi@nde.vsnl.net.in. B.C. Choudhry, Wildlife
Institute of India, Post Box 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun. Tel: 91-135-620
912-5; Fax: 91-135-620 217.

Sources : Satpathy, R. Endangered turtles dying off Orissa coast. Times of
India 19/1/98. Satpathy, R. Trawlers' slaughter of Olive Ridley turtles
causes concern. Times of India.  23/3/98. Information posted by WPSI at
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu. 



RAJASTHAN

Circular on eco-development committees for protected areas

In an interesting move which implicitly acknowledges the need to integrate
people's livelihood concerns in the objectives of protected areas,
Rajasthan has issued a circular authorising the creation of eco-development
committees (EDCs) both inside and adjacent to protected areas. Circular No.
F11/4/Van/96, dated 2 December, 1997, states in it preamble that the
extensive wildlife conservation programme launched by the state government
cannot succeed without people's active participation. In addition, it notes
that the "World Bank funded" Eco-development Project also requires such
participation. 

The circular deals with the formation, composition, functioning, and rules
of procedure of EDCs, which will be set up in every village or cluster of
villages. Two members from every family, one woman and one man, will be
members. The head will be chosen by the members, but the Secretary will be
the area's Forester. A 6-member Executive Committee (EC) will be elected by
the EDC, and the Sarpanch of the area, the Forester, and two NGO
representatives, will be non-voting members of this EC. The EDC will be
given requisite authorisation by the area's Deputy Conservator of Forests. 

The EDC will be responsible for drawing up and monitoring micro-plans for
eco-development, handling funds, maintaining relations with senior forest
officers, jointly protecting wildlife and forests with forest staff, 
catching offenders and handing them over to the staff. The EDC will ensure
that villagers contribute 25% of the micro-plan expenditure, in the form of
monetary or labour or material inputs. Inputs in the form of reporting
illegal activities will also be considered. 

Villagers will be entitled to benefit-sharing from the PAs. EDCs which
perform well according to the approved micro-plans, will be allowed to
collect, distribute, and sell non-timber forest produce, fallen timber,
grass, etc., from within the PAs. This will be in accordance with the
conservation values of the area. These usufruct arrangements will not be
considered rights of people. 
  
Contact: Secretary (Forests), Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan. 

Source: Rajasthan State Government Circular No. F11/4/Van/96, dated
2/12/1997. 


NATIONAL NEWS

Latest forest survey shows alarming decline

The country has lost nearly 5,500 sq km. of forest cover since the 1995
assessment, according to the 1997 assessment by the Forest Survey of India
(FSI).

While Madhya Pradesh has lost nearly 4,000 sq km. of forest cover, Andhra
Pradesh is not far behind at 3,822 sq km. Surprisingly, Maharashtra has
shown a significant increase of around 2,300 sq km., with even Gujarat
recording an addition of 258 sq km. to its green cover.
Though the open forests (crown density between 10-40%) increased by 12,001
sq km. and mangroves by 294 sq km., dense forest depleted by 17,777 sq km.
This may indicate that the efforts at regeneration of many degraded forest
areas are bearing fruit, but that good standing forests are continuing to
be depleted at an alarming rate. 

The situation in the North East has improved slightly, losing 316 sq km. of
forests as compared to 783 sq km. in the previous assessment, the report
says. 

Further analysis of the dynamics of the green cover reveals that, from the
total dense forest  area, about 19,456 sq km. had degraded to open forest,
392 sq km. to scrub and 3,129 sq km. to non-forest. On the other hand, from
the total scrub and non-forest area, 1474 sq km. improved to dense and 7972
sq km. to open forest. 

Source: Indian Express 7/2/98.


INTERNATIONAL NEWS

BANGLADESH

Natural calamities and pilferage threaten ecosystem of Sunderbans

The ecosystem of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sunderbans in
Bangladesh, is being ravaged both by natural calamities and pilferage of
forest resources. Ecologists and local people point to rampant
tree-felling, hunting, fishing, and unplanned construction of roads and
embankments, increased salinity in rivers, canals and marshes,  and natural
calamities like cyclones.

Covering approximately 2,300 sq miles, the Sunderbans is almost half (44%)
of the total reserve forests in the country. But protecting  and managing
this area is being hampered by shortage of manpower and infrastructure, as
well as reported irregularities on part of some foresters. According to
some forest officials, the existence of  the famous Sundari tree has been
endangered due to widespread pest attacks on the tree tops. No measures
have so far been taken by the concerned authorities to prevent the disease.

In addition, some species of fish and fish fry are being destroyed every
year during the period of shrimp fry collection, in violation of fisheries
rules. Unbridled fishing with unauthorised gearnet is causing depletion of
many species. Forest officials say that faunal species have dwindled to 123
from 334. Despite the ban on felling of all kinds of trees, since 1989,
tree felling continues. Shrimp cultivation, too, is taking  a major toll on
the  forest. Experts have suggested the introduction of  eco-tourism for
saving the Sunderbans.

Source: The Independent, Dhaka, 26/12/1997. As reported in
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu by nalinm@aol.com.


PAKISTAN

Exploration activities in Kirthar National Park

Premier Oil, Pakistan, has stated that it will not carry out any
exploration activity in the Kirthar National Park unless the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) report is approved by the relevant Government
authority. It pledged this in response to the apprehensions expressed by
various environmental groups to the effect that exploration in the Dumbar
Concession, north of Karachi, which includes protected areas such as
Kirthar National Park and areas outside it, would endanger wildlife there.
The licence to explore the area had been given in July 1997. 

Source : Dawn newspapers, Pakistan, as reported in
nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu, 15/3/1998. 


CORRESPONDENCE

Jagdish Krishnaswamy of the Duke University, USA, reports that: 

"Two articles published in the latest issue of Environmental Conservation
relate to issues that constantly come up in JPAM Update and in discussions
about use and abuse of protected areas.

One is on the PAs in the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh (by Dr. Rawat,
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun), and another on livestock and
predator conflicts in Kibbar wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh (by
Charudatt Mishra, Centre for Ecological Research and Conservation,
Karnataka). Both are based on real field data and free of the biased
selective use of examples and data and speculative preconceived conclusions
that characterises much of the published work on these issues so far. 
Another recommended paper is the grassland use study in Bardia in Nepal (by
Katrina Brandon, U.K.) which is also interesting.

All three studies directly address the ecological impacts and implications
of local use such as grazing, shifting (Podu) cultivation, NTFP collection
and in the case of the Andhra Pradesh study, large-scale bamboo extraction
for industry as well.

The recent escalation of killing tigers and leopards all over (and wolves
in Trans-himalayan areas) unrelated to the bone trade but by livestock
owners, is not recognised as a very severe threat, while so much attention
is being given to the bone trade in the press and by some conservationists.
The increase in numbers of  cattle vis-a-vis wild prey within and around
PAs and hostility of livestock owners towards predators is emerging as the
single largest threat to large predators in many areas ranging from
Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh to parts of Himachal Pradesh. No
amount of guns, jeeps, motorboats set will solve this problem and
unfortunately most of the attention seems to be given to the bone trade
which is important but only in some areas."

Contact : Jagdish Krishnaswamy, Duke University. Email: jug@acpub.duke.edu.


UPCOMING

Sixth World Wilderness Congress

The Sixth World Wilderness Congress (WWC) will convene in Bangalore, India
on October 24-29, 1998. The 6WWC programme has three major components.
Plenary sessions address broad objectives of sustainable living as they
relate to wilderness, wildland and biodiversity topics, including
perspectives of policy, science, education, politics, business and
economics, recreation, management, the arts and humanities. In the
afternoon, working sessions will convene to present papers, posters and
discuss specific aspects of wilderness research, education, policy and
management. In addition, an extensive cultural programme will provide
opportunities to experience the ancient and contemporary cultures and
natural areas of India and the rest of Asia.

Unfortunately, though the organisers have stressed that the issue of local
community and citizens' participation in conservation will be one of the
major focal themes, the Congress venue (Taj West End Hotel) and
registration fees (Rs. 2000) are likely to keep all local communities away!
Partly for this reason, Madhav Gadgil and Ashish Kothari, who were asked to
convene sessions on this topic, have declined to participate. 

Contact: World Wilderness Trust, # 1, 12th Cross, Rajmahal, Bangalore - 560
080, India. Tel : 91-80-334 0400; Fax : 91-80-334 1674; Email:
6wwc@sparrl.com. Web site: www. worldwilderness.org. 


National Seminar on Wildlife Conservation

A National Seminar on Wildlife Conservation, Research and Management and
the XII Annual Research Seminar (ARS) is being organised at the Wildlife
Institute of India (WII),  Dehradun, India, on 10-13 August, 1998, as part
of the commemoration of India's Golden Jubilee year of Independence.

Papers on the broad themes of wildlife conservation, research and
management in India have been invited. The TITLE and ABSTRACT of the papers
should reach Mr. S.K. Mukherjee, Director, WII, no later than 15th May 1998
and the selection of the paper for inclusion in the seminar will be
intimated to the authors no later than 10th June, 1998. Full papers, at
least working drafts should be submitted by authors no later than 10th
July, 1998. The proceedings of this seminar will be peer reviewed prior to
the publication and the volume is planned to be published in early 1999.

Contact: S.K. Mukherjee, Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Post Box
18, Chandrabani, Dehradun. Tel: 91-135-620 912-5; Fax: 91-135-620 217;
Email: wii@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in. 


2nd Consultation on Wildlife Conservation and People's Livelihood Rights

The Second Consultation on Wildlife Conservation and People's Livelihood
Rights will be held at the Tarun Bharat Sangh Ashram in Bhikampur-Kishori
village, Rajasthan on 17-19th April 1998. 

The agenda includes topics such as the Supreme Court Order on settlement of
rights in PAs and its impact on local communities; proposed amendments to
the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1997, and its implications for local
communities in and around PAs; Extension of the Panchayati Raj Act, 1997,
to Scheduled Areas and its implications for PAs.

Contact: Editorial address below, or Farhad Vania, Kalpavriksh, C-17 A,
Munirka, New Delhi 110067. Tel : 91-11-3317309 ext. 385;  Email:
fvania@del2.vsnl.net.in. Rajendra Singh, Tarun Bharat Sangh, Village
Bhikampur-Kishori, Via Thanagazi 301 022, District Alwar, Rajasthan.
Tel/fax: 01465-25043. 

Dr. Kusuma, an activist and humanist who was working against all odds to
prevent the desecration of the exquisite Sheravati Valley and the rest of
Karnataka's natural heritage, including the protected areas of the Western
Ghats, was killed in a hit and run accident on Saturday, March 14, 1998.
The circumstances of the accident are not clear, but environmentalists have
sought an inquiry. This  is a major loss for the ecological movement. The
editorial team would like to express its deep sorrow at this tragic
incident. 
WHAT'S AVAILABLE?

Sen, P.K., Gopal, Rajesh, and Thapar, Valmik. 1998. Report of the Sub-group
on Wildlife of the Task Force Constituted to look into Sal-borer problems
in Eastern Madhya Pradesh. Pp. 25+annexures. 

The report of a team which was asked to look specifically at the issue of
sal borer attack in the forests of some protected areas of M.P. (including
Kanha and Pench). See news item in STATE NEWS, above. 

Contact: P.K. Sen (address in STATE NEWS above). 











JPAM Update is produced every two months as a follow-up to the workshop on
Exploring the Possibilities of Joint Protected Area Management (JPAM),
organised at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New
Delhi, in September 1994. JPAM Update 16 was prepared by Ashish Kothari,
Farhad Vania and Anuprita Patel with assistance from Aanchal Kapur. 

Ideas, comments, news and information may please be sent to the editorial
address. Please note this is a mailing address only: 

Ashish Kothari
Apartment 5, Shri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana
Pune 411 004
Maharashtra, India

Tel/Fax: 0212-354 329 	Email: ashish@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in