From NALINM@AOL.COM Mon Feb 28 12:16:52 2005
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 12:35:07 EST
From: NALINM@AOL.COM
To: nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU
Subject: Elephant Corridor - Karnataka
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FWD - DECCAN HERALD, BANGALORE FEB 24, 2005
-----------------------------------------------------
Jumbo corridor threatened
BY RAKESH P
DH NEWS SERVICE BANGALORE:
The proposed 156-km Chamarajanagar-Sathyamangalam-Mettupalyam railway
broadgauge line appears to have run into an elephantine barricade.
More than 10 wildlife conservation groups, from across Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu, have resolved to move the Union Ministry for Environment and
Forests against giving clearance for the broadgauge line as they say it
would sound the death-knell for nearly 2,500 elephants in the region,
described as the elephant corridor that bridges Nilgiris and Western
Ghats. The groups, which also plan to move the Supreme Court in this
regard, argue that the broadgauge line will divide the only contiguous
elephant habitat which spreads over 15,000 sq kms across Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mr S Jayachander, Joint Secretary of the
Ooty-based Tamil Nadu Green Movement, said, â^Ā^ÜOur prime concern is to
conserve elephants, whose numbers are dwindling. Now if
[broad%20guage.jpg] the new railway line comes through, large tracts of
forests from the north-eastern slope of Nilgiris to Kotagiri, to
Thengumarada Valley, to Talamalai Hills to Mudiyanoor will be virtually
destroyed.â^Ā^Ý As 277 bridges have to be built, 138 curves created and
61 tunnels dug up, the number of men and machinery that will move into
the elephant habitat will be huge, he said.
Concurring with him, Mr Manjunath of the Bangalore-based Wilderness Club
said the railway line, which cuts through the elephant corridor,will pave
the way for the decimation of elephants.
â^Ā^ÜThis is precisely what is happening in Uttaranchalâ^Ā^Ųs Rajaji
National Park, through which a railway line passes. More than 20
elephants have been killed by the fast moving trains in the Park in the
last one decade,â^Ā^Ý Mr Manjunath said while warning that the same trend
might continue down south if the new railway line is laid.
Mr Manjunath contended that the line also has to be stopped in terms of
protecting the Mysore Elephant Reserve. â^Ā^ÜIn fact, it was the Union
Ministry of Environment and Forests which had in its communication
(letter no 7-2/00(PE) dated 28/09/2000) to the Karnataka Government
requested the latter to notify the elephant reserves in Karnataka.
Subsequently, it gave its approval for the setting up of the Mysore
Elephant Reserve - which covers Chamarajanagar district. Now, the Railway
Ministry has taken up the rail project in Chamarajanagar district
itself,â^Ā^Ý Mr Manjunath pointed.
Counter view
However, the Minister of State for Railways R Velu begs to differ.
Speaking at a function in Erode districtâ^Ā^Ųs Bannari recently, Mr Velu
had said the project was obtained â^Ā^Øin principle sanctionâ^Ā^Ų during
1996-97 and as a result, there was no need for the project to stand
further scrutiny. Once the final location survey is completed, the
Railway Board should get funds and execute the project, he had said.
The Railway Ministry maintains that the new line will directly connect
the areas of North Western Tamil Nadu with the economically advanced
regions of Karnataka like Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya, Mangalore and
Hassan, besides, boosting transportation in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Kerala.
Railway officials in Bangalore did not want to comment.
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb242005/s11.asp