From savioray@BOM7.VSNL.NET.IN Sun Apr 10 15:52:26 2005
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2005 16:41:50 +0530
From: Sameer Banerjee
To: nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: Reduction in eco-fragile zone of Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
(Kutchh-Gujarat)...
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Dear all,
Please send this appeal specifically to the President of India. Here is
one person, a statesman par excellence who will definitely respond and
move matters. Otherwise like everything else connected with wild life,
this too will go the way of the mangroves of Mumbai and the Sanjay Gandhi
national park, Borivili. Nobody will listen to anyone, nobody will do
anything, and nobody will care for the environment. I have heard my good
friends even say: “Wild life? Why not keep them in zoos? They are
quite safe there and need so little space?” “Why are you so
keen for lost causes?” “Can you fight a corrupt bureaucracy
and a ruthless land mafia?”
If India’s rich wild life is to be saved we must all get together
and do something and not depend on the powers that control and shape
(destroy?) our destinies.
First step would be for all of to be together and make a start before it
is too late. Fighting lone battles will only make all of lose. Narayan
Sarovar is a beautiful place. I saw it several years ago and it is one
those places that gives you a sort of an eerie feeling. The former
maharaja of Kutchh wanted to keep it that way. But who knows what the
present ‘Maharajas’ think. Or do they think at all?
Regards,
SAMEER BANERJEE
-----Original Message-----
From: amit jethava [mailto:amitjethava@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 8:38 PM
To: secy@menf.delhi.nic.in; nathistory-india@lists.princeton.edu;
nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU; neelu3112@yahoo.com;
parasharya@satyam.net.in
Cc: sh_mohanlal@hotmail.com; presidentofindia@rb.nic.in;
pmosb@pmo.nic.in; ashukla@gujarat.gov.in; ravisingh@wwfindia.net
Subject: Reduction in eco-fragile zone of Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
(Kutchh-Gujarat)...
Narayan Sarovar Wild Life Sanctuary declared in 1981 covering 765.79 sq
kms area. Then in 1995 draft resolution to put up before the Lagislative
Assembly of Gujarat with proposed redelineated area of 444.23 sq. km.
Government of Gujarat resolution dated 09/08/1995 No. GVN-11/95/WLP-(IV)
1094/SCA/197/614-GI 443.23 sq kms area has been notified as sanctuary.
Area has been denotified from 765.79 sq kms to 443.23 sq kms for purely
to benefit the industrial units such as Sanghi Cement, GMDC etc. because
this area is very rich in mineral like limestone, lignite, bentonite etc.
But issue of denotification has never been put in State Wildlife Advisory
Board or National Board for Wildlife which is mandadory as per Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972.
NSS is habitat of many endangered and critically endangered species such
as Chinkara, Caracal, Great Indian Bustard, Wolf, Stolisca’s Bush
Chat ( after 128 years rediscovered in Kutchh region), Wolf, Grey Tit,
Spiny Tailed Lizard etc.
As per Wildlife Conservation Strategy 2002: Lands falling within 10 km.
of the boundaries of National Parks and Sanctuaries should be notified as
eco-fragile zones under section 3(v) of the Environment ( Protection )
Act and Rule 5 Sub-rule 5(viii) & (x) of the Environment ( Protection )
Rules.
Recently Chief Wildlife Warden with help of GEER Foundation’s
prompted report proposed for reduction of eco-fragile zone from 10 kms to
2.5 kms to benefit some wasted interested industrial units. At present
this sanctuary already denotified and wildlife is suffering many problems
in movement. The industrial development, heavy traffic, human settlements
and their pressure and natuaral habitat loss are the main reasons
effecting wildlife in this region. The reduction of eco-fragile zone will
be very harmful to this suffering wildlife. The reduction of eco-fragile
zone now allowing mining activities within buffer zone of sanctuary and
it is very harmful for wildlife.
We appeal that prompted report submitted by GEER Foundation to Chief
Wildlife Warden should be review by reputed institutes, scientist, NGOs,
retired officers like
1. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
2. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun
3. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai
4. Zoological Survey of India
5. Botanical Survey of India
6. SACON
7. A.T.R.E.E., Bangalore
8. WWF-India
9. WPSI
10. WTI
11. I..I.F.M., Bhopal
12. Green Peace
13. Shri Valmik Thaper
14. Bittu Sehgal
15. Debi Goenka
16. AJT Johnsing
17. Dr. Sanat Chavan (Retired Prin. C. C. F.-Gujarat State)
18. M K Himatsinghji (Eminent Naturaliest of Kutchh)
19. M K Ranjitsinhji
20. Jamsaheb of Jamnagar
We request that a true opinion on reduction of eco-fragile zone
surrounding NSS in consultation with above mentioned dignities. We
already raised this issue and represented to Central Empowered Committee
and CC to Hon’ble Supreme Court of India by our letter dated 25th
October, 2004 for to verify recommendation by CWLW through technical
experts. We also request for technical experts are should be out side of
Gujarat because all technical experts in Gujarat are under CWLW and they
manipulated or pressurized by him. We demand to maintain eco-fragile
zone as per Wildlife Conservation Strategy-2002.
We want to file petition for above matter to full batch Hon'ble Superme
Court of India and if required presidential reference for the same . We
hope support from interested NGOs/Activiests/Advocates/Individuals...
AMIT B. JETHAVA
PRESIDENT
GIR NATURE YOUTH CLUB
GUJARAT STATE
AT:KHAMBHA
DI:AMRELI
GUJARAT-India
TELEPHONE:02797-260121,260182
TELEFAX:02797-260182
MOBILE:+91 98 242 03512
+91 94 269 38812
email:
amitjethava@hotmail.com
amitjethava@rediffmail.com
arjunamit@sancharnet.in
amit_jethava@yahoo.co.in
girgujarat@indiatimes.com
________________________________________________________________________________
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