From pankajs@VSNL.COM Sun Dec  5 15:05:01 2004
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 09:55:36 +0530
From: Pankaj Sekhsaria 
To: nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU
Subject: Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary

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Two news items.from the Hindu..
Pankaj sekhsaria

THE HINDU
Date:20/11/2004 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2004/11/20/stories/2004112004360300.htm



Forest Department warns villagers
By Our Staff Correspondent
MADIKERI, NOV. 19. The wildlife wing of the Forest Department, Madikeri
sub-division, on Friday appealed to the residents of Kalur and Hammiyala not
to enter Mandalapatti area in the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary for
conducting sports and games meet on Sunday as planned by the villagers
earlier.
A statement signed by the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Wildlife wing,
said here that Mandalapatti, where the villagers had planned to conduct the
events, fell in the Kadamakkal reserve forest area under the Pushpagiri
Wildlife Sanctuary.
It was marked as per the notification of the then Chief Commissioner of
Coorg in 1904 and still held good.
As much as 23,591 acre reserve forests falling under the villages such as
Kalur, Hammiyala, Kumbaragadige, Kumaralli were declared in 1994 as
Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and boundaries marked.
The "bandu kallu", "guppe kallu", chain gates and signboards on wildlife had
been put up since then to prevent encroachments.
Any intruder into the area would be liable for punishment.
The Mandalapatti area was not a "gomal" land as claimed by Ravi Thammaiah,
who was instrumental in organising the sports meet there, the statement
said.
He warned the residents that action would be taken against those violating
the Wildlife Act of 1972.
The department had prevented the villagers from organising the meet last
year.
© Copyright 2000 - 2004 The Hindu


Date:22/11/2004 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2004/11/22/stories/2004112202120300.htm




Karnataka - Madikeri

Forest Dept. relents on holding sports events

By Our Staff Correspondent
MADIKERI, NOV. 21. People of Mukkodlu, Hammiyala, Kalur and surrounding
villages in Madikeri taluk took part in the annual sports and games
competitions at Mandalapatti on Sunday.
The forest officials initially prevented from entering the area on the
contention that Mandalapatti fell in Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. There
was a heavy presence of police and forest personnel. But A.K. Subbaiah,
former MLA and Janata Dal (Secular) leader, and the Somwarpet MLA, B.A.
Jivijaya, intervened and convinced the forest and police personnel to allow
the competitions.
Mr. Subbaiah said officials would have to respect the opinion of the people
in a democratic setup.
The president of the Akhila Kodava Samaja, Matanda C. Monnappa, inaugurated
the sports meet.
Ravi Thammaiah, convenor of the Kodagu Western Ghats Inhabitants Liberation
Organisation, who organised the annual event, produced an "original copy" of
the map that showed Mandalapatti as "paisari'' (revenue) land. He alleged
that the map was altered and Mandalapatti included in the wildlife sanctuary
only a few years ago. The villagers had been conducting sports meet for the
last 10 years.
The Assistant Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), in a statement on Friday,
threatened to book those entering Mandalapatti in violation of the Wildlife
Preservation Act of 1972. The villagers were prevented by the Forest
Department and the police from conducting the meet last year.
© Copyright 2000 - 2004 The Hindu

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