From bittusahgal@vsnl.com Wed Apr 4 10:07:53 2001
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 06:26:48 +0530
From: Bittu Sahgal
To: Natural History of South Asia - General discussion and research
Subject: Saving the Western Ghats
[ The following text is in the "Windows-1252" character set. ]
[ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ]
[ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ]
If people on this list, either themselves or through others, can send me
information about the habitat continuity and threats to the Western Ghats
from Mahabaleshwar, southwards to Goa, I would be very grateful.
What we wish to see is the restoration of nocturnal corridors in the first
instance for both tigers and leopards. We hope to justify the need to
protect these corridors to the Maharashtra State Govt. on the basis that
they are the origins of vital rivers.
Even if you have no information right away, but are planning a trip, or are
willing to work towards piecing the information together with the many field
biologists and naturalists working on this idea, please do send me a line in
confirmation of your interest.
Bittu Sahgal,
Editor, Sanctuary Magazine,
602 Maker Chambers V,
Nariman Point,
Mumbai 400 021
Email: bittusahgal@vsnl.com
Fax: +91 22 2874380
Web: www.sanctuaryasia.com
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nathistory-india@lists.Princeton.EDU
[mailto:owner-nathistory-india@lists.Princeton.EDU]On Behalf Of Ameen
Ahmed
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 10:49 PM
To: Natural History of South Asia - General discussion and research
Subject: The cancer spreads south....... this time to Nethravathi!
After devastating Kali, Sharavathi and other river basins of Western Ghats
in Karnataka, `developers' backed by sympathy gaining politicians are now
targeting the last remaining virgin rivers of Karnataka. This time the
Nethravathi and Kumaradhara rivers, home to some of the most spectacular
rainforests in the entire western ghats, probably among the best in India.
(hope S.A.Hussain sir will agree with me)
>1.
Came across a news article in Deccan Herald, `KMPT PLANS 18 MW HYDRO POWER
STATION IN SAKLESHPURA' on 21st Dec. 2000. I followed up the story and
wrote, in Mid-January, to the DCF Hassan territorial division, under whose
jurisdiction the area falls. I requested the DCF to provide me with relevant
details of the project, but failed to elicit any response from him.
Meanwhile I enquired with my extremely reliable sources at Aranya Bhavan, HQ
of Karnataka Forest Department. They (including the Hassan DCF) deny any
knowledge of this mysterious dam.
I reproduce relevant portions of the article
QUOTE:
KMPT PLANS 18 MW HYDRO POWER STATION IN SAKLESHPURA,
Deccan Herald, 21st Dec. 2000 (Page 14, Business)
DH News service,
Bangalore, Dec.20
K&M Projects & Technologies Limited (KMPT), an affiliate of the 9,500
million Marshal's Group, promoted and developed as an independent affiliate
for focus in the areas of power efficiency improvement , is likely to sign
an agreement with the State government for setting up of an 18-MW hydro
power station at Doddahalla near Sakleshpura in Hassan district.
Mr.K.Sivakondlu, director (Projects), KMPT said the company had identified
this location and submitted a proposal in 1999 to the State Government.
The project has recently been awarded to the company by the Government, he
said adding that it would conduct detailed project including the rapid
environment impact assessment study after signing the agreement. The project
cost has been estimated at Rs.90 Crore, he said.
He told Deccan Herald that the company plans to build a small across
Nethravati river and power station, for which talks have been initiated with
various financial institutions.
The company is also talking to a Chinese power company -CGGC- the leader in
building power projects in China for the technical know-how, he said adding
that the company has been given option of either selling the power to state
grid or to private parties...........................
UNQUOTE
>2.
The Karnataka Government has this Friday `promised to allot a sum of Rs. 5
crore to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on the diversion of
Nethravathi waters to 62 drought-hit taluks in seven taluks of central
Karnataka.'(The Hindu,Bangalore, Saturday, March 24,2001,Page 4, Regional)
This is a long pending demand of Mr.G.S.Basavaraju, Member of Parliament of
Tumkur constituency, assisted by the Retd. Superintending Engineer, Mr.
G.S.Paramasivaiya.
Since Mr. G.S.Paramasivaiya is from Tumkur, I could somehow access the
feasibility report submitted by him to the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Among others the report speaks of building 25 small reservoirs along the
Western Ghats of Northern parts of Coorg and western parts of Hassan
district. The entire cost of the project is 12,500 crores, Mr.G.S.Basavaraju
has been quoted in a local newspaper of Tumkur town today. According to the
report, about 6,000 hectares of prime rainforests will be submerged. At
least one small `dam' will be built across Lingadahole, a part of the
biodiversity rich and undisturbed Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuary. The forests
are among the most spectacular and probably the largest undisturbed chunk of
rainforests I have come across the entire western ghats, from Gujarat to
Kallakadi-Mundanthurai. They have a very high density of flora and fauna
endemic to W.Ghats. They have almost every mammal of Western Ghats
including Lion tailed macaques, tigers, elephants. Southern Birdwing, the
largest butterfly of India,King Cobra the largest poisonous snake, hundreds
of species of birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, countless insects
are found here. During our last trip to these forests, Guru Prasad my club
mate photographed a species of frog Anasonia ornata, which noted biologist
Ranjit Daniels claims is the first ever photograph of this toad.
I am trying to get a soft copy of the entire report from the place where it
was typed and printed in Tumkur town. Hope to post the entire report on some
website for every one to access it. I hope to keep this list informed about
other details in the next couple of days.
With you in conservation
Ameen Ahmed
Permanent Address: NGO:
Ghouse Buildings, Wildlife Aware Nature Club
Horpet Main Road, Nisarga, Nisarga Layout,
Tumkur - 5721 01 Tumkur - 5721 03
Karnataka INDIA Karnataka INDIA
Tel:91-816-271643 91-816-256009 (Fax:273129)
http://karnatakabirds.homestead.com/home.html
http://wanc.homestead.com/nci.html