Centre's nod to Rajasthan for relocation of tigers in Sariska

Jaipur, May 22 Sariska is likely to see tigers
again later this year as the Centre has given its go-ahead to
the Rajasthan government to relocate and rehabilitate big cats
in the sanctuary after their population had a zero count there
in recent years.
Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and
Wildlife Namo Narayan Meena today said the Centre has accorded
the permission in principle to the Rajasthan government.
"I hope with the guidance of wildlife experts the
state government will relocate tigers probably from
Ranthambhore National Park in Sawaimadhopur district where its
numbers have risen by effective breeding," Meena told
reporters during the South-Asian Environment Ministers'
meeting here.

Photo courtesy:http://wildtigerwatch.blogspot.in

"Experts are waiting for rains to come for the
rehabilitation process as this is the first time such an event
will take place in India," Meena said.
Similarly lions can be rehabilitated in the Gir
wilderness of Gujarat, but the Chief Minister Narendra Modi
has not responded to the Centre's letters, Meena said.
A senior official of the state wildlife department
said no tiger was seen in Alwar's Sariska sanctuary in 2004
census, while 35 tigers were on record at Ranthambhore.
The process of relocation is likely to be done later
this year, the official said.

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Stir, encroachers delaying notification of Kurinjimala

Roy Mathew

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 11, 2009 

Local agitations masterminded by encroachers are delaying the settlement and final notification of the Kurinjimala Sanctuary in Idukki district.

The Sub-Collector of Devikulam had issued a notification on May 9 last year for considering any claims of the local population before finalising the boundaries of the sanctuary. Though one year has passed, the settlement could not be completed because of the protests, including a month-long dharna in front of the Sub-Collector’s office. The Sub-Collector has convened a meeting of people concerned on Tuesday to discuss the issue. The official notification on the sanctuary, issued in 2006, had excluded land with title deeds in the Vattavada and Kottakambur villages of the district from the notified area of 3,200 hectares. As such, about 40 families in the Mannavannur area and farmers in the Koviloor and Vattavada areas are not to lose their rights on land.

However, a number of bigwigs, including political leaders, have encroached land in the notified area. Some of these areas are being used for eucalyptus cultivation without any genuine title deeds for the land. Some have bogus documents secured with the help of some revenue officials.

Hence, the squatters have incited genuine title-holders to agitate against the settlement. Demands have been made for the larger extend of land claiming that the original settlers of these areas practiced shifting cultivation. (Shifting cultivation had been banned before Independence). This could not be legally conceded though Forest Minister Benoy Viswom had promised to take that into account at a meeting convened by him to discuss the issue last year. The Forest Department officials are divided over granting rights to people without genuine title deeds.

Meanwhile, moves are also being made to develop a highway through the sanctuary so that both the genuine title-holders and squatters could benefit from appreciation in land value.

This was one of the first announcements made when Kerala Congress leader T.U. Kuruvila became the Public Works Minister. (He had to resign subsequently following allegations over a land deal.) The squatters are reportedly confident that they could secure the land in their possession owing to their political influence. The local panchayat had cut a mud road through the sanctuary area before it was notified.

The sanctuary is the habitat of Kurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) and many other species of plants specific to the Shola grasslands. The Shola grasslands in the area, which is important in the conservation of water, had been heavily damaged by planting eucalyptus and black wattle. This in turn had affected the farmers.

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