The Hindu, September 24, 2014
As many as 34 panchayats in the Western Ghats region in
Kerala are set to become the crucible of an experimental project seeking
to minimise the impact of commercial and livelihood activities on
fragile ecosystems.
Funded by the UN Development
Programme (UNDP), the India High Range Mountain Landscape Project
involves a participatory, multiple- use approach to conservation and
natural resource management. The project region covering over 3,000 sq
km of biodiversity-rich land in Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts
is home to half the remaining global population of the Nilgiri tahr. It
is also one of the last pockets of the grizzled giant squirrel and one
of the five viable breeding centres of tigers in India.
The
State government has entered into a tripartite agreement with the
Central government and UNDP for the project. A preliminary assessment
carried out by the participating agencies has revealed rapid erosion of
biodiversity, degradation and fragmentation of key habitats,
proliferation of invasive alien species, increasing human-animal
conflicts and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources as major
challenges to biodiversity conservation in the region.
The
five- year project seeks to establish an effective governance framework
for multiple use management of mountain landscape. Additional Chief
Secretary P.K. Mohanty told
The Hindu
that the baseline data generated by the participating agencies would be
used to chalk out an action plan covering biodiversity conservation,
sustainable development and livelihood support.
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