Where tigers, tribes coexist

K.A. Shaji
The Hindu, July 29, 2015
Though a school dropout from Sunkam tribal settlement deep inside the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, S. Babu holds the answer to the raging debate on tiger versus tribal, where tiger conservation and livelihood of forest-dwelling tribespeople fail to find a common ground.
A Malashar tribal man, Babu was seen busy on the eve of International Tiger Day, selecting a set of tiger images he captured from the sanctuary for a photo exhibition slated for Wednesday at the Palakkad District Collectorate.
The exhibition to be organised by the Parambikulam Tiger Foundation, comprising images captured by tribal forest watchers and tourist guides, will introduce to the outside world the rich biodiversity of the reserve and highlight its tiger conservation efforts.
It was only last year Babu started a website exclusively for the images he captured from the reserve. “A few years ago, the Forest Department computerised the Parambikulam Tourism Information Centre and Divisional Forest Office. The officials there trained me in computers and photography, and that was a big break,” said Babu.
According to B.N. Anjan Kumar, Deputy Director of the reserve, 234 members of six tribal settlements participate in the community-based eco-tourism now being practised at Parambikulam.
The tribespeople who were forced to sell their cattle and forgo other means of livelihood after the sanctuary became a tiger reserve are now employed as tourist guides, forest watchers, and helping hands for eco-tourism initiatives. The initiative was launched six years ago. Forest authorities could make rapid strides in initiatives relating to eco-tourism and effective forest management through the involvement of tribals.
“The Parambikulam Tiger Reserve has many firsts to its credit, made possible through the participation of tribals. The reserve has nearly five endemic flora varieties. It had 29 direct sightings of tigers,” said Mr. Kumar. Ever since the Joint Forest and Participatory Management was introduced, there have been no incidents of poaching in the reserve. Tribespeople have become part of the Social Tiger Protection Force and are effectively combating forest and wildlife-related offences.
Besides a rally, the reserve will observe International Tiger Day by conducting a quiz, screening of movies and a photo exhibition.
 

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A double whammy for environment

K.A. Martin  
KOCHI,  
The Hindu, July 29, 2015
The State government’s move to amend the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008, to regularise paddy reclamations till 2008 has drawn sharp reactions from water conservation experts, farm scientists, and environmental activists.
While the world is struggling to conserve farmland, Kerala is throwing away even the little it has now, said K. Krishnankutty, former Chittur MLA, a key member on the committee that drafted the Kerala Agricultural Development Policy in 2013.
The draft policy called for incentivising conservation of farmland as it declared “farmlands as precious diamonds”. Mr. Krishnankutty said as per an estimate of the United Nations Organisation, a hectare of paddy land offered economic benefits to the tune of Rs.22 lakh a year in terms of their usefulness in ecological balance, water conservation, and conservation of biodiversity. 
“It was not just an incentive, but an invitation to people to reclaim paddy lands. If this time it was 2008 for regularisation of paddy land reclamations, it would be 2015 next time,” hydrologist A. Achuthan said.
A senior government official said it was a double whammy for environment in Kerala as two water conservation structures, paddy fields and hillocks in the midlands of Kerala, took hit for the same purpose. “The hillocks are great water retainers and they are razed to fill paddy lands, which hold up to five lakh litres of water per hectare at 5 cm of water depth.”
John Peruvanthanam of the Western Ghats Protection Samithy said paddy field reclamations had been most intensive over the last decade. “People are taking advantage of the situation in which there is no databank on waterbodies and paddy lands in the State. Even the fields that were reclaimed yesterday will be regularised by the government,” he said.
An official of the Department of Agriculture said there was no data on which to decide which areas were reclaimed before the cut-off date proposed by the government. The draft list of waterbodies and paddy land in the State had not seen the light of day, he added.
Meanwhile, acreage under paddy crop has shrunk to 1.99 lakh hectares in the State during 2013-14, with Kollam, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Malappuram districts accounting for the sharpest fall.

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New fish species discovered in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, July 19, 2015
A new cyprinid fish, Puntius Dolichopterus has been discovered in Kerala’s Kayamkulam city, a media report said.
The new fish species has been discovered, named and described by Mathews Plamoottil, head of the department of zoology, Baby John Memorial Government College, near Kollam city, according to the latest issue of ‘International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology.’
The new freshwater fish was collected from a small water stream flowing in the heart of Alappuzha district’s Kayamkulam city.
“It is characterised by the longer pectoral fin, shorter dorsal fin, unusually elongated dorsal spine, longer head, lesser number of lateral line scales and pre-dorsal scales. It can be further differentiated from its relative species in having 3-4 longitudinal lines present below lateral line,” he said.
The name of the new fish “dolichopterus” has been coined from two Greek words ‘dolikhos’ meaning elongated and ‘pteron’ meaning wing or fin, as refers to elongated pectoral fin.
Describing the new fish, Plamoottil said the body is silvery, dorsal fin is light orange red, pectoral and anal fin greenish yellow, ventral fin yellow, caudal fin dusky and an inconspicuous dusky spot present on 21 and 22 scales.
The spine of dorsal fin in this fish is rigid, strong and long. They have a pair of small barbels. They are between 7.3 and 8.7 cm in length.
The fish, found in small and shallow water channels, is edible and can be utilised as ornamental fish. The fish is included in the fish family Cyprinidae.
Its congeners (relative species) are Puntius nigronotus, Puntius viridis, Puntius nelsoni and Puntius parrah found in Kerala, Puntius dorsalis found in Chennai and Puntius chola and Puntius sophore residing in the water bodies of the Ganga river.
“All these fish were compared and examined for proving the identity of this new fish. This new barb has received Zoo bank register number from International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, the official body approving the new names of animals. Six specimens of this new fish have been deposited in the Government Museum (Zoological Survey of India) at Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands,” he added.

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2 new plant species discovered in Western Ghats

T. Nandakumar
Thiruvananthapuram, 
The Hindu, July 17, 2015
A team of researchers from the State have reported the discovery of two new plant species from the Pooyamkutty-Adamalayar and Neriamangalam forest regions, highlighting the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats and the need for a conservation strategy for the fragile ecosystem.
The team led by C.N. Sunil, Associate Professor, SNM College, Maliankara, chanced upon the new species during investigations conducted as part of a UGC-sponsored project on the flowering plants of Ernakulam district. The findings were published in the June 2015 issue of the international journal Webbia: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Phytogeography.
An under shrub plant belonging to the mint family, Anisochilus shoolamudianus was found growing on steep wet rocks on Shoolamudy, the highest peak in Ernakulam district, deep inside the Edmalayalar forest range. The species was named after the place of collection. The investigators gave it a vernacular name “Vellithumpa” (silver flower) because of the white silvery hairs under the leaf. The plant bears small white flowers with red anthers in cylindrical closely packed clusters. According to M.G. Sanilkumar, Assistant Professor, SNM College, who was also part of the team, only four or five plants were observed in the area, possibly an indication that it is a very rare species.
A herbaceous plant belonging to the pipeworts family, Eriocaulon manoharanii was found growing in the wet rocky mountain grasslands of Mamalakandam-Munippara area in the Neriamangalam forest range. The plant has small white flowers growing in clusters. The patchy distribution of the plant is a scenic beauty in the valleys and grasslands. Dr. Sunil said the species was named after former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests T.M. Manoharan as a recognition of his contributions to biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection.
Dr. Sunil and his team had discovered four other plant species from the area over the last two years. “This points to the unmapped biodiversity in the region. It also indicates the need for a conservation strategy for the ecologically sensitive areas of the Western Ghats,” he says.

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Extra vigil proposed in Edamalayar forest

K.S. Sudhi
The Hindu, July 7, 2015 
KOCHI
With a three-day-long combing operation exposing the loopholes in the wildlife protection network, the Forest Department will soon step up wildlife protection activities in Malayattoor Forest Division, where five elephants were gunned down by poachers.
It has been suggested to establish 14 camps inside the inaccessible forest terrains of Malayattoor Forest Division. This would enable the field staff to go deep into the forest and ensure maximum protection for wildlife, said Vijayanand, Divisional Forest Officer, Malayattoor.
The proposal to step up the vigil forms part of the recommendations drawn up after the conclusion of the combing operations along the Malyattoor-Chalakkudi-
Vazhachal forest divisions. The confessional statement of an assistant of a poaching group had send jitters across the forest department. Three forest officials were suspended following the revelation and one poacher was arrested in this connection.
Five bone samples have been brought out of the forest for forensic analysis. No new carcass or bones could be identified during the combing operation, said Mr. Vijayanand. The two persons, who were taken into custody in relation to the case, were earlier taken to the reported sites of hunting. The three-day operation carried out by 23 teams, which covered around 500 sq km, concluded late on Sunday night. Suneel Pamidi, Divisional Forest Officer, Chalakkudi Forest Division, said no signs of poaching could be identified in the division during the search operations.
Meanwhile, green campaigners have raised the demand for an investigation by a central agency into the incidents of poaching as they believed that international wildlife traders were involved in the incidents. M.N. Jayachandran, State president of the Prakithi Samrakshana Vedi, demanded a CBI investigation into the incidents. He demanded that the status of the nearly 150 sq.km. area of unprotected forest area of the Division should be enhanced by declaring it as a wildlife sanctuary. John Peruvanthanam, chairman of the Western Ghats Protection Council, said there was information that wildlife trade was taking place through Kochi.
  

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Poachers have a free run in unguarded terrains

K.S. Sudhi 
The Hindu,July 6, 2015
KOCHI
The poaching of five elephants in the Edamalayar forest has exposed the chinks in wildlife protection measures. Details of unprotected forest terrains in the State have started emerging.
Senior forest officials said around 150 sq km of thick forest areas bordering the Malayattoor-Vazhachal divisions remain exposed with hardly any protection measures in place. These stretches are beyond the reach of forest protective officials. Perambulation is not possible in these areas. The area where the poaching reportedly took place is around 18 km inside the Edamalayar forest. The terrain is inaccessible too, said an official.
The carcasses of elephants were found in the Karivani and Edamalayar areas. It was inferred that a two-year-old calf and four sub-adults of age up to 25 years were shot dead by the poachers. A group of forest officials who returned after the combing operations in the forest area have brought with them available carcass samples for DNA analysis. This is to determine the age and sex of the slain animals. Though the animals were suspected to be shot dead by the poachers, bullets were not found near the carcass. Metal detectors were used to scan the area to find metal parts of bullets, said an official who took part in the combing operations.
Resource mobilisation
The confessional statement by one of the members of the poaching team has been followed up with a massive mobilisation of men and resources in the forest area. Around 250 officials, split into several teams, have been deployed for combing operations. They are expected to return after ending the four-day operation on Monday, officials said.
A senior official said the beat system of patrolling, which was earlier called off, had thrown open the forest areas to poachers. Perambulation along the Malayattoor-Munnar-Chalakkudi and Chimmini forests needed to be strengthened in the background of recent developments, he said
John Peruvanthanam, chairman of the Western Ghats Protection Council, demanded steps to confiscate the nearly 7,000 illegal country-made guns, mostly held by poachers. He alleged that nearly 90 elephants had been killed during the last decade in the region. Many cases were written off as accidental deaths. There were no protection measures in many sensitive forest areas, he said.
Reviewing the situation, B.S. Corrie, Chief of Forest Force, said the beat system of patrolling and intensive perambulation would be restored. Discussions have been initiated to adopt scientific conservation and protection measures. Modern conservation measures such as e-patrolling, which is being tried out in Wayanad and Periyar areas, would be considered, he said.


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Twin Kallar scheme, State’s shield against PAVLP

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor  

The Hindu, July 5, 2015 
 PATHANAMTHITTA
Faced with the threat posed by the Pampa-Achencoil-Vaipar Link Project (PAVLP) aimed at diverting a sizeable amount of water from the Pampa and Achencoil to the Vaipar in Tamil Nadu, the State government has taken up a Twin Kallar multipurpose scheme that would ensure conservation of the two river systems as well as the Vembanad wetlands.
Experts say the transfer of water from the Pampa and the Achencoil to the Vaipar river basin would prejudicially affect the rights and interests of Kerala and the people living in the downstream reaches. They said the Twin Kallar scheme was the only feasible project that would cater to the needs of the two river basins.
Peninsular scheme
The PAVLP had been included in the Peninsular River Development Scheme on the basis of a study conducted by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) in the Pampa and Achencoil two decades ago.
The NWDA had prepared a feasibility report for the PAVLP on the basis of the water balance study conducted in the 1980s. As per the study, the two Kerala rivers had 3,127 million cubic metres (mcm) of surplus water, after meeting all requirements of the State.
The PAVLP envisaged diversion of 634 mcm of water from these two rivers to the water-deficit Vaipar basin, which could irrigate an area of 91,000 ha in the drought-prone districts of Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, and Tuticorin, and generate 1,114 million units (mu) of hydel energy annually.
Rs.2,588-crore project
The project, estimated to cost Rs.2,588 crore, also envisaged regulated release of 150 mcm of water to Kerala during the lean period.
According to Mullaperiyar Special Cell chairman and former member of the Kerala State Electricity Board M.K. Parameswaran Nair, the PAVLP required construction of three dams in the Pampa Kallar, at Punnamedu, Achencoil Kallar, and in the Achencoil at Achencoil. The project would require 2,283 mu of power annually to lift the water to the Achencoil Kallar while the expected annual generation would be only 1,095 mu, he said.
Mr. Nair said the three PAVLP dams would submerge 2,004 ha of land, including 1,398 ha of virgin forests. The project, if implemented, would affect the wetland ecology of Vembanad, he said.
Mr. Nair was of the view that Kerala should pursue the Twin Kallar multi-purpose scheme, which could give additional power and water for irrigation and salinity extrusion.
Twin-Kallar is a moderate storage scheme with an installed capacity of 60 MW. But, the area of submergence under the Twin-Kallar scheme would be only 864 ha (301.9 ha for the Pampa-Kallar reservoir and 562.1 ha for the Achencoil-Kallar reservoir).
The project would cater to the summer needs of both the Pampa and Achencoil rivers, ultimately benefiting the Kuttanad region.

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A count to cheer about for ornithologists

K.S. Sudhi
The Hindu, July 3, 2015

KOCHI,
A comprehensive survey on heronries has identified 10,380 nests of waterbirds from 157 sites across the State.
Birders recorded 44 heronries and 2,586 nests from Palakkad, the highest in the State. Malappuram had 25 heronries and 1,826 nests followed by Kannur (24 heronries and 1,302 nests), the report said.
Heronries are the communal nesting places of large waterbirds. Mixed species heronries could be seen as different species breed at the same place. Kerala has about 15 species of resident and breeding waterbirds nesting in various heronries.
Painted Stork, one of the three rarest breeding waterbirds of Kerala, was found nesting only at Kumarakom heronry. The other two species, Grey Heron was found nesting at Koduvally near Thalassery and Eastern Cattle Egret breeds at Panamaram in Wayanad. The heronries at Kumarakom, which has 12 species of birds breeding, and the one at Panamaram with 10 species were the two prominent ones in the State.
Though Woolly-necked Stork is known to breed in Kerala, it does not breed in the colonial heronries here, the survey report prepared by a team led by noted ornithologist C. Sashikumar for the State Forest Department pointed out.
Ornithologists say that protection of heronries is important for the conservation and management of the bird species. These birds are integral part of the agricultural ecosystem and have a role in pest control and enhancing nutrients.
Most of the heronries were found located on government land and on roadside trees. Many trees located at busy market places, bus stands, railway station compounds and places where people congregate were used by the birds.
In Kochi, heronries could not be identified during the survey.
The heronries in Kerala become active since May, prior to the onset on southwest monsoon and breeding will continue till October. The two months from July is considered as the peak breeding season, the report pointed out.
Conflicts
Heronries often find themselves in conflict with local population due to the annoyance caused by the cacophony of nesting birds and the food-begging nestlings. The nuisance caused by bird droppings and fallen food items often provoke action against the nesting birds. People often drive birds away. There have also been instances of killing of birds for meat. Cutting of roadside trees too is a matter of concern, according to ornithologists.
Ornithologists have come up with heronry guards, a metal structure which could be fixed on the trees to collect droppings. Planting of trees at near wetlands and paddy fields with the cooperation of farmers have been mooted. These sites would also serve as tourist attraction with assured sighting of a few species, said an ornithologist.

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