Pampa River Action Plan gets a new lease of life

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu, April 1, 2016

The Pampa River Action Plan for pollution abatement and conservation of the river basin has received a fresh lease of life, with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change sanctioning the release of grant-in-aid of Rs.5 crore.

The aid was sanctioned on March 28 after the Ministry approved the utilisation certificate submitted by the State on work taken up under the scheme in the last 12 years.

However, the Central share of the project was slashed from 70 per cent to 50 per cent on directions from the Ministry of Finance.

Officials said the release of money signalled the Centre’s willingness to commit more funds for the ambitious scheme. Incidentally, the failure to submit the utilisation certificate in time had resulted in reduced flow of funds from the Ministry, eventually leading to allegations that the State had failed to tap the Centre for assistance.

The Ministry had sought clarifications from the State after noticing discrepancies in the initial utilisation certificate submitted in 2014 and the failure to furnish the expenditure statement.

Sanctioned in 2003, the Pampa Action Plan was allotted Rs.18.45 crore on a 70:30 cost-sharing basis between the Centre and the State. Of the Central share of Rs.12.92 crore, an amount of Rs.2.75 crore was released.

The project includes construction of a sewerage system and sewage treatment plants, bathing ghats and community toilets at Pampa and Sabarimala to control pollution of the river, primarily caused by the influx of pilgrims during the festival season.

Hailing the settlement of accounts since 2003, Pampa River Basin Authority Project Director George Chackacherry said the fresh tranche of funds would be used for upgrading the sewage treatment plant at Pampa and constructing connection drains.

The authority has prepared a Rs.200-crore master plan to enhance pilgrim amenities at Sabarimala and control pollution of the river. The proposal is awaiting clearance from NITI Ayog.

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Sand-eating tadpoles found in Western Ghats

The Hindu, March 30, 2016 
NEW DELHI,  

Adding to the burgeoning cache of frog-finds in India, researchers have discovered a sand-eating tadpole that lives in total darkness, until it fully develops into a young frog.

S.D. Biju from the University of Delhi said in a statement: “We provide the first confirmed report of the tadpoles of Indian Dancing frog family. These tadpoles probably remained unnoticed all these years because of their fossorial [underground] nature, which in itself is a rare occurrence in the amphibian world.”

The group of scientists from the University of Delhi, the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and Gettysburg College, California discovered and documented the tadpole in the peer-reviewed PLOS One, an open-access journal.

The tadpole belongs to the so-called Indian Dancing Frog family, Micrixalidae. They get that name from their habit of waving their legs as a sign of territorial and sexual display while sitting on boulders in streams.

Though these kind of displays are well known, information on the tadpoles of these frogs were completely unknown, according to Dr. Biju.

In January, Dr. Biju reported in the same journal of a frog species called Frankixalus jerdonii, once considered a species lost to science.

Skin-covered eyes

The purple tadpoles were discovered from the deep recesses of streambeds in the Western Ghats and they possess muscular eel-like bodies and skin-covered eyes, which helps them to burrow through gravel beds.

Though they lack teeth, they have serrated jaw sheaths, to possibly prevent large sand grains from entering the mouth while feeding and moving through sand.

The authors posit that unlike most tadpoles that swim early on, the Micrixalidae tadpoles hang onto underwater rocks with their powerful suckering mouths. When their arms grow strong enough they dig underground, where they live most of their lives, only to emerge in forest streams to reproduce.

Other unusual features of the tadpoles were ribs and whitish globular sacs storing calcium carbonate, known as “lime sacs,” noted Madhava Meegaskumbura from the University of Peradeniya.

“Only four families of frogs are reported to have ribs, but we show that at least some of Micrixalidae also have ribs, even as tadpoles; this adaptation may provide for greater muscle attachment, helping them wriggle through sand,” he said.

 

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Greens set manifesto for parties

The Hindu, March 31, 2016
Thiruvananthapuram, 

The Kerala Paristhithi Aikyavedi, an umbrella organisation of environmental groups in the State, has released a green development agenda for political parties to incorporate into their manifesto for the forthcoming elections to the Assembly.

Releasing the document here on Wednesday, Aikyavedi leaders V.S. Vijayan, R. Sridhar and S. Usha said the green agenda was aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of the State.

Allegation

They alleged that the UDF government had abetted blatant violations of environmental laws, imperilling livelihoods, and affecting food security and water availability.

Proposing a white paper on the state of the environment within three months of the formation of a new government, the agenda calls for an environmental audit to expose the violation of environmental laws by local bodies and government departments.

The document calls for a firm political commitment on restoration of paddy fields and wetlands reclaimed after 2008.

It proposes an environment audit for the last 30 years in the Western Ghats, midlands, and coastal areas.

Declaration of paddy lands as paddy reserves that can never be converted for other purposes, a legislation for protection of hills in non-forest areas, eco-restoration of the catchments of hydro power and irrigation projects, phasing out the production and sale of chemical pesticides, preparation of a wetland register for each panchayat and strong action against CRZ violations are some of the major recommendations.

The agenda proposes a strong building code limiting the maximum size of a house and making constructions environment friendly.

The Aikyavedi urged the government to revisit the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports and accept recommendations for ecological security.

Pointing out that Kerala cannot afford to have new hydel projects involving loss of forests, the manifesto recommends installation of solar power units in government offices, industrial units and commercial establishments within five years.

The Aikyavedi leaders said the green agenda would help Kerala become the first carbon neutral State in India and the first to adopt sustainable development practices.

They said all political parties in the State would be approached with the request to include the green agenda in their respective election manifesto.

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UNESCO updates protected biosphere reserves list

The Hindu,  March 21, 2016
Lima,  
The United Nation’s cultural body UNESCO has added 20 new sites to its network of protected biosphere nature reserves, including two in Canada and two in Portugal.
The status was conferred during a two-day meeting in Lima that ended on Saturday, which brought the total number of biosphere reserves to 669 across 120 countries.
In Canada, the Tsa Tue area in the country’s Northwest Territories that includes the last pristine arctic lake was added to the list, as was the Beaver Hills region of Alberta, which has a landscape formed by a retreating glacier.
Britain’s Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea in a biologically diverse marine environment, and Mexico’s Isla Cozumel were also selected for the network.
And in Portugal, the entire Island of Sao Jorge, the fourth largest in the Azores Archipelago, was designated a reserve in addition to the Tajo River region between Portugal and Spain.
The list of new UNESCO biosphere reserves also includes sites in Algeria, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines and Tanzania.
Of the hundreds of locations on the list, 16 are sites that stretch across more than one country. Spain is the country with the largest number of registered reserves.
During the meeting, nine extensions to existing biosphere reserves were also approved.
Meanwhile, the Australia ended its push to log World Heritage-listed forests on the island State of Tasmania on Sunday, after UNESCO issued a report calling for the area to remain protected from logging.

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Eco-friendly boating at Mattupetty

Giji K. Raman,  IDUKKI,  
The Hindu, March 21, 2016

Boating in Mattupetty lake in Munnar will soon be eco-friendly, with wildlife being least disturbed.

As part of its efforts to develop responsible tourism in Munnar, the Hydel Tourism Centre has purchased a solar-powered boat, which will be a marked change from kerosene-powered boats and petrol speed boats.

Kerosene-run boats

Kerosene-powered boats have been the reason behind the pollution of the water body, even leading to occasional fish-kills, not to mention the ecological and environmental threats they pose. In addition, wild animals seldom used to drink water from the lake during summer seasons, thanks to contamination.

Moreover, the noise produced by petrol speed boats used to disturb wild animals.

The twin objectives of the solar-powered boat are ending noise pollution and reducing cost of operation.

Meanwhile, an official of the Hydel Tourism Centre said solar-powered boats are aimed at ensuring eco-friendly travel for tourists in the lake at the lowest cost possible.

The boat that can be operated for up to four hours once the solar panel is charged, can accommodate 10 passengers.

Wild animals

Once, green boats are fully operational, wild animals will come to the dam area for water and more sightings of them will be possible, officials hope.

 

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Eco-restoration drive remains a non-starter

K.A. Shaji, Palakkad
The Hindu, March 21, 2016

The much-hyped Palakkad Gap eco-system restoration efforts initiated by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board last year with the active involvement of 17 local bodies and the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department continues to remain a non-starter in spite of the claims that it would help address escalating heat in the region in the coming years.

Though a number of tree saplings were planted with much fanfare in five grama panchayats marking the commencement of the initiative, all of them failed to withstand the challenges of hostile climate in the absence of follow-up initiatives. No steps were taken for safe protection and watering of the saplings even during the hot summer months.

The 45-km Palakkad gap in the Western Ghats is facing serious environmental destruction largely owing to indiscriminate sand and granite mining. Massive deforestation is killing the Bharathapuzha and its tributaries, which flow through the area, and its highly fragile eco-systems. The Biodiversity Board initiative was aimed at rejuvenating the river eco-system by restoring the green cover.

It was also perceived as a step to counter the challenges posed by global warming, destruction of wildlife habitats and adverse changes in land use pattern. There were even assurances of ensuring participation of various bio-diversity youth clubs in the district to make the project a participatory one. Efforts were also on to link the NREGA programme with the initiative. The pilot project was planned in Vadakarapathi, Pattanchery, Kozhinjampara, Puthussery and Peruvembu panchayats. The gala inaugural event was held in Peruvembu in February last.

When contacted, Biodiversity Board officials blamed the local bodies for completely neglecting the project. Panchayat bodies clarify that the board had done no follow-up action.

“It was a long-awaited initiative addressing the importance of restoring greenery of the gap, which is under destruction. The board has the responsibility to coordinate with panchayats and find resources for implementing it. Only by increasing the green cover of the gap, we can withstand escalating heat in Palakkad during summer. The heat is already unbearable,’’ said Kalloor Balan, environmnal activist.

“It needs not much additional funds. Better coordination with local bodies and channelising resources like NREGA would help implement it easily. Schools and colleges in the region can also contribute,” said Shyam Kumar, environmentalist.

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On alert, to check poaching during summer

G. Anand,  Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu,  March 15, 2016

The Forest Department has stepped up surveillance in Idukki and Wayanad districts in the wake of intelligence forecasts that hunting of tigers and leopards for their pelts and body parts could escalate in summer.

A wildlife enforcer said that there was lot of tiger movement in Tholpatti, Muthanga, Kurichiyadu, and Batheri ranges this season. Many of the predators were aged and often forayed into human habitations for easy prey, mostly tethered cattle. Certain settler farmers sometimes collaborated with poachers to remove the threat of predators from their neighbourhoods.

The predators were particularly vulnerable while frequenting dwindling wateringholes. Moreover, forest fires, both natural and manmade, funnelled wildlife through certain paths and poachers found it easy to ensnare them using mechanical traps.

Wildlife Warden (Wayanad) P. Dhanesh Kumar said 24 camp sheds had been activated inside the 332-sq km reserve to keep a guard on poachers, detect traps and prevent wildfires.

On March 13, 2015, enforcers had encountered such a trap at the Akamala station limits in Machad forest range. They found a spotted deer (Sambar) caught in the crude trap. It had been bludgeoned to death after being trapped.

Traps

In 2014, enforcers had found a ‘cable trap,’ one fashioned out of clutch cables and second-hand vehicle parts, in a private estate bordering the forest at Tholpatti.

Investigators said use of such traps to ensnare wild animals, chiefly tigers, could be widespread and the detections, so far, were just the tip of the ice-berg. Officials said that unblemished tiger and leopard pelts fetched a higher price and poachers preferred to hunt the big cats using traps rather than fire-arms.

Forensic examinations of tiger skin and parts seized in the past showed that the hunters had cured the pelts using a combination of salt and sometimes, alum. The pelts would be stretched and left to dry under the sun for weeks. The meat and bones would be salted and preserved for sale.

On February 2, 2015, enforcers had trapped five persons in the Palode range into selling them a tiger skin. The number of tiger skin seizures in the State has dwindled over the years. Investigators said one reason was that much of the illegal trade had shifted to Coorg and certain Tibetan settlements in Karnataka.

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Project to conserve vultures in Wayanad

E.M. Manoj, KALPETTA
The Hindu,  March 14, 2016

The Forest and Wildlife Department has launched a comprehensive project to conserve the existing vulture population in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, a major habitat of different species of vultures in South India.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has earmarked Rs.50 lakh for the project and it has sanctioned Rs.30 lakh this fiscal, Promod G. Krishnan, Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), told The Hindu .

Awareness programmes planned

“We are planning awareness programmes, continuous monitoring of the birds, year-round protection to the nests, and will also ensure availability of food for the scavenger bird,” he said

“We have already identified the habitats of two species, including the white-rumped and red-headed vultures, in three forest ranges,” P. Dhaneshkumar, warden of the sanctuary said.

The sanctuary has procured 51 infrared cameras for watching the movements of the birds, he said.

“As many as 25 tribal watchers have been selected for monitoring the birds and they will be provided special training,” he said.

Special programmes

Awareness programmes will be organised for villagers and students on the significance of conserving the scavenger bird.

Special awareness programmes will be organised for veterinarians and medical shopkeepers on the misuse of drug diclofenac, responsible for the dramatic fall in vulture population in the country.

The department has started preparing pamphlets, posters and documentaries for the purpose. “We are also planning to leave the carcasses of wild animals for the birds instead of cremating or burning them, with the support of villagers and vulture watchers,” Mr. Dhaneshkumar added.

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Villagers oppose move to permit quarrying

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor PATHANAMTHITTA
The Hindu, March 13, 2016 

The People’s Action Council has taken strong exception to a move by the grama panchayat to permit resumption of granite quarrying on the environmentally fragile Chembanmudy hill in Naranamoozhy panchayat in Ranni taluk.

Action council convener Shaji Pathalil told The Hindu that the panchayat had decided to seek legal opinion on the request submitted by a quarry owner to resume granite quarrying at Chembanmudy. Mr. Shaji the panchayat’s move to consider the request to resume granite quarrying at Chembanmudy, in violation of various laws and rules pertaining to it as well as Western Ghats protection, was an anti-environment and anti-people act.

Chembanmudimala, stands 3,825 ft. above mean sea level. The unabated illegal operation of two giant granite quarries and crusher units in this environmentally fragile hilly tracts for about a decade was brought to a halt three years ago following strong public protest against it.

The hazardous silica dust flying from the quarry also posed a major health hazard in the locality. There was a rise in incidence of cancer as well as skin and and lung ailments in the Chembaoly-Vakamukku areas .

The villagers had organised themselves and resorted to direct action to protect themselves from the ill-effects of the illegal granite quarries and crusher units following the alleged denial of justice to them by the people’s representatives as well as the official machinery three years ago.

Mr. Shaji said an expert team attached to the Geological Survey of India had categorically stated in 2013 that no granite quarrying should be permitted at Chembanmudy without attending to the future threats and corrective measures.

During his visit to the affected area in 2013, Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel chairman Madhav Gadgil too had strongly opposed quarrying at Chembanmudy

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‘Eco nod for 943 projects in 21 months’

The Hindu, March 12, 2016 
Mumbai:

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday claimed that in the 21 months of the NDA government at the Centre, his Ministry has given environmental clearances to 943 projects, unlocking investments of up to about Rs 6.72 lakh crore.

Mr. Javadekar said the NDA government focussed on three key principles — make new sustainable development policies, making the process of clearance simpler and more transparent, and decentralising power to the States.

“During the last 10 years (of the UPA government), environment clearances took an average of 600 days. But the new strategy has helped my Ministry cut down the time for various clearances to an average of 190 days. We intend to further improve this to 100 days in the next one year,” Mr. Javadekar said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

He said during the UPA regime, the time-consuming process of environment clearances for big investment projects led to delays, stunting growth, increased unemployment, a large number of incomplete projects, and a sharp increase in non performing assets of banks.

“The Environment Ministry had earned the nickname of Roadblock or Speedbreaker Ministry. Our sustainable development policies will increase investment inflow, ensure completion of projects on time, boost employment and development without compromising with environment. We don’t just believe in Ease of Doing Business, but Ease of Doing Responsible Business,” said the Minister, who, earlier in the day also delivered the keynote address at the 11th National Convention on Sustainable Development Goals held in Mumbai.

Mr. Javadekar told journalists that the Modi government was committed to sustainable development. He said climate change was a reality with one degree of temperature rise caused by 150 years of uncontrolled carbon emissions by the developed world.

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Nod for paddy field reclamation kicks up a row

The Hindu, March 6, 2016
Thiruvananthapuram: 

Clearances accorded by the Revenue Department for reclaiming 420 acres of Methran Kayal backwater paddy fields at Kumarakom village in Kottayam taluk and 47 acres of paddy field at Kadamakkudy grama panchayat in Ernakulam district for private ventures have triggered a row.

The order for reclaiming 420 acres of paddy field for an eco tourism project was issued on March 1 and for the 47 acres was issued on March 2. The first order says that the company, Rakindo Kumarakom Resort Private Limited had purchased 378 acres paddy fields in the name of 34 subsidiary companies under its ambit in 2007-08 and there was no cultivation since 2007.

The company had submitted the Kumarakom Tourist Resort Village project to the government in 2009 and it was cleared too. Since there were some ecological problems, certain changes were made in the project to make it more eco-friendly by adding farm tourism and allied projects.

The order says that the new project was found to be more eco-friendly and paddy cultivation was not possible in the current context.

The new project was expected to bring in investment to the tune of Rs.2,200 crore and help to register the presence of Kerala’s tourism sector in the international circuit.

Hence, it has directed the District Collector to consider the project.

Second order

The second order for the setting up a super-speciality hospital which was projected to bring in investment worth Rs.1,000 crore and create 7,000 job opportunities on completion.

Though the government had claimed that both projects would not go against the provisions of the paddy field and wetland conservation Acts, the alleged haste shown by the government for pushing the proposals just before the declaration of the election notification had come in for criticism. For, this is feared to have serious ecological ramifications and also hamper the steps claimed to have been initiated by the government for conserving wetlands and paddy fields.

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Illegal razing of hills rampant in Pathanamthitta

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor, PATHANAMTHITTA,
The Hindu, March 3, 2016   

With the government machinery sliding into preparations for the forthcoming Assembly polls, unauthorised demolition of environmentally sensitive hills has become rampant in many parts of the district.

Functioning of the Police Department too has been reportedly slackened in the backdrop of the pre-election shifting of officials from their home districts, leaving ample room for law-breakers to unleash illegal hill demolition and paddy land conversion in the district.

All Kerala River Protection Council State vice-president V.N. Gopinath Pillai alleged that illegal land conversion was under way even at places where hill demolition had been stopped by courts earlier.

Mr. Pillai said the land lobby had started demolishing the nearly 250-metre tall Chuttipparakkunnu at Vallana, near here. The move to demolish the hill, projecting it as a site for an educational institution, was stalled by villagers two years ago.

The State Pollution Control Board had inspected the hill and submitted a report to the Revenue Divisional Officer at Adoor, highlighting the dangers posed by the hill demolition. The hill demolition was later stopped as college management clarified that it had no proposal to set up a college at Vallana.

Though the land lobby was trying to demolish the hill under the pretext providing earth for the ongoing rail doubling work on the Thiruvalla-Chengannur stretch, Railways had contracted a person to shift the earth removed from the Aranmula Puncha, Mr Pillai said.

Mylapra, Elanthoor

Elanthoor and Mylapra were two other places near the district headquarters where illegal hill demolition was taking at a fast pace, said Mr. Pillai.

Mr. Pillai said illegal hill demolition was rampant at Varyapuram and Kulackattukavu areas too.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists have forcibly stopped illegal demolition of hills at certain parts of Elanthoor the other day.

Mr. Pillai called upon the District Collector to take effective steps to check land conversions taking place in different parts of the district without any further delay.

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