A lensman with a passion for wildlife

For B N Nagaraj who had a taste for wildlife and nature photography since 1982, his recruitment to the Forest Department in 2000 only turned out to be a blessing in disguise since here was an opportunity to traverse the length and breadth of the forests and absorb nature's beauty to your hearts content.Believe it or not, B N Nagaraj who is the assistant wildlife warden in the Silent Valley National Park has taken 20,000 photographs on Silent Valley alone in the last one-and-a-half years since his posting there. He has a collection of 256 flowers, most of them rare species.Some of the flowers are yet to be identified. The collections include the Inpatiens Muunrnini and the Sivaranjini found in the Swiss Para area of the Silent Valley which bloom only for two or three days in a particular season by which time one should take the photograph.There are 42 types of butterflies, 40 types of birds, 16 varieties of animals and five varieties of snakes.Some eye catching photos include the sunrise taken from the Kuchipura area and the Kozhipara waterfall, which is the orgin of the Kunthipuzha in the Silent Valley.B.N.Nagaraj, hailing from Thiruvananthapuram now has a collection of more than 50,000 photographs.They were taken from different locations like Kodanad, Chinnar, Morayur, Arippa, Kuluthupuzha, Thekkady, Eravikulam, Peechi and Nilambur.Nagaraj says that he wish to publish the photographs with the help of the Forest Department so that they benefit the future generation.The photographs taken by Nagaraj were displayed at the Statelevel Forest Sports and Games meet which was held in Palakkad recently.

The New Indian Express, 29^th October 2008

Tourism web site a Google hotspot

The official web site of Kerala Tourism, which has won several accolades, has become the first web site from the State to bag a high page rank in the Google ranking system. The web site (www. keralatourism.org) has a page rank of seven out of ten under the Google Page Rank system formulated by Larry Page, one of the two founders of Google. Only a few web sites in the country have a rank of seven. The web site is availabl e in seven languages.The ranking gains significance since two-thirds of internet users find their desired web sites through Google search. Web sites with high page ranks are given prominence in the Google searches.Every year about two million people from all over the world visit the web site developed and designed by Invis Multimedia, the IT solution provider for Kerala Tourism. The page views are about 1.25 crore per annum. The newsletter, a key feature of the comprehensive web site, has 85,000 subscribers from all over the world. The web site has bagged several awards, including the Union government's award for the best tourism web site. At present, the web site is the first that is displayed on key word searches in Google. This has been the same for the past four years, according to the IT solution provider.

The Hindu, 27^th October 2008

Heavy loss to crops in monsoon havoc

The heavy rain during the past few days has caused substantial losses to crops in several districts of the State. The damage from the rain and flooding reported on Saturday alone came to Rs.4.23 crore, according to official estimates. Crops in more than 1,200 hectares of land were damaged. The highest loss was in Wayanad district. The losses would go up in the coming days, as paddy worth crores of rupees were under water in Kuttanad.The toll from monsoon-related calamities rose to six on Sunday with the death of Abdul Khader (72) at Chavakkad in Thrissur district from electric shock upon contact with a snapped electric line. A child is reported missing in Kozhikode district.The intensity of rain subsided by Sunday afternoon. Thrissur district received the heaviest rainfall during the past 24 hours. Vellanikkara in the district recorded 10 cm of rainfall, while Thrissur town received eight cm of rainfall. Ottappalam in Palakkad district also received heavy rain. Heavy rain was also reported from Karthikappally (8 cm), Kozhikode and Manjeri (7 cm. each) and Thodupuzha and Vythiri (6 cm each).The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) said water from the Kakki and Pamba dams of the Sabarigiri project might be released anytime now. The Sabarigiri reservoir was filling up fast, as most of the generators of the project were not functional because of the ongoing renovation. Release of the water might intensify flooding in Kuttanad.Official sources said the heavy rain had hit eight districts of the State. About 5,200 people had been affected. Seven houses had been destroyed and 82 houses were damaged. The rain damaged crops in nearly 8,000 hectares since June this year. The loss is estimated to be of Rs.3,268 crore.Staff Reporter writes from Alappuzha: Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran on Sunday assured immediate help to rain-hit paddy farmers in Kuttanad.Talking to reporters after visiting the Valluvankadu padasekharam, near Pallathuruthy, here, the Minister said Rs.5.5 crore out of the Rs.8 crore earmarked for monsoon calamities in the State would be set aside for the agriculture sector. The government would immediately take all steps possible to help the distressed farmers, he said.A meeting of all officials concerned would be convened in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to discuss the situation. Damage statistics from all districts were being collected for the purpose.The Minister said though the State government was trying its best to help the farmers, the Union government too had a major role to play in such situation. The State would submit a report to the Centre at the earliest and request for urgent help, he added.

The Hindu, 27^th October 2008

Kerala Bird Race on November 9

The State unit of the WWF-India and Warblers and Waders, Thiruvananthapuram, will host the Kerala Bird Race 2008 in and around the State capital on November 9. Many birdwatchers of south Kerala are expected to participate in the dawn-to-dusk event, in which teams will spend the day observing and identifying birds.Participants will record different species of birds spotted by them and learn about the finer points of bird-watching from the experts and the experienced. The teams will then assemble in a city hotel to share their experiences.According to WWF-India Education Officer A.K. Sivakumar, the bird race will help to stimulate interest in bird-watching as a hobby. Besides, the exercise will help to understand the recent trends in bird population and the potential of urban ecosystems. Negative factors determining the bird population such as tree felling, climate change, loss of wetlands, pollution and low food availability will be discussed during this exercise. Sighting of Stone Chat, a typical dry habituated bird, at Vellayani paddy fields during last year's bird race was a clear indication of raising atmospheric temperature in and around the capital. During last year's exercise, the city group could spot 90 species. The dwindling population of house sparrows turned to be a matter of concern. The locations for the race will be Vellayani paddy fields, Akkulam wetlands, Zoo and Museum campus, Arippa forests, Kallar-Ponmudy, Bon Accord forests, Aruvikkara reservoir and neighbouring areas of Kanyakumari district. Experienced adjudicators will analyse the results and announce the winners at a function later in the evening. Those interested in participating should register with programme coordinators A.K. Sivakumar (Mobile 94473 86978) or C. Susanth (mobile 94476 99236) on or before November 5.

The Hindu, 25^th October 2008

Call for integrated approach to agro-forestry practices

P.K. Ramachandran Nair, professor of agro-forestry in the University of Florida and a world authority on the subject, has called for an integrated approach to promote agro-forestry practices in India. He was here to attend a workshop on "Scientific writing in agriculture and natural resources management" at Kerala Agricultural University."Like our mono-specific agriculture production system, our research and development activities are also compartmentalised," he said.Agro-forestry, a relatively new name for the age-old practice of multi-crop farming, is an effective system to address major ecological issues such as global warming, depletion of groundwater table and soil erosion.Traditional mixed species production systems have given way to mono-specific production systems in agriculture and forestry."Drastic changes in land use have caused problems such as land degradation, climate change and loss of biodiversity. Deforestation, along with a high rate of fossil fuel consumption, has contributed to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Integrated production systems involving woody perennials and herbaceous crops have considerable potential to sequester (trap) atmospheric carbon dioxide, a major contributor of global warming. It will also enhance the quality of soils and water bodies," he said.The traditional multi-crop system was brought under the purview of modern, scientific land use only in the past three decades.

 

The Hindu, 24^th October 2008

Heavy rain damages standing paddy crop

Just when things were falling back in place for the farmers in Kuttanad, heavy rain in the region has submerged nearly 600 hectares of standing crop. In the last one week, several areas in the district headquarters and certain low-lying areas have been inundated. This has affected the harvest and procurement process in Kuttanad. The consequence: a fourth consecutive season of crop loss and severe financial setbacks looms large over the farmers.According to Principal Agriculture Officer P.S. Soman, 75 hectares of paddy were submerged in the rains on Thursday. With this, the total area of paddy cultivation that has been submerged in Kuttanad in the last one week, partially in some areas and fully in most, stands at 579 hectares. "The figure could rise, since the rains are continuing," said Mr. Soman, who inspected the submerged paddy fields on Thursday. Harvesting was on in most of these areas, while in many paddy fields, farmers were about to begin the process in a week. While efforts are on to pump rainwater out of the fields using electric motors, complaints about faulty pumps are also cropping up.The danger of crucial outer bunds that protect the fields from surging waters of the Pampa river and rising waters of the Vembanad Lake being breached is also looming large. District Collector V.K. Balakrishnan, who sent a preliminary report to the government on Thursday, forecasting "vast damage to the paddy crop", said the district administration was doing everything possible to prevent the situation from going out of control. Though it was slightly early to estimate the damage in financial terms, Mr. Balakrishnan told The Hindu that the loss so far would not be less than Rs.50 lakh. Kuttanad farmers suffered huge losses in March 2007, when delayed procurement and rains together inflicted damage while Alappuzha's biggest floods in 16 years wreaked havoc on the crop in July 2007. In March this year, unexpected rains dealt heavier blows, causing damage of over Rs.70 crore. Now, rains are once again threatening to drown the farmer in deeper losses.

The Hindu, 24^th October 2008

Time running out to save rivers: environmentalists

 Time is running out to save our rivers, said environmentalists who got together for a seminar on rivers at St. Albert's College Kochi .The greens pointed out that indiscriminate human interference was one of the major reasons for the slow death of rivers. K. Sukumaran, former High Court Judge, who initiated the discussion, said that river protection programmes should be considered as a great patriotic service. Rivers are the lifeline of a society. He said the wrong notion regarding development prevailing in the modern society was one of the major reasons for the extinction of rivers. Urging the public and the government to join hands in protecting natural resource, Mr. Sukumaran suggested strong legal measures to curb pollution of rivers. He urged the government to bring in stringent legislation to check indiscriminate exploitation of rivers. Mr. Sukumaran also called for a people's movement to protect rivers. The seminar also came up with a series of recommendations on river protection. River protection activists urged the government to establish a State-level river basin authority, as mentioned in the State water policy. They suggested cluster level river basin organisations for smaller rivers. The greens voiced support for setting up benchmark health status for each river system based on detailed studies. "Ensure the strict implementation of existing laws on sand mining, pollution and quarrying," said the list of recommendations prepared by experts.The programme called for a viability study on the amount of sand deposited in dams. It recommended vegetative measures for river bank protection. Experts who presented papers on the occasion suggested improved eco-bioengineering techniques for treatment of wastewater. They recommended formulation of a biodiversity atlas of rivers in the State using fish as indicator species of river quality. Local populations and non-governmental organisations should be involved in the preparation of the atlas, they said. Select freshwater fish species should be protected under the new freshwater fish conservation act. Other recommendations adopted at the seminar include making the custodians of the river basin accountable for the loss of natural resources and cancellation of the proposed Athirapally hydro-electric project.

The Hindu, 24^th October 2008

That is one large moth!

M. Sudheer, an assistant engineer with the Kerala Water Authority and an M.Tech. student in Environmental Engineering at the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET), had a rare winged-visitor at his house near Vembayam in the city a few days back. An Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) with a wingspan of 23 cm came zooming into Sudheer's home, leaving everyone intrigued by its capacious size and beautiful silky-brown wings. "At first we thought it was a butterfly of unusual size. We caught it and took some photographs. Its wingspan measured 230 mm. Later, we let it fly away," said Mr. Sudheer. The pictures were shown to D. Thankamoney, who heads the Eco Club at CET. It was only after consulting experts in the field that it was identified as the Atlas moth. "The Atlas moth is the largest moth in the world. It is not exactly a rare moth, but it is rare to find it so close to the city as it is generally endemic to wild areas and forests," said C. Sushanth, a naturalist and butterfly observer. Atlas moths had been spotted in the Ponmudi and Palode areas of the district. He added that the one that came to Mr. Sudheer's house seemed to be a female, as female Atlas moths are usually larger than males. The Atlas moth does not possess a fully-formed mouth. It survives entirely on larval fat reserves throughout its two-week life span. According to Wikipedia, a record specimen of Attacus atlas from Java measured 262 mm. The Hindu had earlier reported about the book 'Flying Jewels of CET' brought out by the CET Eco Club describing the various types of butterflies found on the CET campus.

 

The Hindu, 21^st  October 2008

WTO pact on agriculture unwise: expert

 It would be unwise for India to push for the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations, National Law School Vice-Chancellor A. Jayagovind has said. Inaugurating a seminar on 'International competitiveness and inclusive development' organised jointly by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) here on Monday, Prof. Jayagovind said it might be difficult to have an agreement on agriculture as every country would be wary of tying themselves to an international agreement that would limit their options. "Let us not be encumbered by an agreement in this regard. We should have full autonomy to tackle our problems in agriculture. In brief, agriculture should not be the central focus of WTO negotiations," Prof. Jayagovind said. He, however, felt that the Central government should use the WTO sanction for giving subsidies to small-scale industries to actively promote them. Delivering the keynote address, A.V. Jose, Honorary Visiting Professor, CDS, said the current global liquidity crisis was on account of the failure of regulatory institutions. Pointing out that many developing countries like India and China were sufficiently insulated from the crisis with strong domestic markets, he said there could be some beneficial outcomes from the crisis.

The Hindu, 21^st  October 2008

Sanitation, security to get priority at Sabarimala

 Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar, who has been appointed head of the high-power committee for the smooth management of the Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala, has said priority will be given to sanitation, hygiene and cleanliness.During his visit to the Sannidhanam on Sunday, Mr. Jayakumar said delayed decision-making was the primary malady with the conduct of the pilgrimage. The first meeting of the committee would be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday and all pending decisions would be discussed at the meeting.Mr. Jayakumar said the sanitation system at Sabarimala should be overhauled. Plastic was a major menace and a new system should be introduced permanently to contain it. A shredder could be installed at the Sannidhanam, if needed, to clear the plastic waste.Mr. Jayakumar said security arrangements would be given priority at Sabarimala in the prevailing context and a better crowd-management system chalked out. Coordinated functioning of various government agencies, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) departments and various other stakeholders at Sabarimala, was important for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.The police and other security personnel should be provided with better basic facilities. Proper facility to keep modern electronic gadgets for security arrangements should also be given.Mr. Jayakumar said Tuesday's meeting would take decisions on important issues pertaining to Sabarimala and the pilgrimage management. He sought the cooperation of all to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.Mr. Jayakumar, accompanied by Nalinakshan Nair, Devaswom Commissioner, K. Ravikumar, Chief Engineer, Balachandran, Executive Officer, and other TDB officials, inspected the Sannidhanam and Pampa to take stock of the situation at the holy hillock prior to the committee's meeting. He inspected the 'aravana' plant and the Chandranandan Road where widening work was fast progressing.Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran has said various government departments functioning independently for providing facilities to Sabarimala pilgrims during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival should not be permitted. Talking to reporters at Ranni on Sunday, he said no department should act on its own at Sabarimala without the clearance of the coordination committee chaired by Mr. Jayakumar.Mr. Sudhakaran said the Sabari Theerthom Scheme launched by the Forest Department was not with the knowledge of the government.

The Hindu, 20^th October 2008

Call to promote organic farming

A four-day "national conference on organic farming in horticultural crops with special reference to plantation crops" held at the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, from October 15 concluded with a call to develop and popularise cost-effective organic farming technologies.Cluster approach covering a minimum of one or more villages should be given emphasis while schemes for promoting organic farming in horticultural crops are implemented, participants in the event remarked.H.P. Singh, Deputy Director-General (Horticulture), ICAR, New Delhi, in his valedictory address stressed the need for concerted efforts to address the various issues related to production, processing, marketing and exports, so that there would be accelerated growth of organic horticulture.He emphasised that selection of appropriate crops with high potential for organic production and export was necessary. Delineation of specific zones having ideal conditions for development of sustainable organic production systems had to be done.George V Thomas, Director, CPCRI, Kasaragod, presented the recommendations that emerged during the conference. These included package of practices for organic production of plantation crops such as coconut, cashew, vegetables, spices, fruit crops, aromatic plants and tuber crops. The participants also called for eco-friendly management of pests and diseases through use of microbial inoculants, parasites and predators.The conference was inaugurated by K.V. Ahamed Bavappa, former director, CPCRI, and FAO consultant. P.Rethinam, former executive director, APCC, presided over the function. K.R. Viswambaran, Vice-Chancellor, KAU; G.K Veeresh, former Vice-Chancellor, UAS, Bangalore; M.K. Nair, former director, CPCRI, spoke. Two hundred delegates from different parts of the country participated in the conference.

The Hindu, 19^th October 2008

Job scheme might include farming

Local Self Government (LSG) Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty has urged local bodies to make judicious use of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) by implementing projects that can boost the agriculture and allied sectors in the State.Inaugurating the district-level review meeting of NREGS here on Saturday he said that the block and grama panchayats should plan development programmes under the scheme for maximum benefit. "The State government is planning to include development of small scale farms, especially paddy cultivation, in NREGS. However, since this is a Central government scheme we will require their approval. We have already sent a proposal for this," the Minister said.He added that the Central officials who had inspected the progress of the NREGS in the State were impressed by its implementation."More than five lakh people in the State were expected to benefit from the scheme," the Minister said. The Minister said that one reason for the project not taking off as expected in the State was the labour charge. "Although Kerala gives the highest daily wage for the scheme, Rs 150, even this amount is less when compared to standards within the State," he said. He added that many who had initially registered for work under the scheme withdrew after they realised the nature of physical labour they had to do. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is being implemented in 78 panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram district. District panchayat president Anavoor Nagappan presided over the meeting. District Collector Sanjay Kaul was present.

The Hindu, 19^th October 2008

Special panels formed for Kuttanad package

The government has set up special committees for implementing the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation's report for solving the crisis in the agriculture sector of Kuttanad. This follows the Centre's decision to include it in the existing Centrally sponsored schemes and provide financial assistance for it. Expenses below Rs.50 lakh will be met by the State. The report contains recommendations for controlling flood, providing basic facilities for paddy cultivation, scientific regulation of saline water intrusion, reduction of pollution of Vembanad Lake in stages, providing irrigation and drainage facilities for taking up cultivation, animal husbandry and fishing in a sustainable manner and scientific reconstruction of the Thanneermukkam bund and the Thottapally spillway. The entire project is estimated to cost Rs.1,825.75 crore.The Centre would meet 90 per cent and the State 10 per cent of the cost of the project. The Union Water Resources Department would provide around Rs.1000 crore for flood control.

The Hindu, 18^th October 2008

District panchayat projects to boost paddy farming

Local Self-Government Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty will inaugurate the first of the three projects to boost paddy cultivation, undertaken by the district panchayat as part of its third anniversary, at Avalappandi in the district on October 19.Talking to mediapersons here on Friday, K.P. Kunhammadkutty, district panchayat president, and V.Kunhali, vice-president, said that the projects would be undertaken in three major paddy fields, where cultivation in several hectares was not possible due to water-logging.The Kozhikode-based CWRDM had conducted a study on seven 'kole' fields in the district and three of them were chosen by the district panchayat for undertaking paddy cultivation.The project at Avalappandi was being undertaken to prevent water-logging by protecting a seven-km canal passing through the paddy field. The project, with an allocation of Rs.4.56 crore, would help in producing nearly 3,000 tonnes of paddy. Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac will inaugurate the project at Velam-Ayancherry on November 2. This project with an allocation of Rs.5.55 crore aims at producing 5,400 tonnes of paddy. Fish farming and eco-tourism would be another feature of the project.The project at Cherandathur Chira aims at producing 5,600 tonnes of paddy with an allocation of Rs.5.55 crore. Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran will inaugurate the project on November 11.The Kerala Land Development Corporation will execute the projects. The third anniversary celebrations of the district panchayat which begin on October 11 and will continue till November 11.

The Hindu, 18^th October 2008

Urgency of conserving wetlands stressed

Wetland ecosystems of the State are sources of cultural, economic and biological diversity and their conservation is critical for society to carry out sustainable development activities, according to experts.The two-day seminar on 'Coastal wetland ecosystems of Kerala: perspectives and conservational strategies' that began at the Sree Narayana College here on Thursday under the auspices of the college Department of Anthropology highlighted the urgency of creating more awareness on the urgency of conservation of the coastal wetland ecosystems considered to be one of the most important natural resources.The seminar sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and co-sponsored by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment was inaugurated by Kannur University Vice-Chancellor P. Chandramohan. In his keynote address on 'Wetlands: values, benefits and conservation', P.N. Unni of the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, said that wetlands were ranked as the third most productive ecosystems of the world. If the wetlands were altered without taking into consideration their important ecological functions and values, the consequences could be drastic to the local communities who directly or indirectly depended on the wetlands for the livelihood, he said.Observing that alterations of any magnitude on certain wetlands might have very adverse impacts on wildlife and fish that migrate across international boundaries, Dr. Unni said that the wetlands were essential not only for hydrological and ecological processes but also for the rich fauna and flora they supported. The wetlands were also very frequently used as a source of water as they could act as storage for excess amounts of water during the rainfall or flooding, he said adding that it also prevented saline water intrusion.In his paper on 'the Status of mangroves in India', C. Kunhikannan of the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, said that the mangrove ecosystems supported genetically diverse groups of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. He said that mangroves in the country accounted for five per cent of the world's mangrove vegetation. Mangroves had functioned as bio-shields to protect the coastlines during cyclone and tsunami, he said. K. Swaraupanandan of the Kerala Forest Research Institute in his paper on 'mangroves of Kerala' dwelt on the management options for conservation of mangrove ecosystems and its biodiversity.

The Hindu, 17^th October 2008

Government to procure paddy in Kuttanad

With the stalemate in paddy procurement in Kuttanad continuing, the government has decided to procure the harvested crop directly. According to District Collector V.K. Balakrishnan, Revenue, Police, Transport and Agriculture departments among others would help the Civil Supplies department to procure the paddy from the fields and store it in granaries owned by the State Warehousing Corporation. The process would begin at 8 a.m. from the Pandarakalam junction on the Alappuzha-Changanassery Road on Friday. The district administration had made arrangements including trucks, boats and other necessary equipment to ensure smooth progress of the procedure, Mr. Balakrishnan said after a meeting on the issue held in his chambers here on Thursday. Procurement of harvested paddy in Kuttanad had run into rough weather after mills contracted by the Civil Supplies department stopped procuring the crop asking for payment of pending bills and a rise in handling charges among other demands.This resulted in several truckloads of paddy lying unprotected from rain across Kuttanad, where the harvest of the additional crop is still on in around 8,000 hectares out of the 10,000-plus hectares. According to District Principal Agriculture Officer P.S. Soman, 22 truckloads were ready for immediate procurement while the quantity was rising by the day since the harvest was progressing at a fast pace. The process was over in around 2,500 hectares, from where about 3,000 tonnes of paddy had already been procured.

The Hindu, 17^th October 2008

Coastal zone panel to be ‘pro-active’

The Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority plans to take suo motu action on instances of violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone Act in the State.Though the powers for initiating suo motu action were accorded to the Authority at the time of its constitution, it was not used much. The new committee plans to invoke this power, said E.P. Yasodharan, chairman of the committee.The committee plans to adopt a pro-active role regarding the implementation of the Act. Members have been asked to present their views on the course of action that needs to be adopted, he said. The first meeting of the reconstituted committee was held at Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. The Authority plans to organise awareness programme for civic bodies regarding the Act next month. The previous Authority had formed a sub committee headed by N.R. Menon, Director of the Centre for Integrated Management for Coastal Zones of the Cochin University of Science and Technology, for considering a request for reclassifying the coastal panchayats of the State. The committee is compiling information required for reclassifying coastal panchayats from Coastal Regulation Zone 3 to Zone 2, according to an Authority member.As per the CRZ regulations, most of the panchayats of the State come under Zone 3 where no development activities are permitted towards the landward side of 200 metres from the High Tide Line. Regarding backwaters, the No Development Zone is 100 metres.The law is more liberal when it comes to Zone 2 regarding development activities. Construction is permitted towards landward side from an existing road or authorised building constructed prior to 1991, he said.Another sub-committee headed by B. Madhusoodana Kurup of the School of Industrial Fisheries of the Cochin University of Science and Technology had recommended that the No Development Zone of 300 metres should be reduced to 200 metres to let fishermen set up dwelling units. The Committee made the recommendation considering the fact that over 15,000 fishermen families had neither houses nor land to build houses. For backwaters, it was recommended that the area between 50 and 100 metres from the High Tide Line be opened up for fishermen, it suggested.

The Hindu, 17^th October 2008

Kerala Wetland Cell seeks more time to submit report

 The Kerala State Wetland Cell has written to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for extension of the time for submitting its views on the draft regulatory framework for wetland conservation. The deadline for submission was Wednesday.This is the second time that the cell is approaching the Ministry for extension.Though the cell had organised a few discussions on the draft, more deliberations were needed considering the complexity of the subject, said E.P. Yesodharan, member secretary of the cell. Meanwhile, the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has suggested to the Union Ministry that paddy lands along with ponds, tanks, streams, canals and other irrigation structures also be brought under the ambit of the regulation. The draft suggests that wetlands do not include main river channels, paddy fields, coastal wetlands such as mangroves, marine algal beds, coral reefs and others covered by the Coastal Regulation Zone notification. According to the board, this will put large tracts of wetlands outside the ambit of the regulation. Regarding constructions near wetlands, the board suggests that no construction of a permanent nature should be permitted within 200 metres of the high-tide line, 300 metres of ecologically sensitive areas and 100 metres of the maximum water spread line of inland freshwater bodies. There should be no curbs on the use of wetlands for community and traditional use. However, strict restrictions should be there for commercial and industrial uses, says KSBB. The focus of the notification should be on conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and no scope should be there for conversion. No wetlands of ecological significance or those which are either protected or proposed for protection should be converted into any other landform.

The Hindu, 16^th October 2008

Organic farming in phases

Kerala's Organic Farming Policy, approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, proposes State-wide introduction of organic farming in phases.Initially, 10 per cent of the cultivated areas and crops (with emphasis on food crops) are to be brought under organic farming. It would be extended to other areas after a trial period of three yearsThe policy advocates cluster approach for organic forming. For this, registration of farmers' societies would be encouraged with assistance from government agencies. Organic villages would be developed for production of seeds for organic farming and achieving self-sufficiency in seeds. Organic farming would be introduced throughout selected villages and sale of pesticides and their use would be banned in such villages. In other places, prescription from agriculture officers would be mandated for purchase of pesticides. Farmers would be persuaded not to use highly poisonous pesticides and to prefer organic pesticides.The policy suggests that the procedures for registration and certification of organic products should be simplified. Separate norms should be prescribed for exports and sale in domestic markets. Special arrangements should be made for marketing of organic products through outlets of government agencies. Product diversification and value-addition should be encouraged. Producer companies and cooperatives should be started under the leadership of organic farmers. Arrangements should be made for funding of organic farming and marketing of products.The policy proposes that organic farming could be incorporated into watershed development programmes. Measures to revive traditional water sources and raise groundwater levels could be part of these efforts. Steps should be taken for protection of biodiversity in agriculture and in the wilderness. Farming practices that allowed retention of forest trees and cultivation of medicinal plants should be encouraged. Traditional farming practices such as Pokali and cultivation of rice with medicinal properties such as Njavara, Jeerakasala and Gandhakasala should be promoted. Tribal farming practices, their traditional medicinal and other crops should be revived.The policy states that the availability of organic fertilizers, organic pesticides, seeds and other inputs needed for organic farming should be improved. Schemes for conversion of municipal and other wastes into organic fertilizers should be taken up at the panchayat and municipal level.The policy also proposes organisation of public awareness and training programmes. The policy recommends formation of a general council with the Chief Minister as chairman and an executive committee with the Minister for Agriculture as chairman for promotion of organic farming and monitoring of promotional activities.

The Hindu, 16^th October 2008

Kollam to host Science Congress

The 21st session of the Kerala Science Congress organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) will be held at Kollam from January 28 to 31, 2009. The events proposed for the congress include presentation of papers, talks, presentations by experts on the focal theme, poster presentations and exhibition. The winners of the State-level Children's Science Congress will present their projects.The last date for registration and submission of extended abstracts is October 31. Details of the Kerala Science Congress are available at the websites www.ksc.kerala.gov.in and www.kscste.kerala.gov.in.

The Hindu, 16^th October 2008

Flood control project

 Thiruvananthapuram:The government has finalised a scheme to resolve the problem of flooding in the areas around the international airport here, V. Surendran Pillai, MLA, announced here. Mr.Pillai said construction of drains had been taken up under a Rs.80-lakh scheme at Sulaiman Street, Chithira Nagar, Rajiv Nagar and Eenthivilakam. The water-logging in the area is attributed to the construction of roads under the City Development Scheme. The elevated roads played havoc with the natural drainage system, causing flooding. Mr. Pillai said construction of new drains had been taken up.

The Hindu, 16^th October 2008

Miss Kerala’ thrives in Chennai

Ten years after efforts began in the State to save one of the most exotic fish species here through artificial breeding, hope is finally shining bright for Puntius denisonii, an ornamental fish popularly known as 'Miss Kerala.'A freshwater fish also known as the Red Line Torpedo Barb, 'Miss Kerala' was once endemic and largely exclusive to the running waters of the Achencoil, Bharathapuzha, Chaliyar and Periyar rivers. It was a major export revenue earner for the State in the ornamental fish export sector, with each of these beauties raking in at least Rs.1,500. However, the export spree and absence of efforts at conservation led to the fish turning an endangered species. Now, even as Kerala is struggling to artificially breed the Torpedo Barb, United Kingdom's Chester Zoo has successfully achieved the goal. Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia too are engaged in similar efforts. But according to K. Krishnakumar, Research Associate with the Bangalore-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), there is more hope for Kerala from the success of two Chennai-based fish lovers, Rabi Venkatesh and Murali. The duo bought a few 'Miss Kerala' fish from Kerala and after acclimatising them to Chennai, injected hormones and allowed them to breed in a tank specially made for the purpose. The result, Mr. Krishnakumar says, was 600 eggs in six hours. These were divided into two groups and in 15 days hundreds of 'Miss Kerala' progenies were swimming around in the tank. "Kerala could as well borrow the technique of these two, or get in touch with the Chester Zoo or other agencies who are engaged in attempts to artificially breed the fish. Otherwise, Kerala's prized possession and monopoly on the ornamental fish sector will be lost," he adds.

The Hindu, 16^th October 2008

Safe I’ project to control infections

The district can achieve a safe city tag if all the hospitals here adopt the "Safe I" concept, said M. Beena, District Collector(Ernakulam)and Executive Director of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), here on Tuesday. Speaking at the launch of the Safe I Hospital project by NRHM in association with the Kochi branch of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Dr. Beena said the hazards of unsafe injections, unsafe infusion and other hospital infections due to improper practices are many. Hospitals need to work towards gaining the people's confidence in dispelling the fear of injections or infusions by adopting safe practices, she said.According to the statistics provided by the NRHM, 95 per cent of injections are for curative purposes and 5 per cent for vaccinations. However, a study has revealed that 63 per cent of the injections in the country are unsafe, spreading blood-borne pathogens.At the function launching the project, K.T. Ramani, District Medical Officer, welcomed the gathering of administrators and medical superintendents. The concept of Safe I was presented by Aneesh B.D.K.V. Beena, District Programme Manager of NRHM, spoke about the role of NRHM in the Safe I project and Dr. S. Sachidananda Kamath, president IAP, Kochi, and the national convenor of Safe Injection Practices, spoke about the outcome of Safe I project.The NRHM will provide training to the staff of the hospitals that would like to be part of the programme. If a hospital follows all the infection-checking parameters, it will be given a five-star status.

The Hindu, 15^th October 2008

Large number of Kerala animals, plants in Red List

 From Myristica malabarica, a tree found in swamp forests, to birds such as painted stork and black-headed ibis and mammals such as Malabar civet and Nilgiri tahr, a large number of plants and animals endemic to Kerala are there in the latest Red List of Threatened Species brought out by the IUCN, formerly the World Conservation Union.The list "provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on plants and animals that have been globally evaluated using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria."The list is drawn up to determine the "relative risk of extinction" and to "catalogue and highlight those plants and animals that are facing a higher risk of global extinction."The list includes 35 mammals of Kerala, including the critically endangered Malabar civet, said P.O. Nameer, South Asian coordinator of the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group of the IUCN. Of the mammals in Kerala, 12 are endangered, 15 vulnerable and seven near-threatened, Dr. Nameer said.Myristica malabarica found in swampy forests near Kulathupuzha in Kollam district is listed as vulnerable, whereas Syzygium travancoricum, a tree numbering fewer than 200, is critically endangered. Birds such as rufous-breasted laughingthrush and lesser adjutant are in endangered category, whereas 10 others are in vulnerable and 11 in near-threatened categories, said Dr. Nameer, who is the State coordinator for Asian Waterbird Census. It is mostly the wetland birds that are fighting for survival in Kerala and no system is in place to protect them, he said.The endangered animals in the State include fishing cat, elephant, wild dog, lion-tailed macaque and tiger, whereas the vulnerable ones include sloth bear, brown mongoose, small-clawed otter, smooth-coated otter, dusky-striped squirrel and black-footed gray langur.Rattus ranjiniae, a rat variety, was moved from vulnerable to endangered category in the 2008 list. The rat, according to the Red List, is known to be identified from three "severely fragmented locations at Alleppey [Alappuzha], Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram."Nilgiri tahr continued in the endangered list, as its number was fewer than 2,500 and declining."Thought tahr is well protected in sanctuaries and national parks, the situation in the Western Ghats in general is not bright," said Mohan Alambat, species assessor for Caprinae Specialist Group of IUCN.The condition of the species in areas outside the protected areas is bad. Poaching continues to be the major threat for the species, said Mr. Alambat. Though the Western Ghats squirrel is in the least concern category, IUCN has sounded caution about the declining number of the squirrel.

The Hindu, 13^th October 2008

Farm plan to help tribals reap profits

As many as 342 tribal families in the foothills of the Western Ghats will soon be equipped to take up commercial cultivation of spices and medicinal plants under a participatory project launched by the Forest Department. Funded by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), the two-year project will be implemented in 11 tribal settlements in the Agasthyavanam Biological Park and 18 colonies in the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary. The department has identified pepper and two medicinal herbs, namely arogyapacha (Tricopus zeylanicus) and kasthurimanjal (Curcuma aromatica), for cultivation as intercrop. Under the project, the tribal communities will be encouraged to take up cultivation, scientific harvesting, storing, grading, processing and marketing of the produce. Two Eco Development Committees (EDC) in the area will procure the produce directly from the farmers and sell it to companies manufacturing herbal products. While 75 per cent of the profit will be distributed as bonus to the tribal families, 25 per cent is to be utilised for a revolving community fund. According to K.J. Varghese, Conservator of Forests, Agasthyavanam Biological Park, the project is designed to help the tribal families to become financially independent. "For many of them, it means liberation from unscrupulous moneylenders who have been fleecing them for years. We have launched a survey to assess the financial liabilities of the beneficiary families."The first procurement is expected by December this year. NMPB has sanctioned an assistance of Rs.24 lakh for infrastructure and Rs.8 lakh for purchase of equipment. Value addition is an important component of the project. The EDCs will be encouraged to set up a central processing unit equipped with solar drier, pulveriser, packing machine, pepper grading machine and storage containers. The department has plans to establish a central nursery for production of seedlings. The main procurement centre is likely to be located at Kottoor where a weekly tribal market is functional. "We will ensure that only organic farming methods are followed," Mr.Varghese said. Forest officials point out that the tribal settlements in the Western Ghats region are best suited for cultivation of medicinal plants because of the environmental conditions. Arogyapacha is the basic raw material for Jeevani, a compound herbal drug developed by the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI) based on the traditional knowledge of the Kani tribe. Kasthurimanjal is a basic ingredient in a range of cosmetics manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. The tribal families currently produce about two tonnes of kasthurimanjal and five tonnes of pepper. Presently, marketing is done through tribal cooperative societies. Collection and payments are not regular and the tribals are forced to sell at prices much lower than the market rate.The project aims at enhancing the production to four tonnes of kasthurimanjal and seven tonnes of pepper in two years. Two tonnes of arogyapacha are also expected to be produced. The government sector Oushadhi has expressed interest in direct procurement of medicinal herbs from EDCs.

The Hindu, 13^th October 2008

NHGs revive paddy cultivation in Wayanad

The Harithasree project under the Kudumbasree mission has helped revive paddy cultivation in Wayanad district.Seven years ago when the acreage under paddy cultivation in Wayanad was declining, the Vyshnavi Neighbourhood Group (NHG) at Eranellur in Panamaram panchayat undertook a micro-economic venture to salvage the situation. It took on lease two acres of fields to cultivate Gandhakasala, a variety of aromatic rice that was Wayanad's pride and among the most-sought-after varieties in Kerala.The endeavour came at a time when Gandhakasala was fast losing ground to high-yielding high-breed rice strains. Besides, paddy fields were being converted to take up cash crops. "In the initial stages, we faced many obstacles," says G. Prema Kumari, president of the NHG. The members sold the rice from door to door and from market to market. Soon the organically cultivated rice became popular and found ready-takers in resorts and restaurants catering to eco-tourism. The NHG spread the cultivation to 17 acres of leased paddy fields last year. This year, however, there is a minor setback and cultivation has been restricted to 12 acres, mainly owing to the lack of availability of paddy fields on lease. Currently, the NHG sells an average 2.5 quintals of Gandhakassala rice a week to the various resorts spread over the district at Rs.45 a kg. Today, around 1,650 NHG units have taken up paddy cultivation in leased or self-owned fields in the district. Vyshnavi NHG also has other activities such as dairy farming, organic vegetable cultivation, preparation of pickles, etc., says Ms. Premakumari. Dhanasree, Kudumbasree's micro-unit at Mepadi panchayat, is another success story. Three NHG groups working under the micro-unit make food products from bamboo shoots and bamboo rice. These products are popular among eco-tourism restaurants in the district. "The 10 members of our unit earn on an average Rs.70 a day, says P. Sheeba, president of the unit.The Thrikkaippata Fathimatha dry flower micro-unit produces decorative items from waste materials such as plantain fibre, dried bamboo flowers, etc. The products are sold locally and through resorts and pavilions of Uravu, a non-governmental organisation in Wayanad. The 10 members engaged in the endeavour earn Rs.3,000 a month, says Elizabeth, president of the unit. There are 500 micro-units working actively under the Kudumbasree mission in the district. The seven members of the Sruthilayam micro-unit at Cherumadu in Nenmeni panchayat are engaged in publicity works for Kudumbasree melas. Occasionally, they offer their services to the public. They charge Rs.3,500 to Rs.4,000 for a programme, says Kamalavilochini, secretary of the unit.Another success story is that of Chaithanya NHG at Pulpally. The unit produces Ayurvedic products from herbs collected from the forests in Wayanad. The unit started functioning eight years ago with 12 members. "Initially, marketing of the products was difficult. But, now we sell the products at monthly melas in the district and to customers who approach the unit directly," says T. Nisha, unit secretary. Each member earns Rs.4,000 monthly on an average. They have also now repaid the loan of Rs.2.5 lakh they had taken four years ago. The Harithasree project is aimed at empowering NHGs through mutual cooperation and interaction and with the help of the Local Self-Government Department. The department identifies land that has been left uncultivated in the district and encourages NHGs to take up cultivation in such lands. The land owners are given lease rent fixed by the Local Self-Government Department. Cultivation of paddy, banana, kazava, turmeric and varieties of vegetables is taken up under the project. Necessary financial help is given in the form of soft loans and grants to groups and individuals engaged in commercial cultivation. Families below poverty line are also given financial help to cultivate in their own land, depending on the area and productivity. According to A. Noushad, district coordinator of the Kudumbasree mission, 793 NHGs participated in various ventures during 2006-07. They were given Rs.15,59,785 as financial help to take up cultivation in 1,431 acres. In 2007-08, the acreage grew to 3,262 acres in which 1,590 NHGs participated and they received a financial help of Rs.78,50,443. Mr. Noushad claimed that this was a State-level record in Kudumbasree efforts. For 2008–09, the target is to spread cultivation on a larger scale for which more than Rs.1 crore has been set aside. The projects take an active interest not only in cultivation but also in procuring and distribution (marketing) of the produce. The Wayanad Marketing and Rural Trading (WYNMART) is formed as an event management group for this purpose. WYNMART already has units at Vythiri and Muttil panchayats in the district. WYNMART is actively involved in responsible tourism efforts and in organising sales exhibitions .There are plans to use WYNMART to procure the NHG's agriculture produce and distribute them to resorts, hotels, etc., he added. At present, as many as 7,390 NHGs have been registered under the Kudumbasree mission in the district. Though the Kudumbasree mission has been able to better the lot of womenfolk in the district, it has not achieved the same success among tribal women, who constitute a major section in the district. But Mr. Noushad says that a sustainable development scheme for the Scheduled Tribes has been started in the district.

The Hindu, 13^th October 2008

New technology for sewage treatment

A city-based company engaged in manufacturing treatment plants has come up with the new generation sewage treatment plants using the advanced membrane bio-reactor technology (MBR). Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the Managing Director of Transdot, M. R. Narayanan said the quality of output of the treated water would be good enough to be used for almost all purposes in everyday life, other than for drinking. The new process combines suspended growth biological process with ultra filtration membrane system. The process uses less power. The plant is fully automated and the company has plans to introduce micro-processor based system for the sewage plants. The treated water from the plants is better than the specified standards prescribed by the State Pollution Control Board."Once treated, we get water to 85 per cent of total treated quantity which can be used in toilets as also for gardening purposes. The water quality in MBR process is far superior when compared to conventional treatment plants," Mr. Narayanan said. The company, which had already bagged several orders for the plant, had developed treatment plants having a capacity ranging between 25 KL and 500 KL. The price ranges from Rs. 4 lakhs to Rs. 50 lakhs for the sewage treatment plant with MBR technology.Over the years, the company has set up its treatment plants at 107 locations in the country and five in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The company has set up a treatment plant at Kumarakom which can treat 90,000 litres of waste collected from the houseboats operating in the backwaters. Another plant is coming up at Alappuzha.

The Hindu,8^th October 2008

Winged visitors losing haven

 Winged visitors to one of the most beautiful parts of the region are facing the threat of being shot, bundled in gunny backs and whisked away to be placed on appetizing menus.The near-threatened species of Oriental Darter birds, along with Little Cormorants and Indian Cormorants that have arrived to build quite a large bird colony atop trees in the Pandi Island in Cheruthana village of Karthikapally taluk, are the seasonal visitors who are being shot by trigger-happy hunters.Pandi Island, a scenic spot but inhabited unlike the Pathiramanal Island and quite close to the Thottapally Spillway that opens to the sea, has been a regular nesting spot for migratory birds like the Darter, which is listed on the Red Data Book of Indian Birds. However, the danger of these birds being shot down from their high perches began this year.According to B. Sreekumar, president of the Kottayam Nature Society (KNS), the Society had stumbled upon the nesting spot of these visitors, atop an 'Anjili' tree situated on a private plot on the island during a recent survey. The Society also came to know that the local public was quite irritated with the birds as their droppings were "polluting" the premises. The Society began a subtle campaign to create awareness, only to be taken aback by the news that hunters from as far as Ernakulam were training their guns on the spot. "We were told by locals, who had stopped troubling the birds after our campaign, that there were days when these hunters would shoot down the birds and take them away in gunny bags," S. Suresh Kumar, a KNS member, said.As if that was not enough, an unofficial announcement, reportedly by a Health Department official, that these migratory birds were confirmed carriers of the Avian flu, has spread panic among the local public, who are now confused over what to do.KNS, Mr. Suresh said, was planning an awareness meeting and discussion on the issue on the island from 3 p.m. on October 11. Wild Life officials, Social Forestry Department officials, public representatives and the general public are expected to attend.

The Hindu,8^th October 2008

Focus on agriculture and food processing

Kudumbasree micro-enterprise projects in the district, with focus on agriculture and food processing, have contributed immensely to the food security of the State. Some of these projects, such as paddy and vegetable cultivation, 'nutrimix' baby food, 'nature fresh' milk, poultry, etc., are found very popular.Being an agriculture district, the majority of Kudumbasree projects taken up here are agriculture and dairy-based. The uniqueness of the food products, its quality and branding have helped to capture new markets in the country and abroad competing with products of even multinational companies. The Kudumbasree women's empowerment programme has now become a mass movement in the district that could address some of the basic problems faced by the marginalised women.The district has the largest number of neighbourhood groups (NHGs) in the State – 21,651 NHGs cover 3,35,401 families. They have a total credit of Rs.288 crore, bank loans of Rs.55 crore, and savings of Rs.106 crore. There are 1,355 micro-enterprises and these are Palakkad-specific.One major activity is lease land and fallow land farming. During this fiscal, an area of 2,240 hectares is under cultivation and another 902 ha is being brought under paddy cultivation (second crop). Kudumbasree district coordinator Saidalavi says 'Samagra,' a micro-enterprise for branding, has made the products competitive. The cluster system has been introduced for common facility centres, value-addition, packing, branding and market linkage.The biggest project being taken up this year is comprehensive development of 'kondattam.' The Rs.2.18-crore project aims at producing 715.5 tonnes of kondattam a year by setting up 24 common facility centres. These centres will produce 24 varieties of kondattam and provide permanent job to 480 women.The 'Amirtha Sree' group at Valiyangadi in the town has been engaged in producing kondattam, rice powder, and idli and dosa mix for the last four years. It has established its own machinery for Rs.2.25 lakh, with government subsidy and Rs.1.25 lakh as bank loan. Group leader Yeshoda says they are getting a good number of orders. Another success story is that of 'Aiswarya Sree,' a unit of 17 women at Thirumittacode which is engaged in manufacturing nutrimix, powder of spices, paper carry-bags, etc. Group leader Suhara says "we are getting good demand for nutrimix and other products. From the profit we have bought 5 cents of land and a building, at a cost of Rs.5.6 lakh, is being constructed. We have a pension scheme of our own, for which we deposit a fixed amount. Once we retire we get a small pension. All our members are engaged in making these products and they take a daily salary of Rs.100."At Kannadi panchayat near Palakkad town, 'nature fresh milk' (Kannadi fresh) is being produced by 50 dairy farmers and this is supplied to consumers within half an hour as branded and bottled milk. Similar mini-dairies are planned at 10 panchayats. In another five panchayats, 10,000 families are organised under a backyard dairy project.Three food processing centres are being set up at Ambalappara, Kappur and Alathur for value-addition, branding and standardisation of food products. At Alathur, the units will produce ready-to-eat food items, chips, instant mix, etc.At four panchayats, 40 groups of 200 families will take up vegetable cultivation. In Malampuzha block panchayat, 'Annam,' a multi-project involving agriculture, dairy and poultry is conceived with a manufacturing and marketing network. The 'Samagra' model project at Alathur grama panchayat concentrates on various types of rice and rice products.The 'Shiva Shakthi' unit at Kanakkannur in Pudukkode grama panchayat is cultivating paddy in 2 acres for a couple of years. It has bought 61 cents from it taking a bank loan of Rs.1 lakh. Group leader Sujatha says they are making a reasonable profit and have paid back half of the loan amount. Now they wanted to take another loan to buy 60 more cents of land.Coordinator of Income Generating (IG) groups of AHADS (Attappady Hills Area Development Society) Clement Shelvaraj says all 213 IG groups under AHADS will be integrated with Kudumbasree projects. AHADS will cease to end its operations by 2010. Already 20 groups have got integrated with Kudumbasree. There are a number of groups exclusively of tribes performing well in Attappady. He says 60 per cent of the total 193 tribal hamlets are covered and the remaining will be covered in two years.The 'Jasmine' group at Chalayoor in Attappady is engaged in floriculture with bank loan. The 'Malleswara' group at Anakatti is engaged in processing tamarind. Group leader Pappa, a tribal woman, says they collect tamarind, process it and pack it and sell through the outlets of AHADS. Another exclusive tribal group, 'Yemuna' at Kulukkallur, is engaged in producing nutrient food products from local crops.Though there are problems in switching over from traditional methods of production and marketing, the micro- enterprises have become a success in the district.

The Hindu,8^th October 2008

Land mammals in peril

Nearly a quarter of the world's land mammal species, including some in southern India's Western Ghats, are at risk of extinction. And many others may vanish before they are even known to science, according to an extensive survey of global wildlife. At least 1,141 of the 5,487 known species of mammals are threatened, with 188 listed in the "critically endangered" category. One in three marine mammals is also threatened, according to the five-year review. The assessment, conducted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list, involved more than 1,700 experts in 130 countries, and confirms the devastating impact of forest clearing, hunting, fisheries, pollution and climate change on the populations and ranges of the world's most studied class of animals. Jan Schipper, director of the global mammals assessment, a partnership between Conservation International and the IUCN, called for countries to be held responsible for the fate of fauna within their borders and an international coalition to save species that cross national boundaries. "We're looking at a 25 per cent decline over the long term, yet for mammals there is no bail-out plan. There is no long-term conservation strategy that is going to prevent species extinction in the future," he said. "As human beings, we should be ensuring that we don't cause other species to go extinct." Disturbingly, the figures are likely to be a conservative estimate, because scientists have insufficient data on 836 species to even classify how threatened they are. If these are all at risk, it would mean 36 per cent of the world's mammal species are in danger of becoming extinct. Among the critically endangered species is the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus): only 84 to 143 adults remain. Experts believe 29 others may already have become extinct, including the Yangtze river dolphin, and the little earth hutia, a small rodent endemic to islands off Cuba, which has not been seen in nearly 40 years. Two species, the scimitar-horned oryx and Pere David's deer, are extinct in the wild, and only live on in captivity. Many species, such as the grey wolf and brown bear, have experienced substantial population declines and seen their ranges contract as their habitats have been destroyed. More than half of the world's mammal species for which trends are known are in decline, the report found. "We are getting far too used to seeing these reports bemoaning the fate of the planet or the decline of animals. I am really concerned that we have become deadened to this sort of depressing information and now simply ignore it, without stopping to think about the implications," said Mark Wright, chief scientist at WWF. "The IUCN report shows that, with our ill-considered management of the earth and its resources, we are threatening the future of wildlife and nature and denying our children the chance to experience what we have experienced." The survey, published by the journal Science, identifies extinction hotspots where vast numbers of species are under threat. Typically, these are regions with a rich diversity of species that all face a similar threat to their environment. Threatened land mammals are concentrated in South Asia and South-East Asia. There, a staggering 79 per cent of monkeys and apes face extinction. Other hotspots include the tropical Andes, the Cameroonian Highlands, the Albertine rift in central Africa and the Western Ghats. "Often, there is habitat loss from deforestation, either for farming or timber, and that leaves the animals living on small patches of land. Then, on top of that, you have hunting, with an enormous number of people who are entirely reliant on natural resources to feed themselves. That has really set up a perfect storm over South-East Asia," said Mr. Schipper. The greatest threats to marine mammals are being caught in fishing nets or being struck by shipping vessels, although for the Yangtze river dolphin, pollution is a major contributor. Climate change is already having an impact on amphibians and plant life, but it is expected to put increasing pressure on mammals too, either by destroying their environment, such as the Arctic ice sheets that are home to polar bears, or by forcing their prey elsewhere.

Among the most threatened mammals are those only recently discovered. Since 1992, mammal species numbering 349 have been identified, but 51 per cent of these face extinction, compared with 23 per cent of species known before 1992. "Species may be vanishing even before they are known to science," the scientists write. There is some hope among the bleak assessments. At least 5 per cent of the threatened species now have stable or rising populations. "The problem we face is that without the political and public will to spend money on species conservation, we are pressed up against the wall," said Mr. Schipper. "By making this data public, we're hoping it'll reach the people who make decisions about where money is spent."

The Hindu,8^th October 2008

Health problems plague agitators

Workers of the Sadhu Jana Vimochana Samyukta Vedi (SJVSV) who have been waging a struggle for land for the last 18 months in the Kurumbatty division of the Kumbazha Estate of Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. are facing serious health problems.Many cases of water-borne diseases such as jaundice, dysentery with fever, typhoid, etc., have been reported from the water-scarce hilly tracts of Chengara. More than 100 people, including women and children, who are taking part in the agitation have been admitted to various hospitals in the past one week with symptoms of fever and dysentery, said Mr. Gopalan.According to informed sources at the District Medical Office here, 22 patients from Chengara have been admitted to the Pathanamthitta General during the past one week. Many others have been administered treatment in the out-patient wing of the hospital.Thirteen persons, including Vedi general secretary Ms. Seleena, were admitted to the General Hospital on Sunday. Medical officers said the majority of patients from Chengara were brought to the hospital in a highly dehydrated condition. A typical case with mixed symptoms of typhoid and diarrhoea has also been identified among the patients.Ms. Seleena accused the Health Department of criminal negligence in providing timely medical care to the affected people, despite the Chief Minister's directive in this regard.District Collector P.C. Sanalkumar told The Hindu that his directive to the District Medical Officer 17 days ago to reach medical aid to the ailing people at Chengara had not yet been complied with. A copy of the note issued to the DMO has been sent to the Director of Health Services, he added.Mr. Sanalkumar said "criminal proceedings would be initiated against the DMO under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, if she continued to defy the directives of the District Magistrate."The DMO said the Health Department could not hold a medical camp at Chengara owing to the road blockade launched by the Joint Trade Union Action Council at Athumbamkulam.She said a medical camp had been planned at Chengara on Tuesday and its venue would be finalised in consultation with the police authorities. Necessary steps should be taken to reach safe drinking water to the affected area to check waterborne disease from spreading to more areas, she added.

The Hindu,7^th October 2008

Vegetable gardens to enrich noon meals: Baby

The launch of vegetable gardens in schools will help enhance the quality of food provided to students as part of the Noon Meal Scheme, Minister for Education M.A. Baby has said.He was speaking to the students of Government Upper Primary School, Fort, after the inauguration of 'Haritavidyalayam' (Green School), a State-level greening campaign launched by the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), on Monday. "From now on, you will be able to eat nutrient-rich food, which in turn will help you become studious in studies," Mr. Baby said.The Education Minister also urged the school officials to explore the possibility of setting up a vermicompost unit at the school.

"There should be a vermicompost unit in every school. If that is not feasible, then at least a couple of schools in a locality should join together and set up a common unit," the Education Minister suggested. (Vermicomposting is the practice of using earthworms to transform food waste into a nutrient-rich mix.) Mr. Baby said that students would be able to "learn a lot new things by engaging in agricultural activities." Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran distributed the seeds for the vegetable garden. He reminded the students of the need for sustained care and attention in maintaining the garden. The school garden has vegetables such as spinach, cucumber, tomato, ladies finger and beans growing out of gunny sacks. The programme is assisted by officers from the Agriculture Department. Around 1,200 upper primary schools in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kannur will be covered under the pilot programme, before spreading it to other schools in the State. The function was attended by K.R. Viswambharan, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University; C. Jayan Babu, Mayor; V. Surendran Pillai, MLA; G.R. Anil, chairman of the Corporation's standing committee on health and education; and B. Vijayakumar, State Project Director, SSA.

 

The Hindu,7^th October 2008

Move to conserve rivers in State makes no headway

Big promises are made on river protection day but they never materialise, say environmentalists. Every year, politicians and elected representatives announce massive programmes for river conservation. It was no different this year, with the authorities stressing the need to check indiscriminate exploitation of the natural resources. However, greens pointed out that there was very little effort from the part of the government to save the rivers. Says C.A. Vijayachandran, general secretary of Kerala Nadi Samrakshana Samithi: "Massive deforestation and unchecked mining of sand have altered the natural ecology of rivers. Encroachment has also become a major issue along the riverbanks. The authorities are yet to act despite repeated pleas from environmental groups". Agrees S. Sitaraman, secretary of Association for Environment Protection: "Let us take the case of Periyar river. The loss of green cover along the riverbanks has seriously affected the lifeline of the State's largest river".Quoting the Constitution, Mr. Vijayachandran says that it should be the duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, rivers, lakes and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures. Environmentalists refer to the lack of a political will in saving the rivers from extinction. P.S. Gopinathan Nair, who has written several books on topics related to environment, urged the authorities to promote awareness programmes on river pollution. "We need to promote programmes involving the public in river conservation. Efforts should be also made to include the younger generation in such programmes," he says. The greens pointed out that various river conservation programmes were remaining on paper for want of support from authorities. They have now called for a concerted effort to establish river authorities that might help in checking pollution of rivers.

The Hindu, 7^th October 2008

Seminar held on elephant care

 As part of the Wildlife Week celebrations, October 4 was observed as 'Elephant day'. To mark the occasion, the Forest Department conducted a one-day awareness seminar on elephant care here. The objective of the seminar was to create awareness about the scientific management of elephants and thus to end the man-elephant conflicts, said Deepak Misra, Divisional Forest Officer, Thrissur. The seminar was a platform for scientists, veterinary doctors, forest officials, mahouts and festival organisers to discuss issues related to captive elephant care and safe conduct of festivals. Against the backdrop of the increasing incidents of elephants running amok during festivals, the seminar maintained that the animals behaved violently because they were ill-treated and ill-fed. The seminar called for measures to protect elephants from excessive heat. It also stressed on maintenance of safe distance between the elephants and the spectators.

The Hindu, 6^th October 2008

Elephant orphanage at Neyyar dam

Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that the government will set up an elephant orphanage at the Neyyar dam in Thiruvananthapuram. He was addressing a meeting at Kodannur Sree Dharma Sastha Temple on Sunday to confer the 'Gajaraja' title on Jayaram Kannan, an elephant owned by cine actor Jayaram. "The orphanage would be modelled on the ones in Sri Lanka. A sum of Rs.50 lakh has been set apart for the project.

The Hindu, 6^th October 2008

Nature watch at Ponmudi

The State unit of the WWF-India will organise a nature watch programme on October 12 at the Braimore-Ponmudi-Kallar forests.The programme will include bird watching, ecosystem interpretation, butterfly watching, discussion and interactive sessions. Physically fit persons in the age group between 15 and 45 and having interest in nature interpretation can participate in the programme, a release said .Those interested should contact WWF-India, Kerala State Office, on or before October 10 at telephone numbers 0471-2302265 or education officer A.K. Sivakumar (mobile 94473 86978).

The Hindu, 5^th October 2008

Pitch for climate-friendly tourism products

Though Kerala Tourism is geared towards environmental protection and sustainability, high priority needs to be given by the stakeholders to make tourism products 'climate-friendly' to address issues of mitigation and adaptation in view of climate change. The need for climate-friendly products has come at a time when World Tourism Day was observed under the aegis of the UNWTO on September 27 with the theme 'Tourism: Responding to the challenge of climate change.'Opportunistic product packaging on the lines of Sri Lanka and Indonesia for adaptation and mitigation to address the issue along with government policies are needed in Kerala, says C. Jayakumar of Thanal. World-wide, tour operators are taking steps to reduce carbon footprint. Vermicomposting is taken up for offsetting carbon in some countries and carbon credit saved is sold in the international market on the tourism sector. In Bali, one dollar is collected additionally from those who check into hotels for carbon neutrality programmes such as tree planting drives. Tourist traffic from developed countries via long-haul flights account for 2.7 per cent of total emissions. In addition, the domestic trips lead to increased emissions of pollutant gases and excessive consumption of water and energy."Foreign tourists flocking to Kerala from around the world would be willing to pay for carbon offsetting programmes. Stakeholders in the tourism industry should come forward to take the initiative," he says. Organic farming is a declared mitigation and adaptation strategy for climate change. The organic farming policy introduced by the State Biodiversity Board is a welcome approach.But, Mr. Jayakumar says Kerala Tourism should come forward and tell the tourists about such initiatives. The Responsible Tourism initiative launched in Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Wayanad can also be effectively used to address the issue. Secretary, Kerala Tourism, V. Venu told The Hindu that the department was working on a proposal for energy audit of the tourist destinations. Talks have already been held with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a statutory body under Union Ministry of Power, at the recent Kerala Travel Mart

 

 

The Hindu, 4^th October 2008