Arctic melting Glaciers to speed up global warming: Researchers

PANAJI: The Indian mission on the Arctic region has concluded that the capability of this icy continent to behave as a 'global carbon sink' would drastically reduce in the future due to the quickly receding glacier cover.

Researchers from National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), who returned from the Arctic assignment recently, have said that the trend is a serious concern as it may fuel the global warming across Earth.

NIO's senior scientist S Prasannakumar said that Arctic seas and land together accounts for about 25% of the world's carbon sink.

"The melting of glaciers and Ice cover from Fjords would mean a less efficient carbon sink that would end up in faster global warming," he said.

Source: the time of India 30-6-2011

The five-member NIO team, which was in the icy continent in the last week of May faced (-4) degree Celsius temperature. The scientists have chosen Kongsforden Fjord as the sample water body which would now be monitored for next decade.

Prassanakumar said that Kongsforden Fjord is situated just 100 metres away from Himadri, Indian research station on Arctic continent. Fjord is a long inlet with steep sides (cliff) created in a valley carved by glacier activity.

The Fjord is being studied for physical, chemical and biological parameter study of Kongsforden Fjord located in the Arctic region.

The scientists have raised concerns on melting glacier as the phenomenon has been reported more rapid since last half a decade.

Dr Prasannakumar said 'in simple terms, this means that Arctic will loose its ability to absorb large amount of carbon dioxide thereby accelerating the global warming process.'

The other worries like melting glaciers would enhance the sea water are also on the agenda of researchers.

"It is estimated that Arctic region would be ice free in next 30-40 years time," the researcher said adding 'global carbon cycle will change with the melting of Arctic glaciers.'

Snails entering new territory

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Giant African snails are spreading fast in the district, after being confined to a few wards in the Konni grama panchayat limits since their first sighting in 2008.

People fear that the snails will pose a health hazard and will have an impact on the ecosystem. They complain that effective steps have not been taken to contain the mollusc menace, despite repeated warnings from experts and environmentalists.

After the monsoon set in, the snails have been spreading to the nearby panchayats of Pramadom, Chenneerkara, and Thumpamon and in certain parts of the Adoor and the Pathanamthitta municipal areas, especially the Kumbazha market.

These nocturnal creatures have been causing much harm to the tapioca, papaya, and rubber crops and other vegetation in Konni. They feed on tender leaves of coconut palms.

The Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), after a study on the snail menace in Konni eight months ago, had stressed the need to eradicate them before summer by the time they go into hibernation. The study report was submitted to the Ombudsman for Local Self-Government Institutions.

People are now pinning their hopes on Health Minister Adoor Prakash, who represents the Konni constituency, says Ratheesh Babu, a social activist who has been actively involved in the snail-eradication campaign.

After the first sighting in June 2008, the snails have multiplied fast. Experts say that a snail lays as many as 400 eggs at a time and at least 380 of them are hatched. The snails come out of their daytime hideouts, such as wet burrows on trees and rocks, during night and move in clusters.

Aby Abraham and K.M. Koshy, members of an Agriculture Department team that had visited the snail-infested areas of Konni in October 2010, were of the opinion that cleanliness and sanitation should be given top priority in keeping creatures such as snails from the courtyards and surroundings of houses. The snails they found in Konni weighed 700-800 grams. The team was awestruck witnessing the snails feeding on the walls of a building. The snails feed on vegetation and walls as their shells require a good amount of calcium.

The expert team opined that steps should be taken to launch cultivation on all lands lying fallow in the affected area as wet fallow lands were the best breeding grounds of such creatures. The team felt the need to adopt chemical control methods to combat such a large-scale menace.

The KFRI study report said the practice of using metaldehyde and common salt to kill the snails would have an adverse impact on terrestrial and aquatic fauna and excessive use of common salt would alter the soil chemistry, making it unfit for agriculture.

Snails should not be consumed as it was an intermediate vector of the rat lungworm which caused eosinophilic meningitis in humans, besides playing host to Aeromonas hydrophila, a pathogen found in hosts with weak immune systems, the report said.

It suggested thorough checking of vehicles moving out from the infested area to make sure that snails were not accidentally transported to new locations.

The report said the snail menace had been reported from the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod. However, the infestation in Konni was high, requiring urgent efforts to reduce its numbers as the wells in the area were contaminated by snail excreta.

Source: The Hindu 29-06-2011

Tourism back on track at Thekkady

THEKKADY: Though it is considered a lean season, between 1,000 and 1,500 tourists are visiting Thekkady daily.

“This is a higher level of tourist arrival compared to the same period last year,” said an official at the tourist information centre at the boat landing station.

He said the majority of the tourists were from Tamil Nadu, followed by Kerala and northern India.

“This time, there is also a good turnout of tourists from the Gulf, especially from Saudi Arabia. Before the monsoon season this month, the average daily tourist arrival was 5,000,” he said.

“At present, six boats (two of the Forest Department and four of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) conduct services. The average per day trip is five services, though it may be reduced depending on the ticket sale,” he said.

Cherian Joseph, a tourist operator, said tourism was picking up after the boat tragedy two years back.

He said it was usual to have a lean tourist season after the school vacation. Though there was no group booking in hotels, it was a sign of revival of tourism activities.

An official of the District Tourism Promotion Council said monsoon was also a season of high tourist arrival and Munnar was witnessing heavy rush with foreigners opting for the season.

Extinct mangrove species sighted after 150 years

KOLLAM: A mangrove species, long believed to have gone extinct in the State, was sighted on an isolated private island of Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam. ‘Ceriops tagal' or the yellow mangrove has been listed by the Forest Department as a “mangrove species that had disappeared from Kerala.”

But last week, Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad activist V.K. Madhusudhanan chanced upon the “disappeared” yellow mangroves, sporting a spectacular greenish yellow canopy of leaves on the 40-acre Puthenthuruthu island not far from the Neendakara estuary. He was at the island for an inspection on alleged mangrove destruction in the area.

A mother tree

Mr. Madhusudhanan told The Hindu that he identified the yellow mangroves from a dense collection of at least five other species of mangroves. He also noted a quite mature mother yellow mangrove there and believes that the grove of yellow mangroves on the island could have germinated from the mother tree.

His finding has been confirmed by botanist N. Ravi who also visited the site along with S. Sun, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry) on Monday. Mr. Sun said that the sighting of yellow mangroves is exciting news for the Forest Department and the island will be seen as a botanical treasure. Yellow mangroves have great value as a fisheries habitat.

Next move

In the wake of the find, he will now send a proposal to the department's top brass to consider acquiring the entire island. Recognising the importance of mangroves, the State government has made substantial monetary allocations for acquiring and protecting private land with rich mangrove forests.

In addition to the greenish yellow leaves, another distinguishing feature of the yellow mangroves is their buttressed base. Prof. Ravi told The Hindu that it is after a gap of more than 150 years that yellow mangroves have been sighted and identified in Kerala. The sighting is the first since 1850s when the British botanical explorer R. Wight (1796-1872) noted in his accounts of sighting the yellow mangrove at Quilon (former name of Kollam).

J.S. Gamble, Conservator of Forests of the Madras Presidency under the British Raj during the early 20th century, mentions in his book “Flora of the Presidency of Madras” about the yellow mangroves at Quilon, quoting Wight, though Gamble himself had not seen them here, Prof. Ravi said.

There is no record of yellow mangroves growing anywhere else in Kerala, he said.

Western Ghats to be inscribed in world heritage list next year

KOCHI: The serial sites of Western Ghats will be inscribed in the World Heritage List next year.

The 36th session of the World Heritage Committee of Unesco in Bangkok will make the announcement, V.B. Mathur, Dean of the Wildlife Institute of India, told The Hindu from Paris.

Though the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) wanted the inscription to be postponed for three years at the current session being held in Paris, the Committee decided to inscribe the 39 serial sites of the Ghats next year, said Dr. Mathur, who is part of the Indian delegation canvassing for the heritage status.

Describing the development as a major step, Dr. Mathur said 18 nations of the 21-member committee supported India. The Indian delegation was also informed that there was no need for new proposals for the Ghats. The Committee has also decided not to send any new IUCN mission to India to inspect the serial sites.

The Committee banks on the technical evaluation report of the IUCN in deciding the status of the sites nominated by the countries. A two-member committee visited the serial sites last year as part of the assessment process.

It has sought additional information regarding the management of the serial sites and given directions to make the management system more effective. The Committee said it was waiting for the recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the conservation and protection of the Ghats. All the information sought by the Committee would be mailed to them shortly, Dr. Mathur said.

On the biodiversity impact of some dams in the Ghats region, the Indian delegation said they were built long ago and had no major environmental impacts. The IUCN also appreciated the high biodiversity value of the Ghats sites and its universal importance, he said.

Incidentally, the committee removed Assam's Manas Wildlife Sanctuary from the ‘world heritage in danger' list after taking into account the significant improvements made for its preservation. The sanctuary was inscribed on the danger list in 1992, seven years after Unesco declared it a world heritage site.

Source :Saturday, Jun 25, 2011

Puffer species found

KOCHI: A Puffer fish species ( Tetraodonn leopardus) which is larger in size than the commonly found ones, have been reported from Thattaveli in Muvattupuzha River.

The recently found one is seven to nine times larger than the common variety, said K. V. Zeena, Assistant Professor of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam.

The species was collected as part of her doctoral studies, she said..

The species has brown colour on the dorsal and silvery white on the ventral sides with small yellow fluorescent spots extending up to the caudal fin.

The species can be used as ornamental fish, Ms. Zeena said.

Source: The Hindu Tuesday, Jun 21, 2011

Drinking water in disposable packets soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government will set up three units to provide treated drinking water in disposable packets.

Initially, the drinking water packets will be provided at Sabarimala in 2012 and then extended all over the State, Water Resources Minister P.J. Joseph has said.

Inaugurating a workshop on integrated water resources management organised by the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) here on Thursday, Mr. Joseph said the proposal had been made to curb the use of plastic.

The notion that piped water was safe was unfounded. The mineral water resources in remote areas of the State would be exploited scientifically.

The government would soon prepare a waste management project for Sabarimala. As many as three crore pilgrims reached the Pamba river basin during the Sabarimala festival season annually.

The waste generated there should be effectively treated to protect Vembanad Lake and the Achenkovil, Manimala, and Meenachil rivers. Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh had offered $20 million for a project to conserve the Pamba.

“Though the State is getting around 3,000 mm rain annually, no effective mechanism has been worked out for rainwater harvesting. Check-dams should be constructed to prevent the runoff to the sea. Public awareness should be created to prevent pollution of waterbodies and protection of water sources. Students should be made aware of the problems triggered by the unrestricted use of plastic and lapses in refuse management. Due importance should be given to watershed management,” he said.

Source:The Hindu 17-06-2011

Environment programme launched at school

Bhavan's Vidya Mandir, Thrikkakara, has launched an environment conservation programme in its campus. Deputy Mayor B. Bhadra and S. Sitaraman, secretary of the Environment Protection Association, Aluva, were the guests of honour. Rajasekharan Nair, chairman of the school management committee, was also present.

The school has been promoting awareness on the importance of nature through various activities like distribution and planting of saplings, organic farming, and cultivation of vegetables for consumption etc

Reception to MLAs

Vidyadhiraja Vidyabhavan, Angamaly, accorded a reception to newly elected MLAs Anwar Sadath and Jose Thettayil in connection with its investiture ceremony held at the school campus on Wednesday. Later, Mr. Sadath gave away the medals and badges to the newly elected leaders of the school.

The alumni association gifted a trophy to the school for its excellent results in the exams.

Medals were distributed to the winners from the school at the International Olympiad of English Language.

Seminar

A seminar on “How to be a Best Student” for the students of classes XI and XII was held at Nava Nirman Public School on June 14. Shamim Rafeek was the resource person.

The school will be reintroducing its Silver Jubilee Year Public Service project “Padheyam - A fistful of rice” in connection with the observance of the Public Service Day on June 23. Municipal councillor Rajeena Nizar will inaugurate the programme for this academic year at the Main School Auditorium at 10.30 a.m.

Chess winner

Ananya Muralidharan of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala, won the girls title in the under-7 chess championship held at the Anand academy in Kozhikode on Saturday. She is a grade 1 student of the school.

Orientation class

An orientation class for the parents of Class I students was held at the Vidyodaya School, Thevakkal, recently. This was followed by another orientation class for the new batch of class XI.

Election to select the school council will be held on Saturday

Source : The Hindu 16-6-2011

Red list of birds brings joy and agony

KOCHI: The Red list of birds released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature has brought joy and agony alike for Kerala.

The conservation status of birds prepared by Birdlife International has downgraded the risk faced by Lesser Kestrel, a small falcon species, whereas it has raised the risk level of Nilgiri Pippit, a species endemic to Kerala.

Four vulture species — White-rumped, Indian, Slender-billed, and Red-headed — of Kerala remain on the ‘Critically Endangered' category this year too. The vulture species are mostly found in Wayanad. Those in the Critically Endangered category are the ones that are facing the high risk of extinction.

Five species, including the Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Florican, Nilgiri Laughingthrush, Nilgiri Blue Robin, and White-bellied Blue Robin continue on the ‘Endangered' species list this year also. Eleven species, including Lesser Adjutant, Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, and Broad-Tailed Grassbird stay on the ‘Vulnerable' list whereas 19 others remain on the Near Threatened category.

Risk level of Lesser Kestrel was reduced to ‘Least Concern' from Vulnerable considering the improvement in its global population. The species underwent rapid decline in western Europe, South Africa and parts of its Asian range earlier. However, recent evidence indicated a stable or slightly positive population trend overall during the last three generations.

In Kerala, the species was reported from the Eravikulam National Park and the Periyar Tiger Reserve and 35 individuals were spotted at Thekkady during a bird census in 2008, said P.O. Nameer, South Asian coordinator, in situ, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, IUCN.

Nilgiri Pipit, a species endemic to the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, faced increased risk of survival and has been classified as Vulnerable. Earlier, the status of the species was assessed as Near Threatened.

According to Birdlife International, the grassland habitat of the species is gradually being converted to plantations of tea, eucalyptus, and wattle. Livestock grazing and frequent fires also pose threats to the species. Disturbance may be increasing as even higher resorts are being constructed in the sholas that border areas of grasslands.

As the species often occupies habitat at the very top of hills, it is potentially threatened by the effects of climate change. Its present population is estimated to be between 2,500 and 9,999 mature individuals, according to the report.

In Kerala, the species is found in high altitude areas including the wildlife sanctuaries of Neyyar, Peppara, Shendurny, Chinnar, Aaralam, and the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Its presence has also been reported from Ponmudi Kallar and the hills of Munnar, Nelliampathy, and Siruvani, said Dr. Nameer, who is also a coordinator of the Indian Bird Conservation Network. Vulnerable status was accorded to the species as it had a small range in which its habitat was severely fragmented and declining in extent and quality.

Source:The Hindu Tuesday, Jun 14, 2011

environment

EIA panel to be set up soon: Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Monday that the government had initiated the process of setting up a State-level Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) committee.

Delivering the inaugural address at the World Environment Day celebrations organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), he said the committee would speed up the process of securing environmental clearance for priority projects in the State.

Mr.Chandy said the previous LDF government had failed to set up the committee despite instructions from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The Chief Minister said unscientific development and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources were leading to environmental problems like river pollution, poor solid waste disposal, and drinking water scarcity.

The government, he said, would go all out to promote eco clubs in schools. “As many as two lakh children in 3,500 schools will be taught the importance of protecting forests and conserving the environment through the activities of these eco clubs. Children hold the key to creating awareness about the environment and understanding the pitfalls of tampering with nature,” he reminded the audience.

Mr.Chandy said the State would seek Central assistance for the Sabarimala master plan, Vizhinjam international container transhipment terminal project, reducing man-animal conflict, and in managing the problems caused by the Coastal Regulation Zone regulations.

He added that the issues would be taken up with Union Minister Jairam Ramesh who was arriving in Kerala on June 13.

Underlining the need to strike a balance between development needs and protection of the environment, he said the government was committed to the scientific utilisation of natural resources.

The Chief Minister distributed awards for the winners of a photography contest organised by the KSCSTE in connection with this year's World Environment Day. He also released three publications by the council.

K.V. Jayakumar, Executive Director, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), received the first copy of a report on an environmental monitoring programme on water quality.

A report on soil resources of panchayats was presented to Dr. P.N. Premachandran, Additional Director, Soil Survey Department, while a handbook for National Green Corps teachers was released by handing over a copy to Dr. N.P. Kurien, Director, Centre for Earth Science Studies.

Dr. K.K. Ramachandran, member secretary, KSCSTE and Dr.Kamalakshan Kokkal, Joint Director were present.

Source:The Hindu 7-06-2011