Climate change affecting cardamom hills: study

 
The Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR), a 2,800 sq. km. mountainous terrain with deep valleys and rivers where spices like cardamom, pepper and coffee are grown, is witnessing climate change. A part of this reserve, which spreads across the Western Ghats, lies in Tamil Nadu.According to a study conducted by M. Murugan, assistant professor, agro-climatology, Pampadumpara Cardamom Research Station (CRS), the maximum temperature in the region has declined and the minimum temperature has risen.The study was conducted on the basis of data provided by the Automatic Weather Station, Soil Thermometer and Evaporation Metre at the CRS since 1978. "The weather station, one of the oldest of its kind, was set up by the ISRO," said Mr. Murugan.The study found that the southwest monsoon (June-September) has weakened and the northeast monsoon (October-December) has gained in strength in the region. Mr. Murugan said that though the quality and weight of cardamom has improved due to the climate change, new weeds and pest attack has also increased, pushing up the production cost.According to the date supplied by the weather station, the relative humidity in the cardamom hills in Idukki has fallen by 12 per cent, and the days have become warmer. The cloudiness over the hills has fallen by an hour, and the difference between the warmest and coolest months have narrowed . "As a result of increase in soil temperature, many small streams have dried up," he said,According to the study, Elappara, receives the largest rain fall in the CHR region, followed by Palkulam Medu and Vennimala. The rainfall has fallen in Karunapuram, which on the border with Tamil Nadu and records the lowest rainfall. The report said that the intensity of climatic change in the cardamom hills is higher than in plains . The study found that the climate change has resulted in a change in the flowering and harvesting seasons. Except for cardamom, the climate change has affected crops like pepper and coffee. The quantity and quality of both the crops have fallen," he said.

The Hindu, 1st September  2008

Fillip for Social forestry project

 
Forest Minister Benoy Viswom said here on Thursday that the government would ensure public participation to extend its social forestry programme to all parts of the State. He was speaking after inaugurating the second phase of the Harithatheeram project at Thumba. The Minister said 55 lakh saplings were planted over the last two years. " As many as 1.25 lakh man days have been created under the Harithatheeram  project", he said. M.A.Wahid, MLA, presided over the function. The project involves the planting of saplings along the vulnerable stretches of the coastline and in farmlands and homesteads. The participatory project will be managed by the Theera Samrakshana Vanavalkarana Samithi s(Coastal protection and afforestation committees) comprising representatives of families living with in 200 metres of the shoreline. Apart from the creation of a green barrier against tidal surge and strong wave action, the scheme envisages rehabilitation, planting and supply of saplings and awareness campaigns. The Fisheries Department is supporting the project.  The project had also earmarked funds for the protection and maintenance of mangrove forests. The Forest Department had identified 29.5 hectacres of land in Thiruvananthapuram district for the project. An official survey has found that some parts of the Kottukal , Kadhinamkulam, CHirayinkeezh, Anchuthengu, Vettoor and the city wards of Panathura, Poonthura, Beemapally, Manikyavilakam,Shanghumughom, Valiathura, Kannanthura, Pallithura and Vettukad were ideal for planting trees. The species that are being supplied include bamboo, mangroves, almond, casuarinas, 'punna' and 'poovarasu'. The project will conclude in  December 2009.

The Hindu, 30th August 2008

Elephant patrol introduced in sanctuary

 
The Forest Department has tightened security measures in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary with a view to curbing poaching of wild animals during Onam. An elephant patrol was introduced on Monday. The move for a patrol was taken at a meeting of the forest personnel of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at Theppakkadu, headquarters of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, in Tamil Nadu on August 20, K. Radha Krishna Lal, Assistant Wildlife Warden, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, told The Hindu. "The elephant patrol will enable forest personnel to easily search the forest interior, where vehicle and foot patrols are impossible," Mr. Lal said. Three tuskers, Dineshan, Kunju and Suryan of the Muthanga Elephant Camp, will lead the team. Apart from the tuskers, an anti-poaching team comprising a forester, four forest guards, four watchers and six mahouts will be on duty. The elephant patrol starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary stretches 344 sq km.

The Hindu, 27th August 2008

Irrigation management for farmers in Kerala

 
The Kerala government is planning to introduce a participatory system of irrigation management, under which farmers will be entrusted with the operation and maintenance of canals in the State.Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran told The Hindu on Tuesday that the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act 2003 would be amended to legitimise the role of water users' associations in participatory management of irrigation systems. "The draft amendment is ready to be sent to the Law Department. We hope to present it in the next session of the Assembly." He said participatory irrigation management (PIM) could play a pivotal role in improving agriculture production in Kerala. "The existing mechanism of design, construction, maintenance and operation of irrigation systems is a heavy burden for the government machinery." Pointing out that many irrigation canals in Kerala were badly in need of repair, he said water users' associations could prove to be an effective system for operation and maintenance of the canal network. The associations are conceived as a mechanism to ensure the participation of farmers, the primary stakeholders. The participatory system involves a three-tier mechanism comprising sluice-level water users' associations at the primary stage, branch canal associations acting as the secondary tier and project management committees at the third. Officials say the new system is designed to promote group farming and protect water bodies to make agriculture sustainable in the long run. Group farming is seen as the only solution to the agriculture crisis in Kerala, that is attributed largely to the fragmentation of landholdings.

The Hindu,  27th August 2008