SC puts curbs on mining to restore forests

New Delhi:Mining in An­dhra Pradesh and Karnataka will not be allowed till iron ore miners from the two states draw up plans to restore the forest areas damaged in the region as a result of their activities, the Supreme Court directed on Friday.

“We want to know the impact of mining on the environment and forest aspect, besides the effect on financial part (to exchequer),” a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said.

The court said it could consider lifting the ban on mining activity only if the miners could convince it that they could restore the damage caused to the environment and forest.
“You tell us, how could you restore the area? What steps would you take? We want the area to be restored only after that we can consider the plea for mining that too we can allow scientific mining only,” the bench said.

“We are merely concerned about the impact on the enviro­nment. We are concerned that rules and regulations are being complied or not,” it added.

The court also asked the Centrally-empowered Committee (CEC) to apprise it about steps that could be taken to “restore and rehabilitate” the forest.

Proceedings in the matter began with amicus curiae Shyam Divan reading out the excerpts of the CEC report submitted on April 15 and a joint survey team tabled on July 4.

Divan said the committee did not find any illegal activity in the seven mines. The Bench said the ban on mining would remain until the entire area was not reclaimed.

“We are going to rely on the Haryana judgment (relating to mi­ning in the Arawali region). Even if it is legal – if there is any damage to the environm­ent—let the mining be banned,” the Bench, which also comprised Justices Aftab Alam and Swatanter Kumar, said.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan alleged that the mining activity has continued in the Bellary region in Karnataka after misrepresentation of facts and under subterfuge.

He referred to the Lokayukta report to allege that 90 per cent mines were located in the forest areas.

The CEC had earlier sla­mmed the Karnataka government for failing to stop illegal mining in the Bellary region. During the hearing, the court also directed the Attorney General G E Vahanvati to represent the viewpoint of Centre in the matter. “We want the AG to represent Ministry of Forest and Environment. This is not a simple matter,” the court said.

Source: Decan Herald, 15-07-2011

Solution to man-animal conflict in Wayanad Sanctuary awaits government initiative

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Man-animal conflict is difficult to resolve in conditions existing in Kerala. However, the government is sitting on a proposal which offers a clean solution to the problem in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

About 10000 people living in pockets inside the Sanctuary are willing to relocate from the conflict zone, leaving the land to the animals. The Central government has already sanctioned Rs. 80 crore for resettlement of nearly one third of the population. However, only 4.5 crore had been released so far.

As per a report of Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), there are 110 settlements having 2613 families in the Sanctuary. Besides, there are 264 families without proper land records. Frequent attacks by wild animals occur in these settlements and settlers and the farmers often retaliate. More than 100 persons have died in attacks by wild animals over the years. Much crop had also been damaged. The elephant deaths in the region are more than the normal because of retaliatory attacks by the people.

The Forest and Wildlife Department spends sizeable sums in building elephant proof trenches, boundary walls and solar power fencing and paying compensation to the victims. The High Court had directed the government to devise a scheme for resettlement of the trapped people in the sanctuary as back as in 1986.

However, action from the part of the government was wanting despite the willingness of the people to relocate. The Central government’s scheme provides for cash compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to each of the families willing to relocate, irrespective of their land holdings. The amount actually does not reflect the conditions in Kerala where the value of land outside the sanctuary going up higher and higher. Yet, the families have expressed willingness to move out.

The KFRI study had deemed 2485 families in 1385 houses suitable for relocation. This would make about 1700 acres available for reversion to forests. The regeneration of forests could be of major gain for the sanctuary and Cauvery basin.

Source: The Hindu, 16-07-2011

Source: Mathrubhoomi, 07-07-2011

Panchayat seeks State help to combat snail menace

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Konni grama panchayat has drawn up a project to combat the Giant African Snails that have been plaguing the locality for the past three years.

Talking to The Hindu, panchayat secretary N.Haribalan said the local body would soon launch a snail eradication project for the next three years. The District Planning Committee had cleared the local body's snail eradication project estimated at Rs.6.4 lakh for the present fiscal, he said.

Due to the absence of a foolproof scientific measure, the panchayat had been carrying out a snail-eradication drive by engaging workers to manually collect the snails and then killing them by spraying salt or metaldehyde for the past three years.

Though the panchayat had spent Rs.1.27 lakh for snail eradication at the panchayat stadium engaging 30 women workers for 13 days a year ago, the problem had increased manifold now, Ratheeshbabu, a social activist, said.

Mr. Haribalan said the panchayat had passed a resolution seeking intervention of the government to contain the snail menace a year ago.

The Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala Agriculture University, and the Agriculture Department, which conducted studies, had come out with divergent views to combat the menace.

While experts attached to the KAU and the Agriculture Department felt the need to adopt chemical control methods to combat the menace, the KFRI maintained that spraying metaldehyde to kill the snails would impact the terrestrial and aquatic fauna and the excessive use of common salt would alter the soil structure, making it unfit for agriculture.

Local people are awaiting the response from Health Minister Adoor Prakash, who represents the constituency, as it had turned out to be a major public health problem in Konni.

Source: The Hindu, 04-07-2011