House concerned over climate variations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Members of the State Assembly on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the signs of global warming changing the climate pattern in Kerala and were unanimous in their view that the government should draw up long- and short-term strategies to mitigate the impact of the phenomenon.

Replying to a two-hour discussion following a motion moved in the Assembly by K.C. Joseph to deliberate on the drought situation prevailing in the State, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said the districts of Palakkad and Malappuram were already in the grip of drought, although a better part of the summer season was yet to unfold.

He said the State government had released Rs.15 crore for relief work and would sanction the release of more funds after assessing the drought situation from time to time.

Water scarcity was now being reported from many parts of the State.

Increasing the forest cover in the State, enforcing in letter and spirit the provisions of the law the State government had enacted against filling paddy fields, initiating a watershed-based water management strategy to recharge the groundwater resources and saving the rivers from pollution were some of the steps the members suggested during the discussion to reduce the severity of water scarcity.

Forest Minister Benoy Viswom spoke of the massive greening programme the government had undertaken in the State with the cooperation of people.

Statutory authority

Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said the government was working on legislation for constituting a statutory authority for initiating measures to rejuvenate all the rivers in the State.

P. Jayarajan, Sreyams Kumar, P. Raveendranath, Rajaji Mathew Thomas, T.U. Kuruvila, T.N. Prathapan, A.A. Azeez, A.K. Sasheendran, C.P. Mohammed, M. Prakashan, Roshi Augustine and K. Mohammedunni Haji participated in the discussion.

Source: The Hindu, 31st March 2010

Rope indigenous people into climate change decisions: Agatha

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma has called for timely interventions and properly implemented policies to protect the lifestyles of several hundred million indigenous people (Scheduled Tribes in India) in Asia-Pacific who are faced with the threat of climate change and extreme rural poverty.

Indigenous people make up six per cent of all humanity on earth and yet, they stand perilously close to the twin threat, she said at an Asia-Pacific regional seminar in Manila on Thursday.
The seminar on ‘Indigenous peoples, Climate Change and Rural Poverty: Promoting Innovative Approaches and Solutions' was organised by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development.

Pointing out that Asia-Pacific was home to a large population of poor and vulnerable communities, Ms. Sangma said extreme poverty itself constituted a severe vulnerability. “Climate change and the effects it has had and may have on the natural surroundings of such communities — who live in harmony with nature and rely on it for their existence — make the future of weaker sections look bleak. It is, therefore, imperative that rural poor, especially indigenous people, are made party to the decision-making process and all decisions.”

In India, as per the latest figures, there are about 82 million people who are among the most vulnerable and are known as STs. A Majority of them reside in forested areas and about half of them live below poverty line. They are grouped into 700 tribes. Like in other parts of the world, they are dependent on forest-based natural resources for survival.

Ms. Sangma said the recent global initiatives and measures in the form of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation Degradation in Developing Countries) were advocated to incentivise efforts for reducing deforestation. “However, it has also been argued that this will provide the developed countries an escape route for avoiding responsibilities of reducing emissions. It will merely compensate developing countries to prevent forests from being converted into pasturelands and has been described as an attempt to lock indigenous people out of their rights over forest land. It may even deprive local communities of their right to land development and distort local economies.”

On the other hand, REDD might just be the weapon the world had been desperately searching for to combat climate change. “For this, we have advocated that REDD grow into an REDD-plus and also reward efforts for forest conservation and sustainable management of forests.”

Source: The Hindu, dated: 28th March 2010

Disaster management action plan soon: Minister

Thrissur: The State government will soon come out with an action plan for disaster management, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran has said.

He was addressing a State-level workshop for officials of district administrations and heads of various departments held here on Saturday with the objective of coordinating district disaster management plans.

The State-level preparedness plan, which is at the final stage of preparation, will be discussed at a meeting of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, the Minister said.

“Pre-disaster planning is a vital part of preparedness. A disaster management plan focusing on hazard, risk, vulnerability and resource assessment improves the efficacy of rescue operations,” he said.

Effective community involvement and public awareness could largely minimise the impact of disasters, the Minister said. Citing examples of the recent accidents in Thekkady and Kottayam, he said the active participation of local public in rescue operations had reduced the causality rates.

The Minister said that about 10 per cent of the fund for disaster management would be used for providing modern equipment for the Fire and Rescue Services. Ambulances will be distributed to the Health Department for rescue operations in coastal areas.

Training to the key community and social functionaries is an essential element for the successful execution of a disaster management action plan, the Minister said. “Procedures are progressing to start civil defence institutes in Thrissur, Kochi and Kottayam. Eternal vigilance is needed as natural disasters have become common, he said.

Source: The Hindu, dated: 28th march 2010

Survey counts 169 bird species

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, the Great Indian Pied Hornbill, the Rock Bush Quail, the Red-winged Crested Cuckoo and the Malabar Parakeet were among the 169 species of birds spotted in a three-day survey conducted in the Shenduruni Wildlife Sanctuary by the Thiruvananthapuram-based nature lovers' group Warblers and Waders along with the Forest Department.

The survey was conducted from March 12 to 14. Direct sightings of birds and identification of calls were the methods used to finalise the data. ‘Peak observation' of birds was done during 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Last year, 165 species were recorded at Shenduruni.
According to C. Susanth, a group member, significant sightings included those of the Great Black Woodpecker, the Broad-billed Roller, the Blue-bearded Bee-eater, the Red winged Crested Cuckoo, the Indian Black Crested Baza, the Lesser Fishing Eagle, the Malay Bittern, the Open bill Stork and the Black-naped Oriole.

Of the 16 species endemic to the Western Ghats, 13 were recorded during the current survey. The endemic endangered and threatened (EET) species observed include the Malabar Grey Hornbill, the Nilgiri Flycatcher, the White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, the Grey headed Bulbul, the Small sunbird, the Grey-breasted laughing Thrush and the Rufous babbler.

Some birds were conspicuous by their absence in the survey data: the Red Spurfowl, the Drongo Cuckoo, the Lesser Coucal, the Long-tailed Nightjar, the Grasshopper Warbler, and the Painted Bush Quail. The last two surveys did not also record the presence of a common nocturnal bird, the Brown Fish Owl, Mr. Susanth said.

For the purpose of the survey, the Sanctuary was divided into 5 sections: Kattilappara, Rockwood, Umayar, Rosemala and Pandimotta. The survey at these base camps were led by ornithologists K.A. Kishore, C.G. Kiran, K.B. Sanjayan, A.K. Shivakumar and C. Harikumar who were assisted by 22 birdwatchers from all over the state.

The highest bird presence—126 species—was recorded at Kattillappara, Mr. Susanth said. The lowest numbers were recorded at Pandimotta-60 species. While 83 species were recorded at Rockwood, 90 species were recorded at Umayar and 91 at Rosemala.

The Great Indian Pied Hornbill was sighted only at Rosemala and Rockwood. The numbers sighted were lesser compared to last year's survey.

Surveyors spotted the breeding of the Malabar Trogon, the River Tern, the Small Sunbird and the Ruby throated Bulbul. The significant nesting and breeding recorded during the present survey was that of the Nilgiril Wood Pigeon—an EET species—at Pandimotta, Mr. Susanth added.

Source: The Hindu, 28th March 2010