Latest news with #ForestandClimateChange
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Declare wild pigs as vermin in conflict zones, Kerala asks Centre in fresh appeal
Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has once again written to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav reiterating the State's key demands to address the increasing incidents of human-wildlife conflict in Kerala. The State's demands chiefly include an amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the declaration of wild pigs as vermin, at least temporarily in identified hotspots. The renewed appeal comes in the light of a letter from the Union Ministry, explaining the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, particularly those pertaining to hunting animals listed under Schedules I and II. 'Limits powers' Arguing that these limited the powers of the Chief Wildlife Warden and hampered timely action, Mr. Saseendran also flagged the ambiguity in the definition of the term 'dangerous animal' in the Act. Highlighting the growing threats posed by wild animals in human habitats, he emphasised the impracticality of the current procedures. He pointed out that due to these constraints, the Forest department had been unable to act swiftly, thereby intensifying the conflict and endangering human lives and livelihoods. He also proposed simplifying the Standard Operating Procedures for eliminating dangerous animals. The State has also called for declaring wild pigs as vermin in villages identified as hotspots. 'Such a declaration, even if limited to a duration of six months, would greatly facilitate site-specific management of the species in these areas and contribute significantly to mitigate the ongoing human-wildlife conflicts,' the letter states. The government also renewed its demand for an assistance of ₹620 crore to implement preventive measures to tackle the unfolding crisis.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Preferential treatment raises eyebrows
The Kerala Forest Department's recent move to approach the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for a one-time amnesty for people possessing wildlife trophy in the State has reignited a debate over the department's alleged preferential treatment of wildlife offenders. The department has pushed a proposal for 'granting another chance to declare wild animal articles and trophies under Section 40 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972'. The justification for moving the proposal to the State Board for Wildlife was to offer an opportunity for the legal heirs of those who inherited wildlife trophy from their ancestors with valid ownership certificates. Senior officials noted that there had been several instances of the legal heirs failing to get the inherited wildlife trophy declared in their names on time for various reasons. Section 40 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, prescribes that 'every person having the control, custody or possession of any animal article, trophy or uncured trophy of captive animals specified in Schedule I shall declare to the Chief Wildlife Warden or the Authorised Officer within 30 days from the commencement of the Act.' Illegal possession of a wildlife trophy can result in imprisonment for three to seven years and a fine of not less than ₹25,000. Although forest officials argued that the beneficiaries of the proposed scheme would be legal heirs of those with the rightful ownership certificates — and that the Union government should take a call on the request — the move brought back to discussion the conflicting stands taken by the department in the case of actor Mohanlal and popular Malayalam rapper Vedan (V. M. Hiran Das), both booked for illegal possession of wildlife trophy. Officials asserted that the proposal had nothing to do with any of the wildlife crime cases currently being pursued in courts, but this has set tongues wagging. When the department took a benevolent approach to Mohanlal, who was reportedly found in possession of two pairs of ivory fixed on a mirror stand a few years ago, it went tough on Vedan, who was found wearing a chain with a pendant allegedly made from a leopard tooth. While it took an Income Tax Department raid for the department to know about the actor's alleged possession of ivory, a criminal case was booked by police for alleged possession of ganja, paving the way for the action against Vedan. The department wasted no time in arresting the rapper, whereas it reportedly handled the case of Mohanlal with kid gloves. Vedan told officials that the leopard tooth was a gift from an admirer and that he was unaware of the legal intricacies. Incidentally, both cases were booked at the Malayattoor Forest Range office and registered at the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Perumbavoor. The department chose not to remove the mirror studded with two sets of fully developed ivory to its strongroom or the State Treasury, where the material objects involved in court cases are stored. Though not illegal to leave the material objects, which are difficult to transport, with the accused after completing the legal formalities, questions on possible destruction of evidence by the accused were raised in this case. The alleged haste with which the department acted in Vedan's case received widespread condemnation from the public and those who had earlier led the State Forest Department. There was criticism that the department chose to ignore the alleged use of similar pendants by two other Malayalam movie actors, including a Union Minister. Urgent need 'Great injustice to Vedan. Nobody can be duped by a fake elephant tusk. But anybody can get confused with a tiger/leopard tooth with that of another similar animal. What a shame, especially considering the fact that the much-discussed elephant tusk case was also dealt with in the same Forest Range Office,' noted Gopinath Vallilil, a former Head of Forest Force, Kerala, in his social media account. Preferential treatment for the mighty would undermine the foundation of the rule of law and public trust in the system. The discriminatory treatment meted out to the two accused in the wildlife crime cases calls for balanced handling of the cases to earn and consolidate public trust and fair dispensation of justice.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Wayanad tunnel project gets Union Ministry nod
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued the final order giving environmental clearance to the proposed Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project with stringent norms. The order was issued on Tuesday (June 17) based on the recommendations of an expert committee formed under the Ministry. The latest order will help the State government officially start the construction work at the earliest. The ₹2,134-crore project will be executed with the cooperation of the Department of Public Works, Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, and the Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC). The tendering process has already been completed for the project, which will be implemented by Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon Limited and Kolkata-based Royal Infrastructure. According to Public Works department sources, the expert panel has laid 60 conditions to reduce the environmental impact and the concerns raised by various environmental organisations about the natural calamities in the ecologically sensitive areas. One of the major conditions is the strict compliance with all blasts in the project area and all the norms fixed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Central Institute for Mining and Fuel Research, they added. Also, the latest notification makes it clear that the suggestions by various other government panels related to geology, environment, and mining will have to be considered as such, apart from establishing four ground vibrator monitoring stations to constantly watch the impacts. A four-member committee recommended by the District Collector will also have to be formed to monitor the project and submit a review report every six months after the commencement of the works. Ensuring proper protection of the biodiversity in the project area is another major directive. The concerns raised by various environmentalists' organisations on the same will have to be respected throughout the project implementation. The construction company will have to ensure that the flow of the Iruvazhinji river is not interrupted. Also, it will be responsible for the close monitoring of the quality of air in the constructed tunnel. It was on October 16, 2000, that the blueprint for the 8.17-km twin tunnel, claimed to be the third longest underpass in the country, was unveiled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. To speed up the project execution, Mr. Vijayan had included it on the list of 30 special projects directly monitored by him in the State. Despite the opposition on the part of environmentalists, the State government moved ahead with the project citing its importance in improving the connectivity between Kozhikode and Wayanad districts, bypassing the Thamarassery ghat road. The government also found that it would help people of Wayanad to quickly access the better medical facilities in Kozhikode. The possible increase in the export of agricultural produce, including spices, with the seamless connectivity and the subsequent economic growth were also highlighted.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves project to be launched soon in 17 states to reduce conflict with big cat
CHANDIGARH: In order to reduce human-tiger conflict in the areas outside tiger reserves, the Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves (TOTR) project will be launched soon by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, covering 80 forest divisions in 17 states across the country. Around 30 per cent of the country's estimated 3,682 tigers are freely moving outside notified reserves. A copy of the final draft of the project, which has been prepared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), is with The New Indian Express. It states that the need for this project was felt due to dispersal of tigers from source to sink areas in lieu of doubling of tigers and movement of co-predators towards the periphery, fragmentation of habitat and destruction of corridors. This has led to an increase in the incidents of interface between humans and tigers and other co-predators in the recent past, causing various conflict issues including human deaths, injuries and livestock depredation. To address the issue in a holistic manner, the project will focus on the areas outside tiger reserves. As per the draft proposal the area to be covered under TOTR is a total of 80 forest divisions in 17 states across the country -- Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh -- which have been reported to have tiger utilizing landscapes outside tiger reserves. "Further, out of 58 tiger reserves in 18 tiger range states, 38 tiger reserves have moderate to high density of tigers wherein dispersal of tiger outside tiger reserves is obvious. Based on the data collected from the states regarding human-tiger conflict situations in the last three years, there are around 80 divisions across the country with areas adjoining moderate to high density tiger reserves. On a pilot basis, the project proposal will focus on these areas wherein human-tiger and co-predators conflict is reported," it states.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Revised Green India Mission plan: Centre to focus on Aravalli, Western Ghats restoration
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will focus on restoration of vulnerable landscapes like Aravallis and Western Ghats mountain ranges, along with mangroves and Indian Himalayan region, as per the revised Green India Mission (GIM) document. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released the revised document for 2021-2030 period at Jodhpur Tuesday, at an event marking the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. The revised document stated that a 'micro-ecosystem' approach will be adopted to make interventions in the vulnerable landscapes like Aravallis, Western Ghats, arid regions of North West India, mangroves and the Indian Himalayan region. The National Mission for a Green India was launched in February 2014 by the UPA government and is one of the eight core missions under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). GIM's main objective is to protect, restore, and enhance India's forest and tree cover, using a blend of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. One of the core objectives of the mission was to increase forest and tree cover on 5 million hectares of forest and non-forest land and improve the quality of forest cover on another 5-million hectares. The revised mission document also projected, based on estimates of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), that India could achieve a carbon sink of 3.39 billion tonnes, from the combination of all restoration activities. This will require an increase in forest and tree cover over an estimated 24.7 million hectares. As part of its commitments under the Nationally Determined Contribution, the National Mission for Green India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover. This is planned through restoration of open forests, tree plantation on wastelands, and plantations along railway lines and national highways, among other places. As per FSI's estimates, the largest potential of creating additional carbon sinks lies in the restoration of forests which have impaired in the last 15 to 20 years, along with restoration of open forests, agroforestry. India's net forest cover had increased only by 156.41 square kilometres between 2021 and 2023, as per the 2023 state of India's forest report. The country recorded loss of old growth forest, mangrove cover and saw a decline in forest cover across the Western Ghats, the report had said. Vulnerable landscapes like Western Ghats, the document said, will be restored through regionally conducive best practices for holistic landscape management including planting of native tree species, with high carbon sequestration potential. There would also be soil and moisture conservation activities to achieve land degradation neutrality. The Western Ghats eco-system, the document said, has degraded due to extensive deforestation, felling of trees and illegal mining of minerals. This has caused extensive pollution, worsening of air and water quality, depletion of groundwater and increased human-wildlife conflict. The mission's interventions were started in the year 2015-16 and about 11.22 million hectares of area could be included under plantations till 2020-21, as per the revised document. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
