The district administration has initiated the process to prepare a zonal master plan for developing an eco-sensitive zone in 5-km area around the boundary of Sultanpur National Bird Sanctuary as per the guidelines of the union ministry of environment and forests.

Deputy Commissioner PC Meena today called a meeting of the officials concerned and directed them to ensure compliance with the guidelines of the Central government in this regard.

After the meeting, Meena said a monitoring committee would be constituted under his chairmanship to keep an eye on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the government notification. The 10-member committee would submit its action taken reports to the ministry every year.

He directed the senior town planner to deploy adequate enforcement wing staff to ensure that no unauthorised construction takes place in the prohibited area.

The union ministry of environment and forests has declared 5-km area around the boundary of the Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon district as an eco-sensitive zone and the state government has been asked to prepare a zonal master plan for this area involving all departments concerned.

Meena maintained that no change of land use from green usage such as orchards, horticulture, agriculture, parks, etc. to non-green usage would be permitted in the zonal master plan, except limited conversion of the agricultural land to meet the residential needs of local residents, apart from improvement of roads and bridges, infrastructure, construction of public utilities and community buildings.

He said mining and crushing activity within a radius of 1km from the boundary would not be allowed. Similarly, no construction of any kind would be allowed up to a distance of 300 metre from the boundary except tube well chamber of dimension not more than 1,000 cubic inches.

The construction of any building having more than two storey would not be allowed in the area from 300 metre to 500 metre of the park and laying of new high-tension transmission wires would also not be allowed up to a distance of 500 metres from the park.

No new wood-based industry and any polluting unit could be established within 1 km of the boundary. The felling of trees on forest and revenue land would be subject to the approved management plan by the Central government.

The extraction of groundwater would be permitted only for bona fide agriculture and domestic consumption of the occupant of the plot and no sale of the groundwater would be permitted. Discharge of untreated industrial effluents into any water body within the eco-sensitive zone would also not be permitted.

The bird sanctuary, situated about 15 km from Gurgaon city, is known for its wide variety of aquatic avifauna.

The Tribune, 12th April 2011

The five-kilometre area from the boundary of Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon district was declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest on Monday. The State Government has been asked to prepare the zonal master plan for this area involving all concerned departments. A monitoring committee would be constituted under the chairmanship of PC Meena, Deputy Commissioner (Gurgaon), to monitor the compliance.

“No change of land use from green uses such as orchards, horticulture, agriculture parks and others to non-green uses would be permitted in the zonal master plan,” said PC Meena, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner, referring the guidelines of the Central government. He said that mining and crushing activity up to one kilometre from the boundary of the protected area of Sultanpur National Park would not be allowed.

Similarly, no construction of any kind shall be allowed up to a distance of 300 metres from the boundary of the park. “Construction of any building, wood based industry, polluting unit, laying of new high tension transmission wires from 300 metres to 500 metres of the park would not be allowed. The felling of trees on forest and revenue land would be subject to the approved management plan by the Union Government.

He said that extraction of ground water would be permitted only for bonafide agriculture and domestic consumption of the occupier of the plot and no sale of the ground would be permitted. Also, no untreated or industrial affluent would be permitted to be discharged into any water body within the eco-sensitive zone.

He said that the zonal master plan would provide for restoration of denuded areas, conservation of exiting water bodies, management of catchments, watershed management, ground water management, soil and moisture conservation, needs of local community and such other aspects of the ecology and environment that need attention.

The plan would demarcate all the existing and proposed urban settlements, village settlements, types and kinds of forests, agricultural areas, fertile lands, green areas, horticultural areas, orchards, lakes and other water bodies. It would exempt all canals and drainage works.

“The Sultanpur National Bird Sanctuary situated about 15 km from Gurgaon city is important and known for aquatic avifauna where about 30 thousand birds belonging to about 250 species visit during winters,” said PC Meena. “The important birds visiting this park include pelican, cormorants, herons, egrets, storks, flamingoes, geese and ducks. A number of territorial birds of Indian origin stay here the year round. Breeding of Saras, crane and rare black necked stork have been recorded in this park.”

The Pioneer, 12th April 2011

The historic Arimora Forest Inspection Bunglow(IB) near the bank of the Brahmaputra deep inside the Kaziranga National Park, which happens to be very popular with dignitaries coming to enjoy the scenic beauty of Kaziranga, is on the verge of extinction due to massive erosion caused by the mighty river, thanks to the indifferent attitude of both the Union as well as State governments.

Right from the Central Ministers under various regimes to the Chief Minister of Assam, everybody visited Arimora Forest IB only to express mere words of concern towards theproblem caused by erosion which has in fact washed away a vast virgin grassland area ofKaziranga National Park (in Arimora) considered to be an ideal habitat of the wildlife including the rhino, elephant, tiger etc.

Erosion had washed away more than 30 sq km area of the National Park in Kaziranga. Arimora Forest IB which was 100 meters away earlier, is now almost on the bank with Brahmaputa flowing just 28 metres away from the inspection bunglow. On the other side of the IB there is a small Shiva temple constructed by the department for the forest guards to worship, which is now just on the edge of the bank . “Only the Shiva temple is somehow saving this IB,” said a forest guard to this correspondent while visiting Arimora.

“Arimora has already lost its past glory . So many VIPs used to come here only to give false assurances with regard to protection of Arimora,” said another forest staff. Last year the Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh too visited Arimora to note the situation.

Though the government has announced a scheme ( amounting to Rs 177 crore and 56 lakhs ) for protection against erosion in Kaziranga, practically nothing concrete can be seen on the ground in Arimora. The porcupines were erected earlier to divert the water current and thus control the erosion but more needs to be done . Sources said that though porcupines could be effective in terms of diverting the current of water thereby reducing the impact of the force created by the current, but the bank of the river Brahmaputra needs to be protected by stone barrier so that not much damage could be done on the soil surface on the bank.

The director of the Kaziranga National Park, Surajit Dutta said that something would be done soon to get rid of the problem. He said that he had already drawn the attention of the Union Government with regard to this situation in New Delhi and was quite hopeful that some measures would be adopted to solve it. Now time is simply running out. If the government is really serious about this problem, then Arimora must be given first priority in terms of sanctioning of funds and other resources.

The Assam Tribune, 12th April 2011

Citing reports of the crew of the Hollywood production Singularity mounting a tent on top of the Cenotaphs in Orchha and filming from an unsafe distance a few feet away from the nests, of endangered vultures the Bombay Natural History Society, Deputy Director (Research), Vibhu Prakash told The Pioneer that "Vultures have the same level of protection as the tiger and vultures being disturbed during the crucial breeding season is a loss beyond repair."

This statement comes as a shot in the arm for conservationists, calling for a halt on the shooting of the film Singularity in heritage city of Orchha. The Forest Department had issued the NoC for the film production, only after Prakash had recommended that film shooting from a "safe distance" would not harm the endangered species.

Nevertheless, judging by the reaction of the forest officials, JP Rawat, Game Reserve Ranger, Orchha claimed that no harm has been done to the vultures in the Cenotaphs. Rawat acknowledged there were at least four nests of the endangered species on the top of the Cenotaphs, which have been videographed.

Rawat also said that no one from the crew was allowed to film from the top floor of the Cenotaph where the vultures make their nests. Rawat dismissed outrightly, that a tent was erected on the top of the Cenotaph as shown in the pictures published by The Pioneer.

In spite of two officers being deputed to take care for the vultures, none of the forest officials including Rawat objected to the use of a crane to lift the production equipment to the top floor of the Cenotaph, barely a few feet from the nests of the vultures as approved by Rawat himself.

Rawat and the two other officials of the Forest Department Anoop Singh and Shaheed Khan, refused to accept the fact that a crane was used by the production unit of the film to lift equipment to the top floor of the Cenotaph. DFO Padam Singh outrightly refused to accept responsibility of protecting the vultures as he said it was not his mandate, as the building was under the purview of the Department of Archeology.

The failure of the Forest Department to protect the vultures has raised eyebrows over the sincerity of the department in protecting the vultures.

Meanwhile, vulture expert Prakash said he had given consent for the shoot only after receiving assurance that it would take place from a very safe distance of at least 100 metres. The vulture expert said during the breeding season, thermoregulation of the newborn is critical for its survival. He added as reports suggest the film crew was on top of the roof of the Cenotaphs, which is a concerning development.

The Forest Department ought to be more vigilant as vultures are a very habitat specific species. When asked what impact would it have if humans are dangerously close to the nests for more than 12 hours for a week continuously, Prakash replied, "A vulture can fly only after 120 days or more and during this breeding season the survival rate of a newborn is very less." However, he said the exact number of fatalities could only be ascertained by visiting the location.

Importantly, the Forest Department had sought opinion for the permission of the film shoot in Orchha from Prakash, even though Prakash acknowledged that he had ‘not been to Orchha for over five years’.

The Pioneer, 13th April 2011

The Sikh Reference Library, which suffered extensive damage during Operation Bluestar, is on its way to salvage its past glory with the SGPC modernising and digitising the library.

The library boasts of around 400 manuscripts of Guru Granth Sahib, over 800 other manuscripts and 21,000 books. The digitisation work is being carried out by the SGPC in collaboration with the Punjab Digital Library, Mohali, owned by the Nanakshahi Trust.

A special facility has been set up on the library premises to digitise rare manuscripts in a proper manner. Two modern cameras have been installed to digitise these manuscripts. The procedure allows the digitisation of around 1,000 pages daily or even more with each camera, depending upon the condition of a manuscript.

The library has manuscripts that are as old as 300 years while the oldest book dates back to 150 years. The library is also getting photocopies of rare books from the National Library, Kolkata, and Punjabi University, Patiala, before subjecting them to the process of digitisation. It is also digitising three English, six Punjabi and two Hindi newspapers. It has been preserving The Tribune since 1927.

Once the digitisation work is complete, scholars and researchers would simply need to switch on a computer in the library to access its entire treasure trove of knowledge. The SGPC has allotted Rs 39 lakh for the digitisation of the library in its annual budget for 2011-12. After the digitisation of the entire library, the SGPC intends to open sub-offices of the digital library at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib in Patiala and Kalgidhar Niwas in Chandigarh to facilitate scholars and researchers.

The library has undergone expansion and modernisation in the recent past. It is now equipped with computers, scanners, printers, ACs and even a fumigation chamber to preserve books.

Interestingly, though the library is located in the Golden Temple complex, it is not an easy job for anybody to locate it, thanks to its “odd location” and lack of signboards.

SGPC Secretary Dalmegh Singh Khatra said they would soon put up maps of the Golden Temple complex on both the entrances. He said the digitisation would ensure the preservation of rare manuscripts and books for posterity even in case of any untoward incident.

Regarding the SGPC’s claim that the Army had taken away a huge number of rare manuscripts and books from the library post-Operation Bluestar, he said they had been pursuing the matter with the government for long to get those books back, but their efforts had drawn blank.

Post-Operation Bluestar, while the Army authorities claimed that the library had caught fire during an exchange of fire with militants, the SGPC accused the Army of deliberately setting the empty library afire after taking the rare and invaluable material away.

The Tribune, 13th April 2011

The hare-brained move of the Forest Department officials to ‘protect’ the signboards by entwining them with barbed wires in the Biligirirangana Temple (BRT) Hills wildlife sanctuary could prove disastrous for the animals in the sanctuary.

Signboards line the entire stretch of the road from Gumballi up to BRT Hills, K Gudi and Vandarabalu and they have been entwined with wires to prevent elephants from harming them. Unwittingly, the forest department, which is responsible for the conservation of wildlife, is itself causing harm to the animals.

Elephants do not like any unnatural objects that they come across. They fling away any such objects or damage them. Hence, the forest department thought it fit to ‘protect’ them with barbed wires.

Risk of being injured

Animals including elephants, may scratch their bodies against the barbed wires to overcome itching due to the summer heat.

Many animals do not have sweat glands like humans and experience itching more often. Animals like elephants, deer and porcupines also scratch their bodies against trees or other objects whenever they are bothered by flies and other insects.

If the animals scratch their bodies against barbed wires there is every chance of they sustaining injuries. If the wires are rusted, it may even prove lethal for the animals, say environmentalists.

They have expressed their ire against the forest department for not considering the issue sensitively.

The environmentalists have demanded that the government should take steps to remove the barbed wires entwined to the signboards in the interests of the animals.

Use pamphlets

Instead of putting up signboards inside the forests, it would be better if pamphlets containing the information to be conveyed are distributed to visitors at the checkposts, they say.

Printing and distribution of pamphlets would cost only 10 per cent of the expenses incurred on putting up the signboards, the greens point out. Through the pamphlets, awareness can be created among the visitors about environment protection and their responsibilities, they said.

Deccan Herald, 13th April 2011

A day after the shooting of Hollywood film Singularity was halted, controversy continues over the issue as International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) member Anil Chhangani, alleged that that a vulture chick died because of the shoot that took place in the world famous Cenotaphs of Orchha.

Speaking to The Pioneer Chhangani said vulture nest '7G at Badi Chhattri (Big Cenotaph) area' in Orchha has been impacted due to the film shoot. The researchers of Lucknow University monitoring the vulture population in Orchha during the critical breeding season observed a newborn chick in 'nest 7G' through February and March with its parents. However, after the film crew got the Cenotaphs for film shoot, the chick in 'nest 7G' was nowhere to be found.

The disappearance reported to the forest officials has gone unnoticed.

The vulture like the tiger is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 Schedule (a). Chhangani alleged that the Forest and Archeology Departments in the State have ignored the protection of the endangered species, which has resulted in the blatant violation of norms by the film crew of the Hollywood movie. The missing chick was noticed on April 4. Despite the knowledge of the death of an endangered specie, the film production continued in the Cenotaphs of Orchha.

In the expert opinion of vulture expert and IUCN member Chhangani the disturbance caused by the film crew, who shot from the top floor of the Cenotaphs are responsible for the missing chick, and the damaged nest 7G.

The study also suggests that this may not be the only loss suffered by the vultures' population on account of the Hollywood shot in the prime-breeding season. Chhangani said according to conservative estimate at least there would be 25 to 30 per cent loss of vultures in the area due to the disturbance caused.

The research group monitors 30 nests in Orchha primarily in the Jahangir Mahal, Cenotaphs, Chattarbhuj Temple and the Laxmi Temple -all the places where vulture nests are located and observed by the research team.

While the filming of the Hollywood movie was on the researchers have observed that a vulture took less than 2-3 rounds to feed the newborn chicks, instead of a normal average of 15 to 20 rounds in a day. In the opinion of the expert Chhangani, this is enough to dehydrate and kill the newborn, in the hot weather.

Chhangani said that over the years his group's intervention led to relocation of six film productions in Rajasthan. The Government officials however did allow the shooting to take place in Orchha, which in Chhangani's opinion should not have been allowed.

The Pioneer, 14th April 2011

 A centuries-old lake, Rukunu Dowla Lake at Shivarampally adjoining National Highway 7, has been encroached upon by private parties and massive construction is under way on the lake bed. The local populace at Shivarampally village has made numerous representations, starting from RDO to the Chief Minister when the encroachment began in 2008, but nothing has been done so far to safeguard the old lake.

The remnants of check dam are still evident in the land where the private party has laid stones and the massive construction is being done in the lake bed itself. “We have raided many lakes to curb illegal encroachment but this particular lake hasn’t come to our notice so far. Once we find out the details we will proceed to take action,” said Mr Sunil Kumar Gupta, member environment, HMDA. The lake is situated in Survey No.s 42, 49, 50/1 and 50/7 of Bum Rukunu Dowla village, Rajendranagar mandal, Ranga Reddy district. The property belongs to the Government of AP according to the revenue documents and the adjacent property, which is occupied by the private party with Survey No.s 50/2, 50/3/A, 50/3/AA and 50/3/EE.

In the Survey of India map and in the village map, the position of the lake has been clearly demarcated, which shows the area where the private party laid stones on the lake’s land. According to the chronology of Qutub Shahi Dynasty 1922 from the Salar Jung Museum, the lake reservoir was built in 1170 AD by Nawab Mir Musa Khan Rukunu Dowla, who was the prime minister of Asafjahi II. It was called Bam of Rukunu Dowla, or the reservoir of Rukunu Dowla.

According to the local people, this land also belongs to the government and the private party manipulated the documents with the help of some revenue authorities. The public, which has been fighting for the protection of the lake, says, “The land is shikimi land, which means the land has to be kept as it is, with cultivation allowed during the dry season. Construction cannot be permitted on this particular land.” Deccan Chronicle, 14th April 2011

Greens cry foul over plan to set up factory in the forest

The decision of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to hand over agriculture land for industrial purpose in the elephant corridor of the Biligirirangana Temple (BRT) Hills tiger reserve has come under criticism by environmentalists.

An industrial area is being developed by KIADB near Modahalli in Lokkanahalli hobli of Kollegal taluk. The area is cheek by jowl in the BRT tiger reserve.

KIADB’s decision to acquire land near the Gundal reservoir for industrial purpose has led to the controversy.

As many as 410.44 acres of land has been handed over by KIADB to Bannari Amman Sugar Company. Environmentalists point out that the said land is within a radius of just one km of the tiger reserve and is part of the elephant corridor.

As per the Supreme Court order, non-forest activities cannot be taken up within a radius of 10 km of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves, in a bid to prevent harm to wild animals.

The greens point out that setting up industries there would amount to violating the apex court order.

It is also necessary to get a no-objection certificate from the high-level committee of the National Wildlife Board (NWB) before taking up development work within the fixed boundaries of national parks. The committee has been formed on the direction of the Supreme Court.

Local forest officials have no power to sanction permission. Moreover, it is unlikely that the high-level committee of the NWB will give its nod. Workers of the said company have already started de-weeding the place using cranes. Also, it is alleged that the sugar company is trying to acquire more land than ‘permitted’.

The move is being met with stiff resistance from farmers who are not ready to part with fertile agriculture land.

The officials of the sugar company had sought a clarification from the forest department on whether an industry could be set up near the reserve forest.

Deputy Conservator of Forests R Ravishankar told Deccan Herald that it had been made clear to the company that no work could be undertaken without the nod of the high-level committee of the NWB.

Deccan Herald, 14th April 2011

First phase will develop area up to Jevar in Gautam Budh Nagar; plan to be put up for approval next month

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), responsible for charting the development of the region around the Yamuna Expressway that will connect Greater Noida with Agra, has finalised a draft phase-I masterplan for the project, paving the way for major expansion.

The region is emerging as a potential destination for real estate investments, with plans for residential, industrial, institutional and commercial areas, as well as green belts and parks, recreational greens, a proposed airport and an aviation hub. According to a senior YEIDA official, most of the land that falls under the Yamuna Authority has already been registered and acquired by investors. A large part of the revenue generated by registration comes from residential areas under the authority, the official added.

According to the masterplan, the authority will develop the area up to Jevar in Gautam Budh Nagar in phase-I, which would include 584 sq km of Gautam Budh Nagar and Bulandshahr. The masterplan will be put before the board of directors for approval in May. In phase II, the masterplan will cover the area till Agra.

For residential sectors, the connecting roads will be 60-m wide, while in Greater Noida, the road’s width will be 24 m. The roads connecting YEIDA sectors with Greater Noida and Noida will be 130 metre wide, officials said. “We have taken into consideration that roads within the residential sectors should not be less than 12 metres wide. In Greater Noida, the minimum width of the road is 9 metres,” informed a senior official. To connect the sectors with adjoining regions such as Khurja of Bulandshahr and Palwal of Haryana, the authority has planned a 120-m wide road.

According to officials, approximately 334 villages of Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mahamaya Nagar (Hatras), Mathura and Agra are notified under the YEIDA.

The Yamuna Expressway lies between vital traffic corridors such as National Highway-91, which connects Delhi with Kanpur. “The Yamuna Expressway will be the lifeline in the regions adjoining it. The area will be developed as mega-cities with modern amenities,” stated the official.

The masterplan for phase-I also plans to connect the region with other regions through other expressways like the Eastern Peripheral Expressway and the Ganga Expressway. A 130-m wide railroad corridor connecting it with Khurja in Bulandshahr and Palwal in Haryana has been planned. The masterplan also proposes a new expressway connecting it with Khurja and Palwal.

An area of 10,000 hectare has been notified for proposed the airport and aviation hub. The plan also envisages 25 residential sectors for the region, all of which have been earmarked in the area near Greater Noida. “After Greater Noida gets filled, the population will migrate to the YEIDA’s residential units. After development of Greater Noida, the next sought after region will be the Yamuna Expressway sectors,” added Mohinder Singh, chairman of YEIDA.

The authority has allocated more than 20 sectors for commercial development. “Major commercial establishments have been planned in sector-14 A, 5, 12 D and 4 A. A Sports city has been planned in sector 25, whereas an inter-state bus terminus and a transport nagar have been planned in sector-23 C and 23 D,” said the official.

Indian Express, 15th April 2011

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is giving a makeover to a number of historical monuments in the capital, but shortage of Delhiquartzite stone has led to delays in the conservation work.

The red quartzite stone is found in the Aravalis, but after the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on mining a few years ago, there is practically little or no availability of this material.

"This has become a problem for us as quartzite stone is heavily used in the construction of most of the monuments in Delhi. While carrying out repair work, this stone cannot be substituted especially on the main structures even though we do so on the fortification walls,'' said officials.

Monuments like the Firoz Shah Kotla fort, Khooni Darwaaza, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, etc, have quartzite work on them. Khooni Darwaaza, for instance, is mostly made using quartzite stone.
Historians say three major stones were used in building Delhi's rich heritage — marble, quartzite and sandstone. Till Humayun's time, quartzite was used extensively and the influence can be largely seen in many of the monuments of this period. After this, Shah Jahan favoured use of sandstone while building mosques and tombs and the Red Fort is the biggest example of this architectural change. "The Delhi quartzite is unique and it is found only in the Aravalis.

Right now, we are trying to get similar stones from other places or from dismantled buildings that were made from this stone. But after some years, the quartzite stone will not be available at all,'' said sources in the ASI. The Aravalis is predominantly made of quartzite rocks and for years ancient rulers sourced the stones from here to build mausoleums and other structures. Quartzite is a decorative stone and was used as wall covering, roofing tiles, flooring and stair steps. Crushed quartzite is sometimes used in road construction.

Mining in the Aravalis — rich in a number of natural minerals like the red quartzite — was banned first in 2002 by the Supreme Court due to ecological issues. The Aravalis is a mountain system located in northwestern India and runs from northeast to southwest for approximately 800 kilometres through Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana with rocky offshoots touching south of Delhi.

Times of India, 15th April 2011

While the debate on the vulnerability of Sunderbans as one of the hot spots of climate change continues — experts have predicted that at least a “dozen islands on the South-western part of the mangrove swamps are likely to lose an average of 65 per cent of their land by 2015.” These according to experts are “tangible impacts” of the climate change phenomenon being perceived here.

What adds to the concern is that of these 12 islands assessed to be the most vulnerable to accelerated erosion, five of them have human habitation. “Loss of land — an indicator of the impact of climate change is a reality here causing displacement of villagers and cannot be ignored,” pointed out Dr Sugata Hazra, director, School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

He reminded that four islands from this region have already been lost and many others greatly reduced in size by erosion. “There is a reported land loss of 97.16 sq kms from some of these most vulnerable south-western islands of the Indian Sundarbans,” he added.

Even islands with dense mangrove have not been spared and have been found to be substantially eroded. “The indications of climate change have been found to be very conspicuous for instance in Moushuni on the west — one of the five inhabited islands,” pointed out Dr A Anurag Danda, head, Sundarbans Programme & Climate Adaptation (Coastal Ecosystems) WWF-India.

As per the reports of climate change studies and adaptation conducted by the School of Oceanography in association with WWF, Moushuni had an estimated area of 33.52 sq kms as per the map of Bengal settlement Survey (1942). The present area now stands at 28.28 sq km, indicating over 15 per cent loss of land.

Baliara, one of the villages, in the island is estimated to be eroding @ 0.041 sq. km/year. The report points out that going by the current rate of erosion, at least 11 per cent families are highly vulnerable and may be forced to shift within the next five years.

A very obvious impact of the drivers of climate change is the susceptibility of the embankments. Aimed at keeping the brackish tidal water at bay, these mud banks often fail to sustain the major source of livelihood in the region based on rain-fed paddy agriculture.

Rapid onset of natural disasters like high intensity cyclones and heavy rains lead to breaching of embankments, causing damage to crops and agricultural land and raising the salinity level of the latter. As per a study report, the major portion of the Moushuni island for instance is encircled by 28.77 km length embankments, of which the maximum stretch of 23.39 km is made of locally available earthen materials, that are obviously unable to resist the tidal surge. Livelihood has thus been hit due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion, loss of mangrove cover and saltwater incursion.

“Rising sea is a menace that constantly thwarts every attempt to keep it out of fields and farmlands. Further, there is also the lingering fear amid the villagers of constant erosion of land by the sea, observed Dr Danda, who had been working with the Sunderbans during the last 15 years. While rising sea levels raise the threat of the sea inundating the agricultural land, erosion reduces landholdings physically, leading to loss of both livelihood and food security, he felt.

The reports mentioned that the frequency and intensity of extreme events as high intensity cyclones and tidal surges have not only increased in number, in the region but are known to have become much more “ferocious, and happening even outside the July to September high propensity period.”

“Extremes of weather in the Sundarbans is a reality”, said Dr Danda. One cannot overlook the changing and erratic rainfall patterns, extended and hotter summers with shorter winters. This has made conventional cultivation of crops difficult for farmers. The productivity of crops has been affected--- crops have become more disease-prone, requiring larger amounts of pesticides and fertilisers to ensure adequate harvest.

“Traditional methods of cultivation have been put at risk, and today the worst predicament for a farmer here is that he does not know what to grow when,” he regretted.

Pointing to the future Dr Hazra further predicted that the Sundarbans delta will experience a little over 2 degree Centigrade rise in temperature in keeping with the present rate of temperature increase within the year 2100. This would be coupled with 70-100 cms sea level rise along with consequent rise in high intensity events like severe cyclones and surges. The situation may further worsen in the event of anticipated sharper change in the temperature gradient, added Dr Hazra.

As per the figures from the study, a total land area of 6402.09 sq. km of the Indian Sundarbans in the year 2001 has been reduced to 6358.05 sq km by the decade end with the rate of coastal erosion being 5.50 sq km every year. This amounts to net land loss of 44.04 sq km which includes erosion of 64.16 sq. km and the accretion of 20.12 sq. km. The rise in the relative mean sea level in the current decade has been at the rate of 12.8 mm every year.

“Such slow onset disasters like coastal erosion and land loss in this ecologically sensitive zone definitely have a close relationship with the process of climate change,” claimed Dr Hazra.

However, Pradeep Vyas, director Sunderban Biosphere Reserve pointed out that the vulnerability of the impacts of climate change is being exaggerated by the experts. “Average tidal amplitude between 3.5-5 metres is a regular phenomenon here against which the villagers are battling regularly-so how does a nominal increase of sea level by few mm really make much of an impact in their lives?” he questioned. He further added that erosion is a common feature of any coastal landscape, Sunderbans is no different. Apart from erosion there has been accretion of land too, he added. 

The Pioneer, 16th April 2011

Visitors to the 17th-century Red Fort are facing problems with the parking lot that was opened recently. Steep parking charges along with an extended walk to the entrance of the world heritage site in the scorching sun are proving to be a dampener for a monument, which boasts of the second highest footfall after Qutub Minar in Delhi. Plans by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to provide some relief to visitors who use the parking facilities by either transport to the entrance gate or through a second entry are yet to materaialize.

The parking lot that can accommodate up to 450 vehicles was opened for visitors during theCommonwealth Games last year. While facility was free during the Games, now Rs 40 for two hours with an additional Rs 10 for every hour after that is charged. "Considering that it takes 20-25 minutes to walk to the entry gate, almost half of the time is gone in just commuting to the entrance to Red Fort. And then with a huge structure like Red Fort, it takes two to three hours to explore it properly. All this adds up to hefty parking charges," said Vanita Khanna, a resident of Dilshad Garden who visited the fort with her two children earlier this week.

ASI officials acknowledged the problem and claimed they were trying to work out a solution to make things comfortable for tourists. "We were earlier planning to start a shuttle bus from the parking to the Lahore Gate entrance but we did not get permission from Delhi Police. We are also toying with the idea of making another visitors entrance gate at Delhi Gate which is located next to the parking lot but we need additional manpower for that," said a senior ASI official.

The Times of India, 16th April 2011

“I have visited only 5-6 important heritage monuments in Delhi. I am actually surprised to know that Delhi has so much to offer," said Sripurna Banerjee, a teacher with Greenfields School (Safdarjung Enclave). She wasn't the only teacher who was surprised to know that Delhi has 174 ASI-protected monuments and scores of others under Delhi government. Teachers from 38 other city schools shared the same sentiments Banerjee during a workshop 'Adopt a Monument' organised by INTACH.

"Starting a 'Heritage Club' in my school is on top of the agenda for me," she said after the workshop.

Conservation NGO Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) organised the workshop to encourage students - through their teachers - to work hands on and increase their understanding and appreciation of Delhi's heritage.

Observed Bindu Keswani from The Pinnacle School, Panchsheel Enclave, "Apart from taking students to different heritage sites, other ways like a quiz on monuments can be tried for sensitising students." She already takes students from class 6, 7 & 8 to monuments near their school.

Charu Bhatnagar from Indian School, Sadiq Nagar in south Delhi, said, "Our school management is very encouraging and we have already been taking students to various sites. Dealing with authorities like ASI, MCD or DDA is sometimes problematic. But the workshop has helped me understand the procedure."

Purnima Datta, who heads INTACH's heritage education and communication service, said INTACH would act as a facilitator between schools and the authorities.

"We hope to get increased response as the CBSE has last year introduced 'Adopt a Heritage' in its continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) scheme," she added.

AGK Menon, INTACH Delhi's head, said, "The need is to involve people at all levels, for instance, history students, too, can be good resource persons." INTACH also released a handbook titled 'Adopt a Monument' on the occasion. Hindustan Times, 16th April 2011

Els Slots is a woman with a mission. From January, she's been on a five-month round-the-world trip that will cover about 50 World Heritage sites in Bahrain, India, Vietnam, Laos, Australia, Bolivia and Peru. Slots works in an international IT firm in Netherlands and explains her preoccupation with "ticking off the list of sites ...is an obsession I share with travellers from around the globe".

For tourists like Slots, the words 'World Heritage' suggest that a site is definitely worth seeing. The idea of a site that the whole world can regard as its heritage has had traction since 1972. A UN conference inStockholm decided that a Unesco World Heritage (WH) seal will be stamped on the world's most valuable wonders. At present, the WH list spans 151 countries and includes 911 properties. These are sites that Unesco's World Heritage Committee regards as having "outstanding universal value". The Taj Mahal is on the list; so are the pyramids of Egypt; the Great Wall of China and many other well-known landmarks.

Nearly 40 years on, it's time to think again, say conservationists. Many believe the WH tag needs to acquire a sharper focus that embraces little known wonders that urgently need attention. "There are thousands of monuments and sites out there, which need immediate attention. Being the biggest brand in conservation, Unesco's World Heritage tag can provide them support and focus," says a conservation architect in the UK. He adds that the WH list needs to be edited, possibly removing iconic, well-known sites like the Taj and the focus could move to "places that require urgent help".

It's not a bad idea, agrees Jeff Morgan of the California-based Global Heritage Fund (GHF), a non-profit organization involved in conservation. Morgan says that the WH tag has played its part by helping "bring much-needed attention" to sites like the Taj. "But today the over-use of these monuments due to their status can be problematic. Also, you cannot deny that many (non-WH) sites, especially in developing countries are vanishing even as we speak. The international community needs to seriously invest in their future," he says.

But isn't a temporary world heritage list a paradox? If a site is so important it is judged to be the shared heritage of the world, doesn't that denote permanence? Lisa Ackerman of the New York-based non-profit group, World Monuments Fund (WMF) stresses that "the designation is meant to be permanent because these sites are deemed to have contributed to world culture in broad ways." Ackerman points out that the World Heritage tag "is not so much as a benefit for famous monuments but a reminder of their cultural value across the spectrum of places around the world".
Getting on the list — a process Unesco calls "inscribing" — can be a long drawn-out one. The first step is nomination by the "state party", ie countries that adhere to the World Heritage Convention of 1972. The "state party" that nominates the site pledges responsibility for its preservation, safety and upkeep. Hyderabad-based conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah says that this underlines the importance of a permanent listing. "A rotational system would not be good as this will only create a brief interest in the site. Today, Unesco requires that a nomination dossier be accompanied by a well-formulated management plan for the site. This helps ensure that the custodian of the site has already identified the possible threats to the site and taken adequate measures to secure the site from such risks," says Lambah.

So far so good, except that it doesn't always work out that way. Jeff Morgan says that WH status does not always guarantee that a site will have the required "management or resources." He says Hampi is a good example of a site that goes on the world heritage list, sparking "a rush to drive tourism and developers to flood the site, but little corresponding enforcement and management resources are invested." Soon enough, Hampi received the dubious distinction of being put on Unesco's endangered list. Morgan says it was a classic case of celebrating a remarkable site with the WH tag, but little else. "In the first place, Hampi received the WH stamp with no management plan and ongoing mining. The bridge and road were going to allow large trucks through the site. The budget was increased only a little for site management, despite exploding visitation and associated solid waste."

So, other than the glory of being on the list, how does it help to be declared a world heritage site? Some say Unesco should be able to enforce certain provisions to safeguard a site. Threatened sites like Hampi, for instance, can be demoted to the "List of World Heritage in Danger" and eventually taken off the original list if nothing is done to protect them. But only two sites have been taken off the WH list in the 40 years the system has operated. A former archaeologist says there is a "fundamental flaw in the whole process. When state parties nominate their sites, it's like an indulgent teacher asking a student to choose the questions he'd like to answer and then looking on, as he answers them — whether correctly or incorrectly".

Is that unfair to Unesco? In its defence, many say it has done a sterling job of safeguarding the planet's heritage despite the enormous handicap of being a large committee-based organization with competing national self-interests. "Nothing today is free from pressures," agrees Gurmeet Rai, director of the New Delhi-based Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative. "There is pressure within the country for sending the nominations and then of course one hears about all the convincing that goes around about building the case for inscription. But if the site is significant and is well managed, why should there be a problem in achieving the inscription on the international platform; the challenge however is in the country itself."

On Monday, World Heritage Day, time for Unesco's member countries to rise to the challenge?

The Times of India, 17th April 2011

On February 21, we set out for an educational trip to the Old Fort near Pragati Maidan. The lush green surroundings welcomed us to this Mughal-era monument. Our walk started with an introduction by our guide for the day, who told us the basic history of the monument starting with its different names: Indraprastha, Dina Panah and the renowned Purana Quila.

Our first stop was at the Quila-i-Kuhna, the single-domed mosque built by Sher Shah Suri in the 1540s. The Mughal architecture mixed with the Rajasthani architecture was truly captivating. Writings from the Quran were inscripted on the borders of the doorways. Marbles in shades of red, white, blue and green adorned the inside walls of the mosque. The symbolic moon and stars were carefully spread over the inside walls of the mosque. After a few photographs and questions, we moved towards the Sher Mandal, the structure built by Sher Shah Suri and used by Humayun as a private library. It is also the tragic spot where Humayun slipped and fell to his death. We then walked over to the hammam ie the bathing area and the Humayun Gate. All the gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures abutted by two huge semi-circular bastion towers. They are decorated with white and coloured-marble tiles and replete with ornate overhanging balconies, jharokas and pillared chattris. We took a leisurely walk in the gardens where vibrant flowers were blooming, eager to view other spots and structures.

At the last stop for the day, we took at least a hundred pictures, putting the memories of the entire trip into a camera roll. The whole group of students, along with two teachers, then walked back towards the Bara Darwaza, the entry gate. Before departing, we were taken to the old artifacts museum near the Bara Darwaza.

- Surabhi Bhandari

On February 21, our school organised a heritage walk to the Old Fort, also known as the Purana Qila. This magnificent fort has two enormously large gates, within which is enclosed a huge campus. Large lawns and trees, forming the dome of this landscape, add to its beauty.

The fort had been constructed for the purpose of protection against enemy attacks, but was built in a way that tactical counter-attacks were possible. Every corner of the fort is engraved with stars and moons — two of the many symbols of Muslim architecture. It also has shades of Rajasthani architecture, including some umbrella-like structures. Like the India Gate, which carries names of brave soldiers, the walls of the Old Fort have prayers inscribed on them.

Every stone and every path in this complex have their own stories and tales to relate, some known and others waiting to be discovered. The fort area now encompasses a museum that displays a beautiful collection of artifacts from ancient times. The two-hour-long walk through the old paths and old hideouts of the Old Fort was indeed very enjoyable and enriching.

- Shikha Chandra

Our School, Birla Vidya Niketan, organised an educational trip to The Old Fort for all commerce students of Class XI. As soon as I got to know that we would be visiting the Old Fort, visuals of Pandavas and Mughals started coming to my mind. The visuals became clearer when the day of the visit approached.

As soon as we entered the Old Fort through the Western Gate, also known as Bada Darwaza, we were greeted with a gentle breeze and lush green vegetation.The fruit trees and flowers appeared to bring the ground alive.We could see the ruins scattered all over the place from a distance. After taking a quick glance at the breath-taking beauty of the ambience of the fort our guide arrived.He lead us further inside, and told us that the Old Fort is situated where once the city of Indraprastha — founded by the Pandavas — existed.The Old Fort was built by the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun.Though he called it Din Panah, it later came to be known as Purana Qila.

As we approached the mosque Qila-e- Kunha, the guide told us that it is made of red sandstone and marble. It is a single-aisled mosque with five entrances and horseshoe arches.It gave us a glimpse of the Chajja pattern, which is reminiscent of Rajputana architecture.It is extensively decorated with intricate designs and calligraphy.

- Ritika Sharma

On February 21, The Indian Express organised a heritage walk to the Old Fort for the students of our school. The purpose of the walk was to acquaint the students with the rich historical legacy of the city and to sensitise them on conservating historical monuments. With a balmy breeze and crisp sunshine running through the place, it was the perfect day for a rendezvous with Mughal history, and all of us had high expectations from the trip.

The Purana Qila or Old Fort was built by the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, but it was later captured by Sher Shah Suri. Upon entering, you are immediately engulfed by the mystery and intrigue of the place which has survived for almost five centuries. Most of the older structures have been destroyed over time, but the mosque, Qila- e-Kunha, built by Sher Shah Suri in 1540, is among the few structures that have survived the ravages of time. The intricate detailing on the mosque walls is tangible proof of the magnificence of the Mughal era. The stars and moon design quintessential to Persian architecture can also be seen here. The fort could be called a unique amalgamation of Anglo-Islamic architecture with classical Rajputana designs. Apart from the mosque, the only other surviving structure is the Sher Mandal, Humayun’s library. An ominous silence surrounds this place as it silently reminds the visitors of the great emperor, who met his death by tripping off this very structure.

- Ankita

Purana Qila or the Old Fort is an ASI-protected structure which was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Humayun. It is said to guard the ruins of Indraprastha (from the Mahabharata era). An architectural masterpiece, the Old Fort is a perfect blend of Muslim and Hindu architecture. It is also proof of the glory of Mughal art and architecture. The site, which attracts hundreds of local and foreign tourists everyday, is also used for commercial purposes such as sound-and light-shows. The beautification and restoration of the Old Fort is still going on. The main aim behind taking us for the heritage walk was to improve our knowledge about the monument. And, admittedly, it did that — and more.

- Anmol Makkar

Old Fort or Purana Qila is the inner citadel of the city of Dina Panah, founded by Humayun. The entrance is through the Bada Darwaza with its main bastion. The Qila-e-Kuhna mosque and Sher Mandal can be seen from there. The Archaeological Survey Of India had even carried out excavations in 1954-55, most of which are located in the museum built inside the Fort. Even though many monuments today are preserved by the ASI, we find that the beauty of these monuments do not find ample recognition in the public. They carve graffiti on the structures, making them look ugly. Care must be taken, so as to preserve these monuments and make them look like a proper heritage site. All in all, the heritage walk was a great success, with students getting to know many facts about the Old Fort. It has awakened a new respect for past glory and grandeur. This grand tradition must be preserved and following, keeping the strictest standards in view. We need to create awareness among the youth of the country.

- Siddharth Saxena

As one enters the architectural wonder that is the Old Fort, one can’t help being instantly enchanted by its old-world charm and majestic beauty.And this is precisely what Class XI students of Birla Vidya Niketan experienced on their educational trip to Purana Qila on February 21 . On the outside, it might just look like typically opulent Mughal fort, but when you look closely, you notice that it is an amalgamation of Hindu and Muslim architecture — complete with Rajputana jharokas, Islamic crescent motifs and magnificent minarets. Among the main attractions are the Qila-e-Kuhna, a mosque made of quartzite, red sandstone and makrana, built by Sher Shah Suri in 1540. The delicately carved patterns on its walls are excerpts from the Quran.The Sher Mandal,used by Humayun as a library was the place where Humayun died after slipping from the stairs on January 20, 1556. After spending a day visualising the opulence of the Mughal era and appreciating the beauty of Purana Qila,the students left with a renewed respect for Indian culture and heritage,along with an insight into its rich history.

- Ishmeet Kaur

Indian Express,18th April 2011

With Northeast fast emerging as the hot spot for bird tourism, tourist guides are resorting to frequent playback of bird calls — using tapes and I-pods which often have microphones attached for increasing sound effect — to bring out the rare birds for sighting. This is particularly being done to promote high-end foreign tourism.

Experts caution such practices may have impact on the life patterns of birds, and should be strictly prohibited in protected areas. However, this also has a positive side with bird hunting instances declining as the locals realise their livelihood will be affected if they kill them.

Such ploy is being largely used in certain lesser known destinations of Northeast, emerging hot spots for bird destinations. Wildlife Sanctuaries as Eaglenest, Mehao, Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh, Mishmi Hills in Nagaland, Dibru Saikhowa in Assam among others, figure prominently. Northeast is after all one of the hottest spots of bio-diversity flaunting the widest range of birds and their diverse habitats.

Pointing to Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary located in the forested hills of Arunachal between Bhutan, China and Myanmar is today the hottest new birding destination.

The sanctuary shot into international fame following the discovery of a new species — “Bugun Liocichla”, by Ramanna Athreya, astrophysicist and naturalist there. “The bird named after the Bugun Tribe, was the first new bird species to be discovered in India in more than 50 years, bird tourism picked up in the area with the help of local community”, experts pointed out.

Talking to The Pioneer, Dr Anwaruddin Choudhury, eminent naturalist and author of Birds of Assam, conceded that such practices referred to as “tape lure” of birds are being used to bring out rarely sighted species as Black breasted Parrotbill, Jerdon’s Babbler, Mishmi Wren Babbler among others from dense vegetation.

Explaining the modus operandi of the ploy, “playback works best on territorial avian species during their nesting season, when the real bird thinks the recording is a rival threatening to encroach on either its territory or its mate. The territorial male is then likely to come out to confront the intruder by patrolling the edge of its territory and singing, or it may stay silent and close to its mate to guard her.

Playback can definitely affect a species at any time of the year, but the response is most dramatic during the breeding season. This is also the peak tourist season and such activity is likely to affect the breeding pattern or activities of the bird, he felt.

Dr Asad Rahmani, bird expert and Director of Bombay Natural History Society on the other hand pointed out that if this is used sparingly and not rampantly, it is not particularly harmful.

Promoting bird tourism is undoubtedly a sustainable source of livelihood amongst the local communities as it would desist them from trapping or killing them. Further, if done frequently, birds too would also recognise these artificial calls and stop responding.

“Though in BNHS we do not allow playback calls, it should be used with conservation in mind and not squarely to promote tourism”, he added. He also added that sometimes this enables the researchers to ensure that a particular rare species continues to exist or become extinct.

“There is no doubt that playback of bird’s call is one of the most useful tools in a birder’s struggle to see birds in the wild”, felt Piran Elavia, running “Responsible Tourism” Ventures in Northeast. He pointed out that the use of playback is prohibited in certain parks and sanctuaries. It is, however, being widely used by researchers, ornithologists, tourist guides and bird watchers are resorting to this practice. Further, exotic tourists who come to these areas for bird sighting undertake very expensive tours — thus it becomes imperative for tourist guides to make such birds visible to them.

The Pioneer, 18th April 2011

Ornithologists, researchers and nature lovers from the northern region assembled here today to undertake the first-ever bird species count since Independence.

The exercise was part of the Shimla Bird Race organised by the Himachal Birds, an NGO founded by serving IPS officer and bird lover Somesh Goyal. Divided into eight teams, 40 participants from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi toiled the whole day trekking up and down the hills, looking for the winged creatures in the thickets on the forest floor and the towering trees.

“It is indeed a unique experience for them and they feel that such events will go a long way creating awareness among the people about nature conservation” said Chandrima, a bird lover from Delhi, who covered the thickly wooded Glena and Vice-Regal Lodge area.

Somesh, who was part of the team which covered the Shoghi-Kusumpti belt, was very excited to notice that they came across 12 species which had not been recorded in the past.

He said there were around 100 species, including rare pheasants, koklass, kaleej and cheer, in and around the Shimla hills. The last comprehensive bird species lists were prepared by British men Frome and Hugh Whistler sometime before Independence.

All teams will meet in the evening, exchange notes and arrive at a final bird species count which will enable to know the exact bird status of the area.

According to Somesh, bird races are held to count the maximum number of birds on a single day in a particular city or area, but no such exercise had ever been carried out in Shimla all these years.

The exercise will provide a comprehensive bird list of Shimla birds which will be provided to the Forest and Tourism Departments.

The Himachal Birds has been actively promoting bird watching and conservation. It organised a photo exhibition here on March 20 to mark World Sparrow Day.

The Himachal Birds has decided to institute two annual awards of Rs 11,000 each for outstanding contribution by an individual and a group in the field which will be presented during the Bio-Diversity Week in October. Nominations will be invited by the end of August 2011 and the final selection of the winners will be over by mid-September 2011.

The Tribune, 25th April 2011

A controversy is brewing in Karnataka over the allotment of over 400 acres of land to a private firm to set up a sugar mill in the newly declared Biligiri Ranga Temple (BRT) hills tiger reserve in Chamarajanagar district by the State Government.

In what is seen as a violation of environmental norms, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has allotted 410 acres of land in Modahalli in Chamarajanagar district which falls under eco sensitive zone and comes under both Tiger reserve and an elephant corridor.

A source in the Forest Department told The Pioneer that the Government has gone ahead to sanction 410 acres of land in Tiger Reserve and an elephant corridor to set up a private Sugar mill which destroys the pristine ecosystem.

He said, “The Government has sanctioned 410 acres of land in the elephant corridor and Tiger reserve to set up a sugar mill in the BRT hill Tiger reserve. The Government can’t allot land in a Tiger reserve”.

The State Government created the tiger reserve (359.1 sqkm) out of the BRT Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and the Centre issued the final notification for the BRT Hills Tiger Reserve on January 24 this year. This newly-declared Biligiri Rangana Temple (BRT) Hills Tiger Reserve adjoins the Bandipur National Park in the Western Ghats.

According to norms, no commercial activity is allowed in a 10 Km radius of an eco-sensitive zone of any wildlife sanctuary or animal reserve.

Forest Department sources said the State Government should have also referred the project to the State and National wildlife Boards for clearance. The forest department has informed the Tamil Nadu-based Bannari Amman Group not to commence construction without the approval of the boards. Wildlife activists are protesting this move and want the Government to withdraw the permission to the project, as the zone is important for migration and survival of endangered animals.

According to Praveen Bhargav, member of National Wildlife Board and managing trustee of Wildlife First, a science driven conservation organisation that has been focusing its effort since 1995 to save endangered species and remnants of wildlife habitats in Karnataka, it was an “unmindful act” by the Government and would result in further destruction of the pristine eco-corridor. He told The Pioneer that this act would certainly disrupt the corridor and lead to permanent damage.

He said, “We must protect our corridors. In the absence of a scientific land use policy, we are blundering along with a myopic perspective that does not factor in the long term value of such biodiversity rich landscapes and natural resources. This is going to destroy an elephant corridor along with intruding in to the tiger reserve”.

Chamarajanagar Deputy Conservator of Forest Ravishankar told The Pioneer since the sugar factory location falls in the Tiger reserve, the operators must obtain necessary clearance from the concerned agencies.

He said, “The location of the proposed sugar factory falls in the Tiger reserve. We have asked them (sugar factory management) to take environmental clearances.” According to sources the State Government had approved the sugar mill project in 2008 and gave clearances in 2009 and 2010.

The Pioneer, 26th April 2011

Surajpur Bird Sanctuary in Greater Noida, spread over 330 hectares, will soon have 52,000 additional plants of new varieties. Efforts are afoot to develop large green belts in the sanctuary.

All the new plants would be bird-friendly, sanctuary officials say.

The Greater Noida Authority (GNA) would spend Rs 60 crore to revamp the bird sanctuary.

A large number of existing plants have dried up so the need for replacing them with new plants of different varieties is urgent, say the officials.

The motive for this beautification of the sanctuary is to promote tourism in the area.

According to GNA officers, a new approach road has been built from Devla village to the sanctuary. About 300 notice boards and signages are being put up in the area for guiding the visitors about which birds could be viewed in which area.

In all, 11 lakes will be developed in different parts of the sanctuary.

In fact, some of the lakes have already been completed. Project co-ordinator of the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), (India) Asgar Nawab said Surajpur Bird Sanctuary was being developed over an area of 330 hectares.

As per a survey conducted by the WWF (India) and the forest department, birds of 133 different varieties along with 150 typesof cattle and wild animals are found in the sanctuary.

After the completion of the project, Surajpur Bird Sanctuary would become a major attraction for the Delhi-NCR region, claimed Greater Noida Authority officials.

The Tribune, 26th April 2011

A hitherto little noticed Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary has crowned itself with glory in the annals of tiger conservation in the post-Project Tiger era in the country by playing host to a new tiger family. The comparatively small — just 250 sq km — sanctuary, situated south of the much more famous Ranthambhore National Park (RNP), now takes the cake for the third known breeding ground for tigers in the wild in Rajasthan after RNP and Sariska Tiger Reserve.

Tigress T 8 was sighted with two cubs this weekend at Chiri Kho along Sawai Madhopur-Bundi Road. The feline, a migrant from RNP, has been staying in Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary -- not known to be a place favoured by tigers so far– for two to three years. “It is a breakthrough. Tiger breeding is crucial indication both in terms of habitat improvement and prey base. It is the result of good management practices,” said a jubilant Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, R. N. Mehrotra, talking to The Hindu on Monday.

“Breeding takes place at very few places in India. A new area in tiger breeding is a very positive sign, especially when it happens outside the Project Tiger area,” said Rajpal Singh, Member of the Rajasthan Board for Wildlife. “Good tiger breeding is taking place in Rajasthan despite prophets of doom who had predicted some time back that Ranthambhore would not have tiger cubs as the atmosphere was not conducive for breeding,” he pointed out.

“This has come as very encouraging news as we have been busy shifting forest villages out of Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary to get it ready for the proposed Rajiv Gandhi Biosphere Reserve,” Mr. Mehrotra informed. The inhabitants of two villages, Hingdwar and Kalibhat, are in the process of moving out of the area.

“The birth of cubs in the new area is also indicative that the degraded forests hold good potential. These forests can bring back the life cycle which existed earlier,” he asserted. The areas south of Ranthambhore showing a clear indication of regeneration of flora and fauna is also a sure sign that the present experiments are in the right direction. Though the report of an expert team which conducted a survey on the proposed biosphere reserve is to be ready only by May 15, the tribe of tigers flourishing beyond Ranthambhore is opening up a lot of probabilities in conservation initiatives in the Hadauti (Kota) region.

“The Ranthambhore tigers have reached the doorstep of Lakheri forests. In a year or two we will be regenerating Bundi forests as well,” a confidant Mr. Mehrotra affirmed. “As for the Rajiv Gandhi Biosphere Reserve, it will encompass an area of 2,000-2,500 sq km from Karauli to Jhalawar,” he said.

As for the frolicking young tigers, Rajasthan will have more of them. “Rajasthan now has about 16-17 tiger cubs — the maximum number in any State. I am sure there will be more in the next three months,” Mr. Rajpal Singh said predicting a cat population explosion in the near future.

The Hindu, 26th April 2011

This book celebrates the presence of the divine even amidst the mundane and the material in our country. It showcases popular, devotional art in India and also metal icons, masks, sculptures, puppets, and ritual objects of divinities from this country as well as from Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, and Indonesia, as displayed in the Museum of Sacred Art, Radhadesh, Belgium.

REFRESHING
It is an effort to show “how contemporary artists continue to create visual representations of Hindu divinities in new and refreshing ways.” Radhadesh being “a spiritual community belonging to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON),” it is only natural that a majority of the paintings in the book should be on Lord Krishna.

A separate section is devoted to the art of the Hare Krishna movement which was also influenced by Italian art and Russian artists. The clarity of photographs, especially that of the beautiful old castle where the museum is housed, is such as to transport the reader to the museum. Also included are brief biographies of the artists.

J. Bhagawati, Ambassador of India to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the EU, in his preface, mentions how the collection “reflects the rich multiple art forms of India.” In her foreword, Chistiane De Lauwer, Curator (South Asia), MAS/ Ethnographic Museum, Antwerp, says she was struck by the lack of knowledge in Belgium about one of the world's most ancient and rich cultures. So, she went on to study Indian art, language, and religion. The museum and catalogue grew out of the need to spread awareness on Indian spiritual art.

Unlike in the West, the genre of spiritual art is still vibrant in India, says Martin Gurvich, Director, Museum of Sacred Art, in his introduction. The museum's focus is on living art forms rather than historical pieces, and so most of the pieces are from the 20th and 21st centuries.

In her essay on the “Living Traditions in Indian Art: The Divine Image,” Tryna Lyons describes how spiritual art is found everywhere in the country and goes on to speak of the art and artists in various regions. Among the beautiful photographs featured from the museum collection are the ones of Lord Krishna with Radha, with gentle-eyed cows, with the gopis on the river bank. Gold-leaf worked paintings in the Tanjore style and Mysore style; the pichhavais (cloth hangings) from Nathadwara in Rajasthan; paintings on cotton and paper by artists such as B.G. Sharma and Indra Sharma; inlay work on wood from Karnataka; beautifully proportioned bronzes of Tamil Nadu; eye- catching Madhubani paintings from Bihar; and rod puppets from Indonesia also find a place. In all, a catalogue that compresses the essence of the museum exhibits and communicates the spirit of popular and contemporary Indian spiritual art to the West.

The Hindu, 26th April 2011

To support the conservation and restoration of a 16th century Mughal-era tomb in Delhi, Germany has signed an agreement with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

The Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs is providing a huge financial grant over the next two years for the restoration and urban renewal of Chausath Khambha in Nizamuddin area.

German Ambassador to India Thomas Matussek and Project Director for the AKTC Ratish Nanda, signed the agreement. Also present was Michael Siebert, Deputy Commissioner of the German Year in India. "The German government is proud and honoured that we can give our humble contribution to the wonderful work that the Aga Khan Foundation is doing to preserve the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of this holy place," said Ambassador Matussek during the signing ceremony. During his visit in October 2010, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle had pledged his ministry's support to the AKTC in conserving the Chausath Khambha complex.

The aim is not only to preserve an important cultural heritage site, but also to provide the local community with a space to hold large-scale events..

This year, Germany and India celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Beginning in September 2011, a Year of Germany in India titled 'Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities' is being organised throughout India. The focus of the Year is 'CitySpaces' and will deal with all aspects of urban life and development. The Chausath Khambha is an important city space and will be featured prominently.

Ambassador Matussek added, "The German contribution is a not just a financial contribution, but also a very symbolic political contribution. When we start the Year of Germany in India this summer we hope some of the cultural activities can take place here to underline the importance of what we do together."

Chausath Khambha is the tomb of Mirza Aziz Kokaltash, the great Mughal Emperor Akbar's foster brother. The tomb was built in the year 1623-24 A.D. Conservation of Chausath Khambha will be undertaken as part of the Humayun's Tomb-Sunder Nursery-Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti Urban Renewal initiative, a not-for-profit Public Private Partnership project of the Aga Khan Development Network in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Central Public Works Department. The project is the first of its kind to combine conservation with environmental and socio-economic development while working with local communities and stakeholders.

Chausath Khambha is so called on account of the 64 columns (Sixty four = Chausath) of the tomb structure. It is a unique structure built entirely of marble and, together with the adjacent tomb of Mirza Ghalib, comprises the largest open space in Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti.

The monument has suffered severe decay due to excessive water seepage. Now, the conservation works by AKTC will require partial dismantling of the tomb structure and will take 18 months to complete. Past repairs in nearly every one of the 25 domed cells have included cementing the broken portions, thereby causing further damage.

Times of India, 29th April 2011

Relics of Copper Age, Mauryan period found on Banas river bank in Rajasthan

Findings depict the phase in north-western India when early metal tools had started appearing

The barely-literate grocer with a passion for history has made many discoveries over 20 years

In a major discovery, relics of the Copper Age and numismatics and tools of the Mauryan period have been unearthed from a big mound on the banks of the Banas river at Kumharia village in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, promising to connect several missing links in ancient history.

Bundi-based amateur archaeologist Om Prakash Sharma alias Kukki discovered broken bowls of black and red ware pottery, mica-mixed earthenware with zigzag lines, terracotta toys and pieces of conch and shell bangles during his recent exploratory visit to Bhilwara. The rare findings depict the phase of civilisation in north-western India when early metal tools had started appearing.

Missing link
The vast tract along the Banas river seems to be hiding underneath the artefacts dating back to the prehistoric period when the post-Rig Vedic civilisation was flourishing in the region during the 12th to 9th Century B.C. Bagore village in Bhilwara district has already reported the discovery of ancient archaeological objects.

Copper Age tools were earlier found in Rajasthan at places such as Kalibanga in Hanumangarh district, Ahad in Udaipur and Namana in Bundi. Mr. Sharma told The Hindu from Bundi on Thursday that the baked reddish-brown clay toys found by him were mostly in the shape of bull with horns, and also depicted other animals.

“This entire region, spread over several kilometres, has layers after layers of ancient civilisations. If the sand mounds [in the region] are excavated in a systematic manner, traces of continuous human habitation for at least 4,000 years can be found here.” He said he stumbled upon the relics while trying to find evidence of Kumharia's connectivity with Bagore.

A barely literate grocer with a passion for history and archaeology, the 54-year-old has discovered rock paintings belonging to the Mesolithic-Chalcolithic age and objects and tools of the Copper age and Mauryan and post-Gupta period in the vast hilly tracts of Bundi, Kota and Bhilwara districts over the past two decades.

Another significant finding by him at Kumharia was the punch mark copper coins issued by the Mauryan dynasty between 321 B.C. and 185 B.C. They are in different shapes and sizes and have one or more symbols punched on them. Mr. Sharma said these symbols represented either the royal insignia or the mark of the local guild which struck the coins.

According to him, the mound also has traces of huge brick walls belonging to the Kushan period of the 1st to early 2nd century A.D. and the Gupta period which existed approximately from 320 A.D. to 550 A.D., covering much of the Indian subcontinent.

Appeal
Mr. Sharma has informed the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Directorate of Archaeology here about his latest finds and requested the authorities to protect the region from vandals digging up the archaeological heritage. The expansion of Kumharia village with new constructions in the area would lead to “permanent loss of the precious legacy”, he said.

Mr. Sharma, who was honoured for his achievements in the field of archaeology on Republic Day here last year, is also working on a project sanctioned to him by the Directorate of Archaeology for documentation of ancient rock paintings in Bundi district. There are about 55 sites in Bundi where the rock art provides a glimpse of flora and fauna of the pre-historic era.

The Hindu, 29th April 2011

The arrival of summer is always a time of celebration in cold regions. One such celebration is the annual Hemis Festival, held at the Hemis Gompa, the largest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh.

Whichever way you choose to arrive in Leh, you are assured of an exciting and magical journey. Leh is the biggest city in the Ladakh area of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India’s northern reaches. Surrounded by the lofty Himalayas, accessible only by one of the highest roads in the world or flight, Leh sits at a breathtaking altitude of 3524 metres and was once a bustling centre of the Trade Route that wound along the Indus River between Tibet, India, Kashmir and China. At times during the almost 500-km road trip to Ladakh, I wondered if we were closer to heaven than to Leh! Clouds came down and met the road at points and great drifts of snow banks lined the road.

Passing over the second highest road in the world, I struggled for breath in the thin mountain air and as our jeep wound its way across the lofty Himalayas, it seemed we had entered a magical kingdom.

There the Himalayas are a riot of colour and shape.

The landscape turned the car window into a moving picture postcard view of a land with lofty mou¬ntains coloured turquoise, orange peaks striped with slashes of black and distant hills coloured with the pastel shades of spring growth, tinted by passing clouds.

While the majority of India bakes in the summer heat, the people of Ladakh have only just awakened from a long and lonely winter.

The arrival of summer there is always a time of celebration. One such celebration is the annual Hemis Festival, held at the Hemis Gompa, the largest Buddhist Monastery in Ladakh.

As the seat of Indo-Tibetan culture, Hemis monastery is home to more than 500 monks and plays host to hundreds of people during the time of the festival.

The festival is dedicated to the Guru Padmasambhava, and the festival is an extravaganza of dance on the day of his birth.

Arriving in Leh, I found it difficult to tell if I was gasping for the beauty of this remote kingdom or for the effects of altitude.

Every step seemed to take place in slow motion and climbing a flight of stairs felt like the highest mountain, it certainly takes a few days to adjust to the affects of breathing such rarified air.

The Hemis Monastery is abuzz with excited children when we arrive. As the horns of the monks ring out over the valley inside the Gompa, masked monks are dancing in precise formation.

During the two-day festival, marked by prayers and the display of an ancient thangka of Guru, traditional dances are performed by masked monks.

Accompanied by cymbals, drums and trumpets, the dances are a portrayal of triumph of good over evil. All too soon, the festival is over but it seems I had saved the best experience of Ladakh till last.

Flying from Leh to Delhi, you are above or level with the spectacular beauty of the Himalayas, it takes your breath away in quite another way!

Deccan Herald, 29th April 2011

A surprise awaits all those who view Hyderabad only as a major seat of Muslim culture.

Archaeologists have uncovered a huge brick structure and a massive-sized urn at Kondapur, 25 km west of Hyderabad, which they claim indicate conclusively the existence of a prosperous brahmanic culture, more particularly of the Vedic period.

The year-long excavations by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) spread over 81 acres in this satellite town abutting the hi-tech city and the IT corridor have thrown up interesting features. They comprise some brick structures in the western extreme of the main mound, which yielded authentic evidence of a non-Buddhist sect.

It is a vast complex having a circular shrine facing south with one entrance and surrounded by rectangular chambers and fire altars – three metres in depth having 37 courses of burnt bricks of different shapes -- triangular and damaru-shaped -- behind the chambers.

G Maheswari, ASI superintending archaeologist, who led a team of 15 members including three students from JNU and Central University of Hyderabad, said “the finding represents the existence of a brahmanic culture. The fire altars yielded significant evidence of fire activities in them along with full pots - five in number (may be kalasa) with stamped impressions of a trident, purnakalasa,” she said.

The temple complex yielded plenty of animal bone fragments, perhaps indicating sacrificial rituals and pottery articles such as bowls, sprinklers, spouted vessels and iron implements like spearheads and knives.

“In the same complex in the vicinity of the circular structure, Lajja Gouri (Goddess of fertility) and a few cult objects made of iron were found,” Maheswari said.

The excavations indicate that Kondapur was not just a Buddhist site, but pointed to a religion with evidence of the performance of Vedic rites. “Till date we have recorded 2,000 relics including pottery, iron objects and also other antiquities,” the archaelogist said.

The Kondapur excavations will be closed by the end of May.

Deccan Herald, 29th April 2011

Slender lorises, once aplenty in the Western Ghats, may soon become a rare sight. The reason: Bamboo groves, the natural habitat of the slim, small mammals, are drying up and dying, forcing the shy animals to find a new haven.

The loris is small primate — about six to 10 inches, with a vestigial tail. Its round head is dominated by two large, shiny, saucer-like brown eyes, close set. The eyes are surrounded by large dark-brown circles of fur, much like the pandas.

Natural to the Western Ghats, lorises live in bamboo groves and thorny bushes to escape predators, surviving on insects and ants.

The animals with strikingly large eyes are harmless, but have been victims of Nature’s vicissitudes and the depredations of poachers.

The nocturnal primates are found on the Gajanur-Agumbe stretch between Shimoga and Tirthahalli.

Lorises are locally known as ‘Chagalinwala’ as they consume Chagali, an ant species that is mostly found in bamboos. About six inches long, the loris moves slowly, gripping twigs and branches of trees with its limbs.

They continue to prefer to live in bamboo groves, spurning the large plantations of acacia developed in Malnad by the Mysore Paper Mills.

Now, bamboo is facing extinction, thanks to the forest fires and destruction of the natural forest, forcing lorises to find alternatives homes.

That endeavour is beset with dangers. Although protected against hunting as it is included under Schedule 2 of the Indian Wildlife Act, poachers are superstitious about lorises, and treat them as harbingers of a poor hunt.

As a result, most poachers kill lorises. Sadly enough, the Forest Department does not seem to be alive to the plight of this cute little animal, once a symbol of the State’s wildlife, but set to become a memory soon.

Deccan Herald, 30th April 2011