2016 is over. 2017 has begun. Should we look at the past or cast an eye on the future? Each one of us nurtures the hope that the future will bring to fruition what the past could not deliver. Hazaaron khwaishein aisi ki har khwaish pe dam nikle, as Ghalib would say: A thousand wishes such, that for each I’d give my life!Wishlists can be infinite, but I am — perhaps arbitrarily — compressing mine to 10: Electoral reform: India may be the world’s largest democracy, but 2017 must be the year when it becomes a more credible democracy. For this, the top priority must be electoral reform that severs the link between unaccounted money and politics, since this unholy link is the seed of all corruption in India. We need to do away with anonymous donors. Every penny must be accounted for. Party funds and financial transactions, must be audited, put up on a public website and brought under the RTI Act. The Election Commission has recommended this. The government and Parliament needs to act.Functioning Parliament: I hope that the New Year will see a Parliament that functions with decorum and gravitas. No more throwing of missiles in the House, no more rushing to the well. No more debasing cacophony.

Mission agriculture: Agriculture employs 65 per cent of our workforce but contributes only 14 per cent to GDP with annual growth rates now hovering as low as one per cent. The need of the hour must be a special mission to enhance agricultural productivity through investments in better seeds, inputs, irrigation, cold storage, transportation and transportation. It has been estimated that for every one per cent increase in agricultural output, overall GDP grows by two per cent. After two successive drought years, let the New Year focus on the well being of our farmers.

Mission manufacturing: A quantum growth in the labour-intensive manufacturing sector is the best means of providing employment to the unemployed and under-employed workforce in agriculture. The government has a declared aim to create 100 million jobs in the manufacturing sector by the year 2022 but little of this has translated to the ground for the absence of a planning and policy focus. Can we in 2017 get our act together on this pivotal economic goal? Poverty reduction: It is an assault on our credentials as a successful democracy that India still has the largest number of the abjectly poor in the world. This must change, and can only do so if economic policies are so designed as to reach the poorest of the poor. More needs to be done than to merely wait for the dividends of economic growth to trickle down to the poor. The quality of life of the poorest must improve dramatically. In Bihar, for instance, Nitish Kumar, as part of his seven-point resolve, has committed to providing potable water, electricity and roads to every village within a specified time frame.

Mission health and education: Notwithstanding the fact that India produces some of the finest doctors, our medical infrastructure outside the handful of super specialty hospitals in a few chosen metropolises is woefully poor. The state of education, specially in government schools and colleges is unacceptably poor. Both these sectors need much more funds and attention. Will 2017 see this policy change? Balanced regional development: Five relatively developed states in India receive the bulk of all public and private flow of funds, while many of the least developed states, such as Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha, are starved of investments. This lopsided spread of economic wellbeing must be rectified by policy interventions like the granting of special category status. 2017 should be the year when we realise that all of India must be given the opportunity to develop.

Mission tourism: India, that has almost everything to offer to a tourist, gets a paltry five to six million tourists, while countries like South Africa and Mexico get three to four times this figure and China receives six times more. Even with such low tourist footfalls, our tourism industry contributes about eight per cent to our GDP and is a major employment generator. The time has come to end the institutional neglect of this sector and to begin in 2017 a concerted drive to double the number of tourists coming to India in the next three years. Foreign policy: It is time that our foreign policy becomes part of a carefully calibrated strategic framework and rescued from high publicity ad hocism. In particular, one can only hope that our relations with our neighbours see a qualitative improvement, and that we are able to deal with Pakistan with greater anticipation and policy coherence. Here’s also hoping that we are able to persuade China to be a more understanding neighbour.

Culture: India is one of the oldest civilisations of the world, with a culture that is marked by peaks of refinement and great diversity. Unfortunately, while all governments pay lip service to our cultural heritage, all of them uniformly ignore the institutional investment required to sustain this great legacy, specially at the grassroots level. Culture in our country needs to be rescued from the stranglehold of soulless bureaucracy and provided the infrastructure to flourish. Will 2017 see this happen? Democracies survive because they have the institutional mechanism to nurture hope. Let us hope then that the New Year will see some of the things in the wishlist above begin to happen. Let us hope that India in 2017 will guarantee a more civilised public space for dialogue and debate, shun hatred and exclusion, and allow our multi-cultural, plural and multi-religious social fabric to flourish. Happy New Year!

- http://www.asianage.com/opinion/columnists/010117/mission-2017-a-happy-healthy-clean-india.html, January 1, 2017

During a project undertaken to explore historical structures in the city, archaeology students from various colleges in Mumbai stumbled upon a few ancient structures that hinted at the existence of caves in Sion and Chunabhatti. A fortnight later, another group of students is set to take the project forward by undertaking a full-scale exploration to unearth caves with archaeological significance in these areas. Acting on his childhood memories of seeing a temple on a carved structure near Sion, archaeologist and researcher Vinayak Parab gave a group of students the task of exploring the area to unearth ancient idols or structures that could turn the spotlight on caves in Sion and Chunabhatti.

After taking permission from the Archaeological Survey of India in 2016, during the first year of research, the students found a few structures that point to the existence of caves from early medieval times in the Chafe Galli area of Chunabhatti. "During my childhood, I remember seeing a temple atop an ancient structure that had been covered up with tiles. Till date, these caves have not been unearthed in these areas. This will be the second year of the exploration.

During the first year, we found out about these structures. By taking permission from ASI, during the second year of research, we will be exploring the area further find the remains of the caves or structures. We are yet to confirm the exact period of the structures. We will initiate talks with experts, and will also take them to the site for iconography," said Parab. So far, of the two fragments found, one was found below the Gavdevi Shitala Devi temple in Sion and another was found behind a wall in Chafe Galli. According to Parab, further exploration by the students will begin by the second week of January. "We have got the necessary permission. We will meet soon to plan the research work before initiating ground work," said Parab.

Talking about the difficulties faced in unearthing ancient structures, and conducting research, Parab added, "We studied the findings in Sion, Chunabhatti and Vikroli during the first year of research. The residents, especially tribals, do not part with information easily because they fear development. After informing these tribals about our mission, they begin to tell us stories about ancient structures."

- http://bombayinformer.com/83540/students-to-unearth-caves-in-sion-chunabhatti/, January 1, 2017

Taking a New Year resolution of sorts, 25 participants, mostly youngsters, today took part in the Ekamra Walks discovering the untold tales behind monuments in the Heritage District. Interestingly, one NRI professor from Arizona State University, US, three tourists from Kerala and four visitors from Kolkata were part of today’s heritage walk. The visitors also visited the temple kitchen inside Ananta Vasudev Temple and saw the traditional preparations of delicious dishes in pure Odia style. In fact, in the entire Ekamra Kshetra Ananta Vasudev Temple is known for its traditional kitchen and people often make a beeline to take the `prasad’ inside the campus or just take them home inside traditional pots made of clay. The clay pots are known as `kudua’ in local Odia.

Like last week’s performance flutist Jagat Ranjan Patnaik came with select morning `raagas’ on his instrument as a `jugalbandi’ to the historic event, inside the precinct of Mukteswar Temple. The visitors, before taking the walk listened to Jagat’s melodious composition. He also beautifully played Mahatma Gandhi’s famous prayer ``Vaishnav jan to, tene kahiye je..’’ and it was very much appreciated by the participants. After Mukteswar the group went to Parsurameswar and then saw the early morning scene on the Eastern bank of Bindusagar lake and proceeded to Ananta Vasudev Temple. After the trip to Ananta Vasudev Temple the group visited the traditional guest house or `Dharmashalas’ for budget pilgrims coming to the Temple City from all corners of the country. The walkers were surprised to see the old world charm of the `Dharmashalas’ and there architecture. After the Ananta Vasudev Temple on the Eastern bank of Bindusagar there are two prominent `Dharmasalas’.

The visitors also took a walk near Lingaraj Temple, saw it and Parvati Temple from the Northern Gate’s platform for foreign visitors, and visited the beautiful Chitrakarini Temple and then entered the narrow lane of Suka-Sari Temple. They watched the traditional temple building work by the artists engaged by the Archaeological Survey of India. In fact, all the temples made of huge stone blocks were joined with a traditional paste made from lime stone. The visitors were surprised to see the craftsmanship of the stone artisans from a village near Dhauli.

They also saw the old Sanskrit College, took a walk along the Parikrama along the Holy Bindusagar Lake, saw the Mohini Temple along the Parikrama, being repaired by the Odisha State Archaeology and then reached Vaitaal Temple. After visiting the unique Vaitaal temple, the tour to medicinal plant garden was a knowledge-based experience as the senior Forest officer Ashok Mishra explained in details about the design, concept and theme of various segments of the garden.

- http://orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=71554#sthash.hisBuEFg.dpuf, January 1, 2017

Many buildings in and around the Doon valley have masterpieces dating back a few centuries on their walls. These include a number of paintings from the Garhwal school -- one of the lesser-known painting styles derived from the Pahari-Rajput form of art. Some are being well-cared for, but others face gross neglect. At the Kelaghat temple near the Rispana river bed in Old Rajpur for instance, a mural from the Garhwal school - depicting a rarely mentioned episode from the Ramayana, the meeting between Hanuman and Prince Bharata -- has been whitewashed by miscreants, a damage which conservationists are now trying to undo. "We have spoken to restoration experts from Delhi and have got the cost estimate to restore the murals at Kelaghat. A lot of young people in the city are willing to come forward and volunteer for the labour.

Certainly, there is much interest even today about these beautiful murals," anthropologist Lokesh Ohri, co-founder of city-based heritage group 'Been There Doon That,' told TOI. In his book 'Been There Doon That? 10 walks to explore the heritage of Doon valley', Ohri, who has researched the subject extensively, traces the origin of the Garhwal school to the Mughal royal court. He writes, "In 1658, when the exiled Mughal prince Sulaiman Sheikh, the son of Prince Dara Shikoh sought refuge in Srinagar-Garhwal escaping his uncle Aurangzeb, two major painters accompanied him. These were the father and son, Shyam Das Tomar and Har Das Tomar. Raja Prithivi Shah ruled Garhwal and he provided asylum to Sulaiman Sheikh. Though later, his nephew who succeeded him, betrayed Sulaiman to Aurangzeb, he kept the two painters at his court in Srinagar and they were appointed as Tasvirdars in the royal chitrashala."

Some scholars also believe, adds Ohri, that there was a tradition of painting in the courts of the Garhwal kings earlier as well. Later, the Garhwal school had a close interaction with the Basholi and Kangra schools, as the royal families of the hills were related through marriage and the paintings were a significant part of the daughter's dowry. In fact, the speciality of the Garhwal school lay in depicting human figures with special emphasis on the female form.

In Dehradun, these paintings can be found in old private home temples too. At Lakshmi Narayan temple near FRI for instance, which is owned by a city-based family, several episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata are depicted in the Garhwal style. According to owner Deepak Nautiyal, his great-grandfather Laxman Singh Nautiyal, a zamindar of the area, had built the temple in 1886. "Since he did not have a child at the time, somebody told him he should construct a temple and he will be blessed with a child. When the temple was built, the Garhwal school of painting was quite prominent which is why the same style must have been followed. There are beautiful murals depicting Krishna leela and Ram leela on the walls. People often ask us about these depictions which have been evocatively drawn. My grandfather Pyarelal restored the paintings in 1949 and ever since, we are trying to maintain these works of art."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/artwork-on-walls-narrate-age-old-forgotten-stories/articleshow/56275918.cms, January 2, 2017

A cursory look at 50,000 kg scrap including unused water tanks, 15 to 20 feet pipes and road rollers would give you a feel of a scrap yard. But the Akota stadium where all these scrap was placed on Sunday played host to a unique sculpture camp that is being sponsored by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation to make sculptures out of scrap.

The camp in which noted artists from the city, almost all past students of M S University's famed Faculty of Fine Arts, are participating will continue till January 14. The 25 artists will create sculptures that will be installed at prominent locations across the city. The artists participating in the symposium which was inaugurated by state sports minister Rajendra Trivedi will also be paid an honorarium by the civic body much like other camps they attend. "The art works will be made on the theme 'Spirit of Vadodara'. And a competition to make best out of waste has already started amongst the artists," said Anuj Poddar, who is coordinating the project.

Recommended By Colombia "In fact, earlier we had decided that the sculptures should be less than six feet. But now I am thinking to limit the size of the sculptures being prepared by the artists as there are even 25 feet long works being prepared!," said Poddar, who was all in praise of VMC which has initiated the first of its kind effort to rope in artists. "This camp is also changing our perception towards the civic body. It is more professional than many corporates. Since last 20 days, we already have three trucks, two dumpers, one crane and one JCB machine at our service," he said.

The idea of roping in artists for making art works that could be used by the civic body had come up while VMC was looking to spruce up its lakes and crematoriums. The stadium has been kept open for students and citizens who can come and see the artists working in the open.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/50k-kg-scrap-to-be-turned-into-sculptures/articleshow/56288167.cms, January 2, 2017

The Congress government may claim to have shown a steely resolve in celebrating Tipu Jayanti in the face of stiff resistance from right wing organizations. But the same resolve appears to be missing when it comes to preserving Tipu-era cannons which have been rusting for years at a museum for want of government attention. Officials in the state department of archaeology say that for close to five years the government has been sitting on a proposal to restore three cannons believed to be from Tipu's arsenal. As the antique pieces need chemical treatment, the department requested a grant of Rs 11.64 lakh and sought approval from the department of Kannada and culture. But the government is yet to respond to the request despite several reminders since 2012, when the first two cannons were found.

"A month ago, we wrote to the Kannada and culture department reminding it of our request. We hope to see some action this time," said R Gopal, director of state ar chaeology department.Two cannons were unearthed in November 2012 during Metro rail work near City Market. In May 2013, a cannon and a cannon ball were found at Bangalore Medical College during construction work. Re cently , 13 cannon balls were found at the office of Karnataka Films Artistes Association near Chamarajpet, when workers were digging a sump on the premises.

The cannons and cannon balls require chemical restoration before they can be displayed at the government museum on Kasturba Road. "We have given in-principle approval to the proposal to restore the antique pieces. It's in the process," said S R Umashankar, principle secretary , Kannada and culture department. Umashankar said the government is considering a proposal to get the cannons and cannon balls treated by scientists from the Lucknow-based National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property .

Experts, however, say the antique pieces can be chemically restored at the Regional Conserva tion Laboratory in Mysuru for much cheaper, instead of taking them all the way to Lucknow."When the antique pieces can be treated closer home, why does the government want to take them to Lucknow," asked Devarakonada Reddy , president of Karnataka Itihasa Academy . The Archaeological Survey of India-owned laboratory in Mysuru is well-equipped to restore and preserve antique pieces.And the state government's move to ignore the laboratory closer to Bengaluru reflects a lack of coordination between the state and central bodies, say many . "No doubt the Lucknow laboratory , which also belongs to the ASI, is equally equipped. We can take up restoration at the Mysuru lab only when we are asked to do so," said D Ambedkar, deputy superintending archaeological chemist at Regional Conservation Laboratory , Mysuru .

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/tipu-era-cannons-rust-as-govt-sits-on-restoration-proposal/articleshow/56284534.cms, January 2, 2017

The present government is moving into the final phase of its five-year term, but its promise of sanctioning a grant of Rs 5 lakh to Thakur Singh Art Gallery has not been fulfilled. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as a chief guest during a function at the art gallery had announced Rs 5 lakh grant in 2013. Even after lapse of three years and at the fag end of the tenure of the ruling combine chances of getting the grant are remote. Art gallery’s honorary secretary PS Grover said he had been sending several reminders to the government through the office of Deputy Commissioner for over a year after the announcement, but nothing came out.

“Eventually, we gave in as the grant was just a fraction of the total annual budget of Rs 1.50 crore of the art gallery,” he said. The annual budget goes into footing expenses of maintenance, preservation of paintings, giving away cash prizes to painters, sculptures and other artists, he added. The art gallery, which was established in 1928, became a sparkling jewel of the city over a period of time.

“SG Thakur Singh took over its rein as president in 1932. His work had worthy patrons, including Rabindranath Tagore and Dr Rajendra Prasad, among others. Even the Queen of England was fascinated with his work and invited him to make paintings in Buckingham Palace. The Government of India acknowledged his art and awarded him with Padma Shri in 1973,” said Grover. SG Thakar Singh was among the founder-members of Indian Academy of Fine Arts (IAFA), which owns intellectual rights over 40 of his celebrated paintings, including his much-acclaimed landscapes. But, the academy finds it tough to preserve his heritage on canvas. “His works have high aesthetic and creative value, so keeping them in good condition becomes a costly affair. We have to shell out Rs 20,000 to preserve one painting,” added Grover.

- http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/three-years-on-govt-yet-to-release-grant-for-art-gallery/345136.html, January 3, 2017

2016 was a mixed bag for the Culture Ministry as three sites made it to the World Heritage List and some stolen antiquities were brought back from abroad while appointment of Nehru Memorial director and government’s stand on the Kohinoor issue created controversy. There was widespread cheer as the 40th session of World Heritage Committee meeting in Istanbul accorded world heritage tag to all the three nominations from India linked to the session — Chandigarh’s Capitol Compex, Sikkim’s Khangchendzonga National Park and the ancient university of Nalanda in Bihar. It was the first time that a country got three sites inscribed in the Word Heritage List at a single session of the committee meeting.

The year gone by also witnessed controversy erupting over the appointment of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library’s (NMML) director after a prominent member of its Executive Council (EC) Pratap Bhanu Mehta quit allegedly over shortlisting of Shakti Sinha, who reportedly was a director in India Foundation, a think tank aligned to RSS. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US gave momentum to bringing back of 17 antiquities smuggled out of India with eight of them finding its way into country while the remaining are in the process. Three objects, including seated images of Buddha, are also in the process of returning from Australia. 2016 also saw government making a U-turn on the Kohinoor issue saying it will make all efforts to bring back the valued diamond after it had said in the Supreme Court that the diamond was “neither stolen nor forcibly” taken by British rulers, but given to it by erstwhile rulers of Punjab.

Besides reconstitution of the Central Advisory Board on Culture (CABC), the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) Board was revamped with veteran journalist and former ABVP general secretary Ram Bahadur Rai coming in as its president in place of Chinmaya Gharekhan, a former diplomat who was appointed during the UPA-I rule. The government also released online 303 declassified files related to Subash Chandra Bose in 2016, a year when assembly elections were held in West Bengal. An intergovernmental committee of the United Nations also inscribed yoga in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during 2016. A digital exhibition ‘Uniting India: Sardar Patel’ was organised by the ministry on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas- the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Various commemorations, including those of Lala Lajpat Rai, Maharana Pratap, Tatya Tope, among others, were observed during the year.

In a major initiative towards cleanliness, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared all its protected monuments and archaeological sites, over 3,680 in number, as polythene free zones. Culture Ministry sanctioned Rs 350 crore for providing facilities like protected boundaries, toilets and disabled- friendly access in all ASI-protected monuments. With tourists, specially foreigners, facing problems while purchasing tickets at various monuments after the November 8 demonetisation announcement, the ASI also initiated the process of installing point of sale (POS) machines, beginning with Red Fort and Qutub Minar, to ease hardships. An ancient camping site dating 9245 BC was discovered by ASI near Saser La Pass in Ladakh at an altitude of about 13,500-14,000 feet. The year witnessed National Monuments Authority (NMA) launching a portal that would help applicants get no-objection certificates within six working days for construction-related works near the 3,686 protected monuments in the country, a move aimed to improve ease of doing business.

ASI also entered into an agreement with National Remote Sensing Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for preparation of satellite-based maps indicating prohibited and regulated areas of all centrally-protected monuments. It also ranked top 25 Adarsh monuments on the basis of cleanliness parameters such as amenities like toilets, green lawns, polythene free zone, drinking water and provision for garbage bins with ‘Rani ki Vav (Gujarat)’, a World Heritage Site, being announced as the cleanest iconic place in the country.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology of ASI at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. Besides holding Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav in various locations, including the national capital, during the year, the ministry also organised ‘Festivals of India Abroad’ in various countries, including Hungary, Morocco, Italy and Egypt. Festivals of India, are currently going on in Spain and Australia. (AGENCIES)

- http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/2016-saw-3-unesco-listings-return-stolen-antiquities/, January 3, 2017

Dozens of unprotected monuments at Mehrauli Archaelogical Park in south Delhi are fading away. Recent conservation exercises by the Delhi government have helped archaeologists to dig out newer facts about the Lodhi and Mughal dynasties to which these building belong. A case in point is the ongoing conservation project on two tombs and the ruins of a horse stable inside the park where conservationists have discovered that the actual height of the monuments was much more than what's visible now—there are hidden chambers. However, unlike the ASI protected monuments like Rajon ki Baoli and Jamal Kamali, which have enough archival documents and photos, other non-ASI monuments don't have enough archival details.

"These monuments have been documented through heritage listings but very little information is available on them, like their actual height and who the graves belong to," said an official.An unknown tomb, another with a jharokha and a horse stable are adjacent to a nullah that runs through the park. "During the rains, a lot of malba used to collect at the foot of the two tombs, which just kept collecting over the years. Eventually, we realised while clearing the surrounding area that the actual height was much more," said an Intach Delhi chapter official. INTACH has collaborated with the Delhi government's archaeology department to conserve these three buildings.At least four feet more of the tombs have been found. "Once we started clearing the debris, we found hidden chambers and even a few graves for the first time. Work is still on at the two tombs and we might find more graves, chambers or inscriptions," the official said, adding, "In one tomb, we found a plinth we never knew existed.

"We appreciate the open spaces these tombs provide to Delhi. As far as their history is concerned, we have enough of these graves of murderers and looters all over India. Many experts earlier disputed that the horse stable indeed housed horses as it was not big enough. Digging unearthed nearly six feet more of the structure. "This showed that the height of the stables was much more than previously thought. It remains to be seen what more new things are discovered during the conservation exercise," said another official.Work has been on for three months, with another three months to go. Nineteen buildings have been identified for conservation as part of this collaboration.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/hidden-history-emerges-from-these-tombs/articleshow/56302362.cms, January 3, 2017

It was a cradle of prehistoric human civilisation, abode of mythological characters and the capital of the mighty Vijayanagar Empire. The rich heritage of Hampi region attracts a sea of tourists from across the world. The archaeological splendour of the World Heritage Site continues to mesmerise the tourists for more than five centuries. Hampi is also known for its geological wonders in the form of picturesque rocks, boulders and scrub jungle. This area is a preferred destination for migratory birds from different regions of the world. The seemingly ‘cursed’ eastern plains of North Karnataka is home to rich biodiversity. Along with some endangered mammal species, more than 250 species of birds are found in this region. While the rocky caves here provide a safe shelter to many mammals and reptiles like the Indian sloth bear and leopard, the scrub jungle is a haven for birds, some of which — like the yellow-throated bulbul and painted spurfowl — are rare. Similarly, the great Indian bustard is flourishing in the black cotton soil fields in the region.

Winter visitors Many species of migratory birds visit the famed Hampi in winter. The backwaters of Tungabhadra Dam, Almatti Dam, and many more natural and man-made water bodies of the region turn into the winter homes for migratory birds. Thousands of bar-headed geese migrate from Mongolia after crossing the Himalayas to the water bodies of North Karnataka. Thousands of northern pintails, garganey, northern shoveler, bar-tailed godwit, common redshanks, common greenshanks, brown–headed gulls, pratincoles, greater flamingos, cranes, storks etc can be seen in the waterbodies of North Karnataka in winter. Birds thrive in different kinds of habitats in North Karnataka. Migratory and local birds spread along the canals, lakes, farmlands, paddy fields, wetlands and grasslands beckon birders. There are many birding areas — both popular and lesser-known — in the region. Among them, Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary, Magadi Bird Sanctuary, Tungabhadra Reservoir and Hampi-Daroji vicinity are listed as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) by the Bombay Natural History Society and Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN). Some other important birding areas in North Karnataka are Daroji Lake, Ankasamudra Lake, Kamalapura Lake, River Tungabhadra, Almatti, Hidkal and Narayanapura reservoirs, Mansalapura Tank, Bonal Lake etc. Society for Wildlife and Nature (SWaN)-Hosapete, an organisation founded by nature enthusiasts and birders, has been popularising the hobby of bird watching among students and general public since 2004.

It has formed 20 nature clubs in the high schools of Ballari and Koppal districts and conducted training programmes for teachers and students. It has also organised birdwatching camps for the enthusiasts. In association with the Forest Department and other agencies, the organisation has identified important birding areas in North Karnataka, conducted scientific surveys, prepared reports and proposals for declaring Protected Areas (PA). It also played a crucial role in getting the IBA tag for Tungabhadra Reservoir and Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve. SWaN has inspired many enthusiasts to take up birdwatching and nature conservation. As a result, the number of wildlife photographers and activists has increased substantially in North Karnataka.

Birders network Another initiative, North Karnataka Birders Network (NKBN) initiated by J C Uttangi in 2001, has also been working towards encouraging the conservation of avifauna and their habitats in North Karnataka. It conducts workshops, awareness programmes and other such programmes with this objective. Over a period of one and a half decades, North Karnataka has become a popular place for birdwatching. Before the year 2000, birdwatching and wildlife photography were considered as the hobbies of royal families, and very few commoners pursued them. But now, the number of birdwatchers and photographers has increased and related information is shared rapidly on social media. This has led to better documentation of the region’s avifauna. That is how “not seen” or “not reported” birds are being reported more often and thus, more number of birds are added to the list.

A pocket guide that describes the birds of eastern plains of Karnataka was published in 2014 by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). I was also a part of the birdwatching and documentation done in Hampi vicinity through which details of 230 species of local and migratory birds were recorded. The book also has information about important bird habitats in the region. This work has inspired many wildlife photographers and birdwatchers in North Karnataka. To showcase the ecological vibrancy of Hampi and surrounding regions and popularise the birding areas here, the Tourism Department in association with the Forest Department is organising Karnataka Bird Festival from January 5 to 7, 2017, at Hampi-Daroji Bear Sanctuary. Well-known ornithologists and conservationists like Bikram Grewal, Shashank Dalvi, Gobind Sagar Bharadwaj will participate in the event.The Karnataka Bird Festival, that was initiated two years ago, is said to be the biggest bird festival in South India.

It provides a platform to the coming together of birdwatchers, conservationists, officials, wildlife photographers and scientists. While bird sighting is the important activity, the event will also witness discussions, sharing of knowledge and help improve our understanding of the avian community. The first two bird carnivals were held in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and Dandeli. Birdwatchers from across the country are expected to attend the festival and see the rare amalgamation of archaeological and ecological heritage.

- http://www.deccanherald.com/content/589522/winged-beauties-hampi.html, January 3, 2017

Madhya Pradesh government would impart lessons to students about local festivals, culture, traditions, rituals and beliefs in their respective areas under its proposed “Aaspass Ki Khoj” (search in the vicinity) programme. “In order to apprise students of government schools about the local culture, traditions and rituals, ‘Aaspass Ki Khoj’ programme is being launched by the School Education Department,” a Public Relations department officer said.He informed that as many as 2,966 schools have been selected from 51 districts, adding that the projects will be prepared by wards under the programme.“Life history of national heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country, importance of historical and cultural heritage of their respective areas and the efforts to make village or town polythene free will be included in this project,” he added.

In addition, local festivals and beliefs, local crops, activities undertaken during calamities, folk culture, sonnets and local proverbs will also be included in the project. “A book will be made on the project works. The education officers of respecrtive districts have been asked to conduct activities by making teams of class 6, 7 and 8 at school level,” the official said. The directives have been issued to principals, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) of the districts concerned and the project co-ordinators of the District Education Centers in this regard.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/education/madhya-pradesh-government-to-launch-aaspass-ki-khoj-to-impart-cultural-education-for-students-4457085/, January 3, 2017

The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have both placed big bet on restoring heritage sites of national importance, particularly in Varanasi, in view of the 2017 state Assembly polls. Maintenance and restoration of all national heritage sites was one of the poll planks of BJP in Lok Sabha election for which the Central government launched National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) in January 2015 covering Varanasi and other 11 cities with an allocation of Rs. 500 crore. Out of it, Varanasi was allocated Rs. 89.31crore. Besides, an investment of Rs.13.25 crore was also approved for Varanasi in October last year for developing 'Heritage Walk' around Kabir Chaura and Piplani Katra, and developing required infrastructure at 86 historical sites scattered across the city.

While the BJP-led NDA government came up with HRIDAY, the SP government had also allocated a fund of Rs. 5 crore in February 2015 for the restoration and renovation of the heritage building of Sampurnanad Sanskrit University (SSU) though it had not made any such promise in its 2012 poll manifesto. The work on projects launched by both the governments are in progress. "Under HRIDAY, we have undertaken several projects including restoration of Town Hall in Maidagin area, development of 10 different roads, and renovation of historical sites," executive engineer of Varanasi Municipal Corporation Arvind Srivastava told TOI.

"The work of Heritage Walk around Kabir Chaura and Piplani Katra has also been started," he added. Kabir Chaura is known as the home of renowned musicians like Kishan Maharaj, Samta Prasad and Rajan and Sajan Mishra brothers. Access roads and gallis leading to 86 heritage sites in the city will be improved at a cost of Rs.10.75 cr. Facade improvement, provision of on route amenities and signages, site development will be undertaken. These heritage sites include temples, residences of famous personalities, kunds, parks and palaces. The Union ministry of urban development had launched HRIDAY with a focus on holistic development of heritage cities. The scheme aims to preserve and revitalise soul of the heritage city to reflect the city's unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative and secured environment. With a duration of four years ending in November 2018 and a total outlay of Rs. 500 crore, the scheme covers 12 identified cities, including Varanasi and Mathura in UP.

Based on city's population, Varanasi was allocated Rs. 89.31 crore while Mathura got Rs. 40.04 crore. The Central assistance for HRIDAY has been provisioned till March 2017. The scheme supports development of core heritage infrastructure projects which include revitalization of urban infrastructure for areas around heritage assets. These initiatives include development of water supply, sanitation, drainage, waste management, approach roads, footpaths, street lights, tourist conveniences, electricity wiring, landscaping and such citizen services.

Similarly, the SP government led by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in February 2015 provided Rs. 5 crore in state's annual budget for the restoration and renovation of the heritage building of SSU. The Gothic-style building of the SSU had been lying in sheer neglect for years. The walls of the main hall include almost indecipherable symbols and inscriptions while the old lecture halls inside the building had collapsed. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has undertaken the restoration work. "The renovation work is in progress at SSU and we are hopeful of its early completion," said convener of local chapter of INTACH Ashok Kapoor.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/bjp-sp-compete-for-restoring-heritage-sites/articleshow/56319936.cms, January 3, 2017

The fourth edition of the Indian Biodiversity Congress (IBC 2017) & Expo will get underway in Puducherry on March 10. The biennial event is organised by the Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action here, in association with Pondicherry University, Department of Science, Technology and Environment of the Government of Puducherry and Forests & Wild Life Department, Government of Puducherry, besides various governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations. The four-day event will have as its focal theme, "Climate Change and Biodiversity" this year, organisers said in a release. The Indian Biodiversity Congress is the largest biennial get together of scientists,conservationists,environmentalists, civil society groups and local communities in India to review the status, trends, challenges and opportunities for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Speakers of international and national repute would address the gathering over four days of the mega event, it said.

Prof Anisa Basheer Khan, Vice-Chancellor, Pondicherry University (Officiating) is the Chairperson of IBC 2017. Apart from the focal theme, IBC 2017 will also have 12 other sub-themes. Besides, IBC 2017 would consist of a National seminar, Biodiversity Expo, Civil Society Meet, Childrens Conclave on Biodiversity, National Photography Competition and Documentary Film festival, it said. According to Dr P N Krishnan, Emeritus scientist, Malabar Botanical Gardens, Kozhikode, and Secretary General, IBC 2017, "the Indian Biodiversity Congress 2017 would include keynote addresses, plenary lectures and oral/poster presentations. The focal theme will have only invited presentations and panel discussion by experts. Meanwhile, papers can be submitted for all the other themes, it said, adding Best Presentation Award will be given under each theme.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/puducherry-to-host-fourth-indian-biodiversity-congress-%C2%A0%C2%A0/1/848421.html, January 3, 2017

The new notification, completely exempts construction projects from taking wildlife clearance even if the project site is within 10km radius of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries or protected areas," said Jain.The laws have been bended to gain political mileage. 'Housing for all' is main target of 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna', which plans to cover 20 million household to slum poor and urban poor by 2022.However, the notification has the effect of extending such an exemption to all other residential buildings, shopping malls, office complexes, multiplexes, IT buildings, educational institutions, hostels, etc. This in effect has removed the entire construction sector (up to 1,50,000 sqmt built up area) from the purview of environmental laws including the Environment (Protection) Act 1986; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 & Water (Prevention and control of pollution) Act 1974.The MoUD, which formulates laws relating to housing and urban development, has issued Model Building by-laws in March 2016. NAGPUR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench at Delhi, on Monday issued notice to ministry of environment , forest and climate change (MoEFCC) and ministry of urban development (MoUD) for dilution of laws for buildings and constructions.The notice was issued in an application filed by Pushp Jain, director, EIA Resource and Response Centre (ERC), who is associated with protection of environment, forest and wildlife for over 35 years.The MoEF & CC, whose job is to protect country's natural resources, issued notification on December 9, 2016, amending the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006. One of the aims of the by-laws is to address growing environmental concerns.Currently this objective of environmental safeguard is achieved through obtaining a specific environmental clearance (EC) for any construction project having a size of more than 20,000 sqmts.However, Jain says the impugned notification not only dilutes existing environmental legislations, it is completely vague and ambiguous with terms like 'as far as possible', 'as much as possible', have been used several times with respect to various stipulated conditions.

NAGPUR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench at Delhi, on Monday issued notice to ministry of environment , forest and climate change (MoEFCC) and ministry of urban development (MoUD) for dilution of laws for buildings and constructions.The notice was issued in an application filed by Pushp Jain, director, EIA Resource and Response Centre (ERC), who is associated with protection of environment, forest and wildlife for over 35 years.The MoEF & CC, whose job is to protect country's natural resources, issued notification on December 9, 2016, amending the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006. This in effect has removed the entire construction sector (up to 1,50,000 sqmt built up area) from the purview of environmental laws including the Environment (Protection) Act 1986; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 & Water (Prevention and control of pollution) Act 1974.The MoUD, which formulates laws relating to housing and urban development, has issued Model Building by-laws in March 2016.

One of the aims of the by-laws is to address growing environmental concerns.Currently this objective of environmental safeguard is achieved through obtaining a specific environmental clearance (EC) for any construction project having a size of more than 20,000 sqmts.However, Jain says the impugned notification not only dilutes existing environmental legislations, it is completely vague and ambiguous with terms like 'as far as possible', 'as much as possible', have been used several times with respect to various stipulated conditions."The new notification, completely exempts construction projects from taking wildlife clearance even if the project site is within 10km radius of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries or protected areas," said Jain.The laws have been bended to gain political mileage.

'Housing for all' is main target of 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna', which plans to cover 20 million household to slum poor and urban poor by 2022.However, the notification has the effect of extending such an exemption to all other residential buildings, shopping malls, office complexes, multiplexes, IT buildings, educational institutions, hostels, etc. "Such an exemption under the guise of housing for urban poor is an eyewash and therefore, it is to be quashed," the applicant states.The notification ignores adverse environmental impacts due to construction sector, which is a huge contributor to air pollution as well as climate change as per the MoUD by-laws itself.Jain says intensive construction activities directly relates to an increase in energy and water consumption, amount of waste generated and the impacts of the same on natural resources due to such constructions would be unprecedented.The environmentalist says construction sector emits about 22% of India's total annual CO2 emissions, according to a 'Case Study for Construction in India' — by Development Alternatives.The removal of construction activities from the purview of the EIA Notification, 2006 will only mean a larger carbon footprint, and consequently, a breach of India's international obligations, which it submitted in the form of a Climate Action Plan.. .

- http://www.nyoooz.com/nagpur/699906/ngt-notice-to-ministry-of-environment-forest-and-climate-change--ministry-of-urban-development-for-diluting-construction-norms, January 3, 2017

The year 2016 was a tumultuous one in terms of the environment across the world and India was no exception to this rule, having spent the final month of the year tackling a devastating cyclone in the country’s south and unbearable pollution levels in the national capital New Delhi up north. In this context, while going green is increasingly an important prerogative for Indian leaders, it is important to understand the role of India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT) and its work in 2016. Under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010, the NGT was set up with the specific mandate of handling environmental disputes, particularly multi-stakeholder scenarios. In 2016, it passed impactful verdicts on issues including control of pollution, forest clearance, and wildlife conservation.In terms of pollution control, when the air quality in Delhi began to deteriorate in early November, culminating in what ultimately was termed an environmental emergency, the NGT’s role was critical in the efforts to restore normalcy. The NGT supported the phased deregistration of 15-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi, placed strict rules on incineration plants, constituted a committee to inspect gas stations, and even pioneered a ban on disposable plastics, in effect from January 2017.

It also set an important precedent by banning construction activity in the peak stages of this emergency and stood clearly on the stance that economic setbacks cannot be a reason to ignore wide-ranging environmental problems.The effort to clean up the polluted river Ganga has also been an important pillar of the current Indian government’s efforts and the NGT engaged in a tussle with the state regarding the way forward on the issue. It found that the officials in charge were ill informed about the situation on the ground and demanded that efforts be halted until they could provide information on both the amount and the ways in which the river was subjected to waste generation.The NGT also locked horns with the Bangalore Development Authority regarding the construction of a steel flyover project, which lacked environmental clearance. It froze construction until a proper assessment could be conducted, particularly expressing concern for the trees and heritage buildings that were situated in the proposed path of the flyover.If taking governments and development authorities to task is one aspect of what the NGT accomplished, another important one was taking corporations to task. It charged three firms responsible for oil spills in 2011 off the coast of South Mumbai with hefty fines and, in addition to demanding environmental compensation for this, it took into account coal dumped onto the seabed by Adani Enterprises Ltd., charging fines for damage to the marine ecosystem.

In Uttarakhand, the NGT sought compensation from the Alaknanda Hydro Power Company to persons affected by the floods in 2013 by virtue of the dam they constructed. The argument made in that case was that even in the case of natural calamities, companies that played a role in exacerbating or precipitating the conditions of harm were expected to provide reparations. The NGT further suspended environmental clearance for the Nyamjang Chu Hydro Project in the Tawang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh in a landmark case of wildlife protection. They found that the assessment had ignored the fact that the area was inhabited by the endangered black-necked crane and took into account the pleas of wildlife activists who were calling for protection of the bird.

Finally, in Himachal Pradesh, the NGT recognized the rights of forest dwelling groups and tribes over forest land and protected the same in the case of land diversion. The Kashang Hydropower Project, which was fast-tracked despite pleas from local community boards, was called into question by the NGT, which directed the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change to place the full proposal before the Gram Sabhas (village councils) to consider claims and impacts before making a decision on going forward. Several NGT orders and the multiple pending decisions have faced ire from different fronts, which have attempted to dilute or nullify the effects of the judgments. While it might be overstatement to say that the efforts taken by the NGT have overwhelmingly met with success, the body’s 2016 stint definitely indicates that the organization is both proactive and determined about the causes it espouses.

- http://thediplomat.com/2017/01/how-indias-national-green-tribunal-upheld-environmental-protections-in-2016/, January 3, 2017

As unrealistic as it may sound, at some point in our lives, we have all been fascinated with the idea of travelling back to history, using a time machine. What if you are given a more realistic option that would transport you back to megalithic age, that too, on the fringes of the city? Welcome to Junapani burial site in Gorewada forest area that has now opened the 3500-year-old megalithic structure for the visitors. It has become a destination for adventure seekers and history lovers. Read on to get a slice of history...

A treasure trove Spread in an area of about six to seven km inside the Gorewada forest, this burial site is just one part of the huge Junapani civilisation of Vidarbha where more than 150 megaliths graves are found, which can be traced back to megalithic age. "This site was first discovered in 1930 by a British anthropologist Sir Gerald Hunter and soon after the excavation work started here in 1933, and they discovered copper vessels, human skeletons, weapons and other artefacts that dates back to 3500 years, which we have preserved in the Zonal Anthropological Museum," informs head curator of the museum, Dr Sanjay Shukla. He adds, "Since Gorewada forest officials have opened access to the site, visitors are loving the idea of getting up close with Junapani civilisation, earlier seen in pictures only."So it means the people living in that area around that time used to bury their dead rather than cremating them. Burial is associated with people of the books, not those who used to worship idols. Really a new light shed.

Vidarbha has a variety of Megalithic burial circles. Explaining their significance, Dr Shukla, says, "The structures found in Gorewada are circular and connected to both Junapani and Mahurzari civilisation which have the highest number of circular stones in India." He adds, "There are about 1500 cairns burials near Kherwadi in Wardha district, which are connected to Gorewada burial ground. The megaliths of Junapani are made of basalt rocks which can be seen through the satellite."

Converting into a heritage site Visitors have already started to flock the Gorewada forest to explore this lesser-known place. "Knowing the significance of this burial ground, the Anthropological Survey of India is planning to preserve and promote this place as a heritage site. We have sent a detailed report to our head office in Kolkata and we are awaiting their approval, which will come by April this year. Giving this site a heritage status will not only boost tourism, but it will also become a hub for research activities for anthropological students and archaeologists," informs Dr Shukla.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/3500-year-old-megalithic-burial-site-becomes-a-new-tourist-destination-for-nagpurians/articleshow/56299069.cms?, January 3, 2017

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) along with Wetlands International is organizing Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) to count waterbirds all over India. While the census would be held from January 7 to 22, birdwatchers can count waterbirds anytime during the month.The BNHS in a statement on Tuesday said, "Waterbirds are the key indicators of the health of wetlands and highlight their importance for both humans and birds. The AWC is a citizen science programme that supports the management and conservation of waterbirds and wetlands. It is a part of the International Waterbird Census (IWC) which is completing its 50 years of waterbird monitoring.

"The AWC encourages people to count waterbirds in wetlands around them and collect information that would help promote the designation and management of internationally important sites such as nationally protected areas, Ramsar sites and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). The data collected through the AWC would also help identify and protect new sites of importance for waterbirds.A special Indian Ocean Coastal Waterbird Count will mark the 50th anniversary of the IWC this month. This will encourage the inclusion of coastal areas for the census.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/waterbird-census-to-help-learn-health-of-wetlands/articleshow/56320747.cms, January 4, 2017

India positioned itself as a major player in 2016 in the fight against global warming, ratifying the historic Paris agreement and also playing a ‘constructive’ role in the Marrakesh climate summit to ensure actions are based on principles of ‘equity and climate justice’. Anil Madhav Dave, who took charge of the Environment Ministry in July, led the Indian delegation at the Marrakesh summit and also oversaw the signing ceremony of Framework Agreement on International Solar Alliance, to which over 20 countries are signatories. The ISA was jointly launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande at the CoP21 in Paris. It is an alliance of 121 solar resource-rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn. Countries including India at the Marrakesh climate change summit agreed to conclude the framing of rules for the implementation of Paris agreement by 2018.

India along with more than 170 countries signed the Paris Agreement at the UN General Assembly on April 22, 2016. Apart from this, India also played a very crucial role in another climate summit held in October after it ordered incineration or elimination of HFC-23, a potent greenhouse gas with high global warming potential, after it steered the negotiations on amendment in Montreal Protocol for amendment for phase down of HFCs at Kigali, Rwanda.

India also took the lead on other climate issues with Dave emphasising the relevance of Indian lifestyle and its low carbon footprint at negotiations for phasing down of HFCs in Kigali. One hundred and ninety seven nations, including India, struck a legally-binding deal after intense negotiations in Kigali to phase down hydrofluorocarbons. India welcomed the pact saying it is a reaffirmation of the global intent to mitigate climate change and exemplifies international cooperation in this regard. On the home front, poor air quality continued to be a concern for the government in the national capital as well as the Centre, as stubble burning in neighbouring states and burning of fire crackers during Diwali night and the week following it, led to quality of air deteriorating to ‘severe’. Springing into action, the Environment Ministry reviewed the ambient air quality status of Delhi and also directed neighbouring states to effectively enforce ban on stubble burning on October 31, 2016.

On November 4, the Ministry held a meeting with NCR states on measures to control air pollution and also directed the chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to review the progress of action taken on measures to control pollution with the states concerned on a monthly basis. Given the poor quality of air, the ministry also decided to undertake such a review on a quarterly basis.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-emerged-as-key-player-in-2016-on-climate-issues-4458274/, January 4, 2017

One of the ancient monuments in Unkal, Chandramouleshwar temple, which was built by Badami Chalukyas, is crying for attention since years. This Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) -protected 900-year-old temple lacks security, basic facilities. Moreover, the surrounding area of the temple is being encroached by the people violating the law that bars construction works in the radius of 200 meters from the temple. 'We have urged ASI many a times to evict the families who are living in the area surrounding the temple but no action has been taken yet in this regard," said Manoj Hanagal, activist and president of Gangubai Music Foundation, Hubballi.

Manoj also expressed his unhappiness over local politicians for not taking any steps to protect this historic temple. "Politicians irrespective of their political affiliations, have been putting pressure on ASI against evicting the families living in the vicinity of the temple. The ASI officials lack will to evict these families,'' he said. History professor Dr Ramesh Nayak said the temple, which was built by Chalukya dynasty of Badami during 11th or 12th century, has been declared as a protected monument by ASI. After having declared so, the department has not done anything to protect this temple. "Not even a compound wall has been built around the temple. As a result, the temple premises has turned into a playground for children. There are not even security guards," he added.

When contacted, Reshma Savanth, deputy superintending archaeologist of Dharwad Circle, said the department has already aware of the situation at the temple and has sent a proposal to the director general of ASI, Delhi, to evict the families by providing them suitable compensation. They are waiting for the approval for the same. "We are not able to maintain the temple effectively due to lack of funds. As far as security is concerned, we will soon deploy security personnel after discussing with our higher ups," she promised.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/900-yr-old-chandramouleshwar-temple-cries-for-attention/articleshow/56319381.cms, January 4, 2017

The Badi Baoli, one amongst six large water reservoirs within the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park, has been fully restored. The water systems inside the park have been revived and revitalised leading to the collection of 1.9 million litres of water in it. In this regard, MAUD minister KT Rama Rao inspected the renovated Badi Baoli on Tuesday.The 16th century-old heritage monuments are being restored as a part of an MOU between department of Archaeology & Museums and Aga Khan Trust.As part of this, the latter is undertaking restoration works of heritage monuments.

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hyderabad-Tab/2017-01-04/Badi-Baoli-gets-fresh-lease-of-life/271811, January 4, 2017

The Kancharas or metal smiths of Visakhapatnam, who were once known across the world for their ability to manufacture custom made metal objects, no longer gets business. During the colonial era, the Kancharas thrived and made regular and fancy objects from gun metal, copper, brass and bronze. However, this thriving industry soon went into a recession after the introduction of machine manufactured metal ware in independent India. Within a span of three decades, the metal smiths of Vizag gave up their traditional trade.

"Vizag was a thriving trade centre and the British, having recognised the skill and abilities of the worksmiths, set up a fort in Visakhapatnam in the late 17th century. The Europeans used them in manufacturing ships, metal ware and ivory-inlaid works. Much of the trade from Vizag was for metal, alloy ware and ivory crafts. This fact was mentioned in the 1907 Vizagapatam District Gazateer," observed history buff BS Mahesh, adding that zamindars of the region along with the British establishment and the local traders patronised these craftsmen.

However, post estate abolishment and rapid industrialisation in India, many of these Kancharas who had an entire settlement to themselves (Kancharapalem), were forced to seek new ways to earn a living. "The zamindari and Estate Abolition Act 1948 along with the introduction of land reforms sounded the death knell to these craftsmen as their traditional customer base such as the zamindars, inamdars, and big landowners died out," said old timer DN Sinha. Sinha further added that the post-independence era coincided with a huge boost to modern industry in Visakhapatnam, which eventually resulted in many of the younger generation of Kancharas taking to modern skills more suitable for employment in the heavy industry.

Sinha said earlier, Vizag had several karkhanas (factories) as well. "Many of my family members picked up metal and ivory art objects from Vizag as souvenirs to take to Europe and America." He, however, pointed out that many of the accomplished smiths and artisans also failed to pass on their skills to the next generation as a result of which the karkhanas shut shop.

A noted interior designer in Vizag said, "Metal workers and ivory-artisans of that calibre do not exist in Vizag any more. Most of them are either not alive or have left the place for good. Kancharapalem is only a colony in Visakhapatnam today and the metal workers are history." Those still continuing with metal work at Kancharapalem are either associated with some manufacturing and heavy industry or are skilled mechanics running garages. "The fact that the industrial estate is right next to this colony is proof of the fact that the legendary skills of these kancharas are still being used, albeit in modern industry."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/kancharas-of-vizag-are-a-vanishing-tribe/articleshow/56320197.cms, January 4, 2017

What was once a key landmark, the five-storied clock tower in Mahboob Chowk, is now wallowing in neglect due to the negligence of the department of archaeology and museums (DAM).

The Mahboob Chowk clock tower was built in 1892 by Asman Jah, the then-prime minister of Hyderabad. The clock is also considered to be an important part of Hyderabad's architectural heritage. The tower was erected in the midst of a small garden, which had four large clocks on each side, allowing people to check time from any direction. Once it would attract everyone's attention, but unfortunately, negligence on part of the archaeological department has resulted in black spots spreading all over the tower and no initiative taken to repair the broken clock. "Now neither a tower nor their clocks are maintained properly. It must be thrown open for public and tourists. We want to see its original glory once again, so we want authorities to bring back the glory of the clock tower for our generation," said Md Fareed Pasha, a resident of Mahboob Chowk.

Besides, the garden has now turned into a haven for miscreants who play cards and drink liquor. "For the last 15 years, the garden is used to play cards and drink liquor all day long. The restoration of the clock tower for the public may ward away antisocial elements from entering into its premises," Hassan Khan, a resident of Chandrayangutta, complained.

Another resident of the same locality says its very difficult for someone to get a shop on rent in this congested place. "While we are thankful to previous rulers of Hyderabad, who have built such an ideal and beautiful structure for Hyderabadis. But what angers us is the negligence towards its maintenance," said Mohd Moinuddin, a resident of Owaisi Nagar.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/time-stands-still-at-mahboob-chowk-only-apathy-ticks/articleshow/56360332.cms, January 5, 2017

In a step aimed at showcasing Vellore Fort and its rich heritage to the world, a group of architecture experts and students of architecture have come together on a single platform.Taking part at an international design workshop-Vertical Studio on Spatial Exploration of Experiential and Generative Geometries as Follies in the Urban Context at VIT University on Wednesday, Jaffer A.A. Khan, adjunct professor of architecture, VIT University, said through the workshop, young architects would understand and develop an architectural pedagogy in the context of the Fort and search for present day urban problems through the understanding of one’s cultural roots.

The workshop is being organised by V-SPARC School of Architecture of VIT University in collaboration with Vellore Lab Auckland.“Vellore Fort is one of the best forts in the country. We have students from different parts of India attending the workshop and we are giving them an exposure to Vellore. The primary reason is to make the Fort an UNESCO World Heritage monument. Once it goes to the world stage, a lot of people will visit the Fort and tourism will develop,” he said.Noting that there was certain heritage lost in the Fort, he recalled how a children’s park existed on the north-east side of the Fort at least 30 years ago.

“This park has vanished. We are trying to develop pavilions for children and public to enable them to understand the heritage of the town,” he said.The idea was to develop three or four pavilions outside the Fort on the north-east corner using temporary materials such as bamboos. The pavilions could be on heritage, climate change and tour talk to discuss issues concerning the town, Mr. Khan said.As part of this, Vellore Lab, an international initiative operating out of Vellore and Auckland in New Zealand, has been launched. “VIT university’s V-SPARC School of Architecture will be the base infrastructure for the lab.

We are planning to assemble scholars from all over the world every year. The lab will develop projects on Vellore,” he added.Speaking on the occasion, VIT University’s chancellor G. Viswanathan said that the importance of architecture was increasing day after day. “The demand for architects is also going up,” he said.He expressed concern about housing and shortage of land. “This is an important subject but is being relegated to the background. If agricultural lands are occupied, what will happen to the need for food? Agricultural lands are shrinking year after year,” he said. He pointed out that countries like China have evolved a plan and have asked builders to go vertically. “We have no such plans in India. Architects should find solutions,” he said.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/Aiming-to-take-Vellore-Fort-to-the-world-stage/article16989778.ece, January 5, 2017

Cabinet okays deal to acquire 125-yr-old heritage building I To convert it into museum. After several failed attempts to acquire the 125-year-old Bantony Castle, the summer palace of the erstwhile rulers of Sirmaur, over the last few decades, the government has finally decided to acquire the heritage property on The Mall here to convert it into a museum and heritage zone.

The decision was taken by the Cabinet at its meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. “The government, with the consent of the owners, has decided to acquire the Bantony Castle for Rs 27.84 crore and set up a museum, cafeteria and walking trails after conserving the old structure,” said Virbhadra Singh.

The Himachal Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) had prepared the Social Impact Assessment Report of the property. “Although these structures cannot be categorised as assets in their present existing condition, they have immense cultural, architectural and archaeological value. Moreover, renovating or reconstructing these structures to preserve its original cultural, aesthetic and architectural value may turn them into invaluable assets,” read the report.

“The entire property, spread over 19,436.83 sqm, including the main wooden structure, expansive lawns and thick deodar forests, will be acquired and a Detailed Project Report will be prepared so that it can be turned into a vibrant Heritage Zone, showcasing Himachal’s rich culture and traditions,” said Anuradha Thakur, Secretary, Irrigation and Language, Art and Culture. She said it was in August that the owners had expressed willingness to sell the property following which the acquisition amount was worked out based on Section 26 of the Acquisition Act, 2013.

Vishwanath Sood, one of the 11 owners of the property, said he welcomed the acquisition of the Bantony Castle so that it could be put to some good use. He, along with other owners, had filed objections against part acquisition of the property. Efforts had been made to acquire the castle in 1968, 1975, 1986, 2004 and latest in 2013. The owners had entered into an agreement to sell it at a cost of Rs 45 crore with London-based NRI Ranjay Trehan in 2010 which failed to materialise.

- http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/community/govt-to-take-over-bantony-castle/345939.html, January 5, 2017

Crafts Council of Telangana conducted a two-day exhibition, where designers from across India displayed their products at N-Convention Centre recently. There were more than 100 stalls displaying their unique products from pan-India in the exhibition. Bhoomi Dani, founder, creative head and Designer of Vraj: Bhoomi from Ahmedabad said “We have our own store in Ahmedabad. I am doing this since three years with my business partner Priyam Shah.

Our product range includes jackets, kaftans, tunics, bottoms, sarees, scarves and stoles, footwear among others!”

Bhoomi informed that they are trying to revive the Gujarati craft Ajrak. “The craft is 500 years old. We are trying to involve deeply in reviving and sustaining the inherent quality of traditional Indian crafts, and consistently seeking to push boundaries in the creation of a new aesthetic using old-world and traditional processes.

We work closely with artisans by providing various inputs including design, quality control, access to raw materials and production coordination.

The vision continues to be to maximise the ‘handmade’ element in our products, whether it is hand woven, hand block printing or hand embroidery.” Satish, owner of the stall Sutra Durrie incentive of Warangal, he says, “Durries are produced widely in Warangal and has attractive shades with contrasting colours, borders and figurative elements such as mosque, minarets, Hindu shrines and oil lamps, etc.

The woven designs are geometric, floral or even tribal. Sutra Durries is a project, where we search for independent weavers and give them work.” Tirupati-based Padmaja, who is participating in the exhibition along with her daughter Divya, is showcasing the Kalam Karri materials.

About her products she says, “From 10 years we are in this craft. Using embroidery we make dupattas, sarees and dress materials. We use natural fabric and colours. We got a very good response in this exhibition.”

January 9, 2017

It started when Raahul Khadaliya read an article a few years about traditional block printers from Kutch, Gujarat throwing their tools into the river, as they were unable to keep up with cheap competition cropping up around them. Though the alternatives were cheaper, they did not match the artisans' products in quality or detailing.

In a small attempt at preserving our ancient crafts and traditions while being responsible about the way we produce goods and services, Raahul started studio ABCD in 2011, a design company that also provides services and solutions to clients. "What I soon realized was that Indian clients were unwilling to invest too deeply into making the service they were availing sustainable as it definitely inflates the cost of the project. That's when I started Second Life, so that I could take my idea forward by creating products and services that served purposes of sustainability and creating money," he said.

While Raahul's products look like works of art on one side, turn them over and you see old newspapers, political posters, movie posters and the like on the other side. Apart from old newspapers, he also uses rubber tubes from scooters and trucks to make place holders, containers and a variety of versatile products. All the production is done from a room in his studio which employs four people- all members of the same family. The room in his studio in Indiranagar is a microcosm of the system that Raahul eventually hopes to recreate.

"In the next 3-4 years, I would like to employ 3,000 to 5,000 people. These are the conditions based on which grants are handed out. Right now, I want to keep pace with commercial machine made products as my products have to accessible. I don't want to sell products under a designer label," he said. Apart from the four people in his studio, Raahul also collaborates with a rehabilitation centre in Hubli that trains and facilitates the gainful employment of handicapped people. They are the ones who do the block printing on newspapers that can be used as wrapping paper, partitions or even framed in their houses.

Raahul does not use recycled products to make his own. Rather, studio ABCD uses a method called upcycling whereby the waste material is used as it is to create new items. Even in recycling, lots of energy and resources are spent in converting the waste into a form in which it can be used, says Raahul.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/turning-waste-to-art/articleshow/56454999.cms, January 10, 2017

For many years, time stood still in the warehouses of Fort Kochi. The aroma of spices that permeated the whole of the little estuary – once a bustling trade centre – giving way to the mustiness in the dimly-lit, dank halls. The wooden stairs had long ceased to creak. Outside, Chinese nets – most of them past their prime – dotted the coastal line, even as vessels sailing in and out added to the slow pace of the region. Beyond the vessels, on the opposite bank, high-rises denoted the hustle and bustle of the mainland.

In the evenings, cafes that mostly catered to tourists, turned on their loudspeakers, and the voice of Bob Marley wafted into the warehouses through windows that someone had forgotten to shut. Redemption, however, looked impossible for the once symbols of richness. Yet, it came unexpectedly, in the form of art. It changed the narrative of the warehouses, relegated and left to rot in history. It changed the perspective of the average Malayali, for whom art was confined to canvas, on which the painter created landscapes, beautiful people and gods.

And it found Fort Kochi a permanent place in the global art scene. For the third time since its launch at 12 noon on December 12, 2012, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) opened on December 12, 2016, in the breathtaking backwaters of Kochi. Spread across a dozen venues in Kochi, Muziris and the surrounding islands, which include old warehouses and heritage buildings, and spanning 108 days until March 29, this Biennale is host to 97 artists from around 31 countries. Mumbai-based Sudarshan Shetty, one of India’s most acclaimed contemporary artists, is the artistic director and curator of “Forming in the Pupil of an Eye”, the 2016–17 edition of the Biennale.

The title fits the multiplicity of experiences the curator wants to provide through the diverse mix of manifestations of art, culture, literature, music and dance. Among those showcasing their visual and performance art are 36 Indian artists, including graphic artists Orijit Sen and Avinash Veeraraghavan, political cartoonist EP Unny, mural artist PK Sadanandan, theatre artiste Anamika Haksar, artist Bhaskaran Bara, and author Sharmistha Mohanty. It is from the poetry of Sharmistha that the latest edition of the cultural extravaganza borrows its title. On the choice of the title Shetty explains, “The poem indirectly borrows the idea from the Vedic idea that when a sage opens his eyes to the world, he assimilates all the multiplicities of the world into that single vision, as one, and also reflects back into the world… eyes are the only reflective surface in the body… It is about assimilating all the diversity of images into that single moment of vision and reflecting back upon the world.” In its third edition, the Biennale is seemingly more accepted by the local people, and more imbricated with the fabric of life in Kochi. It wasn’t so when artist-curators Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, the co-founders of the KMB chose Kochi as the launch venue in 2012.

Many Kerala artists had expressed doubts over the funding of the Biennale and questioned the patronage given by the Kerala government when local art, artists, monuments and heritage were all bereft of any state support or encouragement. Despite a strong art culture, Kerala artists have always lacked patronage, which has led artists from the time of Raja Ravi Varma or KCS Panicker to even Biennale co-founders Bose and Komu to seek glory and thrive outside the state. The radical movement that started in the 1980s as a reaction to the Emergency saw artists from Kerala bring art to the masses by organising camps in markets and other public spaces. But these artists had to move out of Kerala for higher education or for work. Over the past four years, however, local people have made KMB their own and embraced the socio-economic and cultural rewards that have come with being home to world art and artists biannually for a quarter of a year.

Kerala, with its lack of capitalistic culture, makes way for mass participation in an event like the biennale. “Such public orientation also brings in a strong political context. This aspect is strongly felt in the Biennale,” says senior journalist Amrith Lal. Art curator Jiss Victor feels “thanks to the Biennale, trade has improved in and around Kochi.” Victor is particularly pleased with the excellent collections of the current edition, and points out that the Biennale has successfully highlighted the rich history of Muziris and elevated it on the world map. “That’s a huge achievement,” he says.

Art lovers, art enthusiasts and even those who barely understand art have all immersed themselves in this celebration of art, slowly turning the gateway of trade into the gateway of art, and taking Kochi to a new level of cultural sensibility.

- http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/how-kochi-muziris-biennale-brought-art-backwaters-and-put-city-world-map-55528, January 10, 2017

After dedicating extensive time and resources to planting saplings of a threatened tree species, many people would find it incredibly discouraging to come across a pile of these felled trees slated to be sold to a logging company. Instead, conservationists with the Indian environmental nonprofit AERF regarded the situation as an opportunity to engage with the community about local conservation and alternative economic possibilities.

The scientific name of this Vulnerable tree is Pterocarpus marsupium, though it is locally known as ‘Bija,’ ‘Vijaysar’ or the ‘Indian Kino Tree.’ The species grows in the moist deciduous forests of India’s north Western Ghats, a mountain range that is one of the most species-rich ecosystems in South Asia. Despite its high biodiversity, the northwestern section of the mountain range is severely under-protected. While there are ‘sacred groves’ in the region, which are old growth forest patches dedicated to deities that are traditionally protected by communities, there have been challenges associated with conserving private forests.

AERF acknowledges that conservation sometimes requires developing new value propositions for promoting sustainable biodiversity use so that reaping economic benefits doesn’t cause irreversible damage to the biodiversity. Since the fuel wood trade is a major source of livelihood for communities in the area, prohibiting the practice of cutting down trees may not be effectively enforced or economically viable. Recognizing this, the nonprofit discovered that community members could instead be educated to take advantage of their natural resources in a sustainable way.

“Once we got some success through community participation in saving sacred groves, communities started expecting more from us in terms of what direct benefits they can get,” said Jayant Sarnaik, the Joint Director of AERF.

“Conserving sacred groves partly was our agenda, but over a period [communities] realized that something linked to livelihoods could also be developed, and our organization could do something about that. That is how we diversified into developing alternative livelihood strategies, which are linked to conservation.” Sarnaik explained that he got the idea of sustainably harvesting the Bija species when he saw local community members peeling the bark off the trees. When he asked people why they were doing this to the saplings that AERF had planted, the response was that the tree bark was used for traditional medicine. Sarnaik and his team recognized that a single tree could potentially have more economic value when used for its medicinal aspects than a whole forest plot sold for timber conversion, and so AERF began to approach landowners with a proposition: convert a minimum number of these trees that are at least 15 years old into profitable products through an AERF-implemented value chain, in exchange for conserving the majority of the forests that would otherwise be sold to logging companies.

“This initiative brings home the ‘golden mean’ of conservation-on-the-ground where sometimes one has to lose small battles to win the big war against mass-scale deforestation,” AERF explained. AERF now cooperates with landowners and artisans to produce tumblers out of a limited amount of Bija trees that may help control blood sugar levels if a person drinks from them, while giving access to a larger market that allows for a fair price for the product. While providing a sustainable income to landowners, part of the proceeds are also used to protect the remaining and younger Bija trees in their forest plots. Each product comes with a reminder: “The tumbler you hold in your hand is the ultimate sacrifice of one Bija tree whose valiant act saved countless others around it from being subjected to mindless logging.” By using various economic incentives such as the tumbler production to limit the felling of trees in the north Western Ghats, AERF has scaled from protecting 50 acres in 2007 to currently safeguarding more than 3,500 acres, and is continuing to expand its protected areas through partnership with Rainforest Trust.

“What we are doing is not just looking at conservation practices of the communities, but also the traditional knowledge associated with species like plants and animals and how they can be used for conservation,” said Sarnaik. “Conservation doesn’t just mean protection. It also means sustainable use.” Rainforest Trust is currently partnering with AERF to protect additional forest habitat in the north Western Ghats.

- https://www.rainforesttrust.org/news/sustainable-economic-initiative-defends-endangered-tree-species-in-india/, January 10, 2017

Nestled on the banks of the River Brahmaputra, lost to tall thickets of elephant grass, marshlands and wooded hills, is a teeming world of biodiversity: the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in India’s northeastern state of Assam. This UNESCO World Heritage site has emerged as the global stronghold of the greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). The rolling hills and dense grasslands that allow rhinos to flourish also form an ideal habitat for their primary predator – human poachers on the hunt for rhino horn. Last month, two rhinos were killed in quick succession, taking the official toll of poaching to 18 in 2016, compared to 17 during the preceding year.

On Dec. 22, poachers in the park’s Bagori range shot down a male sub-adult rhinoceros estimated to be around ten years old. This brazen killing occurred in the vicinity of the Amkathoni and Daflang anti-poaching camps in the early hours of morning. Hearing gun shots, forest guards rushed to the site, but the poachers managed to flee into the thick fog after chopping off the pachyderm’s horn. Later, forest personnel recovered the animal’s carcass from a nearby pond. A used cartridge from a .303 caliber rifle was also found near the site — about 5 km from National Highway 37 passing through the park.

This was preceded by a similar incident, taking place in the early hours of Dec. 14, in the western range of Burapahar. Along with the dehorned body of a nine-year-old male, park officials recovered about a dozen cartridges from an AK-47 rifle. The use of such sophisticated weapons points to the involvement of insurgent outfits in rhino poaching, another worrying trend.

A one-horned rhino grazes in Kaziranga National Park. Habituated to tourists and park rangers, the rhinos make easy prey for poachers. Photo by Satish Krishnamurthy/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2. One-horned rhinos, an IUCN Red Listed species, enjoy a population density of about 5.59 per square kilometer (14.5 per square mile) of KNP — the highest in the world. The 2015 rhino census counted 2,401 rhinos in the 429-square-kilometer park (165.6 square miles), up from 2,329 in 2013. But even with this conservation success story, unicorns in Kaziranga continue to be vulnerable to poachers.

Burgeoning demand for rhino horns — particularly in the markets of Vietnam and China, where they are used in traditional medicines or as status symbols — have made their trade more and more lucrative in recent years. Time and time again, poachers are lured to the “rhino capital” of Kaziranga. “The topography of the park is to an extent responsible,” Satyendra Singh, field director of KNP told Mongabay. The River Brahmaputra delineates its northern boundary, while the southern precinct is flanked by the Karbi Anglong hills, giving poachers relatively easy access to all five of the park’s ranges. While the northernmost range can be entered from across the Brahmaputra, the Karbi hills make it even easier for the poachers to slip into the other four, and provide them with easy hideouts.

According to Anupam Sarmah, head of WWF-India’s Assam Landscape project, the very presence of such a large number of rhinos in the park, and the ease with which they can be poached, cause them to be vulnerable. On the flip side, Sarmah pointed to an interesting side benefit to this trend: Compared to rhinos, Kaziranga’s royal Bengal tigers, who also enjoy what may be the highest global density for their species (12.72 per 100 square kilometers, or 33 per hundred square miles) are difficult to hunt and therefore less attractive to poachers. Tigers are, in a sense, protected by the abundance of easier pickings.

“Killing a rhino requires the least [amount] of skill and time. Once spotted, the animal can be easily targeted and shot from a point-blank range (as close as 10 feet), following which the horns are quickly axed off. So, within minutes, it is all over and poachers are able to decamp with the booty,” he said. Kaziranga’s marshlands and riverine habitats teem with life, but also make it easy for poachers to travel through the park undetected. Photo by Shashank Gupta/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.

A grim war
In response to the ever-present threat of poaching, Kaziranga’s forest personnel are fighting a “grim war” to save the pachyderms. Singh, the park’s field director, said the anti-poaching drive has been intensified with 1,247 personnel, a number that includes forest guards as well as other park staffers. They are deployed on round-the-clock vigils, patrolling by foot, elephant, vehicle and boat. Two Belgian Malinois dogs and their trainers are also a part of their team. The park contains 178 anti-poaching camps, including floating ones on the Brahmaputra and adjoining streams. Electronic Eye surveillance cameras are also used to step up continuous monitoring of the park. Joint operations by police and forest guards in 2016 led to the arrest of 64 poachers, including their assistants. Of these, Singh told Mongabay, five were killed during encounters. The most recent arrest took place on Dec. 27, when one of the alleged masterminds, Chandan Das, was caught near the border of Arunachal Pradesh (a state north of Assam). Later, Das’s statement led to the arrest of two of his alleged accomplices in the October 2016 killing of a rhino in the Kaziranga’s Biswanath range. A .303 caliber rifle was also seized from them.

Simultaneously, the forest department took firm steps to tone up its anti-poaching mechanisms. Last month, on the orders of the state forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma, it suspended seven forest guards on charges of negligence of duty. The suspended rangers had previously been deployed in Amkathani and Daflang anti-poaching camps in the Bagori range, the site of the Dec. 22 poaching incident. Three more forest guards were suspended earlier in 2016, in July and August, for dereliction of their duties and failure to nab poachers.

“Rhino poaching in KNP has a yet another dimension,” said Uttam Saikia, a local journalist and resident, who follows trends in the park and its surroundings. There are more than 150 villages fringing the park, and the poor socio-economic conditions of the local communities further abet poaching. A pair of greater one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park, where the species enjoys the highest population density in the world. Photo by Subharnab Majumdar/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2. Poachers usually come in groups of six or seven from the neighboring states of Nagaland and Manipur, Saikia explained. These outsiders don’t know the park landscape and approach the local communities to guide them through the difficult terrain. This ensures quick and easy money for the poor villagers, who are lured into working for poachers. Such incidents, Saikia said, normally peak during the festive seasons when the need for money is greatest.

In September 2016, based on a High Court order, the Assam Government evicted about 350 families from three villages fringing the park: Banderdubi, Deuchur-chang and Palkhowa. Reports described the evicted villagers as Bangladeshi infiltrators, “illegally encroaching upon the park.” A man and a woman were killed, and several others left injured, during protests against the drive. The evictions were condemned as “inhuman” by activists and opposition parties, and the government has been served notice from both the national and the Assam State human rights commissions. However, they appear to have support from forest officials and local conservationists. “Such steps can help in controlling poaching incidents,” said Bibuti Lahkar, an Assam-based conservationist and the winner of an IUCN Heritage Hero award for his contributions to Assam’s Manas National Park. “In the race for development, our forests and wildlife are gradually getting restricted to the protected areas. Hence, removing encroachments from there is always welcome in the interests of our existing flora and fauna,” he said. “Further, the persons evicted were said to be mostly Bangladeshis, who probably do not have much attachments either towards KNP or rhinos.”

Adding to these challenges is the involvement of banned insurgency groups in rhino poaching – India’s northeastern states are home to a variety of armed separatist and insurgent groups. “The use of AK-47 and other sophisticated weapons in poaching activities are evidence enough in this regard,” said KNP Field Director Singh. Saikia added: “Animal parts, including rhino horns, are hotly bartered by the terrorist groups with international arms vendors, for acquiring sophisticated weapons as AK-47 and others.” These groups apparently operate through their agents, who once again make inroads into the park through local “helpers,” Saikia added. Most of these horns first land at Dimapur, in the state of Nagaland, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Kaziranga by road. This is the initial transit point, where the poachers are paid and from where the horns are whisked off to Manipur, said Rahul Dutta, consultant on wildlife trade and crime for the International Rhino Foundation. From there, Dutta said, they cross the porous borders to reach Myanmar — a hub in the international wildlife trade.

Despite the challenges facing rhinos in Kaziranga National Park, experts are optimistic about the species’ future Searching for solutions Conservationists have not given up hope, and suggest long-term solutions for securing the future of rhinos in Kaziranga. “The prospects of KNP largely depend on how we can eventually protect the surrounding Karbi hills,” said Lahkar. Although they fall under two different local administrations, Kaziranga and the Karbi Anglong landscape have to be considered in contiguity when it comes to the protection and conservation of KNP, he explained.

Together, the 25,000-square-kilometer (9,600-square-mile) Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape is an integral part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and there needs to be greater cooperation and coordination between the two local administrations that govern it, Lahkar said. Officials need to spread awareness of the importance of the site among local communities, and build a more intensive and extensive intelligence with the help of surrounding villagers and other agencies. Youths from the villages bordering rhino ranges should be recruited as forest guards, suggested Bibhab Talukdar, chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission at the Asian Rhino Specialist Group and the Asian rhino coordinator for the International Rhino Foundation. They know the terrain and can help garner the support of local communities in protecting vulnerable sites. Then, to ensure guards can keep pace with the agility of the poachers, older field staff (52 years and above) should be systematically phased out from rhino-bearing area and replaced with better trained young forest guards from among the new recruits, added Talukdar, who is also the Secretary General of Aranyak, a conservation nonprofit in Assam.

Talukdar also called on enforcement agencies to secure more convictions of arrested poachers by engaging the best legal practitioners to win the poaching cases for the government. “We need to strengthen our investigations and evidence-gathering mechanisms. Only then the judiciary can come to a fruitful conclusion of sending the poachers behind bars for years,” he said. In pursuit of this goal, the state government is on its way to adopting the Rhino DNA Indexing System (RhODIS). With this technology, an individual rhino’s unique DNA profile is compiled in a ready-to-reference database. “This will certainly help in poaching investigations, by connecting the dots between the points of confiscation and the source of rhino killing,” said the WWF’s Sarmah. The system is already being used successfully in Africa to investigate and prosecute offenders in rhino poaching cases, and the Wildlife Institute of India (under India’s Environment Ministry) is currently working towards establishing a laboratory in the institute.

Even as the challenges multiply in KNP, their solutions are never too far behind. One-horned rhinos are the pride of the nation and when their horns are being used to fund several terrorist organizations in the country, their poaching becomes a source of national concern as well, said Rahul Dutta. He called for wildlife crimes to be prioritized at the state and national level, and greater involvement from all of India’s law enforcement agencies. “The need of the hour is for a concerted multi-state action involving Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, all of which share borders with Assam as well as Myanmar,” Dutta said.

- https://news.mongabay.com/2017/01/trouble-in-indias-rhino-paradise/, January 10, 2017

The Uttar Pradesh Police Department in a routine vehicle checking in Mirzapur discovered a shocking consignment concealed inside a SUV; Six rare wild cats (five 'Caracals' and one Leopard Cat) all protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act were seized from wildlife smugglers. The Uttar Pradesh Police intercepted a SUV vehicle during routine vehicle checking that had a strange consignment. The policemen discovered six rather unhappy wild cats contained in small wire cages. Of the three smugglers, one was taken into police custody while the other two managed to escape. Further interrogation by the authorities revealed that five caracals and one leopard cat were being smuggled through Uttar Pradesh while the destination was Hyderabad.

Caracals (Caracal caracal) is a medium sized, bright brick colored wild cat with its most characteristic feature being the black-tufted ears. This species is rare with about only 200 individuals' surviving in the wild. The Caracals inhabit the scrub forests of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Reports of Caracals in Uttar Pradesh also exist.

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is a small wild cat, widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. They are arboreal by nature but can also be found near water bodies. The leopard cat is under threat from being poached for its fur, meat and as pets. Both species are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. A case has been filed against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the police are closely investigating into the matter to capture the two escaped felons.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder, Wildlife SOS said, "These rare and unique cats in demand as pets and were being smuggled through Uttar Pradesh and on to Hyderabad. Interrogation of the suspect in custody will provide forward and backward linkages. We will provide assistance to the Police and Forest Department for investigations and prosecution as and when required" District forest officer (Mirzapur) Shri Pandey said, "We received word of a suspicious looking Innova, whose number plate was intentionally covered with mud in an attempt to avoid detection. The animals were very stressed as they were forcefully crammed into the tiny cages. They are currently under veterinary care at the Lucknow Zoo."

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/New-status-to-ensure-Madayipara%E2%80%99s-conservation/article17018528.ece, January 10, 2017

The Madayipara hillock, spread over 365 hectares, is an ecological niche of conservation importance and hence environmental activists and nature enthusiasts are pleased by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board’s (KSBB) move to declare the biodiversity-rich flat-topped hill, located 21 km north of the district headquarters here, as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS). Madayipara, the laterite hillock surrounded by the Kuppam, Ramapuram, and Peruvamba rivers and the Kavvayi backwaters adjacent to the sea, is set to be declared a BHS as the KSBB has initiated steps to make the proposal a reality under Section 7 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, which allows the government in consultation with the local bodies concerned to identify areas rich in biodiversity and cultural importance to declare them as BHS. KSBB member secretary Dineshan Cheruvat told The Hindu that the local MLA T.V. Rajesh had shown keen interest in getting the hillock in Madayi panchayat declared as BHS. “When the area has been brought under the legal framework of the BHS, it will ensure legal protection against destructive activities, including waste dumping that will endanger the biodiversity of the protected area,” Dr. Cheruvat said adding that the BHS status would in no way serve as any restriction on interests of the traditional owners (Chirakkal Kovilakam Devaswom) and the conduct of rituals associated with a local ‘kavu’ there.

Variety of habitats
The comparatively barren laterite system of Madayipara, according to conservation experts, provides a variety of habitats for many animals and plants during the wet season (June to November) and the temporary pools formed during the wet season serve as bird refuges for migratory birds arriving from afar. Close to a local temple at Madayipara is a perennial lake having a total extent of 1.5 acres.“A total of 657 species of plants were documented from Madayipara,” said Muhamed Jafer Palot of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), greeting the proposed declaration of the hillock as BHS.

Rich flora, fauna
Dr. Palot, who has studied the richness of flora and fauna of Madayipara, said that though the hillock represented less than 0.01 per cent of Kannur district, it harbours 58.75 per cent of the flora of the district. The fauna recorded from the area included 142 butterfly species, 186 bird species including 20 reported first time in the State, 60 species of odonates, 24 species of reptiles, and 19 species of amphibians, including rare and endangered ones. Popular festival The hillock is also associated with rituals and folklore. The 10-day Pooram festival at the kavu (sacred grove) is very popular in the region. The ‘joothakkulam’ (jew tank) on the hillock is a historical testimony to the Jewish inhabitation in the areas centuries ago.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/rare-caracal-wild-cats-being-smuggled-smuggler-arrested/articleshow/56455468.cms, January 10, 2017

The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited, popularly known as Poompuhar, has bagged the National e-Governance Silver Award for the year 2016-17 for transforming the department using Information Technology. Poompuhar chairman and managing director Santhosh Babu told The Hindu, after receiving the award, “Today, our department is a complete online organisation. Everything happens with a click or touch.” According to him, IT interventions in administration, marketing, in design and production is what helped bag this award. Poompuhar was short listed by the Government of India five months ago. Then a three-member team visited Poompuhar premises where they were shown all the e-facilities provided. “For the third round of evaluation, we were called to Delhi,” Mr. Santhosh said. All employees connected “We have 128 employees, including peons and all of them are connected. Decisions which were taken in 25 days are now being taken in few hours. The files in this department get cleared in few hours by officials using iPads,” he explained. E-commerce has also played a vital role in taking Poompuhar to a global audience. Currently, Poompuhar products are sold through e-Commerce giants like Snapdeal, Flipkart, Shopclues, Crafts villa and India Mart. “Soon you will find us on Amazon too,” Mr. Santhosh said. Foray into souvenir market Going forward, Poompuhar is foraying into the souvenir and miniature market and for this it intends to rope into more designers especially with expertise in 3D. “These souvenirs will be below six inches. We are looking at iconic temples,” he said, adding that Poompuhar’s Design Research and Development Centre will work on this venture. For the year 2013-14, the balance sheet of Poompuhar showed a turnover of ?30.87 crore, the highest ever for the corporation. This year it intends to close its books at ?42 crore.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Poompuhar-bags-e-governance-award/article17020464.ece, January 11, 2017

Two new prehistoric painting sites were found in the district. Renowned historian Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana found these sites near in the Buggagattu forests located at a distance of some 10 km from the district headquarters during his exploration taken up on Sunday. According to Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana, the first cave is locally called Chittarayya Gundu is oriented towards northward and located at a distance of one kilo meter from the Buggagattu Anjaneyasvami temple in its north western corner. The prehistoric paintings were drawn at five places on the sand rock walls of the 50 yard long cave. The first space has only one petroglyph of an ox engraved in one foot length. The second and third spaces are the main chittaruvulu on which several tens of red ocher paintings were drawn. The most important paintings of the spaces include the animals – horned bulls in rows, deer, antelopes, porcupine, and big lizard (Udumu). Some men were depicted as controlling the oxen with weapons.

The paintings also include a priest with thick red ochre halo around his head. Similar painting is also found nearby but in fainted red color. The Naikpod tribals of the region, who invoke the deity Chittarayya for three days in every three years, call the priests as tappeta goollu (big dappulu in Telugu). The fourth and fifth spaces are expressing only fainted red ochre oxen, the historian explains. While explaining about the second cave, Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana said that Paatha Chittarayya Gundu, which is located in the deep forests at a distance of two kilometers from the first cave has projection towards northward is more than the first cave and hence it seems to have provided more safe accommodation to the humans.

But unfortunately most of the prehistoric paintings depicted on its wall spaces have been dimmed due to the recent distilleries cooked here for illegal liquor. Only a half-foot long ox figure in red ochre color at one place and a foot-long ox in white color at another place are clearly visible on the 30 feet-long wall space of the cave. But there appears every possibility to retrieve several paintings by way of scientific / expert chemical cleaning of the cave wall, he said. With regard to the corroborative evidences of the paintings fortunately one can find hundreds of microliths in front of the caves.

The Mesolithic Age people inserted the small chips of chert stone (one-inch long and centimeter width) in the full cleavage of fist fit logs to make knives, sickles, etc. sharp implements, in between 8,500 B.C. to 3,000 B.C. It also appears that the caves were inhabited the people during the subsequent ages – Neolithic and Megalithic – as it is revealed by the human paintings with metal weapons and physical grinding stones, the historian concludes. Since the cave painting sites are located in a distance of ten km drive from the District Headquarters Mancherial the Government may develop the sites as historical and adventurous tourist sites so as to protect the rare and rich heritage of Telangana, Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana appeals.

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Khammam-Tab/2017-01-11/Mesolithic-paintings-found-near-Mancherial/273074, January 11, 2017

A new species of wasp of genus ‘Parascistrocerus’ discovered from the Western Ghats. more-in A new species of wasp has been discovered from the Western Ghats, one of the biodiversity hotspots of the country. Muhamed Jafer Palot of Western Ghats Regional Centre (WGRC) of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kozhikode, said this wasp belonged to the sub-family of Eumeninae of the family Vespidae. They were harmless and made mud nests, he said, adding the size of this new species of wasp was about 6 mm only. This new species was so far recorded from Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Nilambur forests, and also from Muthappanpuzha of Kozhikode district, he said, adding the new species was discovered by a team consisting of P. Girish Kumar and P. M.

Sureshan, of the WGRC of ZSI, and James M. Carpenter of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Dr. Palot also said the details of the new species had been published in the latest issue of the journal ‘Halteres.’ Along with this new species, two other new species were spotted in the forests of Assam and Meghalaya, he said, adding with these discoveries, the total number of species of genus ‘Parancistrocerus’ has been increased to three in Kerala and 11 in India..

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/New-wasp-species-discovered/article17022241.ece, January 11, 2017

A day after Nagpur forest division planned to open a classroom for birding in Ambazari forest, 10 hectare grassland was destroyed in ground fires on Tuesday. The fire started at 3.30pm and was noticed by young naturalist Pravin Katre who was passing by Ambazari Road near Pandhrabodi.

At Pandhrabodi side, besides Ambazari garden, there are many breaches. Absence of forest staff makes it easy to enter the forest area. "Due to protection, grazing has completely stopped and it might be an act to avenge the forest department's move. The fires was brought under control in two hours," said Hingna RFO CH Patil.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/10ha-forest-gutted-at-ambazari/articleshow/56463266.cms, January 11, 2017

The authorities have installed rainwater harvesting systems in 79 schools of Mandvi, Mangrol and Umarpada talukas of Surat district to ensure that they don't face acute water crisis in future and to raise the groundwater table there. At least 30 schools in Olpad will also get rainwater harvesting systems as a follow up to the equipment's installation at 10 primary health centres in the taluka.

These talukas get good rainfall but the water doesn't percolate through the soil. This is why many places in these talukas face acute water crisis during summer. "We thought of installing rainwater harvesting systems in the schools and the primary health centres to ensure that at least here people don't face shortage of water. This water is not suitable for drinking purpose but can be used for bathing and in the toilets etc. We plan to complete building 30 such systems in Olpad taluka before summer," said K. Rajesh, district development officer (DDO), Surat.

The rainwater harvesting system has a tank to store 250 litre while the remaining water will overflow into a 100-foot deep borewell. This water can be used only for toilet even as the process of chlorination by the administration would make it relatively purer. Surat district administration has spent Rs 1 lakh towards installation of each rainwater harvesting system.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/100-rainwater-harvesting-systems-installed-in-villages/articleshow/56463866.cms, January 11, 2017

The Chennai Bombay railway line that once passed through the Korrapadu village of Kondapur Mandal in YSR Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh now lies vacant. After the State’s bifurcation, the railway line was shifted almost two km down south. Adjacent to the railway line in Korrapadu is the Kadapa Tadipathri State highway. A new highway is also being built as an alternative to this one. All this, because Korrapadu and 21 other villages are expected to get submerged in the 26 TMC Gandikota Reservoir. Ironically, the government felt that it was necessary to construct an alternative highway and a railway line, but felt that it was not its responsibility to rehabilitate people in the affected villages.

Over the past two months, the State began releasing water from the reservoir without any warning, submerging six villages, with people still living there. Suddenly, the villagers found themselves homeless during the cold winter, with their livelihood stripped off them. Gandikota reservoir was first conceived in 2006, by the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) to provide irrigation water to the farmers of his constituency, Pulivendula.

After the Chandrababu Naidu led TDP government came to power in 2014, this issue got associated with inflated egos and irrational aspirations. YSR’s opponent in Pulivendula, VS Satish Reddy of the TDP has been growing a beard since the past two years and has vowed that he will remove his beard only after bringing irrigation water to Pulivendula. Eager to punch the support base of YS Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of YSR, in Pulivendula, and create a tough opponent for him in the form of Satish Reddy, Naidu has taken up this project with personal interest.

At the time of filing this report, 4.2 tmc ft of water was released into the reservoir, with the project expected to be opened on January 11, 2017, by Naidu. By then, the reservoir would be filled with 5 tmc ft of water. The plan is to give water to Gandikota reservoir through the Owk reservoir and lift water using a pump-house into the Paidipalem reservoir before finally diverting water to Pulivendula through branch canals. Chowtupalli lies on the last contour of 9.96 tmc ft Mylavaram reservoir for which land was acquired as early as 1977 by paying Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 per acre. Constructed structures were paid a paltry compensation of Rs 50,000 per house.

Ramaswamy, who is 63-year-old and has been cultivating his 2 acre land since 1974 explains, “Since 1987-88 when the reservoir was opened, the Mylavaram waters have flooded the agricultural land surrounding this village only four times. The water never entered the village as a result of bunds erected by the villagers. Therefore, we stayed back and cultivated our fields as we had neither a place to go nor other means of livelihood.” Polling booths were also set up for every election since then. The government also invested money for development of infrastructure through health centres and schools, recognising the existence of these villagers. From 2015, the villagers of Chowtupalli asserted their right to farm the land that they had been harvesting since 40 years, through representations, ‘jala deekshalu’, road bloackades and dharnas. A special package of Rs 1 lakh was granted via GO 565 in September 2015. However, this was cancelled in the GO passed on January 4, 2017.

Many villagers and activists believe that this measure taken by the Andhra government is to show the villagers of Chowtupalli ‘their place’, as they have been at the forefront of the resistance. Though these indicate clear legal and human right violations, the villagers are so fearful of State repression that they are not even willing to consider legal option as it might further invite the wrath of the authorities. In the third week of November 2016, the people of Chowtupalli, Gandluru, Bommepalli and a few other villages found water entering their villages. The State had allegedly been releasing 1,000 to 1,500 cusecs of water every day, to force the people to leave the villages out of fear. Out of the roughly 9,000 families which are categorised as Project Displaced Families (PDFs), the government itself claims that 5,700 families are yet to avail the benefits, while 3,300 families have availed partial or full benefit.

However, most of these people claim that they are yet to receive the compensation. Chowtupalli lies in the first contour of Gandikota reservoir and it is therefore the most affected with the release of water from the reservoir. Though this village was promised six rehabilitation centres, not one of them is fully complete. Jagadeeshwar Reddy, who is a farmer cultivating three acres of land in Chowtupalli, opted for a house site in Settivaripalle Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) colony, a few km towards Kadapa on the Kadapa Tadipathri highway. “I have taken a loan of Rs 5 lakh from a local money lender. I spent Rs 6.5 lakh to construct the house but was given bills only for Rs 1.86 lakh till now, out of which 1.16 lakh is developmental charge for house sites, roads and drains. We don’t have drinking water facilities here. We don’t have opportunities to work. Almost 95% of the houses don’t have toilets. We were promised two acres of land, but no one is even talking about it,” he says. Nagarathnamma, a 70-year-old woman is inconsolable. “We have sold our cattle at cheaper prices as there is no space for grazing here. We lost our lands too. How should we live here? If this continues, in no time, we will become migrant labourers. Nearly 80% of the displaced people belong to the oppressed castes – Dalits and Backward castes, who are involved in the dairy industry, cattle rearing, fishing and agriculture. The government should give us some loans and help us buy new cattle and also show us grazing land for the same,” she says.

The conditions in other R&R colonies are much worse. Potladurthi R&R colony is supposed to house 160 families from Chowtupalli village. The contract for constructing the colony along with houses, roads and other amenities was given to Rithvik Projects Pvt. Ltd, owned by Suresh Naidu, who is the brother of TDP MP CM Ramesh. Ramesh is also a businessman and is said to be very close to Naidu. Incidentally, Potladurthi is also the hometown of Ramesh. 53-year-old Gopal paid Rs 1.86 lakh over five years ago to avail one of the 160 houses being built. He fights hard to control his tears while explaining the state of affairs. “Even today, as the waters submerged the village and people have no food and drinking water, the houses are half-complete. We are sleeping outside every night because our houses might fall anytime. The temperatures are falling every day as this is the peaks of winter and the government is least bothered about us. The people who are releasing the waters submerging our village and the contractors who are denying us our rightful rehabilitation by delaying the completion of R&R colonies are the same.” Not one R&R colony is complete and ironically, some villages like Korrapadu are yet to be allotted any rehabilitation centres. Adi Narayana Reddy, the present MLA of Jammalamadugu into whose constituency these areas fall, got elected on a YSRCP ticket, winning over former minister and his arch-faction rival for decades, Rama Subba Reddy of the TDP.

However, Adi Narayana switched political loyalties by joining the TDP recently. This was opposed by Subba Reddy, but he had to give in after Naidu gave Narayana a green signal. Since both of these leaders belong to the ruling TDP now and enjoy a significant clout, they are able to substantially dishearten the participants in the struggle. The virtually non-existent YSRCP too backtracked after a fear of being labelled ‘anti-development’, especially since the reservoir will help the people of Pulivendula, being represented in the Legislative Assembly by YS Jagan. This has left the people in disarray and there are a few organisations which offer support to the villagers, like Human Rights Forum (HRF) and CPI(M). Another reason for the state of affairs is that the faction politics and feudal relations are still intact in Rayalaseema which works against building a united people’s resistance. Jayasree of HRF, who has been one of the leading faces of the struggle since June 2016, says, “It is hard to imagine building a militant peoples movement in Rayalaseema like the ones possible in Mallannasagar (Telangana) or Sompeta (Andhra) because of the faction loyalties and feudal relations still being intact here.”

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Commoner/2017-01-11/Gandikota-hit-villagers-vow-to-fight-State-oppression/273132, January 11, 2017

Indian police said Wednesday they had recovered more than 6,000 freshwater turtles weighing over four tonnes from poachers who planned to smuggle them to Southeast Asia, in the country’s largest-ever wildlife haul. The 6,430 flapshell turtles were discovered stuffed into 140 jute bags in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. “Wildlife authorities confirmed that this is the largest haul in the country’s wildlife history, both in terms of number and weight — 4.4 tonnes,” Arvind Chaturvedi, head of the state’s Special Task Force that rescued the turtles, told AFP.

Indian flapshell turtles are not particularly rare but are a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act. Chaturvedi said police had arrested the “kingpin” and were likely to make further arrests.

- http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2017/01/11/indian-police-rescue-6000-turtles-in-largest-haul/, January 11, 2017

Antiques are being stolen with impunity from centrally-protected monuments maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), across the country. And nine rare antiques, including two in Andhra Pradesh, were stolen in 2016. History buffs will be relieved to hear that a Nandi idol stolen from Veerabhadraswamy temple in Motupalle village of Chinaganjam mandal of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, was recovered by police on December 18 last year. But another Nandi idol, stolen from the Kumararama Bhimeswara Swamy temple at Samalkot in East Godavari district, is yet to be traced.

Other antiques stolen last year include a stone Ganesha from the Ramalingeswar temple complex at Avani in Mulbagali Taluk of Kolar district in Karnataka; a stone image from the Bhairavbaba temple, Dantewada and two stone sculptures of Bhairav from the ruined temple at Bastar in Jiyapara, Chhattisgarh. Shockingly, pillagers took away an entire iron cannon from the historic Kasa Fort in Raigad, Maharashtra, on December 5.

“The problem is down to inadequate security. Thefts at museums and other protected places are few. Also, if staff are responsible, they must be punished. Police investigations are on in all cases,” an ASI official said. He finds the theft of the iron cannon from Raigad particularly troubling. “How could they have lifted such a heavy metal piece from the fort? It’s a planned operation.”

Weak legislation under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972 and punishment of just six months have failed to curb the crimes. There are over 3,650 ancient monuments and historic sites under the ASI’s jurisdiction across the country.

- http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/110117/hyderabad-thieves-looting-antiques-without-any-fear-of-law.html, January 11, 2017

The day-long conference on January 14 and 15 will begin at 8.30 am and go on till 5 pm. With an entry fee of Rs 1,000 per person, it can be attended by 300 to 400 people Over the coming weekend, the city will host a two-day international conference that will focus on the topic of ‘The Material Cultural Heritage of Christianity in Maharashtra’. It will be held at the University of Mumbai’s Kalina campus and is jointly organised by the Centre for Extra-Mural Studies, University of Mumbai, the Church Association of India (CHAI), and India Study Centre Trust (INSTUCEN), Mumbai.

The day-long conference on January 14 and 15 will begin at 8.30 am and go on till 5 pm. With an entry fee of Rs 1,000 per person, it can be attended by 300 to 400 people. Dr Kurush Dalal, assistant professor of Archaeology at Centre for Extra-Mural Studies at the University of Mumbai said, “We have been having such conferences for four years. The first one was about Maharashtra.

- http://www.nyoooz.com/mumbai/705903/mumbai-to-host-conference-on-christian-heritage, January 11, 2017

Groundwater mining is increasing at an alarming rate in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district. While the water table has touched depths as low as 1,000feet in some places in the taluk, there is no groundwater at all in some other places. The condition is going to aggravate in the coming days and the region may turn a completely dry land if the government does not notify this as a sensitive area and implement some groundwater management strategies.

Majority of the farmers in the taluk are cultivating arecanut since the last over two decades in Ubrani hobli area including Goppenahalli, Pandomatti, Kanchigaranahalli. In the recent years many more farmers plunged into the arecanut cultivation in Nallur, Lingadahalli, Ramehalli, Devarahalli, Kakanur coming under Santhebennur hobli. They have started drilling borewells, causing over exploitation of groundwater.

Thus, over 50% of the Channagiri geographical area is under threat at present due to increasing groundwater mining, according to N J Devaraj Reddy, consulting hydrogeologist. There are more than 180 borewells dug in Shettihalli alone and only around 20 of them are said to be yielding some water. Majority of them failed miserably and are yielding only dry rocky powder, said Devaraj Reddy. Dr Channakeshav, a consulting doctor who has been cultivating arecanut crop on 9 acres of land in Nallur spent huge money for drilling six borewells to the depth of over 949 feet two weeks ago. Of them, one borewell yielded a little water. "Somehow, I am managing as I have some additional income and I am diverting it to the areca garden," Dr Channakeshav said.

"I am worried, even the functional borewell may dry up soon," he added. Chandrashekhar in Billalli and Revanna in Shettihalli also shared similar bitter experiences. As many as 54 highspeed rigging machines are owned by some private parties are put to work since the past three months in Channagiri taluk alone. On an average, over 150 borewells are being drilled every day in the region to the depth of between 800 to 1,000 feet. This area is predominated by schists -- soft rocks that flake and break easily. Over 90% of them are dry borewells. Farmers are spending a minimum of Rs 1.25 lakh per borewell. Water management through drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharging has to be taken up by the government immediately in order protect the groundwater reservoirs.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/groundwater-table-hits-rock-bottom-in-davanagere-district/articleshow/56462824.cms, January 11, 2017

In 1746, a Madhwa Brahmin cou ple residing in Tiruchirappalli had a son whom they named Krishnacharya Purnaiya. The patriarch passed away 10 years later and Lakshmiamma, the mother, struggled to make ends meet for herself and her two sons. Soon enough, young Purnaiya took up a job as a clerk to supplement the family income. When Hyder Ali became the de-facto ruler of Mysore State in 1761, Annadana Setty , the palace's chief grocery supplier, got Purnaiya appointed as the accountant. After that, there was no looking back. The bright young man, who was known to be ambitious, shrewd and well-connected, soon became the head treasurer of the Mysore State. He helped Hyder Ali's son Tipu Sultan take over after the former's death in 1782.

It was during this time that he got the name Mir Miran Purnaiya. Tipu Sultan was killed in the Third Anglo Mysore War of 1799 and the British transferred the reins of Mysore to the Wadiyar royal family. It was then that Purnaiya was appointed as the first Dewan of a partitioned Mysore State. As the titular king Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar (1794-1868) was a minor, it was Purnaiya (also spelt Purnaiah), along with the Maharani Lakshmi Ammani, the regent queen of Mysore, who took all the major decisions. The charismatic Dewan was known for creating a substantial administrative machinery in Mysore, among other achievements.

- http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/56499881.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst, January 12, 2017

The stone inscription (dated 370 CE) found at Talagunda near Shiralakoppa in the taluk during excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2013-14 is now said to be the earliest Kannada inscription. This is indeed something to cheer about for people of the district in general and of Shikaripur taluk in particular. The Halmidi inscription - dated between 450 CE and 500 CE - was earlier believed to be the oldest-known Kannada inscription.A review of Indian Archaeology-2013-14, published by the Director General of ASI in 2016, said the inscription found in the North side balustrade of the Pranaveshwara temple, in all probability, dates back to 370 CE. It is a seven-line slanted Brahmi script written left to right. The use of Kannada script along with Sanskrit makes it a dual-language inscription. The inscription records gifts of land to a boatman namely Vaji Naga, who belonged to the Boygara family, by a certain Halami of Pulindage.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, M Navin Kumar, president of the Shiralakoppa-based Kannada Research and Development Foundation, said there was a need to rewrite history books and mention that the Talagunda inscription was the oldest-known Kannada inscription and not Halmidi. “Keshava Sharma, an official who was part of the excavation team, had predicted that it could be older than Halmidi inscription. But there was no official communication then. Now, I am told that it has been officially declared as the earliest Kannada inscription.”The trial excavation was carried out in 2013 under the direction of M Nambirajan of the ASI at the temple complex. Two sets of copper plates of the Kakatiya period and 13 gold coins of Ganga period were also found during the trial excavation. An undated, fragmented and worn-out inscription was found on the left side balustrade (Simhakatanjana) of the temple during the second excavation. The Archaeological Survey of India has reportedly directed Bengaluru circle officials to carry on excavation at Talagunda Shikaripur taluk for another five years.

- http://www.deccanherald.com/content/591046/kannada-inscription-talagunda-may-replace.html, January 12, 2017

To promote Uttarakhand’s cultural heritage in the national capital, the Delhi government on Thursday said it would host a series of events as part of the annual Uttarayani Mahotsav across the city from Friday.Some 20 events of music, art and literature would be part of the hill state’s heritage-promoting festival, a statement said.Various artists and literary people from the Hindi academy are likely to take part in the two-day festival.Last year, Delhi government conducted four programmes as part of the festival that is popular in Uttarakhand among the locals and has turned out to be a big tourist attraction.The statement said the city government was for the first time “conducting, funding and organising mass-scale Uttarayani events for the Purvanchali community through support from the Hindi Academy, Teerth Yatra Vikas Committee and the Sahitya Kala Parishad”.

- http://www.canindia.com/delhi-to-host-uttarakhands-heritage-fair/, January 12, 2017

National Biodiversity Congress (NBC) 2017, one of the significant biodiversity mega events of the country, will be held here from February 22. Hosted by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, the present edition of the biennial event comprises an array of programmes including conference, exhibition, capacity building workshops and Children's Biodiversity Congress.

As part of the programme, a National Biodiversity Conference, governed by a national advisory committee comprising biodiversity conservation experts, would be held here on 23rd and 24th February, a release said here today. The Conference aims to identify practical evidence based case studies at regional level to support the plan of action and has the focal theme "Mainstreaming Biodiversity for Sustainable Development" with four sub-themes. A galaxy of renowned national experts in the field of biodiversity conservation has been invited to deliver keynote address and plenary lectures on a variety of key issues related with biodiversity conservation, sustainable utilisation and benefit sharing, it said. Members of academic and research institutions, civil society, biodiversity management committees, NGO's, farmers, students, corporates and so on are expected to participate in the event, the release added.

- http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/national-biodiversity-congress-2017-to-be-held-in-kerala-117011200749_1.html, January 12, 2017

To address the issue of global climate change, the Tezpur University is going to host a national conference on climate change and society on February 24 and 25. The conference is being supported by the Special Assistance Programme (SAP) of the University Grants Commission (UGC).In a press note, the Department of Environmental Science of Tezpur University stated that climate change is a defining issue in the present day. It is now certain on the basis of evidence that human beings are changing the Earth’s climate. The atmosphere and oceans have become hotter, accompanied by a rise in the sea level, a decline in Arctic ice and other climate-related changes.“It has implications for agriculture, natural resources, ecosystems, energy security and human health. The disturbance to the Earth’s climatic equilibrium caused by the increased concentrations of greenhouse gases has led to the rise in the global average surface temperatures at a rate of 0.18 degree Celsius per decade over the past 45 years.

India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, so there is an imminent need to address the impact of climate change on the society to ensure sustainable livelihood, particularly in the developing world including India,” the note added.The Department of Environmental Science expects that the presentations and exhibitions by scientists and research fellows from different regions of India will be able to highlight current scientific knowledge and examine how the issue of climate change is being tackled around the world, and propose solutions relevant to India. The sub-themes of the conference are environmental pollution, agriculture and sustainability, energy use and climate change, natural hazards, forest dynamics, biodiversity conservation, vulnerable ecosystems with reference to Northeast India, climate change issues and policies.

- http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jan1317/state054, January 12, 2017

The governor of Manipur Dr Najma A Heptulla on Thursday launched the Clean Loktak Initiative during a simple gathering at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal. Launching the initiative to clean Manipur’s pride–the Loktak Lake–at the Darbar Hall in Imphal Raj Bhavan, Governor Dr Heptulla said it was a matter of grave concern that the only freshwater lake in north east India had been deteriorating day by day. As a matter of fact that the lake has been engulfed by a huge biomass and also polluted by waste materials, it is time to take stringent measures to curb the deterioration, the governor said.

Appealing to stakeholders to create awareness among the people to conserve the natural beauty and habitations around the lake, Dr Heptulla strongly advocated infusing knowledge especially to the younger generations about the lake. It is necessity for healthy livelihood too, she said. If the younger generations had been involved in the movement to save the lake, it would have been a great achievement so that all other issues could be solved, she said. In December last year, Dr Heptulla had also expressed her desire to save Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the northeast India region from further pollution, by taking steps to ban plastic bags and bottles in the state during the inaugural function of a 3-day media workshop on climate change reporting. The event was held as part of a series of media sensitisation initiatives by the Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies.

Loktak Lake covers a surface area of about 280 sq km. It is located in an area commonly contagious to Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur districts. The director of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, participated in the interactions. Prof. Sahoo pointed to the need to introduce scientific methods to conserve Loktak Lake and its flora and fauna.

Heads of institutions and teachers from many parts of the state attended the event. The day’s interaction session was held considering the deteriorating condition of the wetland and also to find ways and means to conserve it. A PowerPoint presentation about the condition of the lake was also given by Project Director L Bhagaton of the Loktak Development Authority during the day’s session.

-http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/manipur-governor-launches-clean-loktak-work/, January 12, 2017

With massive infrastructure plans threatening all tiger landscapes and risking recent gains in tiger conservation, Asian governments must adopt a sustainable approach to infrastructure planning and construction or drive tigers toward extinction, according to a new analysis by WWF. Released at the halfway point of an ambitious global effort to double the number of wild tigers between 2010 and 2022, The Road Ahead: Protecting Tigers from Asia’s Infrastructure Development Boom highlights the unprecedented threat posed by a vast network of planned infrastructure across the continent.

Around 11,000 kilometres of roads and railways are on the drawing board, along with new canals, oil and gas pipelines, and power lines. Part of a projected US$8 trillion in projected infrastructure spending across Asia from 2012 through 2020, this infrastructure would cut through every existing tiger habitat, increasing habitat fragmentation, poaching and conflict with communities.

“The global collaboration to double wild tigers has transformed tiger conservation and given the species a real chance of survival, but the scale of Asia’s infrastructure plans could destroy all the recent gains as well as hopes for the future of wild tigers,” said Mike Baltzer, leader of WWF’s Tiger’s Alive Initiative. “Infrastructure is central to Asia’s development, but we need to ensure it is sustainable and does not come at the expense of tigers and tiger landscapes.” The release of the analysis comes on the anniversary of the 2010 ‘Tiger Summit’ in St Petersburg, Russia, where global leaders and representatives of all 13 tiger range governments committed to the Tx2 goal to double wild tigers by 2022. The new analysis marks the midway point in this global effort, warning that new challenges lie ahead for tigers and Asia’s rich natural heritage – a vital lifeline for millions of people across the continent. Governments need to act now or face all of their work unravelling as unsustainable construction breaks down the natural systems that tigers represent.

At the time of the summit, there were as few as 3,200 tigers in the wild – down from 100,000 just a century before. But over the past six years, tigers have shown signs of recovery in a number of critical landscapes and countries thanks to better management of protected areas, regional endorsement of the Zero Poaching approach, greatly improved monitoring capacity and enhanced efforts to tackle tiger trafficking.

There are now an estimated 3,890 tigers in the wild, with numbers inching up in India, Russia, Nepal and Bhutan. But the situation remains precarious. India has lost 76 tigers to poachers already this year, while China, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia, with less than 500 tigers between them, could lose their tigers in the next decade, especially if poorly-designed infrastructure plans are given the green light. Produced for WWF by Dalberg Global Development Advisors, the analysis calls on Asian governments to pursue a sustainable path that promotes development, while also protecting tigers and their habitats, which benefit millions of people across the region. According to the analysis, protecting tiger landscapes from harmful infrastructure will preserve their economic and environmental value, benefiting communities across the continent, including many indigenous groups.

“Countries must urgently integrate the conservation of tigers and tiger landscapes into their development planning,” said Baltzer. “The good news is that solutions exist and it is not too late. But if countries do not act now, the damage will be irreparable.” WWF is calling for tiger range states to incorporate the protection of tigers and tiger landscapes into the design stage of all infrastructure planning. They must identify critical tiger habitats and designate them off limits to infrastructure in future, while preserving corridors that are essential to tiger movement. Governments should also strengthen and enforce environmental safeguards as well as integrate habitat rehabilitation, zero poaching guidelines and wildlife monitoring into infrastructure planning and construction.

“Tigers are part of the cultural fabric of Asia and of our shared global heritage and represent vast areas of natural habitat that are critical to the well-being of millions of people in Asia,” said Baltzer. “Governments should now use tigers and the health of their landscapes as a key indicator of the quality of their economic and development plans. If they do, their people and their tigers will benefit.”

- http://military-technologies.net/2017/01/12/asian-infrastructure-boom-could-be-end-of-the-road-for-tigers/, January 12, 2017

Wildlife enumerators have spotted about a dozen of highly threatened albino salt-water crocodiles in the brackish water bodies and water inlets along the wetlands of Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha'a Kendrapara district. Though the latest census counted a marginal rise in the number of the estuarine crocodiles, the sighting of white crocs has provided them something to cheer about, wildlife lovers said. The number of crocodiles has increased to 1,682 from last year's census figure of 1,671 such reptiles. However, the internationally acclaimed Bhitarkanika Ramsar wetland site continues to be the congenial habitat of salt-water crocodiles with the swampy mangrove-infested region housing the largest number of these reptiles.

The region is criss-crossed by innumerable water inlets, creeks and nullahs all forming the part of Bhitarkanika river system. The enumerators who conducted the three-day headcount of salt-water crocodiles from January 3 to January 8 have sighted around a dozen of albino crocs ensconced along the water-bodies of this wetland.

These white species came under sub-adult and adult category with one of it tentatively measuring 14 feet long, an official said. Besides water bodies inside the sanctuary, the enumerators also extensively covered vulnerable riverside villages where reports of man-croc conflict had reached a flashpoint in recent past.

However, sighting of these reptiles was few, they said, adding that the census team also covered the water-bodies in and around the Mahanadi deltaic region. The spheres of headcount exercise had to be expanded in view of frequent sighting of these animals in riverside villages. The census findings have made it clear that the species are itinerant in nature and stray into adjoining water-bodies because of its increase in hyper-salinity contents. After a temporary sojourn, they leave for their permanent habitation corridors within the Bhitarkanika habitation corridors, said crocodile researcher Sudhakar Kar, who headed the census team.

The breakup of crocodiles is Hatchlings- 608, yearlings- 334, juvenile-266, sub adult- 172, adult- 302. While three giant size crocodiles of 20 foot or above were sighted, 18 more large sized crocs of 16 to 20 foot long were spotted by the enumerators, informed Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/1682-crocs-12-albino-spotted-in-bhitarkanika-national-park/articleshow/56498958.cms, January 12, 2017

The acute water shortage in Madurai city is a major threat to rural water sources, already at the verge of depletion. With reservoir levels rapidly declining, the city corporation convened a meeting with private water suppliers on Tuesday. During the drought-like situation between 2012 and 2014, hundreds of private water suppliers mushroomed in the city. They procured water from agricultural wells in the outskirts for a meagre sum of Rs100 to Rs150 for 1000 litres and sold it to city residents, charging anywhere between Rs600 and Rs900 for 1000 litres. Though the rain was abundant in 2015, it did not improve the water situation much and private suppliers continued to thrive.

The rural areas are staring at a parched summer due to the indiscriminate exploitation of ground water. For instance, the ground water table at Kadachanendal was at 20ft in 2007 but has depleted to 500ft this year. As wells dry up, private suppliers are moving farther and farther looking for water sources. For the poor farmers who are unable to cultivate their land, the sale of water is a source of income. Desperate for money, they sell their water at paltry rates. "One truck load of water could be used to irrigate 50 cents of farm land per day. Moreover, the water percolates back to the well, remaining in the water cycle. When the water is sold, it generally ends up in city sewers and agricultural wells dry over a period of time," said R Arulpragasam, a progressive farmer in the district.

Such indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater also threatens small local bodies like village panchayats which don't have water schemes and depend on their own water sources like agricultural wells and tanks. "Most often, the corporation only looks at short-term measures like sinking of bore wells in village panchayats. It should be a give and take situation where village panchayats also benefit. It is not fair for big local bodies like the city corporation to exploit local water bodies in the villages," said K C P Jayakumar, former panchayat president of Nagamalai Pudukottai.

Though it is essential for the drinking water needs of the city to be met, it should not be at the expense of rural areas. Who will monitor private water suppliers and corporation officials exploiting ground water in rural areas? With the local bodies dissolved at the end of their term last October, it is essential that rural residents take some measures to safeguard their water sources.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/citys-crisis-threatens-rural-water-sources/articleshow/56464512.cms, January 12, 2017

As Delhi government starts work to implement the ambitious Yamuna turnaround plan, attempts are simultaneously being made to address the pollution in the city's three major drains. To start with, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has recently appointed a consultant to prepare a detailed plan for an 8-km stretch of the supplementary drain which will be treated through a network of constructed wetlands. Senior officials said that a similar network of wetlands was also being planned for Yamuna upstream of Wazirabad. "We are looking at an 8-km stretch of the supplementary drain from Bhalswa lake to Sur Ghat where it joins the Najafgarh drain. This will be a pilot project which, if successful, will set the trend for cleaning all other water bodies. It will also show the correct way of treating sewage and handling a drain," said an official.

DJB will be using constructed or floating wetlands for treating sewage in the drain, as opposed to a sewage treatment plant (STP). This, said an official, is an inexpensive and natural system for waste water treatment. "Delhi is short of land and it is not possible to install highly expensive STPs at every step. We need to look at inexpensive mechanisms and wetlands will be beneficial in multiple ways," said the official.

The four-pronged approach to cleaning the drain will be through addressing the problem of contaminated water, solid waste, sludge and septage. The supplementary drain, along with Najafgarh and Shahdara drains, contributes the maximum pollution to Yamuna within city boundary. Construction of this drain started in 1982 after the Najafgarh drain failed to handle the flood waters of late 1970s.

At present, a mammoth task of supplementing all three drains with interceptors is taking place. These interceptor drains are expected to ensure no untreated water reaches Yamuna by trapping all small drains and taking the sewage to STPs before discharging. In 2014, NGO FORCE experimented with the constructed wetland system for treating sewage in a mining pit in Rangpuri Pahari, where it installed a series of natural filters such as reed, coir, bamboo and jute meshes.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/wetlands-to-help-treat-drains/articleshow/56487008.cms, January 12, 2017

You will no longer need cash to pay entry charges at monuments like the Taj Mahal or the Red Fort.The Archaeological Survey of India has ordered more than 70 point-of-sale (PoS) terminals from private sector lender Axis Bank as it seeks to digitise payments at such monuments.“We have partnered with several government departments to set up PoS terminals, have worked with the ASI to set up terminals at several tourist sites,“ Sangram Singh, senior vice president-cards & merchant acquiring, at Axis Bank told ET. “We are also working with local mandis and fair price shops to digitise their payments.“Axis Bank has also supplied more than 400 PoS terminals to Mumbai Police, which plans to collect penalties digitally. The city's traffic police department has already started issuing e-challans to offenders, which allow them pay fines electronically using a variety of methods like debit or credit cards, e-wallets and mobile banking.

The traffic police in Bengaluru have also equipped its officers with PoS machines in all of the city's 44 traffic police stations as less availability of cash after the Centre's November 8 demonetisation announcement had led to difficulties in collection of fines.Besides, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation has installed PoS machines for bus passengers travelling from Bengaluru International Airport into the city. This facility has also been extended for those buying daily and monthly bus passes. Axis Bank has installed more than 2.7 lakh PoS terminals, has seen demand for PoS machine installations increase three-fold post the demonetisation.The bank installed over 50,000 PoS terminals in the first six months of FY17.

It plans to deploy more in second half of the year. “Our growth rates on adding terminals is high and we continue to see a strong use of debit cards, so hopefully people who have started using cards will continue to do so frequently,“ Singh said.

- http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet/archaeological-survey-of-india-to-digitise-payments-at-monuments/56492353, January 12, 2017

After laying of dedicated corridor for the bus rapid transit system (BRTS) project in middle of the GT road, two historic pillars, which were installed during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to serve as milestones, have now become its roadblock.

Varinderjit Singh, a resident of Puttalighar chowk, said, “Many accidents take place daily, but the department concerned is yet to take notice of the problem.” He said, “Will the government agency wake up from its slumber after occurrence of a major accident, snuffing out innocent precious lives?” Punjab INTACH convener, Prof Sukhdev Singh, said, “As the historic milestones now stand between the road, it is advisable to relocate these to one side of the same stretch for public safety. A marking should also be installed to indicate its re-location.”

He demanded that a board displaying history of milestones should also be installed so that the next generation could be made aware of its significance. Two ‘Kos Minars’ of Maharaja Ranjit Singh era were built during the Sikh rule from Ajnala to Gobindgarh Fort and then to the old city. However, most ‘minars’ were lost during the years. Only two of these had survived so far.

Another set of two popular minars are situated at Doburji, earmarking the route from Tarn Taran to Amritsar and back. While ‘Kos Minars’ of the Mughal era on the original Grand Trunk road built by emperor Sher Shah Suri have been preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India, the relics of Ranjit Singh era have so far been neglected.

When approached, Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora said, after the conduct of Assembly elections, information on significance of the two historic minars would be sought from Guru Nanak Dev University. He said experts would also be roped in for seeking opinion on the historic structures. He added that the matter of public inconvenience while commuting on the road was already in his knowledge.

- http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/now-historic-milestones-roadblock-in-brts-project/349634.html, January 13, 2017

The country will get its first museum dedicated to preserving skeletal remains of marine mammals in Mumbai by this year end. As a part of Maharashtra forest department’s under-construction Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre at Airoli, Navi Mumbai, skeletal remains of four endangered species — a Bryde’s whale, Sperm whale, Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins and finless porpoises — will be on display. The move comes at a time when close to 30 dolphin carcasses, six whale carcasses and a few finless porpoises had washed ashore over the past two years along the Mumbai and Maharashtra coast owing to unknown reasons.

“Marine mammals are a group of least studied animals and many of them are found along our coasts. Since they are endangered species, it is very important to conserve them,” said N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell. “With conservation begins awareness. People need to understand the diversity and significance of this special group of animals that have adapted to life at sea.”

He added that while there are centres focusing on marine biodivesity in places like the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Mannar Marine Interpretation Centre in Tamil Nadu, have only one or two skeletal remains of marine species, this will be the first-of-its-kind museum which will have a variety of marine mammals.

The 50X5 metre museum will house the skeleton of the 40-foot-long male Bryde’s whale (schedule I species, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and endangered as per International Union for Conservation of Nature) that washed up at Juhu beach, near Juhu Tara Road, on January 29, 2016. The whale was beached for 17 hours and could not be rescued. The carcass of the whale was buried at Juhu beach after the rescue operation failed and the mangrove cell will be transporting its skeletal form to the museum by April. Other mammals on display would include a 25-foot-long male Sperm whale (schedule I species) that had washed ashore at Sindhudurg, Maharashtra in 2012, the bodies of Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins and finless porpoises that had washed ashore at various Mumbai beaches, have all been preserved by the mangrove cell.

Vasudevan added that only those bodies were chosen that were in a position to be recovered. “After conducting proper forensics, the skeletal remains of four species were cleaned up and are ready for display,” he said. The Rs10 crore project is being funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), an international agency and is part of the second phase of the Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre at Airoli, likely to be functional by December 2017, said Vasudevan.

Information about 40 other marine mammals will be on display through signages identifying food habits, lifespan, habitat of these mammals and most importantly, information about rescuing them at sea and during live beaching incidents. EXPERT SPEAK Marine biologists pointed out that this was the need of the hour as there is hardly any research in India when it comes to marine mammals. “As there are hardly any such centres in the country, it is a welcome step by the forest department in light of awareness building not only for researchers but for young children with ambitions to study marine biology,” said E Vivekanandan, marine biologist and scientist, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). Why you should care? Scientists said the number of mammal deaths have been maximum along the coast of Maharashtra in the past one year across the country. Past instances of whale beaching in Maharashtra October 7, 2016: A mutilated carcass of a 35-foot-long blue whale, the largest mammal in the world, washed ashore at Guhaghar beach. September 11, 2016: A 47-foot blue whale, the largest mammal in the world, was rescued from a beach near village Madban, close to Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant in Ratnagiri district. It was rescued by forest officials using two boats and 50 people. February, 2016: A 40-foot-long blue whale was rescued with the help of two boats in a nine-hour long rescue operation near Daboli, Ratnagiri, which was the first ever successful rescue operation carried out along the coast of Maharashtra for the largest mammal in the world. A 20-member team had rescued the mammal with the help of two boats. January, 2016: The carcass of a 40-foot-long male Bryde’s whale washed up at Juhu beach, near Juhu Tara Road, on January 29. The whale was beached for 17 hours and could not be rescued and sent back to the sea. The carcass of the whale was burnt and buried at Juhu beach after the rescue operation failed. August 2015: A decomposed carcass of a 22-foot-long Blue Whale was washed ashore at Alibaug beach. Forest officials buried the body at one end of the beach by the afternoon on that day itself June 2015 - A 42-foot-long live Blue Whale had washed ashore and beached at Alibaug. Several attempts made by the forest department and local fishermen from the area to push the Whale back into the sea went in vain and the whale died after collapsing on its own body weight a few hours after beaching. The rescue operation went on for 18 hours.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/zsi-involving-tribals-and-fishermen-to-identify-new-animal-species/story-j8AluCfl2FP7QsbEF0ccnM.html, January 13, 2017

The century-old Zoological Survey of India is now relying on the indigenous knowledge of local communities such as deep-sea fishermen and tribals living in remote forests to scour unexplored areas for new animal species unknown to science.

An estimate prepared by scientists is enough to shed light on why such a network is needed at the earliest. There are about 1.7 million living species across the world. But scientists are yet to uncover another 15 million species that are estimated to live in the world. Many of these may be beneficial to man.“Local communities could take us to unexplored areas and help us find new animal species. They could be fishermen who venture into the sea and bring in various species of fish and marine animals as a by-catch or tribal living in forests of north-east who are well acquainted with every nook and corner of the forest,” said Kailash Chandra, director of ZSI which has its headquarters in Kolkata.The network becomes all the more important because scientists estimate that between 150 and 200 species of life become extinct every 24 hours.

Around 97,000 animal species have so far been identified from India.“The number of scientists working in ZSI has decreased over the years. The organisation now has around 80 scientists as compared to 120-130 in the past. This has also resulted in the decline of reporting of new species. An average of over 100 new species was recorded by ZSI scientists in the past which has now come down to around 70,” a senior ZSI scientist told HT.In 2016 when the institution was celebrating its centenary year, Prakash Javadekar, former union minister for environment, forests and climate change urged ZSI scientists to build up a pan-India network so that more species could be discovered.ZSI doesn’t have the infrastructure to explore the depths of the seas – Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. So they have to rely on the fishermen, who go out into the sea and to bring new species to their notice. “The fish landing harbours could be a good source for us.

Recently tribal people of Mizoram helped a ZSI team to discover three new species of crab earlier unknown to the world,” said a ZSI official.“Our main focus is now the biodiversity hotspots of India which includes the Himalayas, the north-eastern forest, the Western Ghats and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,” said Chandra.It may be recalled that ZSI had earlier come under flak from CAG for “poorly executing” the mandate given to it. The report said ZSI lagged behind in the targets set for the survey and publication of animal accounts.ZSI?is also trying to set up a pan-India network of scientists working in various universities and colleges across India to increase the number of discoveries.

“Once the networking is established the work of discovery and scientific documentation of animals would gather pace. College and university students are also being trained by senior scientists on specific avenues such as herpetology (study of reptiles and amphibians) and entomology (insects) so that they can also be a part of the network,” said Chandra.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/zsi-involving-tribals-and-fishermen-to-identify-new-animal-species/story-j8AluCfl2FP7QsbEF0ccnM.html, January 13, 2017

The country’s first solar ferry boat ‘Aaditya’ was launched in the 2.5-km Vaikom-Tavanakkadavu sector on Thursday even as the state government sought Central financial assistance to roll out 10 more such passenger boats as part of its aim to replace the existing fleet of diesel boats with solar-powered ones.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the 75-seater boat, built by Kochi-based NavAlt Pvt Ltd, at a function held in Vaikom boat jetty. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with independent charge for New & Renewable Energy, was the chief guest. “I’ll consider the state’s request for 10 more solar ferries which is in line with our policy to encourage renewable sources of energy. Besides ensuring clean water bodies, the solar ferries will help in fuel efficiency and less cost of operation,” the union minister said.

He said the Centre aims to produce 1 lakh MW electricity per annum from solar energy in 2022 from the current 9500 MW. “Our target is to produce 2.25 lakh MW of clean energy per annum using solar, wind, hydro and other renewable energy sources.” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government has envisaged various projects like Water Metro and Vaikom-Ernakulam fast ferry service to develop state’s water transport. “We’ll do this without increasing fares. The coming days will see infrastructure development like building of more dockyards, stations and solar boats. The State Water Transport Department (SWTD) will replace its existing fleet of diesel boats (50) with solar-powered ones in a phased manner,” he said.

The SWTD will daily operate 22 schedules of the solar ferry between 7 am and 7 pm. During peak hours, the boat, which has 78 roof-top solar panels, will conduct services at a 10-minute interval and 15 minutes at other times. The boat can run at a maximum speed of 7.5 knots and cruises without any noise and minimal vibration compared to the normal diesel ferries.

- http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/130117/indias-first-solar-boat-launched-in-kochi.html, January 13, 2017

December 5 was a significant day in Gadchiroli, a Maoist-affected district in eastern Maharashtra. That day, representatives of 70 gram sabhas, Adivasi leaders, student bodies, grassroots organisations and political leaders came together for the first time in years to call on the government to halt mining in the region and cancel all sanctioned and proposed mines.The gathering – which also included district-level leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress, and former Congress MLA Namdeo Usendi – passed a resolution that underscored the importance of the Forest Rights Act and the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act in securing the livelihood and culture of the indigenous people while also protecting forests and biodiversity. It asked the police and other government departments to stop harassing people who raise questions about their rights or demand justice. It also expressed concern over what it called an attack on Adivasi culture and way of life in the name of development and mainstreaming.Coming from a district where even political leaders, journalists, non-governmental organisations and grassroots organisations shy away from talking about police excesses or opposing mining, the resolution marked a significant shift.

At the forefront of this endeavour was the Surjagad Paramparik Ilaka Ghotul Samiti, an organisation of traditional authority figures – such as the senhal/manjhi (heads of areas, similar to kings), gaitas (village headmen), bhumiyas (keepers of land records, similar to revenue officials) and permas (priests) – from the 70 villages. These authorities were earlier known for keeping away from all things political. Confined to their specialised roles, they rarely if ever spoke publicly about mining, government policy or police excesses.All that changed about a month ago when they decided to come together and voice what each of them had been feeling for months.

Appeasing the gods But the big push for change had come on August 9, World Indigenous Day. That day, the Adivasis of Gadchiroli were convinced the gods were angry with them. After all, the goat they wanted to offer in sacrifice had refused to consent to its killing. The perma stepped in and conversed with the goat. “Our gods are angry because we haven’t done anything to protect our forest,” he said, translating for the animal. His audience, from the 70 villages in Etapally taluka’s Surjagad traditional area, knew exactly what he meant.

In the preceding months, Lloyd’s Steel had restarted efforts to mine iron ore in the Surjagad range. By May, the company was moving 20-30 trucks of iron ore every day from the hill adjacent to the sacred grove where the attempt to appease the gods was underway. Lloyd’s first received the mining lease for Surjagad in 1993, and it was renewed in 2006-’07. The Adivasis were opposed to mining from the very beginning, as were the Maoists. Even in 2011, when the company made its last attempt to mine the area before coming back this year, the residents had refused to buy into promises of jobs made by state and industry authorities in the district headquarters of Gadchiroli, 100 km away. No public hearing was conducted for those affected by the Lloyd’s mine then, neither was an environment impact assessment undertaken. In brazen defiance of the law, Lloyd’s had managed to clear a large section of dense forest and build a dirt track for trucks, before the rebels set fire to the machinery and forced the company to retreat.In the years since and till a few months ago, Lloyd’s showed little interest in starting operations at the mining site. Internationally, prices of iron ore were low and demand was nowhere near 2000 standards.In the mean time, Jindal Steel was given a prospecting lease for an iron ore mine in an adjacent section of the Surjagad range. A host of other companies, too, applied for mining leases in the area, and the government came up with a list of 11 proposed mines that would destroy large tracts of dense forests. Nobody asked for the Adivasis’ consent in any of this, or gave a thought to the immense loss of biodiversity in times of climate change.

Lloyd’s second attempt at mining this year came after the establishment of several new security camps in the area. The government also cleared the deployment of additional battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force in the area. At a meeting preceding the goat sacrifice, there was talk of this deployment among the Adivasis. Many thought it was to facilitate mining activities, to provide companies with protection so they could carry out their business.

Jal, jangal, jameen Sainu Gota, former director of the state’s Adivasi Development Commissionerate and a resident of Gatta village, was among those who addressed the gathering. “Our forefathers have spoken about jal, jangal, jameen for ages, underlining its importance in our lives, our culture,” he said. “Our songs, festivals, traditions, everything is proof of how nature and its conservation is central to tribal life. And yet, when we talk of jal, jangal, jameen today, the government brands us Maoists.”In the audience were several men who knew the implications of this first-hand. During Martyrs’ Week (July 28-August 3) observed by the Maoists, many of them, including Gota, had been summoned to police assistance centres via illegal letters, and detained for three days. Many had also been to jail multiple times on what they called trumped up charges.The perma referred to these false cases when it was his turn to speak. “They’re doing these things to ensure we fall in line and say nothing while they go about selling our gods and our hills,” he told the audience that largely comprised traditional leaders of the Madia Gonds, one of India’s few primitive tribal communities.

Later, when the goat sacrifice failed, he recounted the Madia myth that says an animal’s consent to its own slaughter is a must, as a sign from the world of spirits that all is well. Now, clearly, all wasn’t well.What was to be done? The perma conferred with the bhumiyas, gaitas and other village elders. Together, they made fervent pleas to the goat, assuring the gods and their ancestors that they would do all they could to save the forest. A good 20 minutes of pleading later, the goat relented. Sainu Gota distributes booklets about mining and its impact at the August 9 meeting.

Coming together In November, the gaitas, bhumiyas and permas from the 70 villages came together to form the Surjagad Paramparik Ilaka Ghotul Samiti. Gota and others present at the August 9 meeting played a crucial role in its formation by reaching out to traditional authority figures and gram sabhas in every village, speaking to them about the importance of organising themselves. At its first press conference in Gadchiroli on November 14, the group made its opposition to mining clear. “Our gods, the sacred groves where they reside, our jungles – everything is under attack from mining,” it said in a press note. “The government says mining will bring development and employment here, but actually, it is a design to displace us and destroy our culture.”

The indigenous people are wary of openly opposing mining for fear of reprisals from security forces. In such a situation, the Samiti’s anti-mining stand is crucial, for the permas, bhumiyas and gaitas enjoy immense influence and recognition in their societies. “Ask any tribal here if he/she knows the tehsildar, MLA or collector and he/she will draw a blank,” said Lalsu Narote, the first lawyer from the Madia community, who lives in Bhamragad town in Gadchiroli. “But each of them not only knows the perma and gaita of their own village but also those of neighbouring villages.” Narote said he believed the Samiti’s open stand against mining and the endorsement of the same by diverse sections of mainstream society in Gadchiroli on December 5 would encourage more indigenous people to be vocal about the denial of their rights.

The state, too, recognises the importance of these authorities. On more than one occasion in the past, it has tried to co-opt these traditional leaders, hoping to use their influence to gain legitimacy among the people. As part of such efforts in the 2000s, several gaitas were made police patils in exchange for a fixed remuneration. This appointment as agents of the state, however, made the gaitas suspect in the eyes of the Maoists. The rebels killed several gaitas, accusing them of being police informers. Many others quit their posts following threats, bringing to an end the state’s efforts to enlist the support of the traditional leaders. The Surjagad Paramparik Ilaka Ghotul Samiti has two representatives – one male and one female – from each of the 70 villages. The anti-mining resolution was drawn up after discussions with and letters of support from all 70 gram sabhas. In effect, it has the backing of most of the indigenous people in the area. Seeds of change But while such a mobilisation was significant, it mattered little on the ground. Mining activity by Lloyd’s continued with the company, by December, extracting close to 300 truckloads of high-grade iron ore every day. However, like the previous time, the activity came to a grinding halt on December 24 after Maoists torched 80 vehicles belonging to the company and its contractors.

According to Narote, the Samiti isn’t thinking much about the company, for it is just one of many. Instead, it is focussed on organising people in and around Surjagad around the questions of their rights, history and identity. Attempts at forming similar committees are underway in neighbouring talukas. In Bhamragad, another densely forested taluka with a list of mines against its name, traditional authorities are likely to announce a similar committee in January.In many parts of the world, traditional authority figures have played a crucial role in anti-mining struggles. Opposition to mining by some clergy in a number of predominantly Catholic countries – Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Argentina – has been a major obstacle in the mining industry’s efforts to expand into Latin America. A prominent Church official in El Salvador stated the opposition to mining in rather stark terms: “Catholicism promotes life. Mining threatens life.”The Surjagad Paramparik Ilaka Ghotul Samiti’s stand is similar.

In the coming weeks and months, it plans to take up the celebration of tribal gods and goddesses such as Baablai, Kamarmutte, Lingo-Jango and Beddamaida. The idea is to educate the youth about the richness of their culture.A task as complex as linking spirituality, the environment and mining requires work in several places and spaces. Gadchiroli, with its resilient indigenous people who depend on the state for almost nothing but often get hunted down as Maoists, is making a beginning.

- http://iva.aippnet.org/india-70-villages-in-maharashtra-unite-to-oppose-mining-save-the-adivasi-way-of-life/, January 13, 2017

The country’s first solar ferry boat ‘Aaditya’ was launched in the 2.5-km Vaikom-Tavanakkadavu sector on Thursday even as the state government sought Central financial assistance to roll out 10 more such passenger boats as part of its aim to replace the existing fleet of diesel boats with solar-powered ones. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the 75-seater boat, built by Kochi-based NavAlt Pvt Ltd, at a function held in Vaikom boat jetty. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with independent charge for New & Renewable Energy, was the chief guest.

“I’ll consider the state’s request for 10 more solar ferries which is in line with our policy to encourage renewable sources of energy. Besides ensuring clean water bodies, the solar ferries will help in fuel efficiency and less cost of operation,” the union minister said. He said the Centre aims to produce 1 lakh MW electricity per annum from solar energy in 2022 from the current 9500 MW. “Our target is to produce 2.25 lakh MW of clean energy per annum using solar, wind, hydro and other renewable energy sources.”

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government has envisaged various projects like Water Metro and Vaikom-Ernakulam fast ferry service to develop state’s water transport. “We’ll do this without increasing fares. The coming days will see infrastructure development like building of more dockyards, stations and solar boats. The State Water Transport Department (SWTD) will replace its existing fleet of diesel boats (50) with solar-powered ones in a phased manner,” he said.

The SWTD will daily operate 22 schedules of the solar ferry between 7 am and 7 pm. During peak hours, the boat, which has 78 roof-top solar panels, will conduct services at a 10-minute interval and 15 minutes at other times. The boat can run at a maximum speed of 7.5 knots and cruises without any noise and minimal vibration compared to the normal diesel ferries.

- http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/130117/indias-first-solar-boat-launched-in-kochi.html, January 13, 2017

The ancient Sri Kodandarama Swamy temple at Vontimitta in Kadapa district, with its unique architectural structure, is the best bet to be the Unesco world heritage site in AP. The imposing temple, constructed during the 16th century, fulfils at least five of the 10 criteria required for declaration as a Unesco heritage site. Under the revised guidelines, only one of the 10 listed criteria is enough for a site to claim the world heritage status.

Temple chief priest, Veena Raghavacharyulu, told TOI that while the temple has everything to meet the Unesco requirements, the only hurdle is the need of vacant land around the site. He suggested that the government should acquire the private properties around the temple. About 100 acres is needed for the project and people are willing to part with land, the temple priest said.

The temple, with its three imposing towers (gopuram) and a sprawling open air mandapam with 32 sculptured pillars, fulfils the very first criterion "a masterpiece of human creative genius and outstanding universal value". It the best example of the Vijayanagara-Chola style of temple architecture. Though the state government handed over the temple to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams for maintenance in 2015, no serious efforts have been made to showcase Vontimitta temple as a world heritage site.

Ye Memiyyam Memiyyam .. Maa Langa Raashtram la Mogollu Mogollu Pendlijeskunay Vemlavaada ku iyyaalay .. Lekuntay Peengula Mallanna gudiku iyyaalay .. The temple also fulfils criteria II, III and IV as Vontimitta exhibits an "important interchange of human values on developments in architecture or technology, or monumental arts."

It bears "a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition", and it "stands as an outstanding example of architectural ensemble that illustrates significant stage in human history". The temple also fulfils criterion No. VI as "it is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, beliefs, artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance".

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/kadapa-temple-aandhras-best-bet-for-unesco-tag/articleshow/56509935.cms, January 13, 2017

Do Harappan settlements on the Indian side go back as early as 7000 BC or more? National Museum of India, in a first, will start digging at Kunal in Haryana's Fatehabad district to know for sure whether the civilisation there is more ancient than previously believed.National Museum Director General Buddha Rashmi Mani told News18 that they have been motivated by the excavations in Haryana's Bhirana and Pakistan's Mehergarh which showed that settlements in the area were nearly 9000 years old.India's premier museum will take part in the excavations along with Indian Archeological Society (IAS), which is a non-profit organization for archeologists set up by Professor AK Narain and other eminent Indologists in 1967.“For the first time, the National Museum will be part of excavations,” said Mani, who is also the general secretary of IAS. The two organisations together have signed an MoU with the archeological department of Haryana.“Our national museum has never done excavations in the past, but this time we are going to Kunal because Bhirana has given the early dates and the same material has been found in Kunal, it goes back 7000 BC or more. The material is same and excavations further here will confirm the dates,” Mani said.He added that Kunal is normally known as Hakra ware culture, which is a Pre-Harappan culture.br>
“We would like to find linkages between the Pre-Harappan cultures with the Neolithic Age culture. Earlier excavations in Haryana’s other regions have given early dates and excavations in new site will confirm it,” he said.Mani, who was also part of Ayodhya excavation, wants to put his experience of archaeology to good use as the DG of National Museum. “If you see the list then 2004 onwards this post has been occupied by administrative people. There were no art historians and archaeologists. I am an archaeologist and now our duty is to educate the people.”The approval has been given by the Director General Archeological Survey of India and the procedure involves formation of a committee called Central Advisory Board of Archeology that meets every year, even twice a year. It will be funded by IAS.br>
“We wrote about this project to the authorities to excavate Kunal, which is the earliest settlement in Harayana. Now that Dr Mani, who is our member, has been transferred to the national museum we have the institute with us too in this task. We will fund it. Money is not a problem and it is going to be a full-fledged excavations,” IAS chairman KN Dixit said.It will start with a couple of trenches and expand till March. “The main purpose is to find that our civilization is 7000 BC. From the excavations at some areas like Bhirana, we are getting the dates of 7500 BC. So the question is, we want to touch few other sites because with one or two excavations we cannot confirm it,” Dixit said. br>
Excavations in Kunal were supposed to start in January 15, but have been delayed till the end of the month due to lack of preparations. The site is large and some parts of it have already been excavated.In Kumal, three successive phases of occupation from pit dwelling to that of square and rectangular mud brick houses came to light and were supposed to be the earliest remains of pre-Harappan culture in India. According to the state archaeology department website there were “a hoard of regalia item including six gold beads of a necklace, an armlet and a few bangle pieces and 12445 beads of semi-precious stones. It makes the whole gamut of luxury items as ‘richest’ when seen in the context of rural nature of settlement of 3000 BC.”One of the important contributions of this site is the discovery of steatite and shell seals, which are the earliest example of seal manufacturing in India so far. The results of these excavations were extremely significant given its connect to the Harappan culture of which the world knows precious little.

- http://www.news18.com/news/india/settlements-in-haryana-before-7000-bc-national-museum-joins-excavation-1336500.html/, January 16, 2017

The 200-odd-year-old Tipu Sultan armoury in Kalasipaylam, which for long was ignored like it was nobody’s baby, saw some ray of hope two years ago when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) got the decks cleared for its takeover and to list it as a protected monument. After much push, the state archaeological department agreed to clear the project and hand it over to the national body. But two years since, the proposal is gathering dust and thanks to bureaucratic hurdles, Tipu’s armoury still remains an orphan as the state archaeology department has washed its hands of the historical monument, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) never had any stake over it and now, the ASI is sleeping over the proposal to take charge of it.

The centuries-old armoury garners a lot of historical importance – here is where Tipu is said to have stacked the cache of his ammunition and missiles. The armoury is situated below the ground and the style of construction is timeless, so much so the army’s magazine is also built underground, and has only one entrance – oblivious to the world and camouflaged by grass.Historians who have chronicled Bengaluru say that the missiles, rockets and ammunitions stored in the armoury were experimented in a nearby area, which later came to be known as Taramandalpet. This is close to Jumma Masjid Road near Raja Market where Tipu’s missile manufacturing unit also functioned. Every night, rockets were fired and hence the area got the name Taramandalpet.The armoury was lying in a state of neglect for a long time with the structure giving way. Since the place is almost hidden and non-descript, it had lost relevance and gained notoriety.

The local civic body and the state archaeology department showed no interest in its upkeep and the Bengaluru circle of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) carried out some restoration work in 2012. The non-governmental organisation shifted a retaining wall, opened up the original steps leading to the monument and removed a toilet illegally built along the southern wall of the armoury. Finally, after much pursuance, the then head of state archaeology department CG Betsurmath wrote to ASI giving the national body the go-ahead for the takeover as there was much scope for improvement of the circuit where Tipu’s fort and palace are situated.

The process was cleared and the state archaeology department wrote to us which was more or like an official handing over. Since two years, we have sent three reminders to the headquarters in Delhi to move the proposal, clear the decks and issue an order to bring the armoury into our fold. Till date, there is no communication and the proposal is just hanging in thin air,’’ a senior department official told Mirror.

- http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/asis-upkeep-proposal-on-tipu-armoury-misfires/articleshow/56605877.cms/, January 17, 2017

The year 2016 ended with a grim reminder of the dire state of rivers in India. An assessment of 290 rivers spread across 19 states of the country found 205 rivers to be critically polluted, thereby categorising them as ‘red’. This categorisation of rivers was done as part of a larger collaborative exercise of rating the overall health of Indian rivers based on a set of parameters to arrive at a common understanding of red (critical or destroyed), pink (threatened) and blue (wild/pristine) rivers in the country. “Assessing and rating rivers across India is an audacious exercise, but as a civil society, we embarked upon this journey because there is no comprehensive monitoring of rivers in the country,” said Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), and a member of the organising committee of India Rivers Week, which was held in November 2016 at New Delhi.

“Apart from discussions around threats faced by riverine biodiversity, river conflicts and water management, a draft report on the state of India’s rivers was also released during the India Rivers Week. It will soon be submitted to the Union ministry of water resources to collectively arrive at a roadmap for the conservation of identified rivers in the country,” said Manoj Mishra, a member of the organising committee.The Indian subcontinent is home to seven major river systems and more than 400 rivers. Anthropogenic pressures of urbanisation and sewage disposal, indiscriminate damming of rivers, discharge of untreated effluents, encroachment, deforestation and unchecked groundwater extraction, coupled with various climatic factors, have adversely affected river systems across the country.

In spite of a number of laws to check pollution and protect the rivers, water bodies are drying up quickly. “The way we are managing our river systems is suicidal. Several small rivers have completely dried up, whereas perennial rivers have become seasonal,” said Kalyan Rudra, chairperson of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board. State of India’s rivers It was two years ago that five non-profits — WWF-India, SANDRP, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Toxics Link, and Peace Institute — came together to launch a one-of-its-kind biennial event called the India Rivers Week. The idea behind this event was to generate awareness around river restoration, and to share ideas, experiences and practices of river management in the country. The second edition of this initiative was held last November under the theme ‘State of India’s Rivers’. The goal of this second India Rivers Week was to study and assess the health of rivers in all the four zones of the country.

“Several experts were identified across India to assess the health of rivers in their respective states or regions. A set of parameters were provided to them against which they had to rate the rivers and categorise them as blue, pink or red,” said Himanshu. Some of the states whose rivers were assessed as part of this collaborative exercise are Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar and Odisha. Rating was done based on the river basin approach under which the selected unit of assessment was 250 km length of the main-stem of river. Key tributaries were also identified and assessed provided they were not more than 150 km long and less than 10 km in length. Longer tributaries were considered as independent units for assessment. A total of 15 parameters were used to assess the health of the rivers. These parameters were further divided into two categories — contributors and indicators. Contributors include parameters that positively or negatively impact the health of a river, whereas indicators indicate the existing health of a river.

All the contributors and indicators for each of the selected rivers were assessed and given a rating. Areas where concrete information was missing were marked as ‘grey’. Based on the overall scenario, a river was assigned red, pink or blue category. “We are further refining these parameters and assessment tools to arrive at a people’s River Health Index (RHI), which will be a user-friendly tool that can be used by local communities and organisations to assess the state of river’s health in their area,” explained Manoj. “Rivers are under pressure from anthropogenic activities. Water scarcity in many parts of Kerala can be attributed to high rainwater runoff and loss of forest cover in the upper catchments, and more directly to sand mining and reclamation of wetlands and paddy fields.

Dams in Kerala have submerged vast stretches of indigenous domains and forests,” reads the Kerala state report. However, if sand mining is taken into consideration, then all the rivers in the state would be categorised as red.In Tamil Nadu, not even a single river is under the blue category. “Tamil Nadu has 10 major river basins of which seven are in the red category,” said Dr S Janakarajan, professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies, who prepared the status report on Tamil Nadu’s rivers. However, this does not mean that the remaining rivers in the state are safe.

“There is a lack of credible data on other rivers in the state.But, based on the ground situation, I can confidently say that there is not even a single non-polluted river in the state,” he added. The assessment of rivers in Goa has found River Mandovi, state’s lifeline, to be in the red category. “Extensive mining in the state has been silting the rivers though mining rejects, transport of the mineral by barges through rivers causes severe pollution. Ammonium nitrate, used as an explosive for mining, adds nitrates to the river water causing eutrophication,” reads Goa report prepared by Rajendra Kerkar, convenor of Goa River Conservation Network.

The situation is no better in other states. For instance, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana do not have any blue river. The draft report on the state of India’s rivers clearly lists the rivers that are extremely polluted requiring urgent attention. It also explains that rivers are much more than just water bodies. They have riverine biodiversity and sustain various forms of lives. It is the continuous flow of the rivers that settles sediments leading to the formation of rich deltas. Rivers also have a direct link with the groundwater. Over-exploitation of groundwater leads to reduction in the baseflow because of which rivers dry up. The India Rivers Week has set the agenda for management and protection of rivers in 2017 and beyond. We cannot afford not to implement it.

- http://www.deccanherald.com/content/591779/its-time-revive-our-rivers.html/, January 17, 2017

This unique architectural idea was medieval India’s ingenious answer to perennial water shortage. Hidden in plain sight, just minutes away from the bustle of New Delhi’s commercial hub, Connaught Place, is an ancient landmark unknown even to most locals. Agrasen ki baoli is a 14th-century stepwell (known as baoli or baori), a unique architectural idea that was medieval India’s ingenious answer to perennial water shortage. By creating enormous wells deep below ground, accessed by steps going down as far as 30m, these sophisticated water reservoirs tapped into difficult-to-reach underground water tables, providing a year-round water supply to locals. As I stood at the top of the 104 steps descending into the depths of the Earth at Agrasen ki baoli, I could see the high-rise city buildings in the backdrop, their white facades presenting a stunning contrast to the russet bricks disappearing into the dark. The steps were enclosed on three sides by tall walls decorated with arches, niches and passageways, none of it giving any idea of what lay underground.

American art historian and archaeologist Victoria Lautman, author of the upcoming book The Vanishing Stepwells of India, described the sensory overload of her first descent into a stepwell: “The contrasts were so pronounced, all my senses were activated: bright light became murky dark, intense heat became cool surrounding air, and the incessant din above-ground became hushed – the deeper I went the more everything transformed.” While stepwells are largely to be found in the arid north and west of India, they are not unique to those regions. In the country’s south, they take on the form of temple tanks (locally known as kalyani or pushkarani), which fulfilled essentially the same function. India’s oldest stepwell is believed to date to 600 CE, although most of those still standing were built after the 10th Century. Stepwells proliferated in public areas in towns as well as along important trade routes, and were open for use by the entire community.

As such, over time they became a social hub for travellers and for women, who would come to fetch water each day, with fine architectural and design elements incorporated into the basic structure: think graceful arches, handsome pillars and ornate carvings. Divay Gupta, a leading conservation architect and head of the Architectural Heritage Division of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), described them as “magnificent in their conception, their architecture and ornamentation, no less so than the temples and palaces of their times.” One of the grandest, the Unesco-listed Rani ki vav (vav is the local word in the west Indian state of Gujarat), was built in the 11th Century by the queen Udayamati as a gift to her people. On a cool winter morning, I explored five levels of this massive stepwell with guide Bhupendra Jadeja. Rani ki vav originally goes seven floors down, but the bottom two are currently closed to visitors due to recent earthquakes.

As I took in the exquisite statues lining the walls and supporting pillars, Jadeja shared an interesting use for these places. When women from all over the area congregated at the well, they would exchange gossip about their lives and livelihoods, which was picked up and passed on to the king by his informers: an easy and efficient intelligence network. Many stepwells, as is to be expected in India, have legends of love and valour associated with them.The most tragic of these is around the Adalaj ni vav near the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The story goes that in 1499 the kingdom was conquered by the Muslim ruler Mohammed Begda, who killed the Hindu king Rana Veer Sinh and fell in love with his beautiful widow Rani Rudabai. Rani Rudabai demanded that Begda complete the work on the stepwell begun by her husband in return for her hand in marriage. And so Adalaj ni vav took shape, a work of love expressed through its amalgamation of Hindu-Islamic styles, with intricate carvings and statues reaching five levels into the ground. When the vav was proudly presented to the loyal queen, she inspected it and then drowned herself in the waters.

Although echoes of the story have faded with time – with even many locals unaware of the site’s rich history – Adalaj remains one of the most beautiful stepwells in the region.Just 100 years ago, there were close to 3,000 of these fascinating reservoirs scattered across water-scarce regions of India. However, as a result of diminishing underground water tables, due to a growing population, and the movement towards private water sources such as taps and tanks, stepwells have fallen into disuse. British rulers also deemed stepwells unhygienic and breeding grounds for disease, filling them up with mud or sealing them off from the public.

Today, many of the remaining ancient stepwells are neglected and dilapidated; some even used as rubbish dumps. In many cases, entire communities are unaware of the existence of an old stepwell in their area or simply do not consider them significant in any way. As Bharatbhai, the tea-seller near Rani ki Vav told me with a dismissive wave of his hand, “Yes, many tourists come here these days, but the vav is all toota-phoota (broken), so I can’t really understand it.”However, despite all the dereliction, some of the better-preserved stepwells are starting to become tourist attractions. And justly so. For these examples of beautiful architecture, as well as of clever and sophisticated engineering, could be relevant again today, with India regularly facing the spectre of drought over the past few decades.“[Stepwells] could still be relevant in storing water, which is becoming very scarce and also in improving ground water table,” Gupta told me.Perhaps, there is still a future for the ancient baoli.

- http://www.malaysiandigest.com/features/653588-india-s-ancient-engineering-marvel.html/, January 17, 2017

The Sitalpati from the Cooch Behar district of Bengal has been recognised as an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Weaving sitalpati mats (‘sitalpati’ translates to ‘cool mat’, from the fact that it helps to keep cool, be it as a mat for sitting on or to hang on doors or windows during summer) is an age-old cultural tradition of Cooch Behar region.It consists of weaving together the green cane slips of the murta plants, indigenous to the region.Sitalpati has found a place in the UNESCO-sponsored Rural Craft Hub project, under which, at 10 locations in nine districts of the State, training and marketing centres and museums have been set up to help promote and market crafts indigenous to those regions, to national and international tourists.

Now, the traditional sitalpati-weaving families have earned respect and renown. Through 50 self-help groups (SHGs), promoted by the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) of the State Government, the weavers have access to loans on easy terms. They are given training to improve on the technical and marketing aspects. A museum showcasing the various types of sitalpati has been set up in Ghughumari, a well-known centre for the craft in Cooch Behar district. Importantly, the State Government is also promoting tourism centred on sitalpati.“Through these measures, the State Government is acting as a facilitator between the artistes and their crafts, and helping in bringing long-term stability to the craft and the craftspeople,” Mamata Banerjee led All India Trinamool Congress has said.

- http://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/features/unesco-recognises-cooch-behars-sitalpati-as-an-intangible-cultural-heritage/, January 17, 2017

The Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh unravel a whole new world of primal art and culture. Belying the popular myth that cavemen led a barbaric life, are the rock shelters in and around Bhimbetka , 45 kms from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. These quartzite rock formations are archival shelters for pictograph clusters on their ceilings, shielded from the vagaries of nature for a 10,000 years! Despite being the ‘World heritage sites’ the place hardly attracts the mainstream tourists or for that matter the local elite of Bhopal except a rare visitor or two with historical interest and curiosity. But once visited, it is a marvel that defies logic.

The stone-laden pathway around the forest enclosed rock shelters makes for an intriguing trek. As you wind your way, you stop in your tracks at the sight of a huge rock that opens like an arched gateway to the most awesome sight of a series of rock shelters, not exactly caves, open on both ends but with a depth to the sideways to house a family or even a community of people. The Archaeological Survey of India has done its bit in keeping the entire area very tourist-friendly, vesting it with a carefully designed wild look in keeping with the site and its pre-historic antiquity.

The figurines of the early man and his family at work in their hearth perched under a boulder to the right, greets us at the entrance to the first shelter which is more or less a sort of passage to the others nestled within the thickets not far from each other.The auditorium cave as this shelter resembles is a large tunnel leading to a cavernous chamber with three passageway exits: the whole cave gallery resembles a cross whose centre is marked by a huge rock called the ‘chief rock’. In one of the exits is an excavated portion where bones and stone implements were obviously found which have been shifted to the museum in Bhopal.

The pictographs can be missed by an untrained visitor’s eye but for the ASI guides who make it a point to accompany the tourists and draw their attention to these finely lined figures drawn carefully on the ceiling/wall of the rock totally shielded from sunlight. There is more than one reason for this: the paintings are done in white colour for most part and in thin lines which nevertheless are weather-beaten. There are some painted in red and yellow but they appear to be even less visible on first look. As we train our eye to focus on the pictures, we start deciphering the figures without the help of the guide by the time we reach the fourth and fifth rock shelter.

The zoo rock which has the maximum number of animal pictures with a huge boar attacking a hunter catches your attention. A rock shaped like a tortoise is a marvel of natural formation. The pictographs are for most part uphold the hunting imagery – of animals like the bull, the wild ass (resembling a horse), the elephant, boar ,the hunters, bow and arrow, daggers which more of less resemble the Harappan or Mohenjo Daro pictographs which were “mistakenly identified as pictorial writing but so far remained undeciphered”, says historian and archaeologist Dr. Supriya Varma of Delhi University’s Centre for Historical Studies. “We view it as ritualistic mode to convey to the next generation an inference of the way of life lived by the ancestors. It is some kind of cognitive skills, because language as communication had developed 26,000 years ago.

” But the Bhimbetka pictographs were much before the first civilisations developed across the globe. “We should not underestimate the creative abilities of these people just because they don’t figure in our connotation of ‘civilised’. Arts like dance and picture painting were in existence 25,000 years ago in certain caves of the world. In this area of MP, there are hundreds of such rock shelters which have been inhabited time and again by man right from what I would call the Mesolithic period (9000-10,000 BC). Hence there is a variation in the pictographs which obviously were additions to those made by the original inhabitants, like for instance the figure of a horse (evidence of horse 1500-1600 BC) or a marriage procession in one of the caves which contradicts the dating. Possibly these picture painting continued up to CE 1.

Intermittently these rock shelters (especially the ones near Hoshangabad ) must have been occupied in the historic period (600-400 BC) by the Buddhist monks who again added their own paintings of the Buddha to the existing ones with or without erasing the earlier ones,” states Dr. Varma.A surprisingly interesting fact is that though these rock shelters have been in existence ages ago, it was only in the 60s that they came into limelight when archaeologist Dr.Vishnu S. Wakamkar accidently chanced upon them from the train in which he was travelling.His professional enthusiasm made him alight immediately and he found himself amidst an art gallery of sorts.

Excavations began and so began dating as the motifs kept changing like cooking in stone vessels and using stone tools to pottery as seasonal occupations, the historians had to reconstruct the lives of these peoples from hunting to agriculture and so on over a long span of time.The name Bhimbhetka is fabled to be after the Pandava prince Bhima known for his prowess but this anecdote finds no place in the facts of history. Whatever be the legend, these rock-shelters are silent narrators of lives lived with zeal, zest and sensitivity to surroundings. Whoever said that rocks are lifeless?The zoo rock which has the maximum number of animal pictures with a huge boar attacking a hunter catches your attention. A rock shaped like a tortoise is a marvel of natural formation.

- http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/Reading-the-story-in-rocks/article17048393.ece/, January 17, 2017

Under the patronage and guidance of eminent citizens of Hyderabad on board, Parampara is working towards reviving art forms in temples to connect with our rich cultural heritage.The presentation of classical art forms would be in temples selected for their accessibility, aesthetic appeal and suitable space. The mission of Gudi Sambaraalu is to revive traditional performing arts on the temple premises; to create a forum that will give easy access to art forms for the common man; to disseminate knowledge of the significance of cultural symbolism and practices; to conduct many more temple festivals across the State; to provide for grants, scholarships, fellowships and other forms of financial assistance to the needy and deserving pursuing any performing art as a career to harness their skills; to provide a forum that will give free access to the general public, particularly the poor people to watch the performing arts by organising cultural events and foster awareness about the Indian culture encompassing classical dance and other performing arts and to create awareness and sensitise the younger generation to their cultural roots through various art forms.It also envisions bringing awareness and inspiring society to nurture our cultural and natural heritage, from an individual and societal level with an understanding of divinity of all creation year after year.This festival provides an opportunity to sit under ancient trees in sacred spaces and savour the performances of dedicated and reputed artists from all over the country.It creates awareness among people bringing appreciation and knowledge of the rich heritage and culture which is our proud legacy.“Our glorious dance and music can be preserved and promoted only when it is accessible, enjoyed and appreciated by people from all stratum of society,”say Shashi Reddy and Dr Srinagi B Rao, who look forward to audience support and encouragement to share the performances of different genres of dance, music and folk art with people coming from diverse cultural and economic background, opening avenues for the future generation to witness and understand the richness of their ancestry.

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hyderabad-Tab/2017-01-17/Gudi-Sambaraalu-to-tap-heritage-source/274067, January 17, 2017

Archaeologists and cultural enthusiasts are worried over the utter neglect of an ancient temple with exquisite sculptures remaining in a dilapidated condition.Described as "absolute marvels of art", the sculptures of the Ramalingeswara Temple, near Warangal, in Telangana, have been lying on the ground for years as the renovation/restoration works, ambitiously launched by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) a decade ago, were allegedly given up."The sculptures are absolute marvels of art. They cannot be let to lie on the ground as found now," said Dr R Nagaswamy, a Chennai-based veteran archaeologist.

The then state government had handed over renovation /restoration works 12 years ago to the ASI, he said and bemoaned that it was a "national shame" to have the invaluable sculptures damaged/broken, besides causing them lose the sheen.The famous temple, with a trikuta (three towers), was built in the year 1153 by the renowned Kakatiya King Ganapati who expanded his kingdom up to the northern parts of Tamil Nadu, Nagaswamy pointed out.The main temple is an abode of lord Shiva while the two other temples have Surya and Lord Vishnu as the presiding deities.A 1000-pillar hall is an outstanding testimony to the aesthetic excelolence in the works of the Kakatiya period. Nagasawamy called for immediate steps to resume the renovation/restoration works so that the cultural heritage of the Kakatiya regime could be saved for posterity.

- http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/jan/17/archaeologists-worried-over-ancient-sculptures-in-dilapidated-ramalingeswara-temple-1560606.html/, January 17, 2017

Did you know that Warangal and Hanamkonda that people always knew were twin cities, fall in what is a circular city constructed by the Kakatiyas in the 13th century?It was discovered initially in 1979 by George Michell architect, archaeologist and art historian, who described it as the only ‘circular city’ in India built with three concentric rings of walls laid out as a cosmogram.“The approaches are not in straight formation and hence people on horsebacks would have to take sharp turns, reducing their speed and making it easier for defenders of the fort city to attack the enemy. This indicates a security precaution and that is amazing,” said Mr. Michell.It has a temple of Shiva in the middle and approach gateways and the four cardinal points arranged in rotational symmetry. He was convinced about the uniqueness of the city and started wondering about how it was constructed in that period, what kind of lifting mechanisms were used, apart from men and horses and about the architecture itself.

It was then that he made up his mind to come back again and again, taking up mapping exercises over the years. He has worked on numerous research projects in different parts of India, most recently documenting the medieval Hindu capital of Vijayanagara.His publications include -- Architecture and Art of Southern India: Vijayanagara and the Successor States (1995) and City of Victory: Vijayanagara, the Medieval City of Southern India (1991) -- and the art historian has a pride of place as far as his work goes, in India.

He was delivering his presentation after the inaugural of what was described a rare international seminar on recent trends in archaeology, art history and conservation titled - Re-discovering Telangana, organised by the State’s Department of Architecture.He said in the year 2000, historian Philip found clear evidence of later occupants of Warangal Fort pulling down parts of the temples including Malik Kafur of the Sultanate of Delhi, the Bahmani rulers and the Qutb Shahis and attempting to build a mosque at the exact centre of the circular city, where was the temple. “For some reason they could not do it though,” Mr. Michell said.

Inaugurating the seminar, Telangana’s Minister for Culture and Tourism, Ajmeera Chandulal said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is focussed on reviving and protecting the State’s glorious art, culture, tradition and tradition.Others who participated at the event held at Marri Channa Reddy Human Resources Institute were Secretary-Tourism B. Venkatesham and Director-Archaeology N.R.

Visalatchy, who put it together.Ms. Visalatchy said the 2-day event had attracted seven international papers from archaeologists and art historians, apart from students. It would pave the way for a great interest henceforth, she said.

- http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-telangana/The-only-circular-city-in-India-in-13th-century/article17048248.ece, January 17, 2017

In what can be termed as a major breakthrough in exploring India’s megalithic culture, the Telangana Department of Archaeology and Museums and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have cracked the centuries old question of who were the original inhabitants of the land or human groups which migrated outside India. “It is for the first time that we can say that there is connection between West Asia and North West India and Deccan region. It can now be established genetically,” said N R Visalatchy, director of Telangana Department of Archaeology and Museums. She was speaking at the international seminar on recent trends in Archaeology, Art History and Conservation in Telangana here on Monday.

There is a clear case for land migration as against sea route. The period these people lived in was between 600 BC and 500 BC and belonged to West Asia. The findings were possible after the excavations taken up by the Department of Archaeology at Megalithic monuments of Pullur in Medak district and Khammam. The recent genetic analysis approach as well as radio carbon dating methods were applied on the bone relics recovered from the excavations. Speaking to The Hans India, Niraj Rai, scientist from CCMB, who took part in the project said, “The idea is to trace the genetic makeup of megalithic people. Who were they? From which part of the world they arrived and also find out the health implications of people of those times. We are trying to see if they had a diabetic gene? Did they suffer from other health issues such as heart ailments as well?”“For the first time we can say that there is connection between West Asia and North West India and Deccan region. It can now be established genetically.

Further studies with CCMB will also be able to prove the collapse of Harappan civilisation.”-N R Visalatchy, director of Telangana Department of Archaeology and Museums Out of the 12 samples, CCMB has just worked on three and there are umpteen possibilities. As of now though it is established that there is indeed a connection with West Asia especially from Iran, Visalatchy said that there is also a possibility of reverse migration as well as genetic strains of M30 Haplogroup (A set of mutations define the maternal ancestry) is found in Palestinians. There is a reverse flow from India into that region. Now M30 is present in modern population in North India.

It threw a lot of questions such as what were the religious beliefs of megalithic people. How was their society organised and where do they fit into the historical narrative of Indian sub-continent. Niraj Rai said, “There is possibility that people from Telangana going to West Asia as M 30 and M 4 mutation provided evidence. M30 haplogroup is found in Palestinians there is a reverse flow from India into that region. It threw a lot of questions. Now M30 is present in modern population in North India” There are many similarities that include the location of burials with preference to safeguard agri-land and pastures, preference to cardinal directions; funerary objects include iron, horse skulls and horse bones. Several questions, such as were they horse breeders, arose. Out of the one per cent of the objects found, 25 to 25 per cent were of tin. The practise of cremation also found to be secondary burials with cup marks but a few cremations were also found.

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-01-17/Megalithic-code-deciphered/273998, January 17, 2017

Did you know that India is the largest user of groundwater in the world? According to a World Bank Report, around two thirds of India’s aquifers will be in a critical condition in the next 20 years. As India gets ready to ink a deal for a Rs 6,000-crore groundwater scheme, we take a look at India’s groundwater situation and how this new scheme could change things. A Water-Starved Condition Groundwater is a critical resource for our country. Over half the irrigated agricultural areas and 85% of our potable water is dependent on groundwater. This reliance on groundwater has sadly not made us more vigilant about safeguarding this resource. A 2016 World Bank report made it clear that our groundwater levels are sharply falling with over 50% of the aquifers showing a downward trend.

Worryingly, the fall in groundwater has a series of consequences: Over 50% of the country is already facing high to extremely high water stress. Groundwater is our insurance in years where rainfall is below expected levels. Over-drawing of groundwater has led to the available groundwater becoming contaminated by high levels of arsenic and fluoride. On top of that, the groundwater available in many parts of the country is severely polluted. Climate change is expected to wreak havoc with water levels – if we don’t put sensible precautionary plans in place now, trying to repair the damage later will be close to impossible. The National Groundwater Management Improvement Programme Partly funded by a World Bank loan, this Rs 6,000-crore scheme has the ambitious goal of “sustainable management of groundwater by addressing supply as well as demand side to reduce groundwater consumption.”

The main features of the scheme are: The project will be implemented between 2017 and 2022. It especially focuses on the “dark zones” in the country. Dark zones are areas where over-exploitation of groundwater is acute and where the withdrawal of water exceeds the recharge. The dark zone problem is visible across the country – Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are just some of the states facing the dark zone crisis; The scheme won’t replace existing water programmes, but will be integrated with them; It will look at both infrastructure and policy aspects in an effort to tackle the problem holistically. Thus, it will aim to not just build more rainwater-harvesting units, but also look at policy issues like the monoculture cropping profile in India and the reasons for irrigation inefficiencies in the country.

Groundwater: The Legal Framework In India, the current legal regime gives ownership of groundwater to the owner of the land below which the water flows. Given that water cannot, by its very nature be thought of in a piece-meal manner, this creates huge problems for its management. Water is also a state subject in India and there are a large number of different state laws dealing with different aspects of water and water management. While this has the advantage of being sensitive to local diversity and socio-economic conditions, it can be inimical for a planned and coordinated water conservation effort. Recognising the need for a harmonious water management framework, the Centre has published Model Bills for states to use in drafting their own laws. Importantly, there is a fundamental right to water in India. Several cases before the Supreme Court has now established water as a part of the Right to Life under Article 21. Conclusion A number of factors have contributed to this crisis and it’s hard to pin the blame on any one culprit – of course, this means that solving the issue of groundwater exploitation just got that much harder!

It is important to remember, however, that groundwater conservation involves both top-down and bottom-up solutions. It’s critical to involve local communities in stewarding water resources and to avoid a one-size fits all approach towards conservation methods.

- https://www.thequint.com/environment/2017/01/17/climate-change-water-woes-conservations-saving-indias-dwindling-groundwater-is-urgent-drought, January 17, 2017

Unesco & railways to sign pact for conservation of hill train, blueprint in 2 years
Unesco and the Indian Railways will sign an agreement for preparing a conservation guideline for the century-old Darjeeling Himalayan Railway on January 20. The railways had approached Unesco to draw up a Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) for the DHR. Recently, the railway department transferred Rs 3.21 crore to the Unesco to formulate the conservation plan. Signing of the agreement would mean a formal launch of the CCMP," said a railway source. "Initial work for the CCMP has already begun. The Indian Railways is very clear that it wants to preserve the DHR. Since this is a specialised job, expert feedback and opinions are needed. The Unesco, with its expertise, will draw up a plan for the DHR."Railway minister Suresh Prabhu and Shigeru Aoyagi, the director and Unesco representative of India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka, will sign the agreement in Darjeeling, sources said.The CCMP is expected to be drawn up within two years.

The Unesco had given a heritage tag to the DHR in 1999 and the CCMP was to have been formulated within five years. But the project had not been taken up.In the CCMP, apart from identifying the core, buffer and heritage areas, Unesco would create an inventory of DHR assets, come up with guidelines on how to maintain the old heritage structure and document craftsmen associated with the DHR.The DHR started operating from 1881 and now, it has 13 century-old steam locos and six diesel engines."A detailed guideline on how to maintain steam engines, wagons and machinery and a manual for repair of stations would be drawn up under the plan. Integrating the local population and creating a local conservation unit will also be an important aspect of the plan," said the railway source.Last year, a Unesco team had visited the DHR to conduct a survey and sources said there were plans to set up a separate management unit here for the the DHR.

The total annual expenditure to run the hill railway is Rs 15 crore and sources said that for the first time since Independence, the DHR was looking at breaking even.G. Ram, the general manager of Northeast Frontier Railway, had said: "In the last fiscal, we had collected around Rs 5 crore. The figure is expected to be more than Rs 10 crore this year and in the next fiscal, we intend to break even."

- https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170118/jsp/siliguri/story_130910.jsp#.WIG1qFN97IU, January 17, 2017

Unesco & railways to sign pact for conservation of hill train, blueprint in 2 years
Unesco and the Indian Railways will sign an agreement for preparing a conservation guideline for the century-old Darjeeling Himalayan Railway on January 20. The railways had approached Unesco to draw up a Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) for the DHR. Recently, the railway department transferred Rs 3.21 crore to the Unesco to formulate the conservation plan. Signing of the agreement would mean a formal launch of the CCMP," said a railway source. "Initial work for the CCMP has already begun. The Indian Railways is very clear that it wants to preserve the DHR. Since this is a specialised job, expert feedback and opinions are needed. The Unesco, with its expertise, will draw up a plan for the DHR."Railway minister Suresh Prabhu and Shigeru Aoyagi, the director and Unesco representative of India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka, will sign the agreement in Darjeeling, sources said.The CCMP is expected to be drawn up within two years.

The Unesco had given a heritage tag to the DHR in 1999 and the CCMP was to have been formulated within five years. But the project had not been taken up.In the CCMP, apart from identifying the core, buffer and heritage areas, Unesco would create an inventory of DHR assets, come up with guidelines on how to maintain the old heritage structure and document craftsmen associated with the DHR.The DHR started operating from 1881 and now, it has 13 century-old steam locos and six diesel engines."A detailed guideline on how to maintain steam engines, wagons and machinery and a manual for repair of stations would be drawn up under the plan. Integrating the local population and creating a local conservation unit will also be an important aspect of the plan," said the railway source.Last year, a Unesco team had visited the DHR to conduct a survey and sources said there were plans to set up a separate management unit here for the the DHR.

The total annual expenditure to run the hill railway is Rs 15 crore and sources said that for the first time since Independence, the DHR was looking at breaking even.G. Ram, the general manager of Northeast Frontier Railway, had said: "In the last fiscal, we had collected around Rs 5 crore. The figure is expected to be more than Rs 10 crore this year and in the next fiscal, we intend to break even."

- https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170118/jsp/siliguri/story_130910.jsp#.WIG1qFN97IU, January 17, 2017

The tea garden, which had passed on to the state-owned Assam Tea Corporation (ATC) is not in good shape, and the original tea factory that Agarwala had converted into a make-shift film studio in 1933 is also in a dilapidated condition. A 100-year old tea garden factory at Bholaguri that Jyotiprasad Agarwala –father of modern Assamese culture – had converted into a film studio to make the first Assamese film way back 1933, was on Tuesday declared a heritage property with chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal saying the state government would henceforth look after it. “It was a record of sorts that the doyen of modern Assamese culture had converted this tea factory at Bholaguri into a film studio and made the first film more than eight decades ago.

The government will preserve it as a heritage property and look after its conservation,” Sonowal said. He was speaking at a function on the occasion of the 65th death anniversary of Agarwala, observed as Shilpi Divas in Assam. Sonowal recalled the story of how Agarwala had taken pains to set up an improvised film studio called Chitraban Studio in his family-owned tea garden at Bholaguri, about 310 km east of Guwahati, and how he had produced a film with local artists who had not even seen one in their lives. “It is a very inspiring story or courage, dedication and patriotism.

We have to preserve this heritage structure for posterity,” he said. The tea garden, which had passed on to the state-owned Assam Tea Corporation (ATC) is not in good shape, and the original tea factory that Agarwala had converted into a make-shift film studio in 1933 is also in a dilapidated condition.Recalling Agarwala’s contributions, chief minister Sonowal said he was not just a pioneer filmmaker and artist. “Jyotiprasad was also a great revolutionary and freedom fighter, and his patriotic songs continue to inspire generation after generation,” he said. The chief minister also gave away the annual Shilpi Divas awards to singer Mridula Das and musician Ramen Choudhury, and unveiled a bust of the artist at Bholaguri.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/guwahati/tea-factory-that-was-assams-first-film-studio-to-become-a-heritage-property/, January 17, 2017

The tea garden, which had passed on to the state-owned Assam Tea Corporation (ATC) is not in good shape, and the original tea factory that Agarwala had converted into a make-shift film studio in 1933 is also in a dilapidated condition. A 100-year old tea garden factory at Bholaguri that Jyotiprasad Agarwala –father of modern Assamese culture – had converted into a film studio to make the first Assamese film way back 1933, was on Tuesday declared a heritage property with chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal saying the state government would henceforth look after it. “It was a record of sorts that the doyen of modern Assamese culture had converted this tea factory at Bholaguri into a film studio and made the first film more than eight decades ago.

The government will preserve it as a heritage property and look after its conservation,” Sonowal said. He was speaking at a function on the occasion of the 65th death anniversary of Agarwala, observed as Shilpi Divas in Assam. Sonowal recalled the story of how Agarwala had taken pains to set up an improvised film studio called Chitraban Studio in his family-owned tea garden at Bholaguri, about 310 km east of Guwahati, and how he had produced a film with local artists who had not even seen one in their lives. “It is a very inspiring story or courage, dedication and patriotism.

We have to preserve this heritage structure for posterity,” he said. The tea garden, which had passed on to the state-owned Assam Tea Corporation (ATC) is not in good shape, and the original tea factory that Agarwala had converted into a make-shift film studio in 1933 is also in a dilapidated condition.Recalling Agarwala’s contributions, chief minister Sonowal said he was not just a pioneer filmmaker and artist. “Jyotiprasad was also a great revolutionary and freedom fighter, and his patriotic songs continue to inspire generation after generation,” he said. The chief minister also gave away the annual Shilpi Divas awards to singer Mridula Das and musician Ramen Choudhury, and unveiled a bust of the artist at Bholaguri.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/guwahati/tea-factory-that-was-assams-first-film-studio-to-become-a-heritage-property/, January 17, 2017

Urdu language is the cultural heritage of all Indians and does not belong to a particular religion, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said today as he emphasised on communication in regional languages. “It is very important to communicate with the people in their own language…Urdu language is a cultural heritage of all Indians. It does not belong to one religion, but to the entire country,” he said while inaugurating Indian Institute of Mass Communication’s (IIMC) PG Diploma course in Urdu Journalism here. He said Urdu journalism, which played an important role in the freedom struggle, is an integral part of the media and communication landscape of the country. The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister called upon the institute to strive for journalism courses in all Indian languages in order to cater to the communication needs of the citizens across the country. He also congratulated IIMC for starting courses in two regional languages– Marathi and Malayalam.

Stating that he was “not against English”, the minister said communication in English was “not mass communication but a class communication”. Meanwhile, to a query regarding Opposition’s demand for presenting the Budget after the polls, he said the Budget is a “regular and annual” affair and is not state-specific, but for the entire country. “The Opposition is rattled because they realise that they are losing elections. They have no issues and are trying to divert the attention of the people on flimsy grounds. They try to make issues out of nothing. Now, they are talking about Budget and social security. Social security is very much need of the country,” he said.

Stressing that students aspiring to become journalists must ensure that news and views were not mixed, he urged them to keep abreast with the latest developments, new technology and modes of communication and inculcate the habit of reading to remain relevant and effective. Naidu also inaugurated the 67th diploma course in Development Journalism and launched the IIMC Journal ‘Communicator’. The 67th batch of Development Journalism course at IIMC has 23 scholars (12 females and 11 males) from 19 different countries.

- http://www.india.com/news/india/urdu-lang-cultural-heritage-of-all-indians-naidu-1765714/, January 17, 2017

Jammu and Kashmir government today said it has submitted a recovery plan to save the endangered Hangul deer from extinction to the central government for approval and funding to the tune of Rs 25.72 crores over a period of five years."The department has submitted a Hangul recovery plan to Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for approval and funding involving financial implication to the tune of Rs 2572.80 lakh (25.72 crores) over a period of five years," Forest Minister Lal Singh said in reply to a question of PDP member Vikramaditya Singh in Legislative Council.

He said that the plan provides under component ex-situ conservation, completion of construction and maintenance of conservation breeding centre as well other provisions like veterinarians, research fellows, collection plan training and Red Deer breeding expertise consultancy. Hangul, also called the Kashmir stag, is the state animal of Jammu and Kashmir.

The forest minister said that a long term Hangul Conservation Action Plan was prepared with the technical assistance from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. It has been approved and included in the list of species under the Species Recovery Programme being funded through the umbrella scheme Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, he said. "The action plan was initiated in the year 2008-09. The implementation of the project will give an opportunity for the conservation of this unique species along with the rich biodiversity in the Dachigam national park and other habitats of the Hangul," Singh said. The minister said that the major concern highlighted in the action plan is the decline in the population of the species and significant decrease in female and fawn ration. "Such a low population is at a high risk of extinction due to confinement and inbreeding," he said. He said that the focus of the plan is the recovery of the declining Hangul population from existing endangered status.

"Under this broad aim, the plan includes improving the recruitment in the adult population, restore the shrinking habitat range of species, the action plan aims at four major outcomes for the conservation of the species," he said. He said that the plan will focus to improve survival rate of the young fawns so as to ensure their recruitment into adult population, reduction of disturbance in the summer habitat range of the species so that the animals can use wider range of habitat, particularly during breeding season. It also includes the identification and prioritisation of relic habitats based on their ecological status, and suitability and connectivity with the existing habitat of Dachigam national park.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jandampk-govt-submits-hangul-recovery-plan-to-centre/1/859574.html, January 17, 2017

Hooli village in Savadatti taluk is home to many ancient temples that date back to the Chalukya era. The sculptures that adorn the temple walls attest to the amazing workmanship and skill of the sculptors of that period. However, most of these temples have fallen into a state of disrepair, owing largely to neglect. Although the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took up restoration on the temples, the work was halted. With a large number of temples, ancient wells,

inscriptions and other monuments, Hooli is a hotbed of archaeological activity, along with Badami and Aihole. The Panchalingeshwara temple in the village comes under the ambit of the ASI, which started restoration work on it, along with six other temples including the Agastheshwara temple two years ago.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/restoration-of-ancient-temples-at-hooli-unscientific-say-historians/articleshow/56631294.cms, January 18, 2017

A six-year-long reconstruction and conservation work of the ‘kalyana mandapam’ at Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal would be completed within months, announced Director-Conservation, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), R.S. Jhamwal.A decision to this effect was taken at a marathon meeting that he held with former professor, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal, M. Panduranga Rao, Superintending Archaeologist N. Taher and ‘Sthapathi’ Sivakumar here on Monday. The announcement came at a two-day international seminar on recent trends in archaeology, art history and conservation on the theme ‘Re-discovering Telangana’ organised by the Department of Archaeology that concluded here on Tuesday at Marri Channa Reddy Human Resources Development Institute.

Mr. Panduranga Rao said the endeavour of pulling apart the 800-year-old structure and reconstruction, involved an expenditure of ?7.5 crore. At certain points in time, over a 100 sculptors would be at work. While 119 pillars were re-installed, 13 more that either chipped or broken in parts were also put together, he said.The historic temple complex that stands as a shining example of Kakatiya architecture had a built-up area of 1,000 sq. metres. It had, around 1900, collapsed in part and was propped up years later and now the process of its complete reconstruction and strengthening would soon come to a close. “I said six months, but Mr.

Jhamwal set a four-month deadline. It will get a new lease of life without the use of reinforced cement, but only the traditional lime and mortar,” Mr. Rao explained, adding that the ASI, together with technological support from NIT, had ‘re-built the imposing structure without a millimetre of variation, using sand-box technology’. On the sidelines, Mr. Taher said it was a perfect example of archaeological, engineering precision and conservation work was completely in sync.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/%E2%80%98Kalyana-mandapam%E2%80%99-reconstruction-at-Thousand-Pillar-Temple-to-be-over-soon/article17052136.ece, January 18, 2017

The ministry has circulated a Cabinet note proposing to amend the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 to this effect. THE CULTURE Ministry has proposed that construction should be allowed in the “prohibited area” around archaeological monuments, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, if it is “public works” and funded by the central government.

The ministry has circulated a Cabinet note proposing to amend the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 to this effect. Currently, no construction is allowed in the “prohibited area” — the immediate 100-metre radius around monuments — except for repair and renovation of the existing structure. The ministry has proposed that construction activity related to infrastructure or essential to public safety and security should be allowed. Once the amendment is passed by Cabinet, it will be tabled in the Budget Session of Parliament.

The National Monuments Authority, which currently grants permission for construction in the “regulated area” — 200-metre radius around monuments — will continue to vet requests for new construction from central government departments. However, if the provision for allowing construction is included in law, it may have little say in the matter.

The Law Ministry has already given its consent to the nature and form of the amendment proposed. Section 20A of the Act, which currently provides protection to monuments from construction activities, will thus have a new definition of “public works” — that which is financed and constructed by the central government. “In certain cases, it has become very difficult or almost impossible to shift the project from the designated location because of space constraint or land ownership or due to appropriateness of that particular spot for the project,” says the Cabinet note.

It also lists a few examples: # An elevated road in front of Akbar’s tomb in Agra, proposed by the National Highways Authority of India, cannot be permitted due to an “absolute embargo on any construction whatsoever”. # Construction of a railway line near Rani-Ki-Vav, a World Heritage Site in Patan, Gujarat, was not allowed. The alignment of the line had to be shifted away from the site, says the note. # Extension of a hospital building near Tipu Sultan’s palace in Bengaluru, a centrally protected monument, has “also run into similar difficulty since it was hit by the prohibitory provisions of the Act”.

When contacted, Navneet Soni, Member Secretary, National Monuments Authority, told The Indian Express: “There are a few instances of large public infrastructure works in the vicinity of monuments. By works, we mean large works of public interest, not anything and everything. The law now does not allow such works in the prohibited area… As and when a proposal comes, the NMA will take a decision.”

Meanwhile, government sources said informal discussions indicated that the inter-ministerial consultation over the proposal may take up certain suggestions like allowing public works not just financed by the central government but also partially funded with private money, to account for increasing public-private-partnerships in the country’s infrastructure sector. There are about 3,600 protected monuments and sites across India.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/india/allow-public-works-in-prohibited-areas-of-monuments-culture-ministry-akbar-tomb-4479420/, January 18, 2017

You can simply call a 'green ambulance' that will reach in your area and water the plants. Aiming to improve green cover in the city, a city-based NGO has launched these ambulances visit different areas and take care of the saplings.

"Number of saplings are planted during several drives but many of them wither away as not enough care is taken later. We introduced the green ambulances to ensure that these saplings survive and grow into trees. The VMC has provided two three-wheeled vehicles that have been converted into green ambulances," said Bhavesh Lodaya, trustee of Pagdand that operates these ambulances. "These ambulances carry water and fertilizers along with a gardener who nurtures the plants. We have planted about 12,000 saplings in different areas in the city and these green ambulances take care of each of these plants," said Nishith Dand, trustee of the NGO. These green ambulances currently go on 10 different routes Makarpura, Gotri, Gorwa, Karelibaug and other areas.

"If any citizen sees a plant that needs watering in any area, they can call on our helpline 90998 10420 and our volunteer Viral Chaudhary will reach there with the green ambulance that serves citizens for free. We plan to increase the number of ambulances soon," Lodaya said and added that they have organized a conclave Sang Manch in the city on Wednesday to discuss biodiversity and environment protection.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/now-call-green-ambulance-to-save-withering-saplings/articleshow/56632923.cms, January 18, 2017

A multi-institutional team of researchers has reported the discovery of three new plant species from Kerala, throwing new light on the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats.The team led by C.N.Sunil, Associate Professor, SNM College, Maliankara, has published their findings in three international journals. One of the new species, named Phyllanthus balakrishnanii, was discovered from the rocky mountains of Shoolamudi hills, the highest peak in the Edamalayar forest range, Ernakulam. Belonging to the gooseberry family, the shrub is distinguished by its red warted fruits.

The plant was named after N.P.Balakrishnan, former scientist, Botanical Survey of India, who conducted the detailed survey of the gooseberry group of plants in India. The scientific description of the new species was published in the international journal Phytotaxa.The second new species, Isachne edamalayarensis, was discovered from the marshy areas in the Variyam tribal colony in the Edamalayar forests and named after its habitat. The creeping perennial belongs to the grass family Poacaea. The finding has been reported in the Nordic Journal of Botany published from Sweden.

The third new species, Fimbristylis pokkudaniana, belonging to the sedge family Cyperaceae was reported from Madayipara, a biodiversity- rich laterite area in Kannur. Growing upto 16 cm high and marked by dark brown inflorescence, the species was named after Pokkudan, an environmental activist known for his efforts to protect and propagate mangroves in North Kerala. The discovery has been published in Botany Letters, an international journal published from France.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/Three-new-plant-species-reported-from-Kerala/article17053952.ece, January 18, 2017

Historian Mohammed Silar has won the best research paper award for highlighting the pathetic state of heritage and historical sites in and around Machilipatnam town. Mr. Silar, a retired Special Deputy Collector, had drawn the attention of his fraternity and other scholars in the field of history for his field-level research on the conservation status of at least 22 historical sites in the port town during the Andhra Pradesh History Congress-2017 organised recently in Anantapur. Mr. Silar was awarded in the category of modern history of Andhra Pradesh during the history Congress. The places which still cry for conservation include 1,864 memorial, Nizam hospital, European tombs and St. Mary’s Church which is known as the Taj Mahal of South India.“The port town has an illustrious history.

The people of Machilipatnam are unable to celebrate the grandeur of these heritage sites which have a full potential to attract tourists,” Mr. Silar said. In his research, Mr. Silar had brought into light that many historical sites, including European tombs, are in the hands of private people. A site at Bandarkota village, where once Khair-Un-Nissa, granddaughter of Hyderabad Nizam, lived became cattle shed, Mr. Silar said.The AP History Congress has published the research work compiling research papers presented by historians of Andhra Pradesh.

“The Archaeological Survey of India and the State Tourism Department should realise the need for renovation and beautification of the historical sites of Machilipatnam, which was once administrative seat for the Dutch, French and the British,” Mr. Silar said.Mr. Silar has penned two books on history of Machilipatnam, ‘Tarataraala Bandar Charitra’ and ‘Bandar Sarwaswam’.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/Protect-heritage-sites-in-and-around-Masula-Historian/article17052042.ece, January 18, 2017

If Old Goa was to be conserved through proper planning, it would have helped 'upscale' its heritage value on par with the world's great old cities. Archaeological parks could have been set up in Goa's former capitals — Chandrapur in Chandor and Gopakapattan in Agasaim-Goa Velha. Then there's Raj Bid, a historic 65-feet-broad paved road used for trade from Gopakapattan to Old Goa. All these and more were part of draft proposals of the Task Force for Regional Plan (RP) 2021. But heritage lovers are crying foul, emphasizing that Goa's priceless heritage assets haven't been marked in RP 2021, notified in 2011. "RP 2021 does not reflect any protection to historical and heritage sites and monuments," says Prajal Sakhardande, president of Goa heritage action group (GHAG).

"It only goes on to prove that historical heritage is least on the government's priority." Land ownership and other factors may be hurdles in pursuing draft recommendations in Chandor and Agasaim, but Old Goa could have been saved. The former capital is considered richer than some other world cities for its multi-layered history covering eras of the Kadamba and Adil Shahi dynasties, and over four centuries of Portuguese rule. Outline development plans (ODPs) are also causing havoc with conservation zones in Goa's towns.

Designated a world heritage site by Unesco three decades ago, Old Goa is now tragically reduced to a small cluster of churches and monuments in the core area. Conserving it as a historic site, integrally with its monuments and outlying archaeological sites, should have been the vision for its protection, heritage lovers say. "The draft RPG had raised hopes as a policy document for the first time, with a vision of mindful development instead of a piece-meal approach to conservation," said Poonam Verma Mascarenhas, a conservation architect.

"It had highlighted eco-sensitive zones and graded them 1, 2, 3. An archaeological park in Old Goa and two other sites was also recommended" But Sakhardande says RP 2021 is bad for Goa's built and historical heritage to say. "The three parks, Raj Bid, Hatkatro Khambo in Old Goa and other archaeological ruins and sites have been ignored," he lamented. The outer fortification wall of Old Goa's city of yore and the Raj Bid trail span across the Kadamba plateau. It has many other unexplored archaeological sites and parcels of privately-owned forests. "The plateau has been sold to builders, and they are ravaging its historical and natural heritage," Sakhardande said.

A town and country planning (TCP) department official said that Old Goa is a mixed bag with archaeological survey of India and national monuments authority exercising control over the area. "The heritage trail is marked on the plan and setbacks are adhered to," the official said, but did not comment further. But sources alleged that the lack of political will is delaying implementation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010, or enforcement of existing laws, due to a misconception that it may hamper development in Old Goa. As a result, the world heritage site has been marred by unplanned construction.

But heritage conservation is not about restricting development or staying in the past. The draft RP 2021 had provided a vision of a mindful development, building on the past and utilizing all resources prudently, says Mascarenhas. "Old Goa is a world-class special zone, a city with a theme of Rome of the Orient. The entire area has much more potential of discovery as well as interpretation of the past, which is what is being threatened," she explained. The former capital is detached from present development. "The buildings on the Kadamba plateau have no character nor linkage with Old Goa. Vistas with a series of open spaces which can also act as a buffer zone need to be created to visually connect the old fabric with the new," Dean D'Cruz, architect, said.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/lust-for-concrete-tarnishes-the-gold-of-old/articleshow/56633984.cms, January 18, 2017

Delhi High Court today pulled up the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) for not yet deciding on whether 62 buildings in Pragati Maidan here, including the Hall of Nations and Nehru Pavilion, need to be declared as 'modern heritage' and be protected. "Everybody is passing the buck. No one wants to take a decision," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said and asked HCC why it started the process for determining modern heritage status of post-Independence buildings based on a list of buildings sent by INTACH when it had to come from the local bodies."On what basis did you start the process if it (list) was to come from the local bodies? Why don't you finalise it and take a decision within 10 days," the court asked HCC. However, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) which owns the Hall of Nations and Nehru Pavilion objected to the HCC taking a decision on the issue, saying waiting for them to decide would further delay the project for setting up a world class facility replacing these two buildings.

The court said if HCC says that the two buildings, whose demolition has been put on hold, are not heritage structures then that is the end of the matter. "If they (HCC) say that the buildings have to be protected then we will have to see what needs to be done," it said. Thereafter, ITPO lawyers contended that this issue of protecting these buildings was raised earlier in another plea and sought time to place that matter before the court tomorrow. In view of the submission made by ITPO, the court listed the plea of INTACH for hearing tomorrow.The court had earlier expressed displeasure over the HCC not having any criteria for deciding 'modern heritage' status of post-Independence buildings in the national capital ever since the panel was set up in 2004.

INTACH, in its plea, has alleged "complete abdication" of responsibility by HCC and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) to protect the city's "contemporary architectural heritage". Besides the Hall of Nations, other modern structures that INTACH has sought to be protected include India International Centre, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Lotus Temple (Bahai House of Worship), Sri Ram Centre for Performing Arts and Crafts Museum which currently are not protected under any law.

- http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/hc-raps-hcc-for-not-deciding-heritage-status-of-pragati-maidan-117011801235_1.html, January 18, 2017

This impact on ecology has given rise to a rapid increase in burning of fossil fuels, emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, large-scale deforestation, loss of biodiversity, severe land degradation and environmental pollution.Time and again, we are confronted with massive changes around the world that bear testimony to the haunting impact of the ever-changing climate.The phenomenon is posing a mighty challenge and Delhi girl Digantika Mitra has taken a pledge to alleviate it.Digantika has taken to crowdfunding to raise funds for her travel to the 'Leadership on the Edge - 2041's International Antarctic Expedition on Climate Change' as the Indian representative.According to her, climate change is the "single largest and most important issue facing mankind today" and she feels it is very important to educate one self and the people around to mitigate the challenge.An employee at Google, Digantika is one of the 100 people selected for the expedition, from more than 5000 applications.

"As I read up, watch documentaries and learn more about climate change, I have started to understand that this is the single largest and most important issue facing mankind today."However, very little is known and being done by most of us because climate change does not impact our everyday lives yet. That is why I want to become more conscious and build awareness in any way that I can before it is too late," Digantika writes about her online crowdfunding campaign onwishberry.Com.The program, which is hosted by world renowned environmentalist Dr Robert Swan, seeks to bring together individuals from across the world to experience the effects of climatic change in real time and brainstorm solutions to combat them.

Once back, Digantika wishes to share her experience from the expedition and encourage others to understand the devastating effects of climate change and take action."I want to develop a program to educate leaders in corporates to consider the effect their decisions can have on climate change."Based on my experience, many people working in corporates are interested in helping ensure sustainable development but don't have the time to figure out how to," she writes.She says she would use her acumen as a programmer to make it easier for corporates to create schedules that can easily fit into their busy routines.

"I will also create leadership modules with a focus on climate change for corporates, organizations, students and entrepreneurs," she writes.Having started off with a target of raising Rs 6 lakhs, Digantika has already procured Rs 2,97,128 and needs to raise the remaining amount in another 25 days, to be able to be a part of the expedition.

-http://zeenews.india.com/environment/combating-climate-change-delhi-girl-crowdfunds-to-fight-phenomenon_1968400.html, January 18, 2017

A private sanitation company was caught letting out untreated sewage into a pit dug near the Cooum river bank along the Poonamallee High Road near Mogappair. Photographs taken by TOI on January 9 revealed that the workers were disposing of the waste from the sewer truck as they did not want to take the trouble of driving up to the nearby sewage treatment plant (STP) at Koyambedu where they could unload the waste for Rs 100. Metrowater officials said they would contact the firm and initiate action in coordination with the traffic police and the regional transport authority (RTO). Metrowater runs STPs at Perungudi, Koyambedu, Nesapakkam and Koyambedu, with a total capacity to treat 550 million litres of sewage daily. However, the city generates sewage amounting to nearly 2,000 million litres a day (MLD).

Much of the excess sewage is illegally dumped into the Adyar, the Cooum, the Buckingham Canal and other water bodies through sewer lorries and storm water drains by residents and commercial establishments. In March last year, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) fined Dr MGR University Rs 40 lakh for discharging sewage into the Cooum. The tribunal also directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to initiate criminal proceedings against the university. The directive came after TNPCB submitted a report saying Dr MGR University Research & Educational Institute at Maduravoyal, Thai Moogambigai Dental College & Hospital at Mogappair, Thai Moogambigai Polytechnic College at Nerkundram and two of the university's hostels at Maduravoyal were letting untreated sewage into the Cooum.

Social activist Jawahar Shanmugam, who has been campaigning for desilting of the Buckingham Canal in the NGT, said, "Several hundred IT firms and gated communities along Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have no Metrowater sewer connections and end up dumping waste into the Buckingham Canal." The Perungudi STP treats about 100 MLD sewage generated in surrounding areas like Thiruvanmiyur and Adyar. "The TNPCB must come out with a list of violators and ensure illegal dumping is stopped at once. Until then our rivers will only serve as sewer canals."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/pvt-lorries-dumping-sewage-into-water-bodies/articleshow/56653240.cms?null, January 18, 2017

To generate awareness about Ganga cleaning programme, a cadre of thousands of youths will be groomed as volunteers to be deployed in villages along the river to raise clean Ganga consciousness among the local dwellers and visitors. The step which is being taken under central government’s flagship Namami Gange programme emphasizes on using the zeal of the young to engender support of people from all walks of life in conservation of the river, which faces rapid contamination from domestic and industrial effluents. The project has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has been entrusted with the task of building capacities of more than 20,000 young men and women from Ganga basin states, so that they can represent Namami Gange programme as “Swachhta Doots”.

From over 20,000 informed youth motivators, as many as 50 enthusiastic spearhead campaigners would be identified and trained for a week. These campaigners will then be asked to lead this army of the young in their assigned jurisdictions in spreading the message of clean Ganga. All this will be done in consultation with village youth clubs. The youth, once trained, would exhort and motivate local population and tourists to refrain from polluting river Ganga. The volunteers would not only educate the target audience about the adverse consequences of polluting Ganga but will also be an asset in providing information on existing government activities like construction of toilets, water harvesting and conservation for creation of a comprehensive database in coordination with National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the implementing arm of Namami Gange programme.

The project envisages deployment of the youth in 29 districts spanning about 2,336 villages along the river in Ganga basin States of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. One project officer will be assigned to each district.

- http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/jan/18/government-ropes-in-youths-ganga-cleaning-programme-1560929.html, January 18, 2017

Official records show that there are just 41 step wells in the State while a survey by HDF finds 75 more. Imagine being in an arid, parched part of the youngest State of India. You badly want water, but all you see is miles of nothingness. And suddenly you find several flights of stairs leading to water. No, its not a mirage! These are ‘step wells’ - wonderful structures that are now virtually forgotten. They are in a shambles and in a state of disuse. According to official records, there are just 41 of these in the State.

In contrast, a team of Hyderabad Design Forum (HDF), a guild of architects with an archaeological bent of mind, that undertook a three-week survey found 75 more of such step wells, across the State with the exception of the twin cities and Mahabubnagar district.The HDF focussed on three of them for a closer analysis - Kolanpaka in Aler mandal, Rachakonda in Narayanpur mandal of Nalgonda district and Raigir in Bhongir mandal of Yadadri district. On the sidelines of the recently-concluded international seminar on archaeology titled ‘Rediscovering Telangana’, Yeshwant Ramamurthy of the forum said they were yet to complete the survey.However, he drew attention to the point that after it was completed and the number of step wells established more accurately, they could go about their restoration.Once restored, they could be integrated with the Telangana government’s Mission Kakatiya programme of restoring tanks and wells in the State to see that they could store water during monsoon. He hastened to add though, that it was too early to be talking of the extent of land they could irrigate.The immediate benefits of such a drive would be that they would have water that could be used for drinking too, considering that on an average, each of them holds about 24 lakh litres.“There is a scientific angle too.

During Bathukamma, women play with floral decorations and they finally immerse them in the nearest water source - in this case, these wells. Natural beauty agents in these flowers dissolve in the water and purify it, giving them medicinal properties,” he said.The HDF heard other interesting tales. There was a ‘dongala baavi’ (well of thieves) in Medak district where robbers would split the loot at night and a ‘Sringara baavi’ which the legendary Rani Rudrama Devi would visit at night for her beauty bath, disguised as a boy!

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/The-forgotten-step-wells-of-Telangana/article17056598.ece, January 19, 2017

A deal to allow cruise ships to pass between India and Bangladesh in the world’s largest mangrove could open the way for deeper cooperation between the countries along shared rivers. The governments of Bangladesh and India are planning to sign an agreement to run cruise ships between the two countries. This will give tourists from both countries the opportunity to navigate the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, in a single trip. The two countries have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and the deal will be signed during the upcoming visit of Bangladeshi Premier Sheikh Hasina in Delhi in February, a Bangladeshi high official working in the Shipping Ministry told thethirdpole.net.

“Now we are discussing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), under which the cruise ships as well as the routes will be operated,” said Md Rafiqul Islam, additional secretary of the Shipping Ministry, Bangladesh. Quoting from the MoU, he said that the ships will take passengers to different points of the forest in Bangladesh and India, but the passengers will not be allowed to disembark from the ships during the entire tour. They have to enjoy the beauty of the forest and its flora and fauna from on board the ships, which will be operated by private companies from both countries. Routes and destinations The route of the entire tour, fixed from the Kolkata port in India to the Mongla port in Bangladesh, is already being used by cargo ships under the Protocol on Inland Water Transport and Trade. Bangladesh is keen to extend the route all the way to Saint Martin’s Island in Cox’s Bazar to make full use of the opportunities of water based tourism.

There are a number of details that have as yet to be negotiated before this initiative becomes a reality. “Several important matters including the port of calls in the countries as well as the number, type and frequency of the vessels are yet to be finalised,” the additional secretary said. Water experts and environmentalists are happy Atuar Rahman, a professor of Water Resources and Management Department at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, believes the initiative could precipitate deeper cooperation on water between the two countries: “Gradually, this type of cooperation will lead to running regular water vessels with passengers in both countries, which was very common in the region, once upon a time. This will ultimately force the governments to cooperate with each other on ensuring the flow of the rivers in the region, for the sake of ensuring navigability,” he said.

He did caution that measures to protect the forest from disturbances created by tourist vessels as well as the tourists had to be put in place. “Before signing the agreement, both the government should consider the possible threats for the forests like excessive sound pollution to avoid hurting biodiversity.” The forest and its inhabitants are already suffering from frequent shipping disasters from the transport of coal and oil along its rivers, including the disastrous sinking of a coal laden ship in early January.

- https://www.thethirdpole.net/2017/01/19/tourists-may-now-be-able-to-cruise-along-the-whole-sundarabans/, January 19, 2017

In a major move to protect tigers, Melghat is among the 13 tiger reserves in the country to get approval from director general of civil aviation (DGCA), ministry of home affairs (MoHA) and ministry of defence (MoD) to implement monitoring with the help of drones, commonly known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The other 12 tiger reserves include Corbett, Dudhwa, Ranthambore, Panna, Similipal, Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam, Bandipur, Satyamangalam, Parambikulam, Kaziranga, Namdapha, and Sundarbans.

The 'E-Bird technology for tiger conservation: Development and integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)' project will be jointly implemented by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Melghat chief conservator of forests (CCF) & field director Dinesh Kumar Tyagi said NTCA has directed us to gear up frontline staff for training capacity building to use the new technology, besides nominating a nodal officer to coordinate with NTCA and WII, who will extend full cooperation.

Till now the mega project was stuck up for home and defence ministry clearances. Melghat was cleared after union home ministry officials visited the reserve a few months ago to verify the landscape. Tyagi said three months ago that there was a trial run of drones from Narnala wildlife sanctuary atop. The UAV was run by private parties and it was found to very useful, especially in rugged and undulating terrain like Melghat. "The drone will act as an 'eye in sky' and a binocular in hand. The UAV will help better protection and conservation of tigers and its prey base along with information about forest fires and other biodiversity in Melghat," Tyagi said.

The field director said drones can fly in riskier and treacherous areas and due to their aerodynamic and size they are able to fly at lower altitudes and collect precise real time information than manned aircraft or satellite. NTCA sources said the ministry will send different kinds of equipment in the drones, including thermal cameras and mapping cameras. Each drone is expected to cost Rs3-5 lakh.

According to the 2014 estimates released in January 2015, India is home to 2,226 tigers, which is 70% of world's wild tigers. "The increase in tiger numbers, coupled with staff crisis, is one of the main reasons for the MoEFCC taking to drones to ensure the safety and security of tigers. "The other advantages of drones are that these are light weight, easy to transport and have low cost operation. They have video recording capabilities and can also map data as per demand and need," said Tyagi.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/ntca-gets-defence-ministry-nodto-use-drones-in-tiger-reserves/articleshow/56653461.cms, January 19, 2017

With the announcement of three major bird census in the region, the coming days are going to be all about bird conservation. To engage people in documenting bird species, the Great Backyard Bird Count will be held on February 17. The count is organized globally by Cornell University and Audubon Society, US. "Surveys are usually done for water birds or rare species. But through this count, we will try to cover maximum species, no matter how common they are," said Jayant Wadatkar, Vidarbha coordinator of the count.

To involve students, the count will be organized at many college campuses too. Last year, over 80 bird species were reported at 11 spots in Vidarbha. To monitor the status of water birds and wetlands, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is holding Asian Waterbird Census in association with Wetlands International from January 17-22. The first phase of this was conducted in the region on January 15 in which over 10 water bodies were covered.

Ornithologist Dr Anil Pimplapure, who is the state coordinator of the project, informed that the next phase of the Census will be held on January 22.said. Though last year's census suggested an increase in the count of migratory birds in the region, the numbers seem low this time. According to observations made by volunteers, the water level was found low at many places including water bodies on Umred Road. The next round of the census will be on January 22.

On the same day, a workshop is being organized for amateur birdwatchers ahead of the common bird monitoring programme. "Like house sparrows, there are many species of common urban birds which are facing a decline. It is important to collect data in a scientific manner," said Dr Bahar Baviskar, founder of Wild-CER which is conducting the workshop in association with BNHS. The common bird monitoring programme will be held probably by first week of February.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/three-censuses-in-vid-to-document-birds/articleshow/56653234.cms, January 19, 2017

In the backdrop of the recently concluded BRICS* health ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, Chandra Kishore (CK) Mishra, India’s Secretary for Health & Family Welfare and Dr Flavia Bustreo reflect on the benefits of effective collaboration to improve health and development and the new ways of working needed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era**. Unique relationship The working relationship between the Government of India and the World Health Organization (WHO) is unique and, perhaps the most mutually symbiotic relationship in the history of public health, playing a critical role in the country taking giant strides in improving its health outcomes. From eliminating polio and maternal and neonatal tetanus to reducing preventable maternal and child mortality, the Indian government, with technical support from support WHO, has conceived and implemented many successful health initiatives.

The success against polio has generated renewed enthusiasm to eliminate other killer diseases in India. Mission Indradhanush, the Indian government’s flagship campaign to achieve full immunization coverage of all children and pregnant women, is a testimony to this change. This campaign aims to immunize children against seven preventable childhood diseases. The government has also introduced the pentavalent and rotavirus vaccines to tackle the huge burden of childhood pneumonia and diarrhoea, and has announced the rollout of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine early next year.

This positive momentum for health is further reflected in India’s National Strategic Plan (2017-23) to ensure a TB-free India by 2035, which is being developed in partnership with WHO. The government also launched its national strategy for adolescent health in 2014 - the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) - which aims to promote health and well-being throughout the life course and build a strong foundation for India’s socio-economic development. This extraordinary collaboration demonstrates how it is possible for a WHO Member State - in this case India - to “set the agenda” and drive its own health reform, while remaining in step with the health standards and priorities established by WHO in its role as the global coordinating authority on health. While this partnership can act as a model of engagement for other Member States, it should be noted that the world has now entered a new phase.

BRICS and the SDGs In September 2015, the international community endorsed the SDGs. Health and international development stakeholders need to up their game if we are to achieve these ambitious objectives. Universal health coverage and the elimination of preventable mortality cannot be achieved with a business-as-usual approach. BRICS, and especially India with other Member States, must play a leading role in realizing these ambitious goals in collaboration with WHO and other development partners. Ensuring good health and well-being is a key cornerstone of the SDGs framework, which will require political will, targeted financing and a thriving health innovation ecosystem. India can play a major role by leveraging its position as the Chair of the BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB) to position health as a key investment area for the bank. It can also work with WHO to implement the health R&D roadmap and expand access to affordable lifesaving drugs and vaccines.

India unequivocally supports the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030), which provides focused guidance to end preventable deaths, promote health and wellbeing and expand enabling environments to achieve good health. Through an open, mutually reinforcing working relationship that is underpinned by an eagerness to share knowledge and best practice, India and WHO can ensure timely progress against the Global Strategy’s various targets and help realize the SDGs.

This approach is already reflected in the BRICS Framework for Collaboration on Strategic Projects in Health. South-South learning between Member States is of particular value, as is already taking place through governments’ collaboration as Partners in Population and Development (PPD). Such efforts need to be amplified. New ways of working WHO fully realizes that it needs to be better prepared to respond effectively in the SDGs era. It can do this by evolving new ways of working, creating a more agile organization by updating its governance and leadership, drawing on the best minds in global public health, adapting rapidly to emerging health challenges and being more responsive to countries’ needs.

Member States must play an important role in WHO’s evolution by providing feedback on the kind of support they value most and the global collective action that is required. This will need WHO to work ever more closely with them, especially countries from the global South. Member states should contribute financially to support global collective action and take clear ownership of their national health agendas. WHO can also benefit from these countries’ indigenous medicine systems by incorporating their traditional knowledge to complement the existing scientific know-how, and help these countries to develop policies and assess the required investments to support traditional medicine. With the world facing critical health threats such as antimicrobial resistance, we need to urgently scale up the in-country laboratory capacities and mobilize sufficient human and financial resources to strengthen surveillance of emerging threats. This can be best managed by WHO under the able guidance of a seasoned global health leader who has a thorough understanding of the organization and its current functioning, the leadership vision, management skills, and perhaps, most importantly, the current experience of updating its governance and leadership to make WHO ‘fit for purpose’ to effectively serve its critical role.

Going forward, WHO will be judged by its ability to deliver on its mandate as the coordinating and technical authority on global health and the results that it produces for its Member States. We want to assure the international community that we intend to further leverage our strong and evolving partnership to realize good health and well-being for people around the world. *BRICS is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. **The views expressed here are solely those of the authors in their private capacity.

- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/flavia-bustreo/indias-partnership-with-w_b_14268072.html, January 19, 2017

Woven in threads of time and tradition. The abundant variety of traditional textiles found in the Indian subcontinent includes patola or double ikat, from northern Gujarat, which is an extravagant and luxurious fabric. The complexly woven fabric of patola is marked by its unique attributes of design, colour and appearance. With no reverse side, as patola makers would say, the fabric is aesthetically pleasing, resulting from the tedious nature of the process of making it. A visit to the Patola House in Patan, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, indicates that the intricate technique dates back to around the 12th century, when the Solanki Dynasty ruled over this part of what we know today as India. Gujarat is home to a handful of weavers who have kept this art, received in heirloom, alive even today through 30 generations, which includes the Salvi family, who have now established a Patan Patola Heritage Museum.

“The family has been involved in this art of fabric making for centuries. This double ikat, patola saree has a design made by hand and not print,” said a member of the Salvi family running the Patola House. Explaining the unique method by which the fabric takes colours, he stated, “Each thread is dyed before weaving; it may be called an opposite or reverse process to the conventional way of say, dying a shirt, whose fabric is dyed after the garment is made.” An ancient fabric, the history of patola is steeped in luxury and opulence. “When King Kumarpal got the 700 odd patola makers from Maharashtra and elsewhere to work under him, it was perhaps because he used a new fabric for prayer each time,” shared the weaver from the family, recalling a legend that is a shared belief among many of the weavers of the community.

Legends have grown around this old fabric, which is found mainly in Indonesia and Japan apart from these parts. The patola museum itself houses samples of the ikat technique based fabrics from places such as Uzbekistan. Interestingly, designs from and for the patola sarees have found themselves being carved into monuments such as the Rani ki Vav stepwell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is located in Patan.

Grandeur in patola A patola saree typically takes around four to six months to get completed, even with four weavers employed to the task, depending on the complexity of design. Perhaps, this is the reason why places such as the Patola House offer sarees at whopping prices of EUR 2,100-5,600. A fabric with a royal past, it is accessible only for the royalty of today. Made in pure silk and with natural dyes, the fabric is an expression of elegance and expensive taste.

Unsurprisingly, the owners of patola sarees range from powerful politicians to famous film personalities. In the past, women such as former Indian president, Indira Gandhi and actress Kirron Kher have adorned this one-of-a-kind fabric. Bollywood star, Amitabh Bachchan reportedly paid a visit to the Patola House to place an order for a saree, which is only made on commission and rarely found ready to purchase. Even as there are cheap imitations of the fabric widely available in markets now, the decadent fabric, in its original form, is truly a symbol of elegance and splendour. It’s worth marvelling at.

- http://mediaindia.eu/news-india-you/patan-ka-patola-a-luxurious-heritage-fabric-from-gujarat/, January 19, 2017

With the announcement of three major bird census in the region, the coming days are going to be all about bird conservation. With the announcement of three major bird census in the region, the coming days are going to be all about bird conservation.To engage people in documenting bird species, the Great Backyard Bird Count will be held on February 17. The count is organized globally by Cornell University and Audubon Society, US. “Surveys are usually done for water birds or rare species. But through this count, we will try to cover maximum species, no matter how common they are,” said Jayant Wadatkar, Vidarbha coordinator of the count.To involve students, the count will be organized at many college campuses too. Last year, over 80 bird species were reported at 11 spots in Vidarbha.To monitor the status of water birds and wetlands, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is holding Asian Waterbird Census in association with Wetlands International from January 17-22.

The first phase of this was conducted in the region on January 15 in which over 10 water bodies were covered.Ornithologist Dr Anil Pimplapure, who is the state coordinator of the project, informed that the next phase of the Census will be held on January 22.said. Though last year’s census suggested an increase in the count of migratory birds in the region, the numbers seem low this time.According to observations made by volunteers, the water level was found low at many places including water bodies on Umred Road.The next round of the census will be on January 22.

On the same day, a workshop is being organized for amateur birdwatchers ahead of the common bird monitoring programme. “Like house sparrows, there are many species of common urban birds which are facing a decline. It is important to collect data in a scientific manner,” said Dr Bahar Baviskar, founder of Wild-CER which is conducting the workshop in association with BNHS. The common bird monitoring programme will be held probably by first week of February.

- - http://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/enterprise-services-and-applications/new-website-launched-to-help-identify-indian-birds/56663391, January 19, 2017

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to inspect private and government schools in New Delhi after a plea alleged that they have failed to install rain water harvesting systems (RWHS) in their premises. A bench headed by NGT chief Justice Swatanter Kumar directed CGWA and DJB to carry out joint inspection in five schools in each category to probe whether they have failed to harvest rain water or not.“DJB and CGWA will conduct a joint inspection of any five major government schools and five major private schools in the city and report if the rain water harvesting systems are in existence and are operational appropriately,” the bench said while allowing the petitioner to participate in the inspection.

The direction came during hearing of a plea of Mahesh Chandra Saxena, who claimed to be associated with an NGO working in the field of ground water conservation. He has claimed that government departments, educational institutions and residential societies have either not installed rain water harvesting (RWH) systems or these were non-functional. The matter is now listed for next hearing on February 9.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/education/ngt-directs-water-boards-to-inspect-delhi-governmentschools-on-rain-water-harvesting-4479904/, 2017

In a rare initiative, a group of 40 persons comprising Kakatiya University students, techies, teachers, documentary film makers and history buffs under the guidance of Kompelli Venkat Goud undertook a study tour for four days and explored the historical and archeologically important sites such as Pandava caves, Mylaram caves, Ghanpur group of temples, Damarwai dolmens and Mallur Fort in the second week of January. Interestingly, the tour threw up a lot of new findings including two new routes to the famous Pandava caves. Kompelli Venkat Goud said on Tuesday. “There are so many hidden treasures in the form of rock paintings and sheer scenic beauty. There is a huge potential to develop these areas as tourist spots.” The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) extended help to the group who formed Telangana Social Media Forum to make the trip. Peravaram Ramulu, Chairman, TSTDC said the discovery of new routes and more importantly a 4-5 km wall at the ruined fort which is on the bank of River Godavari adjacent to the Eturunagaram- Bhadrachalam highway would be developed. There is a 4,500 year-old Laxmi Narsimha Swamy temple too.

It is 4 km away from the Mallur village of Mangapet mandal, Jayashnkar district. He further added that Rs 99 crore Central government scheme for developing tribal circuit under Swadeshi Darshan would be used to develop pathways, solar lighting in caves, rest houses, restaurants and other facilities for tourists in Pandava caves, Mylaram caves, graves in Suragonndayya hills , Dhamerwai village of Thadwai Mandal and Mallur fort. Phani Kumar, president, Telangana Social Media Forum said, “A report would be submitted to the Tourism Department to develop heritage and adventure tourism. Telangana has a rich heritage but has not been showcased enough in the last 60 years.” In the village of Mylaram of Ghanpur Mandal of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, these are expanded in an area of 3.5 kms. These are formed of Quartzo felisphat and carbonate rocks. Inside the caves the deposits of lime stone has formed into various structures 0f Stalagmites like shivalinga ,flying birds, lion ,eagles etc. We have such in Uttarakhand, Hariyana, MP, Andamman & Nicobar Islands. These are only of its kind in Telangana state.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/education/ngt-directs-water-boards-to-inspect-delhi-governmentschools-on-rain-water-harvesting-4479904/, January 19, 2017

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's December 2015 flick Bajirao Mastani, which portrayed the romance of Maratha general Bajirao and Bundelkhand princess Mastani at the Shaniwarwada here, not only set the box office on fire but also contributed handsomely to the coffers of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).While most of the top monuments in ASI's Mumbai circle, including Mumbai's Elephanta Caves, saw a dip in the number of Indian tourists, the footfall at Shaniwarwada, the seat of the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire until 1818, surged to over 12 lakh from 9-odd lakh in 2015.Besides Elephanta Caves, monuments that lost their appeal among visitors included Lenyadri Caves, Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves and Raigad fort, among others. Only four ticketed monuments witnessed a rise in the footfall of Indian visitors in 2016, with the Peshwa citadel topping the charts.Elephanta Caves received over 26,000 Indian visitors in 2016, which was less than in 2015. But Shaniwarwada witnessed a spurt in domestic travellers with the number rising from 9.58 lakh in 2015 to 12.69 lakh in 2016 — a record increase by over 3 lakh.Experts largely attributed the monumental increase in visitors to Shaniwarwada to the epic film, Bajirao Mastani, released in December 2015, which prompted numerous Indians to explore the place

.Heritage expert Sharvey Dhongde, who is also the co-convener of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Pune, told TOI that in 2016, INTACH's heritage store at Shaniwarwada, Warsaa, saw a surge in inquiries from eager visitors wanting to know the location of 'Aaina Mahal' (hall of mirrors) at the Peshwa citadel.

The hall of mirrors does not exist but was created in the film. "The film generated a lot of interest in the place. However, the actual site is a mere shadow of the grandeur of the wada that one sees in the film," said Dhongde.A few years ago, Dhongde had actually accompanied Bhansali to Shaniwarwada as the director wanted to do a quick recce of the site for the film he had in his mind. "I asked him how he would recreate the history of Shaniwarwada. Bhansali said the film would be a 'creative re-interpretation of history.' The impact of the film has been such that a group of students from Delhi visiting the wada asked me if the statue of Bajirao there was that of Ranveer Singh," said Dhongde.The 2015 film starred Ranveer Singh as Bajirao and Deepika Padukone as Mastani, Bajirao's love interest, with Priyanka Chopra playing Bajirao's first wife Kashibai.

Conservation architect Kiran Kalamdani of Kimaya, the firm that was closely associated with the restoration of Shaniwarwada in the past, said, "The movie showed the grandeur of the citadel, which enticed many to do a reality check of the monument. Also, the controversy that emerged after the release of the film on how it fell short of portraying an authentic version of history intrigued people further to check the wada up close." Kalamdani pointed out that since Shaniwarwada is more accessible than other monuments, it draws tourists aplenty. "It is bang in the middle of Pune city. Besides, none of the nine other monuments had a Bollywood flick made on them," he said. B G Yelikar, conservation assistant, Pune sub-circle of ASI, said that apart from the Bollywood film, efforts on the part of the ASI have also yielded positive results. "The number of visitors to Shaniwarwada and Aga Khan Palace surged considerably in 2016.

We have been trying to spread awareness among schoolchildren and college-goers about Pune's monuments, including the introduction of free guided tours for students. This has generated a spurt in footfall to Shaniwarwada and other monuments in Pune," he said.Meanwhile, though the combined rise in Indian visitors to ASI's 10 ticketed monuments in Mumbai circle was a marginal 7% in 2016 over 2015, the number of foreigners visiting these monuments in 2016 shot up exponentially — from a mere 55,806 in 2015 to over 3.78 lakh in 2016.While Indians flocked to Shaniwarwada, the highest number of foreigners were seen at Elephanta caves in 2016, followed by Shaniwarwada. Experts said the e-visa facility introduced in India has reduced substantial paperwork, resulting in an inflow of tourists to India.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/bajiraos-citadel-shaniwarwada-sees-record-rise-in-footfall/articleshow/56674850.cms, January 19, 2017

State tourism sector is all set to get a boost following the State government’s decision to take up developmental works at several tourist spots across the State in a time bound manner this year. According to tourism department officials, the projects have been proposed under two integrated tourism circuits with Centre’s financial assistance.Accordingly, development works of an Eco-Tourism Circuit (ETC) in Mahbubnagar would cover Somasila and Singotam Reservoirs, Akka Mahadevi Caves, Srisailam, Farhabad, Mallelatheeram and Umamaheswari Temple. Development works at all these places will be implemented from April to August, 2017. However, Srisailam works would be implemented by January 2018, they added.Similarly, development works at seven places would be taken up in Warangal district under the Tribal Circuit.

Development works of erecting a Gate at Medaram and spring waters at Mulugu would be taken up in March 2018. Tourism development works at Lankavaram, Sammakka Saralamma Jatara at Medaram, Tadvai, Damaravai Megalithic Burials and Bogatha waterfalls would be completed by the end of 2017.Funds for these two circuits have been sanctioned by the Centre. The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation Limited (TSTDC) has proposals to develop a Hyderabad Heritage Circuit which includes Quli Qutb Shah Heritage Park, Hayath Baskhi Begum Mosque, Monsieur Raymond’s Tomb and Paigah Tombs.In addition to the above, another Integrated Tribal Eco-Tourism (ITET) project has been proposed under Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) under the Union Ministry of Tourism. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been submitted to the Centre and a financial assistance of Rs 121crore has been sought from the Centre and the State government will bear the remaining project cost.

- - http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-01-20/Telangana-State-tourism-set-to-get-a-big-boost/274581, January 20, 2017

A trained architect and researcher, George Michell dedicated more than three decades in his life studying Deccan-style architecture, especially Hampi's monuments. Author of more than 50 books, Michell was in Bengaluru to give a lecture on 'The Mughals in the Deccan—Architecture in Daulatabad and Aurangabad'. He shared his views on conservation, importance of research, and the need for understanding landscapes with TOI. Excerpts:

You've spent about 30 years studying Hampi and other monuments. What's your thoughts on their conservation? There are specialists doing this job. Some monuments are very well kept, while others need a lot of work. It's difficult to put in place the right policies of conservation sometimes and I understand it because, there are several challenges. In some cases, such sites are in private hands and there are issues like encroachment. Given that there's such a rich history and set of monuments, the process must be continuous. Anybody, who had been to Hampi, can understand the challenges it poses. There are so many monuments, some with the Archaeological Survey of India and some with the state department. Some are well maintained. People think conservation of individual monument is important, of course it is, but there must be care to protect the whole site. It's important that the entire landscape of Hampi is preserved as it is part of an overall atmosphere that we go there to see.

As far as Deccan architecture goes, there are only a handful of scholars that we can go to. Are things changing now? In the west, there's a lot of encouragement to understand this particular period and architecture. Not just Indians, even foreigners are being encouraged. But there aren't too many scholars in this field. And, it's time that changed. The Deccan architecture is a neglected subject as far as in-depth research goes. There aren't too many people in India too.

Is there a direct relationship between scholarship of architecture and conservation? There's no direct relationship. Conservation is a separate specialization. However, scholars can play a vital role in aiding conservation, as they will have specialized knowledge about particular monuments and sites. Given that each site needs to be preserved with an understanding of its history and architecture, scholars can be very handy if conservationists communicate with them.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/protect-landscapes-as-a-whole-not-just-individual-monuments/articleshow/56673885.cms, January 20, 2017

The Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh unravel a whole new world ofprimal art and culture.Belying the popular myth that cavemen led a barbaric life, are the rock shelters in and around Bhimbetka , 45 kms from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. These quartzite rock formations are archival shelters for pictograph clusters on their ceilings, shielded from the vagaries of nature for10,000 years! Despite being the ‘World heritage site’ the place hardly attracts the mainstream tourists or for that matter the local elite of Bhopal except a rare visitor or two with historical interest and curiosity. But once visited, it is a marvel that defies logic.The stone-laden pathway around the forest enclosed rock shelters makes for an intriguing trek. As you wind your way, you stop in your tracks at the sight of a huge rock that opens like an arched gateway to the most awesome sight of a series of rock shelters, not exactly caves, open on both ends but with a depth to the sideways to house a family or even a community of people. The Archaeological Survey of India has done its bit in keeping the entire area very tourist-friendly, vesting it with a carefully designed wild look in keeping with the site and its pre-historic antiquity. The figurines of the early man and his family at work in their hearth perched under a boulder to the right, greets us at the entrance to the first shelter which is more or less a sort of passage to the others nestled within the thickets not far from each other.The auditorium cave as this shelter resembles is a large tunnel leading to a cavernous chamber with three passageway exits: the whole cave gallery resembles a cross whose centre is marked by a huge rock called the ‘chief rock’.

In one of the exits is an excavated portion where bones and stone implements were obviously found which have been shifted to the museum in Bhopal. The pictographs can be missed by an untrained visitor’s eye but for the ASI guides who make it a point to accompany the tourists and draw their attention to these finely lined figures drawn carefully on the ceiling/wall of the rock totally shielded from sunlight. There is more than one reason for this: the paintings are done in white colour for most part and in thin lines which nevertheless are weather-beaten. There are some painted in red and yellow but they appear to be even less visible on first look. As we train our eye to focus on the pictures, we start deciphering the figures without the help of the guide by the time we reach the fourth and fifth rock shelter. The zoo rock which has the maximum number of animal pictures with a huge boar attacking a hunter catches your attention. A rock shaped like a tortoise is a marvel of natural formation.The pictographs are for most part uphold the hunting imagery – of animals like the bull, the wild ass (resembling a horse), the elephant, boar ,the hunters, bow and arrow, daggers which more of less resemble the Harappan or Mohenjo Daro pictographs which were “mistakenly identified as pictorial writing but so far remained undeciphered”, says historian and archaeologist Dr. Supriya Varma of Delhi University’s Centre for Historical Studies. “We view it as ritualistic mode to convey to the next generation an inference of the way of life lived by the ancestors. It is some kind of cognitive skills, because language as communication had developed 26,000 years ago.

”But the Bhimbetka pictographs were much before the first civilisations developed across the globe. “We should not underestimate the creative abilities of these people just because they don’t figure in our connotation of ‘civilised’. Arts like dance and picture painting were in existence 25,000 years ago in certain caves of the world. In this area of MP, there are hundreds of such rock shelters which have been inhabited time and again by man right from what I would call the Mesolithic period (9000-10,000 BC). Hence there is a variation in the pictographs which obviously were additions to those made by the original inhabitants, like for instance the figure of a horse (evidence of horse 1500-1600 BC) or a marriage procession in one of the caves which contradicts the dating. Possibly these picture painting continued up to CE 1. Intermittently these rock shelters (especially the ones near Hoshangabad ) must have been occupied in the historic period (600-400 BC) by the Buddhist monks who again added their own paintings of the Buddha to the existing ones with or without erasing the earlier ones,” states Dr. Varma.A surprisingly interesting fact is that though these rock shelters have been in existence ages ago, it was only in the 60s that they came into limelight when archaeologist Dr.Vishnu S. Wakamkar accidently chanced upon them from the train in which he was travelling. His professional enthusiasm made him alight immediately and he found himself amidst an art gallery of sorts. Excavations began and so began dating as the motifs kept changing like cooking in stone vessels and using stone tools to pottery as seasonal occupations, the historians had to reconstruct the lives of these peoples from hunting to agriculture and so on over a long span of time.

The name Bhimbhetka is fabled to be after the Pandava prince Bhima known for his prowess but this anecdote finds no place in the facts of history. Whatever be the legend, these rock-shelters are silent narrators of lives lived with zeal, zest and sensitivity to surroundings. Who ever said that rocks are lifeless?The zoo rock which has the maximum number of animal pictures with a huge boar attacking a hunter catches your attention. A rock shaped like a tortoise is a marvel of natural formation.

- http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Reading-the-story-in-rocks/article17065536.ece, January 20, 2017

Many distinguished writers have already expressed their thoughts on the issue of the policy of reservation of elective posts for Naga women in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state as prescribed by the provisions of the Indian constitution. I would like to specifically mention the article, titled “Customs, Traditions and Usages,” written by our learned legal luminary P. Pius Lotha, former Additional Advocate General which appeared in Nagaland Post, dated 18th January 2017. This article precisely defines the three terms viz. custom, tradition and usage from the legal perspective leaving no scope for ambiguity. The article also states that the provision of women reservation is covered under the ambit of Naga customary laws and practices and as such is relevant for Art. 371A, to which I personally also agree to his opinion. Allow me to take this opportunity to also express my views on the same issue however from a different angle which is subject to analysis for criticism or appreciation as the case maybe. This article is by no means an exhaustive article since many other scholars are working on the same topic today from different angles.

The objective of writing this article is to make an attempt to connect the two contentious elements of our contemporary Naga society viz. Customary Practices and Women Reservation on the basis of gender disparity. At the outset I humbly declare that I am a staunch supporter of the process which aims to take our society to the next higher level of human “civilization” but taking along with us our customs and practices as passed down by our ancestors to remind us and our succeeding generations about our roots and unique customs which God has blessed us with and which has made the Naga people distinct and special. I personally feel that I have an obligation to protect, preserve and transfer the customs and traditions of our ancestors to the succeeding generation as a token of my gratitude to our ancestors for laying the foundation of the modern Naga society with great vision and wisdom. This wisdom and vision are seen in the context of the “letter to the Simon Commission,” “the 9 Point Agreement,” and “the 16 Point Agreement.

”The interaction between Naga customary practices and the liberal democratic practices in our society has reached a critical stage today where the two practices may either reconcilewith each other resulting in a progressive society with a strong cultural root or clash against each other and polarise the Naga society into two extreme segments of the traditionalist and the modernist each pulling the Naga society in the opposite direction. The modern liberal democratic system is based on individual rights and liberties. Whereas the Naga customary practices are based on community based rights and liberties. The present imbroglio concerning 33% reservation of elective post in the Urban Local Bodies for Naga women and the Naga customary laws exactly manifest the clash of the traditional and contemporary practices in our society today. It indicates that we are in a transition stage and we need to be very careful and sensitive to the pressure exerted upon our customs and practices to adapt to the present “universal” culture both from within and outside our society.

Our response as a societyto the demands of this adaptation so as to qualify as a “civilized” modern society must be on the basis of broad-base discussion covering the cross-section of our society. This cautious mode of approach to the process of modernization is necessary so as to proceed ahead without missing a step in our march to progress. In our effort to build a progressive society we must not blindly adapt to the prevailing universal “culture” for the sake of replicating the type of society prevailing in the civilized modern society in the western part of our globe. The ground reality in our society is not similar like the other civilized societies of this world. Remember the stage of progress of our society today has been already experienced by the civilized modern society ages ago. Therefore, what seems to be good for the other civilized societies may not necessarily benefit our Naga society for the reason that we are superseding the intermediary levels of progress which is potentially dangerous since the societal base becomes weak.

The remark of the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru sometime before the inauguration of the 16th state of India speaks volume about the utility and relevance of the indigenous structure and system for governance then and even now from a great statesman like Nehru. Prime Minister Nehru had remarked that the Naga traditional machinery of self-governance at village, range and tribal levels should be strengthened. He even suggested that tribal names be given to the Legislative Assembly and to the Council of Ministers. Moreover, the then Governor of Assam Jairamdas Daulatram had also warned in 1951, “The Nagas should not be forced to practice the adult franchise system… The minute they are forced to go with the Indian system of election, their society will be divided into pieces and their cultural heritage, tradition and identity will disappear.” The remark of the then Governor of Assam seems to be turning out as a “prophecy” about our Naga society considering the state of our society today. What may seem to suit others does not necessarily imply that it has universal applicability.In this interface of the traditional structures and practices with the modern structures and practice the role of the state is crucial for avoiding conflict and polarization within the society.

The state with its formal law-making and law-enforcement authority can soften incongruous or incompatible elements of both the traditional and modern systems so as to create a congenial transition of the Naga society to a modern progressive society with a strong cultural root, which sadly is missing in our case today. The state seem to be more interested in aggravating the prevailing situation instead of placating the conflicting parties for the simple reason that funds are more important than a stable society.The advocates of the women reservation argues that Naga women are discriminated and subjugated by the Naga menfolk. The premise of their argument is built on the denial of ‘inheritance rights’ to women and non-inclusion of women in the apex decision-making bodies of a given tribe. Which are all true as far as the customs of our fore-fathers are concerned but for reasons which are meant to protect and preserve our ancestral land and which in turn shall protect and preserve our identity and our cultural roots. Apart from these two areas where our women-folks face “discriminations” no one can deny the fact that a Naga father or brother or for that matter a Naga man will never discriminate their daughters or sisters or women-folk just because they are women.

We all know that if our ancestral properties were to be open for inheritance even by daughters, then their sons and daughters too shall inherit the same properties which may not be a problem if the husband were to be from the same village, tribe and khel. However, if the husband were to be from a different tribe or a non-Naga then the possession of a property in a Naga village is transferred to an outsider or a non-Naga. If a large number of the women of that hypothetical village were to own ancestral property and marries non-Naga men, then that Naga village will no longer have the natural feature of a Naga village. At this point we need to remember that we are who we are for the simple reason that we trace our root to our ancestral land. In other words our identity is tied to our ancestral land, that is, our native village and if our native village is socially extinct our roots also disappears thereby making us a non-entity.Another political situation often quoted to reinforce the claim that Naga society suffers from gender biasness is the absence of women legislators in the State Assembly.

Naga customary law does not prohibit Naga women from contesting for any elective posts under the modern democratic system. Some women have contested in the past but they were unable to secure the support of the majority of the electorate.

The reason for this failure could be unqualified candidature or inability to convince the voters or lack of financial capability and therefore could not develop “muscle” power, etc. In fact the existing political environment of our state is not conducive for any honest and capable leader to contest for the elective post – both man and woman. Come to think of it, I guess there should also be some percentage of reservation for man who is making an honest living and therefore do not possess hundreds of crores of rupees in his account but has the heart to serve the people through leadership and representation.There’s a big confusion concerning 33% reservation of elective seats in Urban Local Bodies for Naga women and Naga customary law.

There’s no explicit connection between the two for the simple reason that reservation is a modern concept for amelioration of the under-developed and under-privileged societies based on the principle of equity or parity.The adoption of this reservation policy has more long term impact on our customs than what we can perceive today. In the first instance as mentioned by several other writers and above, Naga men do not discriminate Naga women in the manner that our women-folks are living a subjugated life with no opportunities for their self-development. In fact I am not critical of the amelioration of women per se, but the manner of its implementation is what I am critical about. The policy of reservationeither for a social group or for women will only promote mediocrity within the affected society. No doubt we have greatly benefited from this policy of reservation for ST, but let us look back and study the quality of achievements we have made.

The present pathetic scenario of our state covering every realm of our lives speaks volumes about the depth of depravity we Nagas have fallen into. I believe there is no further need to say anything in this regard.

Many of our intellectuals have said in the print media as well as in the social media that the reservation policy is only going to benefit those who are already in the position of power and influence. On the other hand the women from the lower strata will not benefit even one grain of ‘empowerment’. The policy of reservation is a modern concept originating from the bounds of the Indian society, a highly stratified societyand when we accept and adopt this policy we are acknowledging that Naga customary laws requires external forces to make it relevant to the contemporary changing conditions. It ultimately implies that Naga customary law is never sacrosanct but open to change through forces from outside. Change per se is inevitable and necessary but it must originate from within so as to prevent undesirable changes detrimental to the existence of small ethnic social groups emanating from other societies. Under Art 243 T of the Indian constitution the State Assembly must provide reservation by law for women which if implemented open our customs to changes by non-Nagas without understanding the ground reality of the stage of evolution of our Naga society towards civilization.Under Section 4(b) of the VDB Model Rules 1980 1/4th or 25% of the posts in the Management Committee are reserved for women.

Now this provision which was incorporated within the rural local self-government system in our state without any overt signs of opposition from any quarter of our Naga society has been used as “Precedence” to buttress the claim that the policy of reservation for Naga women has already been practiced and as such accepted. Now when this section of the VDB Model Rules can be quoted as precedence today for justification of adopting the reservation for women in the ULBs, the Reservation for elective posts for Naga women in the ULBs can be cited as precedence for future changes within the Naga society under the ambit of Naga customary laws and practices. In other words, we are setting the stage for the chain reaction to take place in the near future which might expose our Naga way of living to socio-cultural extinction through gradual erosion of the Naga customs and practices which distinguishes us as a Naga.

Regarding the non-inclusion of Naga women in the apex tribal bodies, the time and need has arisen for their inclusion but not on the basis of the method prescribed by external forces. Let the process for change concerning Naga women emerge from within the bounds of our Naga customary law and practices. Our fore-fathers have taught us to equally respect man and woman, and as we amend the Naga customs and practices for the amelioration of the lives of our women-folks there is a need to develop mutual trust and respect. When we make necessary changes by ourselves in this context we adapt to the new situation without jeopardizing our roots and identity. In brief, Naga women need the measure of equity but through a mutual consensus of discarding irrelevant ideas and adopting new measures. Art 371A of the Indian constitution prevents any outside interference to our culture and change can be brought in only with the consent of the Naga people through their elected representatives. Let us not act in such a foolish manner that in a hurry to eat meat we ended up killing the only boar which sows the seeds for more piglets (meat) in the days to come.

- http://morungexpress.com/connecting-naga-customary-law-33-reservation-naga-women/, January 20, 2017

Nearly 168 heritage buildings in the state require immediate attention. The Telangana government, which came to power by appealing to the people's sentiments for a separate state and had promised to save its assets for future generations, has turned a blind eye to ancient heritage buildings across the state.On one hand, the Telangana Chief Minister has been claiming that his government protects the state's culture and heritage. Earlier targeting Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, he had said, “They do not understand our culture. It is for us to protect our heritage and culture.”However, on the other hand, nearly 168 heritage buildings in Hyderabad and its outskirts are in a bad condition and require immediate repair, points out a heritage expert. “None of the heritage structures is maintained properly in the state,” says Anuradha Reddy, Convener of Intach, Hyderabad, and heritage expert.“In the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) list of notified monuments, only seven are from Telangana. There are many potential heritage structures in Telangana, but no attempt has been made by state governments to include more structures from here in the list,” she explains.The state protected heritage structures like Mecca Masjid, which attracts a huge number of tourists, also lack funds and staff.“Almost 60% of the heritage structures in Telangana have been facing a shortage of staff and fund. The age old heritage buildings are the assets of the state and need to be preserved and protected,” she says.There are more than 168 monuments across the state which have been denotified from the heritage list and are said to be in extremely poor condition.“If the recognised and state protected structures are in bad condition, one can imagine the condition of the buildings which have been denotified from the list,” exclaims Anuradha.Among the many such poorly maintained heritage strictures, the Akram Ali Deodhi, Mah Laqa Bai heritage tomb, Khusro Manzil, Khurshid Jah Devadi, Nampally and Aliabad Serais, require immediate work.Mah Laqa Bai heritage tomb was earlier in a very poor state. It underwent a year-long restoration in 2011 which was funded by the US Ambassador for Cultural Preservation but now, it has been neglected by the government again.She also adds that some of the heritage buildings in Telangana can collapse any time, which will be a loss for the state.According to the expert, the government has failed to recognise the value of the heritage monuments.“Once they recognise and start valuing the assets, the protection, preservation and maintenance process will also be followed by the government,” she notes.Anuradha says that though the cultural traditions of Telangana, like folk art forms, dance and songs, have been showcased well by the government, it has been lax when it comes to restoring historical monuments.“Telangana weavers have been producing gems with their talent and unique techniques, however, they are earning less than daily wage labourers. The state government should promote this culture as well. Pochampally saree, Gadwala cotton, Gongadi blankets, Warangal durries etc should be promoted more,” she observes.

Chowmahalla Palace of the Nizams of Hyderabad state, which was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad, had remained the property of Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, heir of the Nizams.“They are giving huge service to the government and contributing to the state economy but in return, they get no tax benefit. Naturally, it will be hard for them to maintain it. However, it is in a better state than government protected monuments,” Anuradha points out.She also mentions that one of the best examples of Palladian architecture, Khursheed Jah Devdi in Hussaini Alam, has been highly ignored by government.“We have done case studies and projects with archaeology students on how that structure can be maintained and repaired. It is in a bad stage now. It has been used for shooting purpose, and the wall colours have been changed according to the set. During our visits, we saw once that the wall colour was pink, and it was black another time. The windows and stairs are broken and there is debris inside the building,” she says.

- http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/telanganas-heritage-structures-are-crumbling-state-govt-indifferent-56085, January 21, 2017

Senior Congress leader and former Union Environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said environmental issues are primarily political matters and they have to be settled in political domains. “Today’s political appetite is not for environment and nature conservation, but for faster growth and development,” he said while delivering the annual Bodeswaran Foundation lecture Thiruvananthapuram. Stating that he was a bit pessimistic about the future of nature conservation campaigns and movements in the country, Ramesh said environment conservation has become a ‘losing battle’ now-a-days. “Environmental issues are not social issues or ecological issues or economic issues. They are political fundamentally. They have to be settled in political domains. It is ultimately the political establishment and political class which has to take call on the matter,” he said.

“In my view, the fight for environmental protection and conservation is a losing battle. It’s an unpopular battle..it’s a battle which involves making difficult choices,” he said. Whether it was damming of rivers, protection of biodiversity or mining, the battle is between economic growth and conservation and conservation is taking a back stage now-a-days, he said.

He also alleged that the Union Environment minister had yesterday sent a message to all his officials, telling them not to forget that “the priority of the government is ease of doing business” while considering environment proposals. These are the trends now-a-days, he claimed. Ramesh also said he was now remembered as the man who had brought down India’s economic growth and not as the one who tried to protect his environment for the pro-environment policies he took up during his tenure as Union minister. The leader, however, noted that people’s mindset would change if civil society takes on the challenge and carries forward the battle for nature conservation. “Situation is serious…the mindset is not in favour of conservation. So what we need is the creation of a broader coalition, cutting across political barriers,” he said.

Referring to the four-decade-old Silent Valley movement of Kerala, he said it was the second most important landmark in the country’s environment history after the Chipko Movement. “It was not an easy fight. It was an unequal fight initially. Because all the influential political personalities were on one side and all the activists who really have no political influence were on the other side,” he said.

He also mentioned that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had expressed her strong views on the Silent Valley even though the party was against the campaign. The annual lecture is organised by city-based Bodheswaran Foundation, in memory of eminent poet and social reformer Bodheswaran.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/india/fight-for-environmental-conservation-a-losing-battle-jairam-ramesh-4485548/, January 21, 2017

As part of following eco-ethnic concept of tourism, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) will be moving from concrete to fully eco-friendly log huts model of construction for their future lodges in tribal circuit. CTB has received INR 100 cr of financial assistance from Central Government under Tribal Circuit development, and will be setting up lodging facilities at 15 destinations right from Jashpur to Chitrakoot. The tourism board has tied up with Hindustan Prefab Limited for procuring and setting up log huts at these destinations.Speaking to TravelBiz Monitor, Dr Sanjay Singh, General Manager, CTB said that the first project has already started last month and will be completed before March. He said that all the 15 lodges will be completed by the end of this year. Apart from log huts, all the upcoming lodges will be powered by Solar Energy, he added. CTB manages 55 lodges currently and 15 more will be added by end of the year.Commenting on other tourism related developments in the State, Singh said that the State has identified 50 water bodies for water sports and adventure tourism activities, and out of this five dam sites have already been given to private sector to introduce water sports activities. He said that this ambitious project will transform Chhattisgarh into a hub for water sports and adventure tourism in Central India. Water sports activities are expected to commence at Gangrel, Kodar, Samoda, Tandula, etc., in the next three months time, he said. CTB will set up accommodation and other facilities at these destinations.

- http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=26094 & sid=1, January 21, 2017

Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to Netaji Bhawan in 1961, Dilip Kumar Roy — a friend of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose — singing Dwijendra Lal Roy's songs in 1963, General Iwaichi Fujiwara presenting Netaji's sword to Sisir Bose in 1967 and several such historic moments captured on camera — along with numerous important documents — will now find a place in the digitized archives of Netaji Bhawan.

The archive, which may be available online soon, will focus on various events, programmes and important occasions during the 60 years of Netaji Research Bureau's existence. "A lot of history is associated with Netaji Bhawan. There is a global interest on Netaji and we shall put up enough digitized work on the website, which will attract more and more visitors and guests," said Netaji's grandnephew Sugato Bose.

Some historic letters exchanged by Bose will be a new addition to the digital archives. Among the correspondence to be made available will be letters sent by associates of Netaji to nephew Sisir Kumar Bose. Also, letters from SA Ayer, minister of publicity in the Azad Hind government — who was also the chairperson of the Netaji Research Bureau, will find a place.

"Programmes, recordings and pictures taken during Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan's visit to Netaji Bhawan in 1969 will be added to the archive. We have already digitized all significant letters and papers of the pre-Independence period,," added Bose.

All orations by stalwarts at Netaji Bhawan since 1961 will be made available on the archive. "Most of the speeches have already been published in various journals. We plan to archive them now in a digital form and put them online," Bose said. The historian-turned-MP also pointed out that along with the digital archive, conservation work has been done on all historical items stored at the museum. "They are already on display at the museum. The clothes, which include kurtas worn by the great leader and his shoes, have been restored with the help of Intach," said Bose.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/research-bureau-to-digitize-subhas-special-moments/articleshow/56708779.cms, January 22, 2017

It is called Mishq Mahal. Mishq meaning musk, but it does not live up to its name. For, there is no fragrance but only stench of excrement - both human and animal. This is the state of the once imposing, listed heritage structure: a massive public toilet.Off the busy inner ring road, along the margins of a quiet by-lane, the palace, is the epitome of disrepair and apathy of successive governments with regard to the city's heritage.It stands as an island of an bygone era, surrounded by a large land parcel, which shows signs that it was once a tilled field. The half grown but bone dry stalks in the ground are proof. Explaining how the structure got its name, noted heritage expert and former member of the then active Heritage Conservation Committee, Sajjad Shahid says, "A story goes that a caravan of musk traders were unable to sell their consign ment and ran into the Qutb Shahi king of the time. When he enquired why they looked crestfallen, the merchants said that it was because they couldn't sell the musk. Infuriated that nobody in the city bought the fragrance, the king bought the entire consignment and dumped it into the foundations of the then under construction mahal. The the name." The structure was constructed in the 16th or 17th century , he says.While the structure is an example of the Qutb Shahi architecture, experts opine that its style does have traces of the West. The experts said that the 17th century was a time when the city had a sizeable Armenian population."The Bheemunipatnam port in Visakhapatnam had a Dutch settlement. It is quite possible that they could have influenced architecture of the a few Qutub Shahi structures somehow," an expert said.The Mishq Mahal, does not find itself on the list of 27 protected structures of the Depart ment of Archaeology and Museums in the city , neither is it protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. And with the scrapping of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority's Article 13, it only a matter of time till it finds itself razed, unless the authorities wake up and work towards restoring it to its former glory.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/no-musk-in-mahal-stench-rises-from-state-government-apathy/articleshow/56711919.cms, January 22, 2017

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), which regularly organises heritage walks and other events, now wants to expand the reach from its current presence in 170 districts to 650 districts in the entire country.“We have a presence in only three districts of Telangana –Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar and Warangal. We want to expand to all the districts in the State so that we can create awareness on the need for protecting our heritage. We want younger members and we have started clubs in schools and colleges. We currently have 10,000 volunteers,” said M. Gopalkrishna of Intach.On Saturday, Intach had a brainstorming session about ways to create awareness and sensitise people about heritage at its District Convenors’ Meet and it came up with a plan.“We are working at multiple levels with the communities as well as the government. We are carrying out a pilot project on Clean Ganga by using biological re-mediation in the Asi tributary which has been reduced to a drain,” said L.K. Gupta, Chairman of Intach. “Intach has filed a Public Interest Litigation in Delhi to declare newer buildings as heritage sites so that they are not tampered with. Once we have a judgement, it can be expanded to other regions, including Telangana where buildings like OGH and Ravindra Bharathi will get a tag for protection,” said Anuradha Reddy of Hyderabad chapter of Intach.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/Intach-plans-to-expand-its-reach/article17075375.ece, January 22, 2017

A former executive officer of the Chitlapakkam panchayat is part of an effort to encroach upon the bund and walkway of the lake in the area by extending a temple, residents have alleged.

A group of residents led by Sunil Jayaram, an activist, on Saturday submitted a petition in this regard to panchayat executive officer B Shenbagarajan.

Jayaram,, who along with many youths in the area is spearheading a campaign against the encroachment, said the lake once spanned 80 acres. Now, it spreads over a mere 30 acres. "The new constructions have encroached upon a larger part of the lake." Three temples and a commercial complex have already encroached upon the lake, thanks to 'help' from civic officials and political functionaries, the petition alleged. Now, one of the temples is being further extended, the residents said.

"The former executive officer, who has been adamant on going ahead with the extension ahead of an event on February 5, wants us to allow him to do so. But, we will not allow the water body to be affected," Jayaram said.

Civic group "Chitlapakkam Rising", of which Jayaram is a member, has been spearheading many campaigns to protect the neighbourhood. Its members on weekends clean and paint walls of major landmarks in the area. S Vaidyanathan, a resident, said it was time the authorities concerned took steps to protect water bodies. "There is a concerted effort by unscrupulous elements to grab land from the lake. We will do our best to stop them," he added.

Another resident, who did not wish to be identified, said that the authorities were meant to protect water bodies. "In this case, politicians and civic officials are ganging up to encroach upon the lake. And they want us to be mute spectators. That will not happen," he said.

Shenbagarajan acknowledged that the residents had approached him with a petition. "I have accepted it and assured them that action will be taken against those who are encroaching on the lake. After looking into the petition, I will issue a 'stop work' notice to the temple authorities," he said.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/temple-being-extended-on-chitlapakkam-lake-residents/articleshow/56711316.cms, January 22, 2017

Former Idukki superintendent of police A V George has -- in an unprecedented move - submitted a 30-page report on the massive encroachment and quarrying activities in the district to the district collector. George has since been shunted out of Idukki and posted as SP, Ernakulam rural. The report, dated January 5, cites massive quarrying, illegal constructions and water pollution in many areas in a 250-sq km stretch in Idukki. Photographs have also been included in it. "The wetlands and water bodies are being reclaimed and verdant hills are being flattened in many areas. Instead, many high-rise buildings have come up in eco-sensitive areas. In Pallivasal village, for instance, a multi-storied building stands in a precarious state," it says. The report says eucalyptus and casuarina plantations have drastically reduced the water level in Kanthaloor and Vattavada areas. It recommends that huge building complexes should not be allowed in this region besides limiting the buildings' height to three storeys.

"There should also be a general ban on quarrying in this region," it adds.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/police-raise-alarm-over-idukki-encroachment/articleshow/56694463.cms, January 22, 2017

Seeking to popularise shared built heritage and local history in this former Dutch colony in West Bengal, the Netherlands and state authorities have joined hands to put up special plaques at 20 landmarks, including a few private houses endowed with unique architecture.

The plaques, containing informative text in English and Bengali, and a small picture of the landmark, were unveiled yesterday by Dutch Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga in the presence of local authorities.

"This is in continuation with our efforts to document and popularise the Dutch and local Bengali history of this historical town that is filled with iconic buildings. "The Dutch came here 400 years ago, and the past four centuries encompass a multi-layered history, and the idea is to celebrate not just the European link but also local history," Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Kolkata, Namit Shah told PTI.

As part of the Dutch-West Bengal collaboration, a volume on historical Dutch buildings was earlier published. A booklet Dutch in Chinsurah with an accompanying website was also brought out.

"The 20 buildings include Court House, Commissioners Bungalow, Dutch Cemetery, Hooghly Mohsin College, Imambara, Susanna Anna Marias Tomb, Circuit House, Dutch Barracks and Police Lines. Besides, plaques have also been placed at three old private houses (baris), which have Dutch-influenced or other unique architecture," Shah said.

Apart from these plaques, two big plaques have been erected, which contain the map of Chinsurah and these 20 spots, forming sort of a heritage trail, he said.

A senior Dutch Embassy official said the idea also is to "promote homestay and bicycle heritage tour and link heritage with economic development".

Shah said the list initially included 12 spots, but it was later expanded to include other historical building too, besides those linked to the Dutch legacy.

"People come to Chinsurah and go back. We wanted to leave a favourable trail in their consciousness, and so this project was undertaken. The state and municipal authorities supported a lot to execute this," Shah said.

"Kerala is another integral part of shared Dutch legacy in India, and Alleppey (Alappuzha) with its canals is like Amsterdam. We want to first engage in cleaning of the canal and then using the area for boosting heritage tourism," the Embassy official said. Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) or the Dutch East India Company, which was originally established as a chartered company in 1602, is said to be one of the first multi-national companies, which also had its own logo.

The Commissioners Bungalow here has the Dutch marker, reading "VOC 1687" on its inside wall. Among other iconic landmark of Chinsurah include Ghorir More, a colonial-era Gothic tower, imported by the British in memory of King Edward VI.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/heritage-landmarks-in-wbs-dutch-town-get-special-plaques/1/863562.html, January 22, 2017

Construction of central government funded infrastructure projects is likely to be allowed within the "prohibited area" of protected monuments across the country.

According to a Cabinet proposal, the Culture Ministry has sought to amend the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act to allow "public work" in the prohibited areas, which is 100 metres around the protected monuments, a source said. Currently, construction is not allowed in the prohibited area except for repair and renovation works of the existing structures.

Public works has been defined as construction works related to infrastructure which is financed and constructed by the central government for public purposes, being essential to public safety or security of public at large and its emergent necessity is based upon specific instance of danger to public safety or security of public at large." At present, as many as 3,686 monuments and sites are centrally-protected under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which is responsible for their maintenance.

The Cabinet proposal highlighted three instances where projects pertained to public works were not allowed under the existence law. These were construction of an elevated road by NHAI in front of Akbars tomb in Agra to reduce pollution in the highly congested T-junction; laying of a railway line near protected monument Rani-ki Vav at Patan in Gujarat which had to be realigned; and extension of a hospital in Bengaluru.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/public-work-may-get-nod-near-protected-monuments/1/863653.html, January 22, 2017

Serendipity is what this column thrives on — the happy discovery of some other facet or aspect of something that has found a place in it. And there could be no better example of that than the picture featured here today.The picture of the Christina Rainy Hospital, reflecting the sorry state its original main building is in, that appeared in this column on January 6, jogged the memory of veteran photographer Desikan Krishnan, who, for long, has been putting together a collection of pictures of ‘Madras Past’. He searched in his collection to find and send me this picture of the Hospital as it was in its heyday. When it was taken is not marked on the original nor are there any clues in the picture itself that might indicate an approximate date. But the photographer was M.R. Naidu, Mount Studio, High Road, Triplicane. Is this studio still in existence? If it is not, does anyone remember it and can they provide an approximate period when it existed?On the hospital itself, now called the CSI Rainy Multi Specialty Hospital and modernised with multi-storey buildings, matching facilities and 250 beds, there is a little more information. There were almost no medicare facilities in the Washermenpet-Royapuram area of the early 19th Century till Dr. John Scudder of the American Mission (whose name should be writ large in the annals of Education and Medicine in Jaffna and Tamil Nadu) began going to Royapuram from 1830 to conduct a roadside clinic. In 1856, he was succeeded by Scottish medical missionaries. In 1888, one of these doctors, Matilda (I’ve found the name Alexandrina too!) Macphail, made the visiting facility a permanent dispensary. This facility in time added a few beds, and that was what Christina Rainy, a Scottish educationist, saw when she visited Madras towards the end of the 19th Century. Back in Scotland, Rainy raised funds for a full-fledged mission hospital in Royapuram and its main block, seen standing tall in today’s picture, was inaugurated in 1914. Though the Centenary has passed, perhaps it’s still time to have yesteryear’s block restored. Will INTACH Chennai help?

- http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/A-hospital-%E2%80%98rediscovered%E2%80%99/article17081796.ece, January 23, 2017

The Mamata Banerjee government's efforts to revive the traditional arts and crafts of Bengal has finally got international recognition. The two kinds of mats — sitalpati and madur — and the shalpata plate has received Unesco recognition for being traditional handicrafts. The West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board, a statutory body under the state MSME and textile departments, has been working to revive and promote sitalpati, madur, shalpata plates and other such traditional Bengali handicraft items. The officials said they recently received a message from Unesco recognizing these handicraft items. "We, along with Unesco, are working to revive these traditional Bengali art and craft," an official said.

According to government officials, madur sticks are primarily produced in East and West Midnapore, whereas sitalpati sticks are produced in areas of Cooch Behar. MSME officials said that earlier, lack of product promotions, artisans had to sell the products at a low cost and the industry was almost dying a slow death.

"The situation has now changed with the Khadi and Village Industries Board taking the initiative to form a number of societies comprising where artisans are trained and are given platforms to sell their products directly to consumers, like the fairs and exhibitions organized across the state," an official said.

The initiative taken by the MSME department has also helped revive Tantuja and Manjusha, the two state government undertakings, which now churn out profit. Officials added that the reputation gained by the Biswa Bangla brand as a house of quality products has also helped in reviving the traditional art and crafts of Bengal.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/unesco-tag-for-humble-madur-and-sitalpati/articleshow/56722470.cms, January 23, 2017

In spite of high air and water pollution levels, the national Capital is home to large swathes of forest reserves that few Indian or global cities can rival. The Delhi government's wildlife department figures place the total forest area - comprising one Yamuna Biodiversity Park near Wazirabad, two sanctuaries at Asola-Bhatti and Okhla Barrage, and pockets of Aravali forests - in the city to be at 7,777 hectares, that is more than the size of 6,000 football fields.And, pray, how many 'wildlife Inspectors' has the city government employed to guard these reserves? Two, and one of them is perpetually on duty at district courts, Delhi High Court and the National Green Tribunal."Wildlife inspectors are the foot soldiers of the forest department," says Abhinav Srihan, a Delhi-based wildlife activist. "They have powers to take suo moto cognisance of a crime such as possession of a protected species (which comes under Wildlife Protection Act), and they can make arrests on the spot." Such staff shortage often throws up peculiar situations, which could be both deplorable and funny at the same time. Says activist Srihan: "We once caught some turtles that were being smuggled. We called the forest department but they said it's a weekend and their two inspectors are on chhutti. We called the local police and they came with a genuine answer that how were they to identify if these were native turtles or exotic (the rules differ for both). Also where will we keep them, in the lock-up?"

Delhi has an underground wildlife contraband network - ranging from Jama Masjid's bird market to elephants brought here from Jaipur illegally, besides the smuggled animal parts. Of late, it has also had its share of freak incidents wherein wild animals strayed into civic areas.

The government on its part has chosen to outsource its responsibilities. From the biggest to the smallest of animal rescues that took place in the city in the past few years were made possible by the help of a private NGO, Wildlife SOS.Also read | CAG pulls up J-K govt for using land for non-forest purpose These include trapping and relocation of a 3-year-old male leopard which strayed into Jagatpur (west Delhi), the nilgai which broke into Parliament complex, a sambar deer which took shelter in a community toilet in Mayur Vihar and birds that were rescued around Makar Sakranti, when kite-flying is popular.

"We have been assisting them for 15 years and will gladly continue if they strengthen themselves," says Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder, Wildlife SOS. "But it is not just manpower but also equipment that needs to be looked into. The wildlife department needs at least eight to ten manned rescue vehicles, a wildlife rescue centre over an area about 10-15 acres, a wildlife veterinary hospital, and such paraphernalia."

The courts in its observation on the issue has lamented that the government will not be able to enforce the relevant laws - Environment Protection Act, Forests Conservation Act, Indian Forests Act, etc.- if it doesn't raise staff strength. It also said that the 'sanctioned strength must be filled by March 2016.

A senior wildlife scientist, who did not wish to be named, said, "There is no doubt that senior officers are pretty much helpless without forest guards and rangers who form the foot soldiers. There is no point having great policies of there is no one to implement on ground."

"The existing inspectors need to be promoted which gives them legal powers and government four-wheeler vehicles because currently they are relying on their own motorbikes," he said.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhis-forest-reserves-facing-acute-staff-shortage/1/864081.html, January 23, 2017

In spite of high air and water pollution levels, the national Capital is home to large swathes of forest reserves that few Indian or global cities can rival. The Delhi government's wildlife department figures place the total forest area - comprising one Yamuna Biodiversity Park near Wazirabad, two sanctuaries at Asola-Bhatti and Okhla Barrage, and pockets of Aravali forests - in the city to be at 7,777 hectares, that is more than the size of 6,000 football fields.And, pray, how many 'wildlife Inspectors' has the city government employed to guard these reserves? Two, and one of them is perpetually on duty at district courts, Delhi High Court and the National Green Tribunal."Wildlife inspectors are the foot soldiers of the forest department," says Abhinav Srihan, a Delhi-based wildlife activist. "They have powers to take suo moto cognisance of a crime such as possession of a protected species (which comes under Wildlife Protection Act), and they can make arrests on the spot." Such staff shortage often throws up peculiar situations, which could be both deplorable and funny at the same time. Says activist Srihan: "We once caught some turtles that were being smuggled. We called the forest department but they said it's a weekend and their two inspectors are on chhutti. We called the local police and they came with a genuine answer that how were they to identify if these were native turtles or exotic (the rules differ for both). Also where will we keep them, in the lock-up?"

Delhi has an underground wildlife contraband network - ranging from Jama Masjid's bird market to elephants brought here from Jaipur illegally, besides the smuggled animal parts. Of late, it has also had its share of freak incidents wherein wild animals strayed into civic areas.

The government on its part has chosen to outsource its responsibilities. From the biggest to the smallest of animal rescues that took place in the city in the past few years were made possible by the help of a private NGO, Wildlife SOS.Also read | CAG pulls up J-K govt for using land for non-forest purpose These include trapping and relocation of a 3-year-old male leopard which strayed into Jagatpur (west Delhi), the nilgai which broke into Parliament complex, a sambar deer which took shelter in a community toilet in Mayur Vihar and birds that were rescued around Makar Sakranti, when kite-flying is popular.

"We have been assisting them for 15 years and will gladly continue if they strengthen themselves," says Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder, Wildlife SOS. "But it is not just manpower but also equipment that needs to be looked into. The wildlife department needs at least eight to ten manned rescue vehicles, a wildlife rescue centre over an area about 10-15 acres, a wildlife veterinary hospital, and such paraphernalia."

The courts in its observation on the issue has lamented that the government will not be able to enforce the relevant laws - Environment Protection Act, Forests Conservation Act, Indian Forests Act, etc.- if it doesn't raise staff strength. It also said that the 'sanctioned strength must be filled by March 2016.

A senior wildlife scientist, who did not wish to be named, said, "There is no doubt that senior officers are pretty much helpless without forest guards and rangers who form the foot soldiers. There is no point having great policies of there is no one to implement on ground."

"The existing inspectors need to be promoted which gives them legal powers and government four-wheeler vehicles because currently they are relying on their own motorbikes," he said.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhis-forest-reserves-facing-acute-staff-shortage/1/864081.html, January 23, 2017

Indigenous assessment to be presented to IPCC to report on effect on ocean temperatures, weather patterns Scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, are likely to unveil in December a computerised model that can forecast the impact of climate change on the Indian monsoon until 2100.This model is significant because it is the first time India will be submitting a home-grown assessment to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body convened by the United Nations, and hugely influential to policymakers and governments on the risks posed by climate change. A test version of the model is already available on websites of research groups affiliated to the IPCC.The IPCC summarises projections from such models, developed by scientists from around the world, to report on the level of consensus, among scientists, of the extent to which specific pollutants and gases — from carbon dioxide to particulate matter — interfere with weather patterns and ocean temperatures.So far, IITM scientists have customised significant parts of a model, called CFS 2 (Climate Forecast System version 2) and used it to give three month forecasts of the Indian monsoon, to project how the it will be altered by climate change over the next century.To be viable, the model has to first reasonably simulate land and ocean temperatures that existed in the 1850s, or before the carbon dioxide-spewing Industrial Revolution, and also capture droughts and floods in the years up to the present.“It is an extremely difficult job and requires manpower as well extensive processing power,” Acting Director of the IITM R. Krishnan told The Hindu. “Our plan is to first get a low-resolution model working properly and then gradually increase its [resolution].” Higher resolution models better capture changes in weather over smaller regions.Dr. Krishnan added that India trailed China in developing such models.The IITM is preparing its models for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report that is expected to be ready by 2022. There will, however, be an interim IPCC report, in 2018, on the impact of global warming of 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways. Nations of the world committed in Paris, in 2015, to endeavour to “…keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5°C.”

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Indian-model-to-predict-impact-of-climate-change/article17079002.ece, January 23, 2017

2017 observed as a year of tourism to build a better world. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development recalling the potential of tourism to advance the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute effectively to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“This is a unique opportunity to build a more responsible and committed tourism sector that can capitalise its immense potential in terms of economic prosperity, social inclusion, peace and understanding, cultural and environmental preservation,” said World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development was launched at FITUR, an annual global travel trade show, in the presence of His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, organised by the UNWTO. The event, held at the El Pardo Palace in Madrid, Spain, was attended by ministers of tourism from around the world. The celebration highlighted tourism’s enormous potential to contribute to the development of all countries within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the need to continue advancing towards a more sustainable sector that generates benefits to local communities and promotes the conservation of cultural values and natural heritage.

Accounting for seven pc of worldwide exports, one in eleven jobs and 10 pc of the world’s GDP, the tourism sector if well managed can foster inclusive economic growth, social inclusiveness and the protection of cultural and natural assets. The International Year will promote tourism’s role in the following five key areas: inclusive and sustainable economic growth; social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; cultural values, diversity and heritage; and mutual understanding, peace and security.

Aimed at providing a framework for joint action in the area of sustainable tourism, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The agreement, undersigned by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and JICA Executive Senior Vice President, Kazuhiko Koshikawa, opens important opportunities for collaboration as JICA is one of the largest global donors in terms of international cooperation for development in tourism. As underlined in the document, the agreement aims to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals through tourism. A particular focus is given to assisting developing countries to reduce poverty through tourism as well as to improve public policies and business practices in order to ensure sustainable and responsible production and consumption patterns along the tourism supply chain.

“2017 is a unique opportunity for us to promote the contribution of tourism to achieving the future we want – and also to determine, together, the exact role we will have tourism play in the sustainable development agenda, to and beyond 2030,” added Rifai. India recognised with UNWTO Award

The UNWTO Awards paid tribute to the commitment of the tourism sector towards sustainability and innovation. The winning projects were announced during the UNWTO Awards Ceremony in the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) in Madrid. The UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism are held annually to highlight and promote the work of organisations and individuals around the world that have greatly impacted the tourism sector. The 13th edition of this award saw 139 applications from 55 countries. For India, ISKCON Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) won the prestigious United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Award, leading over 55 countries in the category of ‘Innovation in Non-Governmental Organisations’. Spread over 70 acres in Wada near Mumbai, Govardhan Eco Village is the first Indian NGO to win a UNWTO Award. It was recognised for its ground-breaking work in using eco-tourism to reduce poverty and provide sustainable livelihoods in one of the most backward tribal regions of India.

“The UNWTO Awards reflect the efforts done worldwide by the tourism community to foster innovation and the need of the sector to advance towards a more sustainable and responsible future,” said Taleb Rifai.

Gauranga Das, President of Govardhan Eco Village said, “It was an honour to represent the people of India at the United Nations, and win this award for our country. We are grateful to UNWTO for spreading the message of sustainability on a larger scale.” He expressed his gratitude to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Founder of ISKCON, Radhanath Swami, Founder of Govardhan Eco Village and to the entire community of ISKCON. “We hope to utilise this honour to spread the message of peace, harmony and sustainability to benefit those who are the most deprived and need our help the most. The project has successfully linked tourism initiatives at the Govardhan Eco Village with providing a sustainable life to the local tribal communities in villages, thereby creating a model for empowerment and development of the local people,” he added.

Govardhan Eco Village has earlier won several international and national awards including the International Green World Award in South Korea, International Zero Waste Award in the UK, International Built Environment Award in the UK, Aqua Excellence Award for Sustainability initiatives in Social Sector, Skoch Renaissance and Platinum Award for Water Conservation.

- http://mediaindia.eu/tourism/unwto-identifies-indian-ngo-for-sustainable-tourism-practices/, January 23, 2017

The scenic Himalayas hold a rich natural heritage with diverse flora and fauna enhancing the beauty of this region. BNHS has launched Climate Change Programme under which the first study funded by Oracle and facilitated by CAF-India aims to assess the status, distribution and conservation of pheasants and finches in Central Himalayas. This study focuses on their conservation in the context of climate change with the help of community participation.The Indian subcontinent is home to nearly 50 species of Pheasants and 62 species of Finches, with several species listed in Globally Threatened category by IUCN. Both these groups are distributed across the Himalayas. Shrinking habitats combined with several biotic factors, along with trapping and poaching pressures in many areas has pushed several of them to near extinction. Climate change can highly influence vertical and horizontal distribution of these groups making boundaries of protected areas fuzzy. The species that can adapt will survive but habitat specialist and species sensitive to temperature will suffer. The major aim of this project is to assess the status of Phasinidaes and Fringillidaes, particularly globally threatened species found in Himalayan region and evaluate their distribution. This long term monitoring project also aims to assess the socio-economic activities of local communities and involve them in conservation efforts and sensitize the local forest department staff."This project is part of a long term programme of BNHS which intends to understand impact of climate change on biodiversity of the Himalayan region. In order to conserve biodiversity the local communities play a crucial role hence their involvement is important for the success of this project,” noted Dr Girish Jathar, Senior Scientist – Ornithology, BNHS.The project will contribute in making an inventory of pheasants and finches, documentation of locale specific conservation issues, and designing locale as well as species specific conservation action plan with community participation. The conservation action plan of these sites is a first step towards the protection of the ecosystem which benefits both biodiversity as well as the people embedded in the system.

- http://www.mid-day.com/articles/bnhs-launches-climate-change-programme/17934195, January 23, 2017

While the Regional Plan 2021 is in the doldrums, a different brand of development promoted by members of legislative assembly (MLAs) and other elected representatives is adding to the planning muddle in the state, sources said. Environmental activists and citizens are disappointed with the big ticket projects unveiled by some legislators in their constituencies, as they mostly comprise mud-filling in fields, concretization of lakes, water bodies, nullahs and building retaining walls or broad roads.

"The politicians call it development, but it is more about pouring concrete into water bodies, reclamation of prime agricultural lands and building roads to nowhere," Abhijit Prabhudesai, an environmental activist said.

The slew of legislators' beautification schemes have upset people's aspirations of a green state and sustainable growth. "Nature has its inherent beauty and as such, it cannot be beautified," says Antonio Mascarenhas, a former expert member of Goa coastal zone management authority (GCZMA).

The Rs 2-crore Baina beautification project was one of the typical cases of gross wastage of public funds. Violation of environmental norms and CRZ notification was brazen. Experts objected to the needless landscaping on the beach, dumping of truckloads of mud, construction of retainer wall, ramps and stairs.

A few key projects initiated by MLAs and government have been stalled due to environmental violations and flaws in planning. "The projects are for private profit or the benefit of real estate and other lobbies at the cost of greenery and water resources," Prabhudesai said. Many attribute the beautification projects to the politicians craving to woo their vote banks. "The so-called development and beautification is nothing, but an ego massage for the MLA and it has nothing to do with beauty nor does it improve villagers' quality of life," says Oscar Rebelo, a former member of the task force for RP.

Mascarenhas suggests an agenda of conservation of natural ecosystems and restoration of degraded landscape for the politicians. "If a sand dune on a beautiful beach is destroyed, it can be restored by planting sand-binding vegetation," Mascarenhas said. Concurring with him, Prabhudesai said that highest form of development is restoration of common lands, in which people live off their land and fish resources in the rivers.

Former MLA Nirmala Sawant said that the government should review projects which are not essential for human life.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/development-doesnt-mean-concretization/articleshow/56723104.cms, January 23, 2017

Remembering the stalwarts of archaeology, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began their first session of lectures at Tipu Sultan Palace on Monday. The inauguration session was about the history of Karnataka and was held on January 23, which is the birth anniversary of retired army officer-turned archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham. Cunningham was made the Surveyor General of archaeology in India, after retiring from the army. His rise to prominence in the field of archaeology was after he had followed the research of a couple of Chinese historians. Most of the Buddhist excavations that are placed in the museums of Bengaluru were collected by Cunningham. After his success he became the first Director General of Archaeological Survey of India. “We are planning on conducting a lecture session every month indentifying different stalwarts in the department of archaeology. Since today is the birth anniversary of Sir Alexander Cunningham, we decided to begin our first lecture session remembering him,” said Dr. Arun Raj, Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India.Apart from remembering the stalwart there were other facts that the lecture touched upon. “In the sessions that we are conducting we will touch upon facts that are not been looked upon like the number of unprotected monuments in Bengaluru. We know plenty of monuments that are under the watch of the central government but we often neglect the ones that are unprotected. So we have a round of discussion before the end of every session and this time the whole point of the discussion is the unprotected monuments in Bengaluru,” Dr. Arun Raj said.

- http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/in-memory-of-sir-alexander-cunningham/articleshow/56742032.cms, January 24, 2017

A two-storied building next to Kidderpore's Five Star market isn't architecturally significant. Its value lies in its historical association. 20B Karl Marx Sarani was home to Michael Madhusudan Dutt, one of the greatest personalities of Bengal Renaissance. That is why KMC's heritage committee had in 2009 listed the house as grade I heritage structure to ensure that it is preserved for posterity . Now, the new heritage committee has downgraded the building from grade I to grade III and conveyed its decision to the West Bengal Heritage Commission. Accor ding to KMC heritage building conservation rules, once a grade I building is stripped of its status and downgraded to grade III, it grants the present owner the right to rebu ild the property after demolishing the structure. A KMC official said the property's owner would be asked to instal a bust of the bard inside the building along with a plaque that states Michael Madhusudan Dutt's contribution to Bengali literature and his association with the address. Born in 1824, Dutt was a popular 19th-century Bengali poet and dramatist. He is considered the father of Bengali sonnet and pioneered what came to be called `amitrakshar chhanda' or blank verse.But poetry remained his first love. Among his famous works is Meghnad Bodh Kavya, a tragic epic consisting of nine cantos that is considered exceptional in terms of both style and content. According to the KMC heriA tage committee, its deci sion to downgrade the structure was due to its inability to produce authentic documents in court about Dutt's association with the house. Shortly after the house was listed as a grade I heritage building, Mohammed Salauddin and his family had moved the Calcutta high court in 2009 and challenging KMC's claim that Dutt had lived there for a long time. After a prolonged legal battle, the KMC gave in after failing to produce evidence on the duration of Dutt's stay on the premises and agreed to downgrade the house in its heritage list. Litterateur and heritage crusader Amit Chaudhuri though, isn't convinced the KMC did enough to preserve the historic house. "When it is a well-documented fact that Michael Madhusudan Dutt had his residence in Kidderpore, how could the civic body's heritage committee downgrade the building? The very other day ,a friend of mine, a historian who had come to Kolkata from Delhi, went to visit the house in Kidderpore. This is a city which should be honouring its poets and writers and moments that make up the city's history . Kolkata is unique in showing very little regard for marking houses of personalities and writers who inspire us for generations," said Chaudhuri. He further questioned how the KMC heritage committee had listed the building as grade I in 2009 if it had no documents to prove Dutt's association with it.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/heritage-downgrade-for-madhusudan-house/articleshow/56746119.cms, January 24, 2017

The civic body has come up with a conservation kitty to provide financial aid to privately-owned heritage buildings that need repairs. However, owners will have to put forward some of the amount themselves. Though still comporting themselves with pride, the facades of many of the city’s privately-owned heritage structures continue to crumble under the weight of time and lack of financial options.Now, having gotten a nod from the state government, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), in a milestone decision, will put together a heritage conservation fund to provide monetary assistance to building owners, on the condition that they (the proprietors) come forward with a portion of the required amount themselves. Once the owner has made a project report and an estimate for the repair, two per cent of the total development charges collected will be transferred to the heritage conservation fund, which will be disbursed to building owners after details of the repairs restoration are discussed by an expert committee being formed expressly for this purpose.

The development charges will come the pool of funds garnered from builders of new constructions.The committee includes a chairman appointed by the government, a divisional/ district officer of the Archaeological Survey of India, along with expert members, including the municipal commissioner, executive engineer of PMC’s heritage cell, an architect, etc. Shyam Dhavale, head of PMC’s heritage department, said, “In many western countries, the concept of the government extending help to restore heritage structures is common. We decided to follow this example. Also, we found that most owners of heritage buildings have problems coming up with the money to maintain them.”Dhavale added, “PMC cannot suo moto provide funds to owners until, s/ he shows interest to restoring the structure and is also to spend some money on it. In this case, the owner will need to make a project report with the help of architects on the panel and submit a proposal to the committee, including an estimate of the cost. Then, the committee will take a decision on what funds to provide. PMC will also pay the consultancy fees of the architect and monitor the restoration work till its completion.”The fund has been included under the development control rules of the city’s development plan (DP). Pune city has a total of 245 heritage structures, divided into grades I, II and III. According to PMC’s heritage cell, around 70 per cent of these structures are privatelyowned, many are temples and all of them are located in the old city area.For owners of heritage structures, PMC’s decision has been welcomed with delight. Meghana Natu, owner of Natu Wada and temples in Shaniwar Peth area, said, “Our wada is over 150 years old. Eight generations of our family have lived here and though we have tried our best to maintain it, the expenses are heavy. We did some restoration work on the diwan khana (drawing room) more than a decade ago and it cost us lakhs as we gave the job to a specialised carpenter.” Natu’s vast home is spread out over 4,000 square feet and includes a Ram mandir. Sanjay Biniwale owns Biniwale Wada, located just behind Shaniwar Wada. It, too, is 150 years old and its owner is excited about the corporation’s move. “Very few people are able to successfully conserve old structures. It is a specialised job and needs special care. Two years ago, we wanted to change the tiles on the roof. But, no one manufactures such tiles anymore. There was the option of covering it with tin, but that led to the decay of the wooden frames on which the tiles were set. I finally found tiles in Pune Cantonment where one of the old structures was being removed.”Anupama Muzumdar, owner of Muzumdar Wada, however, was cautious in her praise. “I appreciate the corporation’s decision, but they should be able to provide enough aid. It is very costly to maintain and restore heritage structures to their original form. Ours is 150 years old and till date, I have spent more than Rs 10 lakh to keep it in good form.”Shirish Kembhavi, an architect on the heritage structure panel, said, “We cannot estimate costs without conducting a proper study of the structure. It is a time-consuming activity and it takes more than three to four years to restore such buildings. PMC’s decision will help to maintain and keep the city’s history alive.”

- http://punemirror.indiatimes.com/pune/cover-story/private-heritage-now-has-pmcs-support/articleshow/56742966.cms, January 24, 2017

The sight of the Qutab Minar, the tallest brick minaret in the world, on a sunny winter morning is nothing less than perfection. The lush green lawns around it, the spick-and-span streets, and the hustle and bustle around this ancient monument set the mood for sightseeing the entire day.

A group of schoolchildren on an educational trip, families on a picnic, and foreigners intrigued about the rich Indian heritage – all can be seen admiring this UNESCO world heritage site.

Soaring to 73 metres, Qutab Minar stands tall in the heart of Mehrauli, south Delhi. But unlike its counterparts in other parts of the national capital, Qutab Minar sets a notable example in cleanliness, across outside to inside.

Right in front of the main gate, vendors sell local delicacies and mementoes inside the Qutab complex. They are serious about keeping the place clean. A dustbin is placed at every shop, and shopkeepers have developed the habit of politely asking their customers to throw waste in the bin.

“Qutab had always been clean, but still a lot has changed in the last four to five years since ITDC (India Tourism Development Corporation) came here. The monument has become more beautiful,” says Shyam, a vendor at the complex.

In 2012, ITDC took the initiative of maintaining cleanliness and upkeep of historical monuments. The idea of ‘swachh smarak, swachh paryatan, swachh Bharat’ (clean monument, clean tourism, clean India) was first floated by Lalit Pawar, former director of ITDC, in 2011. But first, the government-run corporation had to plead with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the government agency responsible for conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country, to give a go-ahead.

Vidyut Gautam, who worked closely with ITDC since the beginning of this project, says there were certain notions that had to be changed. “In 2011-12, tourist arrivals in China rated 5.1 (on a scale of 10) whereas India was rated 0.46. Apart from this, there was a brand value we had to develop. Foreign tourists here often complain of upset stomach because of unhygienic food, water and surroundings. They have even given it a name – Delhi belly. We had to work on erasing such notions. We focused on the facts and convinced ASI that there is an immediate need for a campaign like this,” says Gautam, who was the project manager of the cleanliness campaign till 2016.

ITDC had to choose from the hundreds of monuments in Delhi to zero in on a pilot project. “Red Fort or Old Fort was too big for a pilot and Tughlaqabad had no footfall. So we wanted a project that was neither too big nor too small while at the same time challenging enough for us to carry out this campaign. Qutab Minar fit the bill. Another reason was that ITDC’s headquarters is in Delhi, so we were giving priority to a monument in Delhi,” he says. The cleanliness drive at Qutab Minar is one of the biggest initiatives taken by ITDC under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.

Past imperfect
Piyush Tiwari, director, ITDC, says that tourism contributes seven percent to the GDP and nine percent to the total employment in India, and that it’s a big source of foreign exchange as well. But somehow, India gets less than one percent of foreign tourists in the world. “One of the reasons why they avoid coming to India is for their perception about hygiene and cleanliness. When it comes to those things, India ranks beyond 100 globally. The purpose is to change the perception of the world towards India and what better way than representing our rich heritage. We have to bring it to that level. But ITDC had many challenges ahead,” says Tiwari.

The first challenge, and a major one, was to adopt a plan and devise a strategy that would not interfere with the art and heritage of the monument, as that was the condition put on the table by ASI.

Gautam admits that convincing ASI was not a cakewalk. “When we went to them with the proposal, their first reaction was, why does ITDC need to come and change anything when ASI is already maintaining cleanliness? They had their share of doubts and we too had some, but gradually, together, it all fell into place.”

The next hurdle was to bring all agencies concerned, like ASI, municipal corporation, Delhi jal board, tourism board and traffic police, on the same platform. “We had to make them understand that there will be changes and that ITDC is here to only help and guide with those changes. For example, the Delhi jal board was confused as to what role they have to play. We told them that the pipeline might need repairing and the taps installed in Qutab Minar need to be checked. The traffic police was asked to manage vehicles and local shopkeepers, in a manner that the area looks clean and in order. So we had to work on these little things,” says Gautam.

Once the various agencies were brought on board, it was the local stakeholders – vendors, shopkeepers, inhabitants – who had to be taken into confidence. Gautam recalls that vendors were afraid that in the name of a ‘clean monument’ campaign, ITDC might snatch away their livelihood by removing their shops. “We held meetings with all of them in person. We told them that we are not here to remove you but to work with you. So, we provided them with dustbins and gave them tips on how to convince people to throw garbage in bins.”

The selection of dedicated manpower on the field which would devote its time and energy in the campaign also took some time. ITDC held several interviews of local boys and after careful consideration hired them and trained them. The process, that took six months, also helped in employment generation.

Sweeping in change
Initially, one supervisor and 11 staff members were deputed to sensitise visitors, and clean litter at the Qutab Minar premises. This continues even today, only the number has reduced to eight. This is in fact a measure of success, because there is less work now than before. The staff has been trained by ITDC on how to talk and educate foreign as well as Indian tourists on cleanliness, in a way that is polite yet firm.

Work was also allotted to engineers for one-time repair of toilets, installation of signboards in and around the monument, providing garbage bins, repairing and replacing light covers and also working on colour coordination of the railings with the surroundings. ITDC also roped in Prayas, a voluntary group, to carry out the sensitisation drive for the staff, local shopkeepers, vendors and others.

Awareness campaigns in the form of door-to-door counselling, interactive sessions, nukkad nataks, distribution of pamphlets, were carried out in nearby areas. Clean attitude
Four years down the line, ITDC has been able to create a visible change. ASI officials at Qutab Minar feel that ITDC’s efforts have changed things for the better as there is now a sense of belongingness among the locals about their surroundings. “Qutab has always been clean but one thing is for certain: the attitude and mindset of the locals towards maintaining cleanliness has evolved with time. They themselves take the initiative of keeping the premises clean; such an attitude did not exist earlier,” says Satender Singh, junior conservation assistant at Qutab Minar, ASI.

The tourists too are welcoming the change. “Half an hour ago, I dropped a wrapper on the floor and one of the boys from the cleaning staff picked it up and threw it in the bin, placed just next to me. He then politely asked me not to repeat the mistake and showed me one of the signboards (urging the public to keep the environment clean). These signboards act like a warning for us. Honestly, I was a bit ashamed with myself but also impressed by what the staff was doing,” says Vinod, a Delhiite who had come there with his family.

Going forth, fortwards
After the success of their pilot project, ITDC went a step ahead and, on October 2 last year, adopted two more monuments – Red Fort and Purana Qila – as part of their campaign. This time the same procedure would be followed but on a bigger scale. “The footfall at these two forts is much more than what we witness at Qutab Minar. There are Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort and this makes the job even more challenging. However, we no more have to convince any of the government agencies as now they have complete trust on us. We will continue to keep them in the loop,” says Gautam.

Qutab Minar is a start. As more monuments would come under ITDC’s ambit, the rare monuments would soon have a chance to redeem their lost glory.

- http://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/a-tall-clean-order-qutab-minar-cleanliness#sthash.CcsPBbx5.dpuf, January 24, 2017

From 1990 to 2013, the notorious tiger poacher Kuttu Bahelia and his extended family – brothers, uncles, and their wives and children – reportedly killed hundreds of tigers and leopards in the tiger-rich Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka, according to law enforcement informants and media reports. “Even if half that [estimate] is correct, it is still a very significant number,” says Belinda Wright, who directs the non-profit Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

So there was relief when, after years of eluding the police, Kuttu was arrested in 2015. He faced at least six counts of tiger poaching in forests across the central state of Maharashtra and was held without bail. On January 21, 2016, he was taken to court to stand trial in the first of those cases, for allegedly poaching a pair of tigers three years earlier. After his court appearance, while being transported back to jail, he begged to make a restroom stop – and fled into the forest, handcuffed, successfully evading his two police escorts.

Authorities launched a manhunt, but Kuttu – who is descended from a long line of traditional hunters — had vanished.

A Dark History
In 2016, tiger poaching in India surged to its highest levels in 15 years. The spike was the result of a deadly confluence of factors that included killings by roving gangs like Kuttu’s; more tigers snared by locals, who are increasingly trapping deer, wild boar, and other game for food; and cutbacks in anti-poaching patrols due to federal budget cuts.

There were 50 confirmed tiger poaching deaths last year, according to WPSI statistics. But the actual number may be much higher. Customs officials usually multiply known poaching offenses by 10 to estimate the true scope of the illegal trade. Another 82 tigers perished in 2016 from causes other than poaching, bringing the confirmed death toll to 132. Many tigers were killed to meet a thriving illicit demand, largely in China, for pelts, bones, and other body parts.

Poaching is the greatest threat to the ultimate survival of tigers in the wild. Some 100,000 of these majestic cats roamed across Asia at the dawn of the 20th century, around the time Rudyard Kipling published The Jungle Book – which he set in what is now India’s Kanha Tiger Reserve. Since then, tiger populations in Asia have plummeted by 96 percent, falling to fewer than 4,000 animals, split among five subspecies; a sixth, the South China tiger, is thought to exist only in captivity. Only a few hundred Siberian and Indochinese tigers remain. India’s last census estimated 2,226 Bengal tigers, and these animals represent the last, best hope for wild tigers – 60 percent of all left alive today.

Some investors, banking on extinction, are collecting tiger skins and tiger wine This dramatic decline began with elaborate big-game hunts that were a favored sport during the British Raj. Historian Mahesh Rangarajan estimates that more than 80,000 tigers were slaughtered by kings, lords, generals, and Maharajahs from 1875 to 1925. Many more then died as habitat was razed, which brought the cats into greater conflict with humans.

More recently, the tiger has become a victim of consumerism. Demand for tiger parts used in traditional Chinese medicine skyrocketed during the 1980s in tandem with China’s growing middle class. For millennia, the official traditional Chinese pharmacopeia has attributed curative properties to nearly every part of the cat, from whiskers to tail. Tiger remedies have been used to treat epilepsy, liver and kidney problems, baldness, toothaches, ulcers, impotence, fevers, nightmares, and laziness. The hu gu (Mandarin for tiger bones) are the most highly prized parts because of a purported ability to treat arthritis and restore flagging libido.

But the demand has now changed. A 2014 report prepared for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species found that “‘wealth’ [is] replacing ‘health’ as a primary consumer motivation” and tiger parts “are now consumed less as medicine and more as exotic luxury products.” Chief among them are tiger pelts used in high-end décor and “bone strengthening wine,” made by steeping a tiger skeleton in rice wine, experts say. These items are used as bribes or prestigious gifts to gain influence, or to flaunt wealth and power. Some investors, banking on extinction, are collecting skins and tiger wine.

The demand for these products is fueled by industrial-scale breeding facilities in China that currently “farm” an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 tigers for their parts. This legitimizes the sale of these items, stimulating the market and driving poaching in the wild, says Debbie Banks, head of the Environmental Investigation Agency’s tiger campaign. Tigers are part of a larger, global illegal wildlife trade run by international cartels, a problem that has gained world prominence with the widespread slaughter of African elephants and rhinos. This trade is now ranked as the world’s fourth-largest illegal activity after guns, drugs, and human trafficking operations, valued at $15 to $20 billion a year by the United Nations Environment Program.

The Chase
Gangs like Kuttu’s are an integral part of this professional tiger-trafficking network.

Kuttu’s family is from the Bahelia tribe, whose name derives from the Sanskrit vyadha, or “hunter.” The clan’s heritage harkens to a time when it and other tribes served emperors and kings as expert hunters. But their status plummeted when the British Raj instituted The Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, effectively branding lower castes and tribal people as criminals.

Some traditional hunting families like Kuttu’s remain nomadic or live on the fringes of society. With deep ancestral knowledge, they have become the most effective poaching gangs in India, says Jose Louies, head of law enforcement in India for the International Fund for Animal Welfare–Wildlife Trust of India. He notes that “it’s a lucrative, easy job” – and Kuttu’s family is among the top offenders.

Stymied last year in their search for Kuttu, the police eventually enlisted additional help to find the fugitive, including operatives from India’s Wildlife Protection Society. The first break came in June when Kuttu’s family was sighted in the state of Madya Pradesh. Police and WPSI field agents spread out, scouring nearby villages, with no luck. Additional leads poured in. The gang was constantly on the move.

Finally, however, the family slipped up. An informant obtained the number for a mobile phone a Kuttu gang member was using – a surprising mistake since most professional poachers no longer communicate via cell phone. Police tracked the signal and located their camp in Uttar Pradesh, outside a town that hugged the Nepalese border. One of the six major trafficking routes to China crosses through the center of Nepal.

Police placed the group under surveillance. Finally, on November 30, the police moved in as family members headed into a nearby town. Though the gang scattered, the police captured Kuttu – a short, round-faced, 35-year-old with a goatee. Everyone else, including Kuttu’s brother, Keru, who is wanted for trafficking tiger skins, ran off.

If Kuttu is convicted in one case, he’ll be sentenced to three years in jail; a second will put him out of commission for seven years. His is a high-profile case that will get serious attention, but in general, Indian wildlife laws are difficult to enforce because of an overburdened judicial system that rarely makes environmental crime a priority. Only 112 people in India have ever been convicted of killing or trafficking in tigers.

“No Tiger Can Escape From These Traps”

Louies of the International Fund for Animal Welfare estimates that the core offenders in India number only about 70 people, including poachers, middlemen, and “carriers” who transport the contraband. When professional gangs target a forested area, they spend at least a week doing their homework, studying park guard patrol patterns and tiger movements. “They know tiger biology, the habitat usage, the behavior of the animals,” says Louies. “Their skill set is absolutely brilliant.”They almost exclusively use jaw traps – crude metal contraptions forged over a blacksmith’s fire that they conceal on trails where tigers walk. They’re easy to maintain, easy to hide, and deadly efficient, catching tigers by the leg. Guns are hard to conceal, make too much noise, and leave a bullet hole in the body of the pelt. Often, they manage to catch a tiger within 24 hours. “No tiger can escape from these traps,” says Nitin Desai, WPSI’s central India director. Once it’s caught, he says, “poachers spear it in the throat to silence it. Then they club it to death with sticks.”This year, Desai says, most of the seizures involving organized poachers occurred in northern India, which shares long borders with China, Nepal, and Bhutan. While India has 50 tiger reserves, some are small and have reached their capacity to accommodate tiger populations. As a result, when adolescent tigers leave their mothers, they often need to travel long distances to find their own territory. The moment they step outside of the parks, there is no protection.Louies once asked a poacher where he prefers to hunt: a protected area where there are plenty of tigers but more patrols, or a fringe area where there are fewer tigers, but a lower chance of getting caught? His response: “A tiger reserve is like a nursery for me. That is where my tigers grow, my tigers breed. Every year, a few will come out, and that’s all I need, so I wait outside. Why should I take the risk of going into the forest?”

Budget Cuts Test Resilience
But even inside some tiger reserves, patrols are lagging; a recent study showed that less than 30 percent of park acreage is being patrolled. And Bivash Pandav, a tiger expert at the Wildlife Institute of India, is concerned that there is little accountability for poaching events. “If poaching goes up, we cover it up, with more concern over protecting one’s reputation than understanding the cause and the impact” – or finding a solution, he says.An example of the government’s lack of transparency is their website, which lists 98 tiger deaths in 2016: 2 poached, 22 seized in parts, and 57 listed without cause, despite the agency’s position that all deaths will be treated as poaching unless proven otherwise.Part of the problem is money. In 2015, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley cut funding for tiger conservation. States must now chip in 40 percent of certain expenses for the first time since concerted efforts to protect the cat began in 1973 under Indira Gandhi’s Project Tiger.

“It’s nothing but a miracle”

“This has resulted in budget cuts for anti-poaching, forest fire-fighting, staff salaries, and village relocation,” says Bittu Sahgal, a noted conservationist and founder of the magazine Sanctuary Asia. These cuts have left many reserves more vulnerable. Among them is northern India’s Corbett Tiger Reserve, the park with the country’s highest tiger densities. Sixteen cats were confirmed poached in that general area last year.“If a few tigers are poached from an area where there are lots of tigers, they can bounce back,” says Pandav. But tigers may then die battling over territory – or there may be fewer births for a year or two until the social order is reestablished. And poaching even a few individuals from a forest with a small number of tigers may make it very difficult for them to recover. Field studies have shown that if a population of tigers loses half of its breeding age females, that population collapses.

Wright has a prescription for how to stop the killing before it happens, including an “an intelligence-led approach to wildlife crime” that more effectively identifies and tracks poachers, particularly repeat offenders. She said India also needs better surveillance along its porous borders and a beefed-up Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.

Still, compared with other countries, India has much better mechanisms to protect its tigers. “Otherwise there is no way with a population of 1.3 billion people we would still have 2,226 tigers,” says Pandav. “It’s nothing but a miracle.”Despite perilously low numbers, there’s hope. Cats breed well, and overall, tiger numbers have increased in India over the last few years. “We’re losing a lot of tigers,” says Wright, “but they are very resilient. Left alone, and reasonably well protected, they do very well.”And, says Louies, “Getting Kuttu out of the system is a major victory.”

- https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2017/01/asian-luxury-market-grows-surge-tiger-killings-india/, January 24, 2017

While the Regional Plan 2021 is in the doldrums, a different brand of development promoted by members of legislative assembly (MLAs) and other elected representatives is adding to the planning muddle in the state, sources said. Environmental activists and citizens are disappointed with the big ticket projects unveiled by some legislators in their constituencies, as they mostly comprise mud-filling in fields, concretization of lakes, water bodies, nullahs and building retaining walls or broad roads.

"The politicians call it development, but it is more about pouring concrete into water bodies, reclamation of prime agricultural lands and building roads to nowhere," Abhijit Prabhudesai, an environmental activist said.

The slew of legislators' beautification schemes have upset people's aspirations of a green state and sustainable growth. "Nature has its inherent beauty and as such, it cannot be beautified," says Antonio Mascarenhas, a former expert member of Goa coastal zone management authority (GCZMA).

The Rs 2-crore Baina beautification project was one of the typical cases of gross wastage of public funds. Violation of environmental norms and CRZ notification was brazen. Experts objected to the needless landscaping on the beach, dumping of truckloads of mud, construction of retainer wall, ramps and stairs.

A few key projects initiated by MLAs and government have been stalled due to environmental violations and flaws in planning. "The projects are for private profit or the benefit of real estate and other lobbies at the cost of greenery and water resources," Prabhudesai said. Many attribute the beautification projects to the politicians craving to woo their vote banks. "The so-called development and beautification is nothing, but an ego massage for the MLA and it has nothing to do with beauty nor does it improve villagers' quality of life," says Oscar Rebelo, a former member of the task force for RP.

Mascarenhas suggests an agenda of conservation of natural ecosystems and restoration of degraded landscape for the politicians. "If a sand dune on a beautiful beach is destroyed, it can be restored by planting sand-binding vegetation," Mascarenhas said. Concurring with him, Prabhudesai said that highest form of development is restoration of common lands, in which people live off their land and fish resources in the rivers.

Former MLA Nirmala Sawant said that the government should review projects which are not essential for human life.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/development-doesnt-mean-concretization/articleshow/56723104.cms, January 24, 2017

A coastal survey in western India has spawned the discovery of a new species hiding in plain sight.Tadpoles turning into frogs are nothing new, but when a bird is miraculously transformed into an amphibian – and a previously unknown one at that – it’s time to sit up and take notice. In a bizarre turn of events that gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘metamorphosis’, a frog whose call was initially mistaken for the more familiar sound made by a white-throated kingfisher has just been confirmed as a new species.It was citizen science that first shed light on the true identity of the Karaavali skittering frog, named after the region where it was first recorded. In the local Kannada language widely spoken in the state of Karnataka, Karaavali is the name for India’s west coast.A local forester, C R Naik, was monitoring the biodiversity around his coastal village in order to document the bird, snake and frog species in the vicinity. Having realised that the kingfisher-like call was actually being emitted by a frog, he had the presence of mind to record it on his mobile phone. During subsequent fieldwork in the Western Ghats he played back the recording to a team of scientists, including several herpetologists, who naturally assumed that they were listening to a bird. Leap of the imaginationAmong them was Seshadri K S, winner of a 2010 Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) award who is currently studying for a PhD at the National University of Singapore. Intrigued by Naik’s claim that the call belonged to a frog and not, in fact, to the commonly heard White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon gularis, Seshadri resolved to visit the coastal site and investigate the mystery for himself. Sure enough, a few hours of nocturnal detective work amid flooded paddy fields in the company of Naik revealed that the forester’s story was not an elaborate hoax. Subsequent analysis of the call helped to confirm that the species was indeed new to science.“Often, such scientific discoveries happen because there are foot soldiers like Mr Naik working hard in the field”, Seshadri observed. “Him being a forest official and making observations on nature makes this discovery special. We hope this discovery will inspire the staff of the forest departments and research is encouraged. By joining hands with researchers, Naik has come to the forefront of biodiversity conservation. Such efforts will [help to put] biological research in India on a par with [the rest] of the world.”In a wonderful example of the results that can be achieved when enthusiastic and knowledgeable citizens join forces with experts, Naik is among the co-authors of a paper recently published in the December 2016 issue of Asian Herpetological Research, which brought the Karaavali skittering frog discovery to the attention of the wider scientific community.Dr Gururaj K V, a renowned frog researcher and another co-author of the recent paper, who performed the bioacoustics analysis of the call, is a strong advocate of the need to engage the general public in scientific pursuits and was therefore particularly gratified that citizen science had played such a key role in the discovery: “We were certain that the call was of a bird and [that] he was taking us for a ride; however, Mr Naik was adamant. We conceded that the call ought to be explored more and asked Naik to make a video next time he heard it. He immediately got to work and sent us short video clips and said this was a new species of frog.”Naik himself was equally elated: “I am so happy that a new frog [has been] discovered from my native place and I am doubly delighted to be part of this discovery. I am thankful for the entire team of scientists who took trusted in me. This discovery has motivated me and I will continue making observations, not only about frogs, but in other [areas of] natural history. Such observations can help in creating awareness among citizens about nature.”The newly discovered species is already threatened by nearby infrastructure development in the shape of highway construction and conversion of agricultural land. The paper’s authors highlight the fact that the frog appears to be restricted to just three districts in the coastal plains of Karnataka, and recommend that it should be officially classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

- http://www.birdlife.org/asia/news/frog-mistaken-for-bird, January 24, 2017

One day after the proposal, civic officials scaled down the plan for tramway between Moazzam Jahi Market to Charminar by limiting it to Madina, a distance of 2.3 km as against the earlier plan of 2.9 km.

The change happened after heritage activists and officials raised questions about the status of monuments near Charminar. “How will the tramway pass by the Charkamans what will happen to Gulzar Houz? Before they begin this kind of a project that impacts the most loved monument of Hyderabad they should have consultations with all stakeholders including the people living there,” said Anuradha Reddy of Intach, after she learnt about the proposed tramway project.

Key consideration

As officials from Bordeaux Metropole and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation exchanged notes at the Indo-French Workshop on Charminar Pedestrianisation Project and New Generation Tramway, it became apparent that heritage is going to be a key consideration before the green light.“When we started consultations for the Bordeaux Metropole the first thing we did is put in place heritage legislation so that people don’t tear down buildings expecting higher commercial rents. It is important to have a heritage protection organisation in place before beginning any work. Walking around Charminar I realised that the river is spectacular. It is important to link Charminar to the river,” said Michele Larau-Charlus the Director General of Bordeaux Metropole. Her sentiment was echoed by Etienne Lhomet who said: “A legislation for protection of heritage buildings is important. Some people see Charminar as a ghetto but this will change if this urban renewal project is implemented.”Kept out of the loop, Ali Taher of Archaeology Survey of India, said: “Charminar is a heritage precinct and we are a major stakeholder but we were not consulted at all. I don’t know what is happening. This plan has been sprung on us suddenly. We need a solution but it has to be holistic. If it is done without a hidden agenda then we are ready for it.” “Worldwide, pedestrianisation is successful only because of trams. Here the issue is not about money but about pedestrians. We are putting in place a heritage law that will lay at rest. We are planning a law that will give a blanket of protection to all the important heritage sites in Telangana,” said Papa Rao, advisor to Government of Telangana trying to put at rest misgivings about status of heritage vis-a-vis the tramway project.

- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/Tramway-project-runs-into-heritage-hurdle/article17090426.ece, January 25, 2017

Two stone mantapas, said to belong to the era of Kempegowda, the 16th century founder of Bengaluru, unearthed during desilting work in Hosakerehalli lake on Monday drew hundreds of curious onlookers a day later.

One of the 20-foot-tall stone mantapas, locally known as Gangammana Thottilu (the cradle of Ganga), was damaged by an earthmover during the work. The mantapas are essentially four-pillared structures holding together the roof and floor which are essentially stone slabs. The structure is adorned by floral carvings. The rooftop with a depression does appear like a cradle.

Legend has it that Hosakerehalli lake was built by Kempegowda. Desilting was taken up as part of works to develop and rejuvenate the lake.

Workers alerted social worker R Ramesh about the structure they had run into while digging. On Monday, the entire structure was unearthed at a depth of 25 feet. "Hosakerehalli Lake was built by Bengaluru founder Kempegowda. When it used to fill up, villagers would go to the mantapa in a coracle to perform puja. The mantapa could weigh about 20 tonnes. The archaeology department should protect it for future generations," said Ramesh. Lakshmaiah N M, 70, resident of the area, recalled witnessing puja offerings at the mantapas. "Youngsters used to dive into the lake from the tower. When the nearby Channammanakere Lake got damaged many decades ago, a lot of muddy water and silt entered Hosakerehalli Lake, spread over 56 acres. I think that was when the towers got submerged in silt," he added.

Hosakerehalli corporator Rajeshwari Cholaraj, who visited the spot, said: "There was a practice of building such towers at the lake centre in earlier days. Whenever the lake got filled up, villagers used to go in coracles and do puja at these towers by offering baagina." Rajeshwari, however, said only archaeologists can throw more light on the origin of the mantapas.

When asked about the development, R Gopal, director, State archeology department, said, "We got to know about the development. Our officials will visit the lake site on Wednesday. We will get to know more details on the history of the towers only after spot inspection. The structure need to be washed and we need check whether there are any inscriptions so that their age can be found out," he added.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/mantapas-unearthed-from-lakebed-may-belong-to-kempegowda-era/articleshow/56766450.cms, January 25, 2017

Odisha’s Raghurajpur, famed for its pattachitra paintings, has been adopted by Bank of India as a ‘digital village’, said the bank’s General Manager SK Agarwal today. Speaking to reporters, Agarwal explained that as part of a digitisation encouragement programme, the bank has installed 20 Point of Sale (PoS) machines and have opened 200 savings bank accounts in the village.

“This is a step towards encouraging the cashless mode of transaction envisioned by the Union and the State Government. Our officials have done the ground works to train the necessary manpower in dealing with plastic money and have opened hundreds of accounts so that the villagers won’t have to depend on cash,” said Agarwal.

“This feels like a move in the right direction. We faced a severe cash crunch after demonetisation that hit our business hard. The tourists came here, appreciated our work but were unable to buy them as we didn’t have the means to receive payment apart from cash. Now, with PoS machines, things will become easier,” said Jayant Swain, an artisan.

Raghurajpur is a heritage crafts village in Puri district, known for its Pattachitra paintings — an art form dating back to 5 BC, Gotipua dance troupes — the precursor to the Indian classical dance form of Odissi, palm leaf engravings, stone and wood carvings and tussar paintings.

Back in 2000, after a two-year research and documentation project by INTACH, the village was chosen to be developed as state’s first heritage village and developed as a crafts village. Thousands of domestic and internationals visitors throng the village each year.

- https://odishasuntimes.com/2017/01/25/odishas-raghurajpur-becomes-bank-indias-digital-village/, January 25, 2017

A farmer’s son, Syed Ghani Khan’s had always dreamt of becoming a museum curator.He studied archaeology and museology, dreaming of opening his own museum where he could host curious visitors and impart knowledge about several ancient traditions. When he was 22, Syed’s father had a brain haemorrhage, which left him in charge of the family and the farm as the eldest of the siblings. Syed took up farming and made up his mind to say goodbye to his dream forever.He started using hybrid farming methods to grow rice like many other farmers in his district. One day, while spraying his crop with pesticides, he had a dizzy spell and fainted. That was the day when realisation hit him. He began using organic compost, but after a few months, he saw no visible effect on his crop. When he looked into the matter, he realised that the crop grown from hybrid rice seeds wasn’t affected by the natural fertilisers at all. He then decided to switch to the more nutritious local traditional rice varieties that would suit the traditional cultivation methods.When he tried to find the traditional varieties, however, he realised that many of the drought-resistant rice varieties of the once dry region, like raja bhog batha, kadi batha and doddi batha, were lost. After the introduction of hybrid seeds that offered much higher yield than the traditional seeds but could not reproduce, farmers had abandoned the traditional varieties, which would provide comparatively low yield, but whose seeds could be used for generations after. Syed struggled to find these traditional seeds that were also naturally resistant to pests.His collection started with a rice variety that no one was able to recognise. A scientist helped him identify it as a native variety of rice that used to grow a long time ago in Mandya but had since been lost. He started tracing these lost varieties of rice, collecting, conserving and even cultivating them. That was when the thought of realising his dream of becoming a museum curator occurred to him, by creating a unique living Rice Museum.He found a handful of rice varieties in the nearby villages of Mandya district but didn’t stop at that. He travelled to the neighbouring districts and states in search of the rice varieties. Within a span of 4 years, he had collected, grown and conserved over 140 unique rice varieties, retaining the unique taste, aroma, colour, size and shape of each variety.The traditional varieties have many advantages over the hybrid ones.They require less water. Some even have medicinal properties. After years of perseverance, Syed is now well known among the farmers, who actively seek his advice. Located in the Kirugavulu village of Mandya district, Syed’s Rice Museum as well as the ‘Bada Bagh’, an orchard renowned for growing over 116 varieties of mangoes, have become must-visit spots for farmers as well as agricultural researchers. His rice museum boasts of more than 850 indigenous rice varieties from all parts of the country.While most of the varieties of rice originate from India, the museum is also home to varieties from Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan and several other parts of the world. Syed has transformed the farm into a bio-diverse ecosystem, which is host to over 60 species of birds. Maintaining this living museum and perpetuating the lost knowledge to the future generations is his only passion.

- http://www.thebetterindia.com/83713/syed-ghani-khan-rice-museum-karnataka/, January 25, 2017

Members of Biodiversity Management Board — constituted by the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) in October 2015 — have not met even once since its inception, claimed experts.

The main objective of the committee is to look into conservation of biodiversity, including preservation of habitats, conservation of land races, folk varieties and cultivars, domesticated stocks and breed animals, micro-organisms and chronicling of knowledge relating to diverse elements.

Last year in July, the then mayor Ashwini Ramane had called a meeting that discussed primary information related to the functioning of the panel and its objectives.

Uday Gaikwad,, a city-based environmentalist, said, "The meetings of the board should be called regularly as per the guidelines of the government. The KMC has not yet appointed special officer to monitor the functioning of the board. The current environment officer is already occupied with three other responsibilities. The civic authorities should understand the importance of the committee as it will help protect and conserve the biologically diverse nature of the city."

He added that the KMC can earn revenue if new ideas are generated in the board. "For instance, there are 40 unique species of trees in the city. The KMC can plan nature ride for students and tourists. The board has to mark the biodiversity hotspots, register them and frame the policy to protect and conserve these hotspots. I have written two letters to the civic authorities demanding regular meetings of the board," Gaikwad said.

According to the Environment Status Report 2013-14, the city is blessed with vegetation comprising traditional plants such as pachira, Brasil nut, Australian chestnut, crysophyllum, hanuman fruit and colvhaliya that needs to be conserved.

Environmentalists in the city have so far spotted 84 varieties of butterflies, 13 types of migratory birds and four varieties of local migratory birds. The board consists of experts in various fields such as botany, agriculture, forestry, fishery, NGOs, citizens and environmental education.

Also, seven local officers from various departments of forest, irrigation, health, animal husbandry, fishery, education and tribal welfare department are invitees to offer suggestion in their respective fields.

On being asked about the board, chief environmental officer of the KMC R K Patil said, "The board needs to be reconstituted. Also, the environmental issues are discussed in other committees such as steering committee or the standing committee. The government guidelines do not specify number of meetings to be called within a stipulated period."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/green-panel-never-met-since-inception-experts/articleshow/56766697.cms, January 25, 2017

Conservation architects, heritage activists and prominent citizens of Kolkata are perturbed over the surreptitious manner in which KMC has downgraded buildings listed as heritage property.

Following the TOI report on the civic body downgrading Rennaissance poet and dramatist Michael Madhusudan Dutt's house at 20B Karl Marx Sarani from Grade I heritage structure to Grade III, activists demanded transparency in the classification procedure, apparently mired in secrecy. "No one knows when the KMC heritage committee is in session, what is on its agenda, why it deems necessary to change a building's heritage gradation... Even after the decision is taken, it is not made public," said Indian National Turst for Art & Cultural Heritage (Intach) Kolkata convenor G M Kapur.

Going by the rules, the heritage committee chairman is supposed to explain the changes in writing but it remains opaque. This is inconceivable in this era when everything can be put on public domain by leveraging the internet. Kapur has written to the committee several times to add buildings to the heritage list, but not received any response.

It was the demolition of an arched gateway at Episcopal Residence on 5 Russel Street—five bishops had lived there—in 2001 that started the heritage movement. The gateway was rebuilt, but at least three heritage buildings have been razed.

The first was the demolition of actor Pramathesh Barua's house on Ballygunge Circular Road in 2008 where a multi-storied building has been built. In 2015, Gholam Rasool Mosque, with its triple domes and twin minarets, a Grade-I heritage structure on Samsul Huda Road, was pulled down to make way for a larger mosque, even as the KMC ignored locals' pleas to stop the razing. Two years earlier, Elphinstone Picture Palace, later renamed Minerva and then Chaplin, was demolished by KMC. Built in 1907 by Jamshedji Framji Madan, it was the city's oldest single screen theatre where Uttam Kumar's father Satkari Chatterjee operated the projector. Construction of a citizens' service centre is currently on.

Last year, the heritage committee quietly downgraded Roxy Cinema from grade I to III, paving the way for its demolition as well. Here, too, the KMC wants to set up an office.

At 302 APC Road, the once-stately Cossimbazar Palace now appears to be crouching in fear as skyscrapers loom large over it. Much of the grounds has been "developed" and it is a matter of time, say residents, before the building vanishes.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/heritage-property-downgrade-by-civic-body-angers-activists/articleshow/56787061.cms, January 26, 2017

One of the key responsibilities of Medak district administration after the districts reorganisation has been to develop it as a tourism and heritage destination due to the historical significance associated with it. District Collector Bharati Hollikeri has also placed this on top of her priorities when she took charge. Among several places where the remnants of ancient history have been preserved is Alladurg, which dates back to thousands of years.Prehistoric rock paintings very similar to that of Ajanta and Ellora caves dating back to 2nd century BC have been excavated from Alladurg and preserved in the State Archaeological Museum in Hyderabad. There is also a megalithic burial site discovered in Alladurg mandal, confirming the settlement of humans in early history thriving here. Influence of Jainism (before the onset of Shaivism cult) could also be seen in Allladurg, as sculptures of Lord Mahavir which were found inside the Hanuman temple lay neglected outside the temple now.One of the most intriguing things about Alladurg is the presence of Bethalaswamy temple, the only temple dedicated to the demon god very similar to the Bethala temple of Kondagattu in Karimnagar district. Renuka Yellamma temple is another jewel in the crown of Alladurg. There is a committee of priests who take turns every year to serve the Goddess and they get to keep the offerings which come in the form of gold and cash in huge quantities. Priests (both men and women in a family) come from as far as Maharashtra and Karnataka come to serve and make money year after year.None of these temples fall under the Endowments Department and the revenue from the jataras and the temples is shared by the priests and the landlord on whose land Bethalaswamy temple is located. Bagaiah, the priest at Bethala temple feels that Endowments Department taking over the temple would assure steady income to the priests and could be useful for developing the temples in Alladurg. The same was reiterated by priests in Hanuman and Veerabhadraswamy temple.One of the interesting things about Alladurg is the fort where the landlords still live. Centuries ago, there was a saint named Allah Wali Shah who propagated Islam, leading a life of wisdom and serving people. He had a servant named Ramdas, whom he gave all his property including the fort before he had died. A dargah was built in Alladurg in Allah Wali Shah’s memory and Alladurg was named after him.After Ramdas, several generations later, E Laxma Reddy inherited the fort and property. Currently, E Anil Kumar Reddy owns the fort and Bethalaswamy temple also falls in his property. The fort still stands tall as a witness to rising and falling kingdoms, transitioning into a feudal system. According to researchers, after the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, manipulations were done with the naksha (maps) of Nizam and reorganisation of land records (ROR) was done by landlords.

“How can a centuries-old temple be present in someone’s land? Should it not be temple land then?” asked Surya Kumar, a historian, archaeologist and professor. “Local political leaders should show interest and demand that Alladurg be declared as a heritage or protected site. They should push for development of the area as a tourist place. The landlords should also cooperate so that the immense tourism potential of Alladurg can be made good use of,” suggested Surya Kumar, speaking to The Hans India.

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Commoner/2017-01-26/Alladurgs-historical-structures-cry-for-attention/275945, January 26, 2017

The ministry of culture’s proposal to allow construction near historical monuments betrays a lack of understanding of their value. A recent note of the culture ministry to the cabinet has a proposal to amend the law that accords protection to heritage sites in the country. Built heritage is a significant public good and is recognised as such in the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule. It nurtures our collective memories of places and is a significant constituent in the identity of cities. It has invaluable potential to contribute to our knowledge of not just history and the arts, but also science and technology. Several buildings and sites throughout the country, even entire areas or parts of historic cities, are examples of sustainable development. They demonstrate complex connections of man with nature. Unlike other intangible forms of cultural inheritance, our built heritage is an irreplaceable resource. It is site-specific. Knowledge gained from such resources can provide constructive ways to address development challenges. But the persistent oversight of the values of our heritage is one of the major paradoxes of physical planning and urban development in post-colonial India. Conservation of heritage is not seen as a priority to human need and development. Heritage sites are more often than not seen as consumables and usually end up as the tourism industry’s cash cows and little else. The Ministry of Culture’s note suggests amendments to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendments and Validation) Act, 2010 (AMASR Act, 2010). It concludes by referring to a 2016 bill to amend the act and suggests giving legal powers to the Central government with respect to new construction in protected sites by superceding existing bodies like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and National Monuments’ Authority (NMA) respectively. Ironically, both the ASI and NMA, technical arms of the MoC, have the mandate to regulate construction and threats within and around protected heritage sites.

If the 2016 bill is cleared by Parliament, such construction could happen in the immediate vicinity of protected properties of national importance. Such “prohibited areas”, are within 100 metres of the delineated boundaries of monuments. Historic structures and archaeological remains are most susceptible to heavy vibrations, chemical effects or mechanical stresses in this zone. The AMASR Act, 2010 and its 1958 predecessor can be traced to a colonial legislation, namely the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904, which deemed it “expedient to provide for the preservation of Ancient Monuments”. The blanket rule on the “prohibited areas” should, and has, been debated at various professional and academic fora. Certainly a law originating from a colonial outlook needs review, given our current depth of knowledge on heritage. However, doing away with protection without survey and documentation, can be catastrophic.

The NMA, constituted under provisions of the 2010 act, is in the process of preparing site-specific guidelines. But given the vast number of heritage sites in India and the small number of in-house specialists, the work has been slow.

The proposal of the Ministry of Culture uses the buzzwords, “innovation”, “sustainability” and “accountability”. None of these are clarified or explained in the proposal with respect to the nature of projects envisaged. Two of the three projects justified in the proposal have contradictions. The first relates to the construction of an elevated road next to Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra to “reduce road accidents” and “for organised traffic movement”. While an elevated road would visually obliterate the historic structure, it would also encourage high-speed traffic,one of the leading causes of road accidents. Traffic movement and automobile fumes would scar an elaborately painted gateway. Cranes and piles operating in the immediate vicinity of the 500-year old Mughal structure will cause excessive vibrations. The other project, Rani-Ki-Vav in Patan, Gujarat is slated to be the site for a railway track. Whether a railway track is as irreplaceable or sustainable, as an 11th century, seven-storied, subterranean step-well demonstrating the best in water management in the past, is surely not a very difficult question to answer. Incidentally, Rani-Ki-Vav is one of the recent most inclusions from India in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

The field of architectural conservation in India has grown significantly in the past three decades, giving us new definitions of heritage.

Pedagogy and practice of conservation is trans-disciplinary and aims to, at one level, demystify the complex, and sometimes, inscrutable qualities of the historic environments. Professionally, we have moved beyond a colonial, monument-centric understanding of heritage in India. We now appreciate and have developed inter-disciplinary ways to work with it. This understanding needs to be mainstreamed and integrated into development considerations and processes, rather than be ignored or subverted.

In 2011, Hampi Bazar, a living component of a World Heritage Site was demolished by ill-informed planning authorities. Such actions damage both the historic fabric of a society and its fundamental right to live with, learn from and enjoy heritage. It is imperative that our governance, vision and action related to heritage comes of age. We most certainly need housing for all and enough space to park our cars.

We need improved communication technologies. But we don’t need multi-storeyed apartment blocks or parking complexes stuck to the walls of Humayun’s Tomb, just like we don’t need cellphone towers atop the Charminar. We wouldn’t mind walking a few 100 metres more or not having mobile connectivity for a few minutes. That may prove to be the healthier way out.

- http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/disrespecting-heritage-historical-monumnet-construction-culture-ministryancient-asi-charminar-hampi-bazar-humaun-tomb-4490052/, January 27, 2017

Ancient sculptures are lying in a neglected condition in both Medak and Sangareddy districts as if they are some unwanted objects with no value continues, with neither the district administrations, nor the Department of Archaeology taking steps to preserve them.Ancient sculptures which look like a male and female tribal warriors holding weapons can be seen lying underneath a tree right in front of the Medak Tahsildar office (right beside the office of Information and Public Relations). The stone sculptures are probably many centuries old and more needs to be studied about when they were carved and during whose rule.On similar lines, construction of Social Welfare Gurukul School in Narayankhed town has unearthed age-old stone sculptures from a period unknown, recovered while removing an ancient open well in its premises. The stone sculpture and two pillars have now been thrown by the side of the road right in front of the MRO office in Narayankhed. The pillars appear to have been from the period of Kakatiyas, looking at the designs and architecture. The sculpture was recovered from inside the now destroyed well.Thousands of such ancient sculptures and scriptures are lying everywhere in Medak and Sangareddy districts and despite news reports pointing-out the issue, nothing is being done to preserve the great history of Telangana.

- http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-01-27/Neglect-gnaws-away-at-ancient-sculptures/276235, January 27, 2017

On this Republic Day, let us hope both man and beast can evolve their own stories in a land that is still full of surprise. While we hummed the National Anthem — before movies, in school assemblies and in our parades, a group of birds, from some of India’s oldest mountains, were also singing.Their joyous trill was heard by scientists. This Republic Day, scientists have discovered a new species of bird as well as two new genus of birds. This is as Make in India as it gets — both the species as well as genus (genus is a unit in taxonomy between species and family) are found only in India. They evolved on Indian soil, and their future is on Indian soil.The new species is called sholicola ashambuensis, a Shortwing bird found in the mountains of Western Ghats. The new genus are that of shortwings, now called Sholicola or Sholakili. Sholakili means bird of the Sholas in Malayalam. The other genus is of laughing thrushes, now called Montecincla or Chilapan. Chilapan means joyful laughter in Malayalam.

A bird that sounds like it is laughing when it sings, flying in mountain air, and very much Made in India: this is a soothing image, but also an ancient one. Consider this: it is estimated that humans came to India about two million years ago. Much before us, about 4.5 million years ago, singing birds in the Western Ghats became distinct from other birds. Some of the little birds were divided by the Palghat gap, a natural valley in India’s misty Western Ghats. The birds became different from each other, with different colours in their tails and bodies, and singing different songs.

There are two stories I want to tell you. Story number one is this: the birds were here before us. They were flying the Indian skies, choosing trees to sit on, places to inhabit, and thrumming the air with song. They were here for so long, that they turned into different species, depending on the different corners, valleys and niches they took home in.

Then, people came. We settled near rivers and lakes. We established cities, made on bloodshed and enterprise both. Millennia later, we decided to create the sovereign, socialist, democratic Republic of India.

India is a vibrant Republic. So much so that even the very idea and name of "Republic" is jealously guarded. A journalist trying to start a new TV channel called Republic has been told he can’t use this word. The Republic, like the Indian flag, is a symbol above commerce. A Republic is all about its citizens. But most importantly, a Republic is about values.

ghatsbd_012717122127.jpg In India, standing up for the environment is still seen as a pious thing. (Photo: Prasenjeet Yadav.) The idea of a Republic is the idea of a unified and proud country, which stands together as an independent, self-governing system. The skills of citizens, their diversity, their different songs and languages all build the formidable social and cultural enterprise of India. But here is the thing: both recent and old developments show us that India is not just about its people. India is not a monolith with one story, one race, one species or one narrative. What sets India apart is its people, but also its enormous natural wealth. Our people are our USP, and so is our biodiversity.

We have 1,263 bird species. We have the only Asiatic Lion population. We have the world’s largest tiger population. We have forests and grasslands that twist and twine in ways which you will not find anywhere else in the world, containing birds, fantastic beasts, micro-organisms and insects not found anywhere else. The sounds you hear here you can’t hear elsewhere, and the sights of the canopy, the desert and the wetland have their own golden ratios.

And we are still discovering how we are different. Apart from the new discoveries on the Western Ghats, last year, a new species of thrush was also found in Himalayas. A tiny spider, just seven millimetre long, has also been discovered in Western Ghats. It’s wrinkled, conical body has prompted scientists to name it after Harry Potter’s Sorting Hat.

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J.K. Rowling ? @jk_rowling
.@curiocritters I'm truly honoured! Congratulations on discovering another #FantasticBeast! ?????

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From a tiny furry spider to the most eloquent human, our Republic is populated by unique citizens that leave their mark.

Here is my second story. India is a democratic, sovereign, socialist Republic.

We are sovereign. We have fought for not just our independence but also our sovereignty, to make decisions for ourselves in the ways we deem best. India has integrated with the rest of the world in many ways, but also refused being dictated an identity by others.

We have historically said no to big World Bank projects. We have refused foreign aid and funding in key areas, while accepted in others. While our demographic twin, China, violates international wildlife law, in India we have mostly kept our wildlife alive; ensconced in tolerance, faith, status quo or kind-heartedness.

Standing up for the environment is still seen as a pious thing. While big countries with big game hunt their animals for money, in India the idea of shooting a tiger for a few hundred dollars is still seen as blasphemy.

We have charted our own sovereign path. This is seen in the resilience of our people, the dedication of a forest guard who stands against a poacher with a gun, in the way women and men bring up their children despite deadly disease, in the way we produce stellar sportspersons with the barest of facilities.

Bold and empowering decisions on conservation — sharing space with the most colourful of birds and the largest of animals — have been taken by us. My hope is that we continue to take sovereign decisions, but in ways that include all manner of citizens. A bird that laughs as it sings; a tiny spider that looks like it could go to House Gryffindor; a woman who lives in a village and sees three species of bird outside her window; a sensitive child who lives in a city but understands where his water comes from. These are all citizens of this Republic, and these make India unique.

The democratic, sovereign, socialist Republic needs both its people and its different species to shine. Patriotism is about taking care of both, and taking decisions that include social and natural heritage.

On this Republic Day, let us hope both man and beast can evolve their own stories in a land that is still full of surprise.

- http://www.dailyo.in/variety/republic-day-new-shortwing-bird-discovered-western-ghats-animals-conservation-environment/story/1/15327.html, January 27, 2017

A decade ago, Pattanam was a quiet, nondescript village 30km north of Cochin. Even today, its narrow lanes wind past country houses and the sea always feels like it’s just past the next clump of coconut trees. But for many years, local children rummaging in the sand had found old glass beads and pot shards that pointed to ancient encounters. The village’s name, too, gave its secret away: The word has its origins in Prakrit, in which it could mean either a ferry or a port. In 2007, the Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR), an autonomous body supported by the state government, began digging in the village and was immediately struck by the richness of their finds. Over nine years, the team of archaeologists unearthed over 1.29 lakh artefacts, some dating as far back as the Iron Age (years 1000 to 500 Before Common Era), and giving evidence of trade with the Mediterranean and Arabian Peninsula at the peak of the Roman Empire (1st Century Common Era).

But in September 2015, the Archaeological Survey of India suspended KCHR’s license to excavate at Pattanam and launched an inquiry into the work it had done till then. This was in response to a complaint by the Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, who claimed that the project was a “collective conspiracy and propaganda to claim that Pattanam was the ancient Muziris.” Last month, the ASI, whose assent is mandatory for any excavation in the country, closed its inquiry and renewed the organisation’s license to dig at the site. But by then, funds had dried up and research had almost ground to a halt. The project now faces an uncertain future after the retirement in 2016 of KCHR’s director, PJ Cherian, who has steered the excavations from the start. Archaeology is a mine-field in India, where the creation of a national identity has had to contend with the diversity that its people have inherited – a history of mixing, a fear of contamination. Simplistic notions of the past come up against a common problem: too much history.

In one pit researchers found a wharf structure, a wooden dug-out canoe and bollards, all dating back to the Early Historic Period. (GRIST?Media) At the time that excavations began in Pattanam, some historians had a hunch that the village was the site of the fabled Muziris mentioned in classical Roman and Tamil literature. Minor archaeological excavations in the past had turned up foreign pottery from the area. “Anyone familiar with archaeology could tell the difference between local and non-local materials among the finds,” said Cherian. But the archaeologists weren’t prepared for the volume of material they unearthed: black-and red-ware pottery and iron implements traced back to the Iron Age; non-local ceramics and glassware pointing to trade with the Mediterranean in the Early Historic period (years 300 BCE to 500 CE); turquoise glazed pottery that continues into the medieval period (500 to 1500 CE); and even Chinese ceramics as recent as the 16th Century.

From the start, the team realised it needed to look far and wide for help: Greek and Latin scholars to understand the classical literature on Muziris; geologists to explain sediment deposits and their contexts; laboratory scientists to date the artefacts using radio carbon tests; and paleo-botanists to reconstruct the vegetation and food habits of the time. “Archaeological research has two fundamental aspects: it must be interdisciplinary and collaborative,” said Cherian. KCHR sought experts and training from several institutions in the country, in addition to the British Museum in London, the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Universities of Oxford and Rome. When its license was suspended, the KCHR had just signed an agreement with the Palace Museum to set up a laboratory at the Pattanam site.

Glass beads and decorative stones found at the site (GRTSI Media) The assemblage of Roman amphorae — large storage jars for wine, olive oil and fish sauce — were the biggest, found in India, according to Roberta Tomber, an honorary fellow at the British Museum, a specialist in Mediterranean ceramics and one of the first collaborators on the dig. “From the outset, it was clear that the evidence from Pattanam was exceptional and would do much to progress our understanding of Indo-Mediterranean trade,” said Tomber. The artefacts confirmed several details that were only hinted at in textual sources for Greco-Roman trade with the region. In the classical literature of the Sangam age (300 BCE to 300 CE), the prized port of Tamilakam (of which present day Kerala was a part) was Muciri Pattinam. The poet Tayankannaanar, in Akananuru, described it as a “prosperous town” on the banks of the “beautiful Culli river [Periyar]”, where the “Yavanas [Westerners] come with their fine ships, bearing gold, and leave with pepper.” Black pepper, a precious commodity for preserving meat and enlivening tastes in the West, was bought in large sums from India’s south-western coast and Muziris was the hub of this trade. The Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder, described it as the “first emporium of India” (77 CE).

Historians had long debated the location of the port. “Kodungallur, which was earlier believed to be the site of Muziris, hadn’t turned up any artefacts from before the medieval period. Pattanam is only 12 km away,” said Cherian. The Periplus Maris Erythraei, a 1st Century CE navigational document says: “Muziris, in the kingdom of Keprobotos, owes its prosperity to the ships that come from Ariake and Greece. It lies on a river 20 stades [about three kilometres] from its mouth.” Ships would anchor on the coast and the cargo would have to be fetched on smaller boats that plied up and down the Periyar River. Today, a tributary of the river flows a short distance from the site, where in one pit researchers also found a wharf structure, a wooden dug-out canoe and bollards, all dating back to the Early Historic Period.

The excavation site in Pattanam (GRIST?Media) The allegations from Hindutva groups weren’t new — since the early years of excavations, there were claims in the press and in Hindutva blogs that the equation of Pattanam with the ancient port gave credence to Syrian Catholic legend that the apostle Thomas had sailed to Muziris from the Red Sea in the 1st Century CE, bringing Christianity to the state before it even reached the West. A credence that they didn’t welcome — Dr KN Madhusudan Pillai, director of BVK told the Times of India in September 2015, that the “only motive of these excavations is to establish that there was no Brahmanical heritage of Kerala and that it was only after St Thomas arrived that culture came here”. The KCHR’s research hasn’t examined the religious practices of the time and moreover, according to Cherian, the name is immaterial. “The story starts around 1000 BCE, when there was no Muziris. There are also finds from post-Muziris.” The researchers, for their part, have been cautious in declaring that Pattanam is Muziris but they don’t hide their enthusiasm at what the evidence suggests. “The quantity of Mediterranean material that has been excavated from Pattanam, in conjunction with ancient Tamil and classical written sources, strongly supports the equation between Pattanam and ancient Muziris,” said Tomber.

The brick structures and the toilet arrangements (GRIST?Media) In one of the later seasons of the excavations, the team hit upon Cherian’s favourite pieces of the Pattanam puzzle: Architectural remnants in the form of brick flooring, drainage networks, ring wells and toilet structures — suggesting that it was a planned urban settlement. “There’s evidence of the trade, with luxury goods like pepper and frankincense. But who were these people? The bricks and toilet structures humanise these findings,” said Cherian. The only written clue found at the site, which perhaps points to its religious life, is a potsherd inscribed with five letters in Tamil-Brahmi script, which dates back to the 2nd Century CE. The letters read as amana, possibly linking to sramana, meaning a senior Buddhist or Jain monk.

Contentions over identity aren’t the only problems that such projects face. In India, as in other developing countries, archaeology is controlled and funded by the government, which is often insensitive about the people inhabiting a historical site. In Pattanam, where over 3,000 people live on every square kilometre, unused land is scarce. “People thought their land would be forcibly taken away. The colonial practice was to evict people from their land in order to conserve a site. We wanted to move away from that approach.” said Cherian. According to Cherian, KCHR paid market rates for the land and launched a ‘Green Archaeology’ initiative. It provided bicycles and employment to the locals, built a children’s museum at the site and also started a one-year post-graduate course in archaeology in Pattanam.

As Rachel A Varghese, a researcher on public archaeology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University writes in her 2015 essay, Archaeology and the New Imaginations of the Past, the Hindu Right’s grievances, though directed at the excavations, were actually a reaction to the Muziris Heritage Project (MHP), launched by the state government around the same time as the start of the excavations. The Rs 200 crore project, meant to conserve Kerala’s heritage and repackage its charms for tourism, covers 150 sq km spread across five panchayats in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. The area includes Pattanam and 16 other historical sites, for example, the Paravur Jewish Synagogue, Cheraman Juma Masjid, Mar Thoma Church, Paliam Dutch Palace, Kodangaloor Bhagavathi Temple, etc. Visitors can combine these on theme-based tours conducted as part of the MHP. The choice of monuments, writes Varghese, perfectly captures Kerala’s cultural syncretism, although it does this by stretching the historical sweep of Muziris. All of these were built centuries after the port ceased to be active. “The fall of the Roman empire seems to have led to the slow decline of the Muziris port,” said Cherian. The quantity and richness of artefacts begins to shrink after the 5th Century CE.

Potsherd withTamil-Brahmi script (GRIST?Media ) “One has to be very careful when identifying historical sites, but hypotheses are fine,” feels Cherian, adding, “On the other hand, if artists or the public want to re-imagine that history, isn’t that a good thing?” In that spirit, Cherian and the state government have supported art projects that have reclaimed the cosmopolitanism of Muziris. In 2009, the state’s departments of education, culture and tourism joined hands with the celebrated Malayali artists, Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, to plan the Kochi Muziris Biennale — a three-month-long arts festival, bringing together artists, galleries and cultural institutions from across the country and the world. Now, in its third edition, curated by contemporary artist Sudarshan Shetty, the Kochi Biennale has turned into one of the most important arts events in India. Previous editions of the biennale have had artists reflecting on the port’s history, most notably Vivan Sundaram’s installation using 8 lakh potsherds to reflect on the pepper trade, titled ‘Black Gold’. Seated on the Aspinwall House terrace overlooking the Kochi harbour, Krishnamachari told me how the choice of Kochi was a natural one. “In the 14th Century, when a flood destroyed the site, the port shifted to Kochi. More than 30 countries used to have trade relations with Muziris. That’s a huge number when you consider it was 2,000 years ago,” said Krishnamachari, wearing his trademark printed shirt and fluorescent glasses. Aspinwall House, a sprawling property in the Fort Kochi area, once housed an English trading company and is now owned by the DLF group. It’s now the main venue of the Biennale. (Simultaneous exhibitions take place in at least 10 other locations spread across the rapidly gentrifying neighbourhoods of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, in the historic old quarters of the city.)

Krishnamachari described the Biennale as a collaborative effort, which brought together not just diverse arts and artists, but planners, architects, historians and intellectuals within Kerala. “That cosmopolitanism, that kind of global acceptance existed and still exists here. Kochi has accepted everybody as they are: The first mosque, the first church and synagogue in India, they were built here. I would say it’s almost like a mirror and for me a mirror is not a reflector; it’s a receiver.” The ASI’s approval in December also includes a license to survey another site to the south, in Kollam (Quilon in the ancient trade routes). “We are also interested in the Kollam site to understand the continuation of the Muziris story, after it disappeared. We don’t think it really stopped entirely. It might have moved,” said Cherian. The 22-foot-long Peutinger scroll on the table (GRIST?Media) The Tabula Peutingeriana, a 22-foot-long scroll that sits in Vienna, is the only surviving map of the trade routes of the Roman Empire. It depicts towns, seas, rivers, and roads. The scroll in Vienna is a late medieval era copy of a map dated to the 5th Century. At the centre of that world is Rome — on its Western edge are the British islands and in the opposite end is Muziris.

Cherian believes that the Indian subcontinent was blessed by nothing more than geography for its place in the trans-oceanic trade routes. “The land mass juts out like a jetty in the Indian Ocean. It also had a network of 44 rivers, so there was contact with the hinterland,” he said. Its connections to other ports were thus spread wide — to Guangzhou (China), Khao Sam Kaeo (Upper Thai-Malay Peninsula), Ormara (Pakistan), Khor Rori (Sumhuram, Oman), Berenike (Berenice, Egypt), and Cilicia (Turkey), to name just a few. “There was exchange, of technology, people, ideas and goods. I’m not comfortable with the term “globalisation” because of its modern connotations, but it is the first time that cultures far and near came closer,” said Cherian. But to his team, Pattanam was no end of the earth. It played a presiding role in that history.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/history-lost-twice-muziris-excavations-in-kerala-s-pattanam-face-right-wing-wrath/story-or4fnlWRmNZXxeR8VsYQqN.html, January 28, 2017

From freedom fighters to Nobel laurates, this Vizag building has hosted them all. At the end of a tiny, winding lane off the Old Town main road in Visakhapatnam's Port area, stands the grand Town Hall of the city.The building that is more than a century old is one of the most iconic structures in the city today.Said to be built by the 'Rajah of Bobbli' between 1901 and 1904, it stands on top of a hillock, above sea level, thus, giving it a panoramic view of the harbour. The structure is symmetrical and has wooden floors and stone towers on either side of the building, that are covered with a conical wooden roof."The ground floor of the structure is still open for everyone to come and visit, and is considered the reading section. We have been laying out newspapers and magazines for several decades now. We still try and keep them updated," says Satyavantha Rao, a board member of the 'Vizagapatnam Club', which has taken the ground floor of the building on lease.There are also several decks of cards and a billiards table for those interested in availing the facility."All the furniture that you see, is also from that time. It is still so sturdy because it is made of imported teak," he says.The top floor of the Town Hall was initially used by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), but later it became a venue to hold concerts and cultural programs. "This was the only building of its kind at that time," says Rao.He also adds that not many visitors come to the premises anymore.

"You are the first non-local this week," he exclaims, as he points to a magazine with the picture of US President Donald Trump, suggesting that the papers on the table were updated.While access to the first floor has been locked, reportedly by the GVMC, a board outside the building elaborates on the architecture."The stone towers have small semi-circular segmental arched openings that appear like watch towers. The flooring and roof framework are made of wood which has stood the rest of time. The Town Hall structure with elegant stone work influenced the architecture of structures that subsequently came up in Vizag," it states. Rao adds, "In fact, the architects and engineers those days didn't even need cement."

Rao goes on to scrape his fingers between two stones in the wall, to reveal sand."They mixed some other material with the sand to make the structure stronger, but it is still a marvel nonetheless," he says.While the official statement is that it was inaugurated on March 8, 1904, some organisations like Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) say the building is even older. INTACH says it was built on a fisherman's village, in the year 1893 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.The organisation also states that it was handed over to the municipality in 1904.It is not just for its architectural value that the Town Hall is precious to people in Visakhaptnam, the building also has historical and cultural ties with the city.During the freedom struggle, this structure is said to have hosted some of the most important civic meetings.

Duvvuri Lalithamba, daughter of the chief justice of the erstwhile Madras High Court late Sir Vepa Ramesam, had earlier told the Times of India, "The Town Hall was a major meeting point for freedom fighters and social activists. Mahatma Gandhi visited the town hall in 1929 and delivered an address..Later the Salt Satyagraha movement in Visakhapatnam was kicked off in 1931 from the beach opposite the Town Hall."The building has also hosted the likes of C Rajagopalachari, Rabindranath Tagore, Sir CV Raman and Dr S Radhakrishnan during literary and cultural events. That's not all. The building has also hosted music icons from MS Subbulakshmi and Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu to M Balamuralikrishna, who passed away in November last year.Speaking about the Town Hall to The Hindu, Balamuralikrishna had earlier said, "I was mesmerised by its sheer beauty and ambience.

The blue water of the bay was visible from the stage in the evening when I reached the venue and the wafting cool breeze kept me going."Despite all this, the building today is in a state of despair, and is in dire need of repairs.Stray dogs and cats roam around the building, even as some people urinate on the walls.From outside, the building looks structurally strong, but a look from inside shows that it is crumbling and dilapidated. Cyclone Hudhud that hit the city in 2014, seemed to have weakened it further."The local politicians have promised funds for its repair, but work is yet to begin," says Satyavantha Rao.Even an offer by the Vizagapatnam club to repair it, was allegedly turned down by the GVMC.Activists have also alleged that there is a ploy to let the building crumble on its own, to help corporates engaged in shipping business take over the site."We are not allowed to make any changes unless we have permission, since it is a registered heritage building. However, If we don't take up repairs fast, a great piece of history may be lost forever," Rao adds.

- http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/piece-history-may-be-lost-forever-vizags-iconic-town-hall-continues-crumble-56431, January 28, 2017

In order to convert Bolpur-Shantiniketan into a model sustainable heritage city, students and faculty members from the IIT-Kgp and MIT, on Friday came together at a brainstorming session. Those from IIT-Kgp were mainly research scholars and students pursuing masters in architecture and city planning. In order to convert Bolpur-Shantiniketan into a model sustainable heritage city, students and faculty members from the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur (IIT-Kgp) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in US, on Friday came together at a brainstorming session at the American Center in Kolkata.According to an Indian Express report, the students are participating in a year-long India Practicum Programme (2016-2017).

They have compiled reports on the basis of the data obtained from photo documentation, meeting municipal officials, artists, painters and NGOs in Shantiniketan, reconnaissance survey and cultural interaction.The conference was presided over by US Consul General Craig Hall and 15 students from MIT participated. Those from IIT-Kgp were mainly research scholars and students pursuing masters in architecture and city planning.

- http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/piece-history-may-be-lost-forever-vizags-iconic-town-hall-continues-crumble-56431, January 28, 2017

The ancient Ganesha idol, allegedly destroyed by the Maoists in Chattisgarh's Dantewada, has been located. The idol which was thrown from a height of 13,000 feet, was found broken in 56 pieces. The ancient Ganesha idol, allegedly destroyed by the Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada, has been recovered. The idol which was thrown from a height of 13,000 feet, was found broken in 56 pieces. It was suspected that Maoists had destroyed the thousand-year-old Ganesha statue. The photograph of the place where the Dholkal idol was placed went viral. As per ‘Dainik Bhaskar’, the statue was found missing first on January 26, when a group of pilgrims visited the place.

The idol was at the height of 13,000 feet in Bastar, which is known for its dense forest. It was discovered by a local journalist in 2012 while exploring the region, after which a huge search operation was carried out by archaeology department.During the research, it was found out that the idol was made at the time of Nagvanshi dynasty around ninth century AD. Many stone weapons were also discovered in the vicinity, which was seen as sign of early human life. The state of Chhattisgarh is also home to many rock-art paintings which seemed to be among the oldest in the world.However, the exploration of the state’s rich history has largely been hindered due to decades of Maoist insurgency. The left-wing rebels have often been blamed for sabotaging the development of Chhattisgarh, which has also got one of the largest mineral reserves in India.

- http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/ganesha-idol-found-in-56-pieces-after-falling-from-13000-feet-in-dantewada/526565/, January 28, 2017

The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry on Saturday launched a film condition assessment project under which almost 1.32 lakh film reels at National Film Archive of India (NFAI) will be assessed and preserved for future use, as per global standards.The project marks the beginning of National Film Heritage Mission—an initiative by the government of India for the preservation, conservation, digitization and restoration of rich cinematic heritage of the country. A total of Rs597.41 crore has been allocated by government towards implementation of this project.“This is a one-of-its-kind project in the world, wherein the government is spending huge amount of money towards the aspect of film preservation, in order to make rich filmic heritage available for the future generations to come,” said Ajay Mittal, secretary at I&B ministry in a statement.NFAI is the nodal agency for the implementation of this project.As a part of government’s Digital India initiative, the ministry also announced digitization of non-filmic material like posters, photos, song booklets, pamphlets, press clippings, slides/ transparencies and glass negatives.

“This is a step in the direction of government’s Digital India initiative, wherein non-filmic heritage of the country would be digitized, restored and made available to the people at large,” Mittal added.Earlier in November 2016, the ministry had also set up a film promotion fund to provide financial aid to the movies (for promotional activities) selected in the competition section of any international film festival, including India’s official nomination for the Academy Awards.The government is also planning to formulate a national communication and information policy in an effort to enhance access and dissemination of information across the country. The government is in the process of finalising the draft of the policy.

- http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/bs3DIgMA2u3b04dB0EX3qK/Govt-launches-film-heritage-mission-to-preserve-132-lakh-fi.html, January 28, 2017

Around an hour's journey to the east of Kolhapur, lies a treat for architecture aficionados. The Kopeshwar temple located at Khidrapur, is around 60km away from the city at Khidrapur village. The temple comes under the Indian Archaeological heritage sites and is known for the beautiful stone carvings. It is also one of the rare temples in India, where both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are in 'ling' form and without the presence of a 'nandi'. A walk down history Travel writer Aruna Deshpande says the structure is one of the best examples of temple architecture in India. Deshpande, who works closely with the Indian Archaeological department said, "The Kopeshwar temple was built by the Shilahara king Gandaraditya, Vijayaditya and Bhoj-II between 1109 and 1178 AD. The inscriptions dating back to the 12th century is proof of this. The exterior of the temple which is founded on 92 elephant carvings and the interior have around 108 stone carved pillars. Apart from this, the temple is studded with stunning carvings of gods and goddesses.

During the Deccan campaign of the Mughal king Aurangzeb, much of the temple sculpture was damaged. To this day, none of the 92 elephant sculptures has trunks in the raids by the troops of Deccan sultans and the Mughals. Legend has it that lord Shiva was furious when sati Parvati jumped into Daksha's sacrifice. Lord Vishnu then brought Shiva to the temple to calm him down. Hence the temple got the name as 'Kopeshwar' which translates to the furious god.

About the temple architecture The Temple is divided into four major sections — the Swargamandapam, Sabhamandapam, Antaral Kaksha and Garbha griha. PhD student Rohini Hake (Patil) is carrying out research on the Kopeshwar Temple, said, "The Swargamandapam is separated from the main temple and has 12 round pillars ascending towards the ceiling. It has beautiful engravings of kings, queens and their vehicles. The three rows of 12 pillars each are adorned with beautiful artistic designs. A large, black, flat stone 14 feet in diameter is installed at the centre of the Swargamandapam. The Swargmandapam also has a circular open ceiling of 14 feet in diameter exactly above to the centrally-placed stone. It is intricately carved and meant to let out smoke during a Yagna."

The construction of Kopeshwar temple started sometime in 7th century AD and the work remained incomplete under various dynasties. "The architecture of the 'shikhara' of the temple does not go well with the overall architecture of the temple and its mandaps. It is possible that the construction of shikhara was completed much later than the 12th century AD, when temple was under renovation. Even work on the two side doors of the sabha mandap looked somewhat incomplete or hastily finished. Probably the frequent wars between neighbouring kings affected the temple's construction," Hake said.

How can it be conserved? Temple researcher from Kolhapur Umakant Raninga said, "The government needs to take proper steps to preserve the temple heritage. Patchwork was done on the sculptures and walls of the temple a few decades ago and needs to be removed properly. Apart from the temple sightseeing, there are no other facilities provided for the tourists. Guest rooms, tour guides, hotels and other information are not available at the venue and so there is not much of a response to this historical site."

- -http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/kopeshwar-temple-a-hidden-12th-century-relic/articleshow/56841170.cms, January 29, 2017

Paleoclimatologists have often attributed the downfall of civilizations in Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt to a drought which started in 2000 BC and they are of the belief that the Indus Valley Civilization may have suffered the same fate. A new study on the Indus Valley Civilization sheds light on climate change, which occurred almost thousands of years back and the manner in which humans during that period were affected by the alterations in the environment. Climate change and its effects are concerning in the current era, which makes one marvel how our ancestors grappled with such shifts. Thanks to new research methodologies, scientists are able to demystify the climatic patterns that occurred several thousand years ago, which gives humans an inkling into how our ancestors coped with the oscillating conditions. In an article in the journal Current Anthropology, researchers discuss the various nuances of how the human civilization adapted itself to the changing environment. The study was based on the Indus Valley Civilization of South Asia during the period between c.3000 - 1300 BC. On the basis of information gleaned from isotope data of the sediments of an ancient lake, the scientists suggest that the monsoon cycle - which is pivotal to the South Asian countries' livelihood - suddenly halted for nearly two centuries. "For most ancient complex societies, water was a critical factor, and the availability of water and the way that it was managed and used provide critical insight into human adaptation and the resilience of subsistence practices," shared Dr. Cameron Petrie of the Division of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, the lead author of the study. The research delved into the land, water and settlement dynamics of the ancient civilization. It also studied how the population present in North-West India, adapted itself to the climate change. The study also delved into how the environment altered during times of climate change.

Remnants Of The Past The researchers believe that the Indus Valley Civilization evolved in a particular environment where there was an overlap in the summer and winter rainfall systems. Evidence reveals that during the period between c.2500 - 1900 BC, the area was exposed to climatic changes which coincides with the time line of the Indus Valley Civilization being at its peak. The various facts based on the civilization offered the researchers with the opportunity to gather insight on how the society grappled with such varied and dissimilar ecosystems, as well as the climatic constraints.

During early Holocene, the Indus Valley Civilization, was located closer to the lake Kotla Dahar, in the plains of north western part of India. This proximity suggests that the ancients had a consistent supply of rainfall which would counter evaporation. The rainfall, however, would have been largely during the monsoons. The lake, however, provided proof of sudden changes in the monsoon rainfall pattern. It also indicated a consist decrease in the water level of Kotla Dahar. During the course of this study, the sorry state of the lake in the period between ca.2200 -2000 BC was observed, likely due to the sporadic rainfall and disruptions in the monsoon cycle. This hints that the monsoon during this period was affected by the spontaneous change in the climate.

The significance of Kotla Dahar is emphasized by researchers as they discovered that this locale was inhabited by a large population. It is also thought to be the primary reason which contributed towards the de-urbanization of the Indus Civilization.

- http://www.techtimes.com/articles/194978/20170129/indus-valley-civilization-also-adapted-to-climate-change.htm#sthash.WtteBOLp.dpuf, January 29, 2017

The ailing Osmania General Hospital (OGH), a heritage structure once protected by regulation 13 of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, is crying for attention. While it serves hundreds of patients everyday, the authorities have chosen to ignore its state of complete disrepair.It was last year that the government announced that it will tear down one of the finest examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture, also known as Osmanian architecture . A Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University report, commissioned by the Telangana government, noted that the OGH buildings could stand for a period of only five years post-repair. Soon after, outrage against the proposed demolition poured onto the streets forcing the government to abandon its plans of demolition." Poured onto the streets" ? None saw any great protests of this hyped up by your paper news. Where are the so called activists now? Hiding in the confines of their comfortable homes far aw... Read MoreBut little has changed regarding the conservation of the structure. The facade is crumbling while the interiors too are crying for attention.

A walk around the heritage structure reveals the exposed brick work with the lime mortar peeled off from the some of the outer walls, and at other places, chunks of it have fallen off. Drainage continues to seep from pipes installed on the exterior of the building and trees, several feet tall, can be seen on portions of the roof."There are trees growing on the terrace. All it takes is some physical work to remove them. But the government is not doing anything. If this is the case, the government's plans of demolishing the OGH will be realised without even hiring a wrecking crew," an observer pointed out. Convener of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Hyderabad chapter, Anuradha Reddy said that while abandoning plans of demolishing OGH was a welcome move, the government should now take steps to conserve it. "The government seems serious about heritage now. It should now release funds for its conservation and complete restoration."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/osmania-general-hospital-gasps-for-attention-heritage-building-crumbling-roofs-caving-in/articleshow/56846559.cms, January 29, 2017

Dr. Ram Boojh, Programme Officer for Natural Sciences & Secretary, SACAM (South & Central Asia MAB Network) UNESCO, and ML Rao, Advisor UNESCO, on January 24 apprised the chief minister TR Zeliang on the progress of UNESCO initiatives being undertaken in Nagaland and also requested the support of the State government. The officials called on the chief minister during their 4-day visit to Nagaland from January 22-25. It may be mentioned here that pre-feasibility studies had been undertaken in 2016 for designating Dzukou Valley and Doyang Valley as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The feasibility report submitted to UNESCO also included Saramati Range to be taken up at a later stage. These areas have been identified taking into consideration the uniqueness, rich biodiversity and also initiatives shown by the community in conserving biodiversity, which can be a model for the rest of India and the world.

The Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change undertook this initiative in collaboration with UNESCO, recognising the role of the communities in conserving biodiversity in Nagaland bearing in mind that many such areas in Nagaland are owned by the communities. The next stage is to prepare a dossier with concrete plans in collaboration with Government of Nagaland, Government of India and UNESCO. Besides bringing recognition and strengthening the conservation efforts in Nagaland, the objective is to link conservation with sustainable development of the local communities. Forest minister Dr. Nicky Kire, NLA Speaker Chotisuh Sazo, other senior officers of Forest Department and the CMO were present at the meeting.

- http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/unesco-undertakes-project-to-conserve-state-biodiversity/, January 29, 2017

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has launched climate change programme under which the first study funded by Oracle and facilitated by CAF-India, will assess the status, distribution and conservation of pheasants and finches in the Central Himalayas. The Himalayas hold a rich natural heritage with diverse flora and fauna enhancing the beauty of the region. The study will focus on their conservation in the context of climate change with the help of community participation.

The Indian subcontinent is home to nearly 50 species of pheasants and 62 species of finches, with several species listed in 'Globally Threatened' category by IUCN. Both these groups are spread across the Himalayas. Shrinking habitats combined with several biotic factors, along with trapping and poaching pressures in many areas have pushed several of them to near extinction.

"Climate change can highly influence vertical and horizontal distribution of these groups making boundaries of protected areas fuzzy. The species that can adapt will survive but habitat specialist and species sensitive to temperature will suffer. The major aim of this project is to assess the status of phasinidaes and fringillidaes, particularly globally threatened species found in Himalayan region and evaluate their distribution," said Bilwada Kale, official spokesperson of BNHS.

This long-term monitoring project also aims to assess the socio-economic activities of local communities and involve them in conservation efforts and sensitize the local forest department staff. "This project is part of a long-term programme of BNHS which intends to understand the impact of climate change on biodiversity of the Himalayan region. In order to conserve biodiversity, the local communities play a crucial role and hence their involvement is important for the success of this project," said Girish Jathar, senior scientist (ornithology), BNHS.

The project will contribute in making an inventory of pheasants and finches, documentation of local specific conservation issues, and designing local as well as species specific conservation action plan with the community participation. The conservation action plan of these sites is a first step towards the protection of the ecosystem which benefits both biodiversity as well as the people in the system.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/bombay-natural-history-society-launches-climate-change-programme-in-central-himalayas/articleshow/56856160.cms, January 29, 2017

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has launched climate change programme under which the first study funded by Oracle and facilitated by CAF-India, will assess the status, distribution and conservation of pheasants and finches in the Central Himalayas. The Himalayas hold a rich natural heritage with diverse flora and fauna enhancing the beauty of the region. The study will focus on their conservation in the context of climate change with the help of community participation.

The Indian subcontinent is home to nearly 50 species of pheasants and 62 species of finches, with several species listed in 'Globally Threatened' category by IUCN. Both these groups are spread across the Himalayas. Shrinking habitats combined with several biotic factors, along with trapping and poaching pressures in many areas have pushed several of them to near extinction.

"Climate change can highly influence vertical and horizontal distribution of these groups making boundaries of protected areas fuzzy. The species that can adapt will survive but habitat specialist and species sensitive to temperature will suffer. The major aim of this project is to assess the status of phasinidaes and fringillidaes, particularly globally threatened species found in Himalayan region and evaluate their distribution," said Bilwada Kale, official spokesperson of BNHS.

This long-term monitoring project also aims to assess the socio-economic activities of local communities and involve them in conservation efforts and sensitize the local forest department staff. "This project is part of a long-term programme of BNHS which intends to understand the impact of climate change on biodiversity of the Himalayan region. In order to conserve biodiversity, the local communities play a crucial role and hence their involvement is important for the success of this project," said Girish Jathar, senior scientist (ornithology), BNHS.

The project will contribute in making an inventory of pheasants and finches, documentation of local specific conservation issues, and designing local as well as species specific conservation action plan with the community participation. The conservation action plan of these sites is a first step towards the protection of the ecosystem which benefits both biodiversity as well as the people in the system.

- http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2017/jan/29/panel-to-be-formed-to-save-water-bodies-from-pollution-in-kochi-1564617.html, January 29, 2017

Simply in awe of the beauty of Varanasi ghats, a French professor of architecture said some more concrete steps should be taken to conserve the unique heritage of the place that attracts a lot of tourists from across the globe. Sexagenarian Pierre Bouche with a group of his pupils organised an Indo-French exhibition-cum-workshop on learning from Indian neighbourhood ‘case study of living heritage of Banaras’ at Rajendra Prasad Ghat on Saturday. “Banaras ghats are unique. It is a wonderful landscape that is perhaps nowhere else in the world. The Indian government should make more serious efforts to conserve it,” Bouche shared with HT. Prof Bouche along with a group of his students visited Varanasi about 10 years ago. He surveyed and studied architecture of around 30 buildings then. The team prepared a detailed report and went back to Paris. Bouche submitted the report to the UNESCO and discussed the importance of architectural heritage of Varanasi with its authorities.

In a decade, he visited Varanasi five times. Four times with his students at Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette (National School of Architecture, Paris La Villette). Prof Bouche’s students of architecture visit the city of ghats to have an idea about architectural heritage of Banaras. “In Paris, government protects each building of architectural importance. Even empty buildings are conserved. The government authorities need to understand a bit more that tourists from around the globe visit Banaras to catch glimpses of the picturesque view of the ghats,” Bouche said. “Each building of architectural heritage needs to be conserved and there should be no permission to turn any such building into a hotel,” he opined. Asked if he would speak to Indian authorities over it, he said possibly in future. Prof Bouche had also worked along with the government of Rajasthan, UNESCO and city of Udaipur a few years ago. He surveyed around 40 buildings of architectural importance and prepared a detailed report, suggesting the ways to conserve them.

He revealed that thereafter a foundation was constituted and the state government with the help of the UNESCO made serious efforts for conservation of the buildings. To make people aware of the architectural importance of Banaras, Bouche has held two exhibitions at ghats in association with the Bharatiya Vidyapeeth College of Architecture, Navi Mumbai. The first exhibition was organised earlier this month soon after he arrived in India on January 13. “Hope, people and authorities will take care of the living architectural heritage of Banaras,” Bouche said. His pupil Aurelian Vaux has so far surveyed 30 buildings of architectural importance and will stay here for couple of few more months and prepare a report.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/banaras-ghats-a-unique-landscape-says-french-prof/story-Xu2LqhBKlJ4nVge206DJMK.html, January 29, 2017

On the eve of World Wetlands Day, here’s a look at the state of the east Kolkata wetlands, a unique ecosystem that serves as the mega city’s waste disposal and sewage treatment network, but is being rapidly filled up due to an insatiable demand for real estate. The wetlands on the eastern fringe of Kolkata may soon be history if more and more buildings keep coming up there, a recent study has reiterated. This will destroy the world’s only ecosystem that provides climate-friendly sewage treatment and waste disposal to a metropolis. It is ironic that there is little concern about this destruction on the eve of observing World Wetlands Day on February 2.

When the east Kolkata wetlands was declared a Ramsar site of international importance in 2002, as much as 88% of the land in Bhagabanpur mouza (a rural administrative area) was partly or completely under water for most of the year, supporting a thriving fishing community. By 2016, when a detailed land survey was conducted, only 14% remained. This rapid shrinkage is different only in degree in the other 21 villages that comprise the 125-square km east Kolkata wetlands. The authors of the yet unpublished study – called Not a Single Sign Post: The Shifting Priority in Land Use within the Protected Wetlands to the East of Kolkata – carried out a comprehensive survey of land in Bhagabanpur and compared it with data collected in 2002, when the wetlands were declared a Ramsar site, and in 2006, when a law to protect it came into force and a management authority was set up.

Alarming situation The findings are alarming. The conversion of lowlands and ponds has been accompanied by an exponential rise in population in Bhagabanpur, from 3,126 according to the 2001 Census to 11,777 in the 2011 Census. Interviews conducted among residents during the study showed that most are recent migrants who provide cheap labour to the city, unlike the traditional fishing and farming communities. The rapid conversion of land use has hobbled the fisheries and vegetable farms in the area and led to a crash in the local economy, resulting in distress among people who have been living here for long. “The fisheries flourished when I was younger. I brought up a large family based only on fishing. It’s no longer possible today,” says 62-year-old Robin Mandal, a resident of Kharki village, just across the road from Bhagabanpur. “The bheries are vanishing.”

Bheries, a unique feature of the Kolkata wetlands, are shallow fishponds fed by naturally treated wastewater rich in algae, which allows for low-cost fish cultivation. These wetlands have the world’s largest network of wastewater channels powered by gravity that use domestic sewage from Kolkata as a nutrient source to grow fish, vegetables and rice. Besides supplying as much as 25% of the city’s fish and vegetables, this part-human, part-natural ecosystem treats the sewage in a scientific and eco-friendly manner. See: Greed, apathy destroying east Kolkata wetlands Marshy land is being filled up for property development in the Kolkata wetlands. (Photo by Soumya Sarkar). Marshy land is being filled up for property development in the Kolkata wetlands. (Photo by Soumya Sarkar).

“It is tragic that such a system that so perfectly dovetails with the survival and sustenance of the city of Kolkata is abused rather than preserved,” Dhruba Dasgupta, co-author of the study, told indiaclimatedialogue.net. “It seems that the wetlands are seen as just any other real estate in waiting.” The study was conducted by Society for Creative Opportunities and Participatory Ecosystems (SCOPE), a non-profit that works with rural communities in the area. Toothless authority Although the East Kolkata Wetlands Management Authority (EKWMA), set up in 2006, forbids any change in land use, it does not have the teeth to enforce compliance. The conversion is hastened because land records maintained by multiple government agencies are often at odds with one another, making it easier for land sharks to find loopholes. “The Bhagabanpur study is an eye-opener to everybody about how much support the real estate lobby draws silently out of the powers that be,” Dhrubajyoti Ghosh, a UN Global 500 laureate and crusader for the Kolkata wetlands, told indiaclimatedialogue.net. “And this is in spite of the wetlands being a protected area as directed by a High Court order, a state legislation and a national commitment to an international agreement (Ramsar Convention).” The wetlands stretch over 12,500 hectares and are spread over 32 revenue villages in the districts of North and South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, which includes two municipal bodies and seven panchayats (rural governance bodies). The study says that the population dependent on these wetlands numbers roughly 118,000, according to conservative estimates. The 2017 SCOPE study points out that these wetlands save municipal authorities huge costs in terms of a sewage treatment plant that would have been otherwise necessary for an ever-increasing population that currently stands at 4.6 million in the core city of Kolkata and more than 12 million in the extended metropolitan area. “This wetland ecosystem is maintained and operated by the traditional knowledge of a community of fishermen who sustain their livelihood through them,” the study says. “The wetlands thus contribute to a stable urban fringe and the people of Kolkata are the most important beneficiaries of this phenomenon.”

There is very little awareness of the usefulness of the wetlands and the hunger for land often outvotes the sensible approach of preserving it. “For an expanding metropolis like Kolkata, land is always at a premium,” an official of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation said on condition of anonymity. “Saving the wetlands requires strong political will, which seems to be missing.” Emailed queries to EKWMA remained unanswered. See: Green tribunal raises red flag over Kolkata wetlands Ecological subsidy Ghosh, who calls this symbiosis of Kolkata and its eastern wetlands an “ecological subsidy,” is of the opinion that society at large has to look beyond economic rationale alone to intelligently manage this unique resource. “No economic analysis can save the Maidan or Brigade Parade Ground (a large open space in the middle of Kolkata known as the city’s lungs) if the option is to go for real estate conversion,” he says. “Preserving natural resources and ecosystem services can never be a function of economic valuation. The way a mother saves her child, Kolkata residents should save the east Kolkata wetlands.”

- http://indiaclimatedialogue.net/2017/02/01/realty-chokes-kolkata-wetlands/, January 29, 2017

Art and culture aren’t usually a priority for most governments around the world.When it comes to budget cuts, it’s the government-run cultural institutions, be it the Arts Council of England or the US National Endowment for the Arts, that suffer first, losing out on funding in favour of departments that are viewed as more practical, like defence or atomic energy.And that perception of art and culture being less important is echoed in India, Asia’s third-largest economy. The country’s ministry of culture manages the conservation of monuments and heritage sites via the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as well as running the national archives, libraries, and national museums. But though its budget has grown over the years, benefiting from India’s expanding economy, its allocation remains well under 1% of the total annual budget.While there are other ministries that are involved in the promotion of different elements of Indian culture, such as handloom textiles (ministry of textiles), cinema, and radio (ministry of information & broadcasting), it’s the ministry of culture that has the primary task of promoting and preserving India’s cultural heritage.Yet, for the 2016-17 financial year, the ministry was assigned Rs2,500 crore (pdf), just 0.14% of the government of India’s total expense outlay of Rs1,729,508.5 crore. In comparison, the defence ministry was allocated over 19% of the budget.The effects of this relatively tiny allocation are clear: despite India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, many of its national museums remain uninspiring, hardly drawing any visitors despite their incredibly affordable entry prices. And several heritage sites, including the iconic Taj Mahal, are in a bad state, suffering from the effects of poor maintenance and pollution. Some important monuments under the ASI’s care, including prehistoric megaliths and temple ruins, have even gone missing.In contrast, countries like France and the UK far outpace India when it comes to spending on culture and it shows: the two nations have thousands of museums dedicated to everything from art and sculpture to taxidermy, which are visited by millions of foreign and local tourists every year. Moreover, heritage sites are maintained well, and creativity in the arts is encouraged.China is also spending big on the arts as part of a larger plan to build a “great nation of culture” (paywall).

It allocated a whopping $3.5 billion to public culture services in 2015, and over the years cities across the country have witnessed an explosion in the number of museums. Today, there are over 4,000 of them in China.Here’s how India’s central government spending on culture compares to those of other countries around the world (US data reflects the federal government allocation to the National Endowment for the Arts):With India set to unveil its budget for the 2017-18 financial year, funding for the arts is unlikely to change dramatically. But while it is understandable that economic growth remains the focus in a country where millions live below the poverty line, the importance of art and culture as drivers of social progress can’t be ignored.

As the Nobel laureate and economist Amartya Sen puts it,“Development seen in a human perspective, rather than grossly in terms of the expansion of material means, must take note of the enrichment of people’s lives. The performing arts cannot but have a major role in making our lives richer and finer. In this sense, the creative wealth represented by the tradition and practice of the performing arts is constitutively a part of the process of development.”Something needs to change to ensure that India’s cultural wealth survives and thrives well into the future for the benefit of all its citizens. And that might mean it’s the private sector that has to make up for the funding shortfall.

- https://qz.com/897228/a-fading-taj-and-shabby-museums-india-spends-less-than-1-of-its-annual-budget-on-culture-and-it-shows/, January 30, 2017

Delhi's Lotus Temple, or the Bahai House of worship, will not be considered for a UNESCO world heritage site this year. After a series of deliberations and meetings, India National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has conveyed to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that they will not be submitting the Lotus Temple dossier for the world heritage inscription for the year 2017-18. The deadline for submissions in January 31 and INTACH officials said the dossier was not yet ready and could only be submitted next year. As per sources, the only submission likely this year is the Ramappa Temple in Telangana, for which a final nod is awaited urgently from the ministry of culture.

Lotus Temple's world heritage nomination was in talks to be pitched for being Delhi's fourth world heritage site for several months and the nomination dossiers have been prepared by INTACH Delhi chapter. The site is already on UNESCO's tentative list. However, problems cropped up when the Temple's caretakers, the National Assembly of the Bahais, began having some reservations of the impact of the Temple becoming a world heritage site. "Lotus Temple is a living site and is used for training and helping under privileged people. The National Assembly was concerned that if Lotus Temple becomes a world heritage site, they would not be able to add to the structure as it would become a category I structure and the whole complex would be deemed as protected heritage. The Assembly then asked INTACH to remove the Temple's name from the list of 62 buildings identified to be declared protected modern heritage, which was then subsequently done,'' said sources.

ASI then expressed sudden interest in nominating Lotus Temple for world heritage inscription in 2017-18. "ASI approached INTACH and asked to have them if the Lotus Temple bid could be ready by the January 31, 2017 deadline for nomination. When told that the site had been withdrawn because it was no longer being considered for protection as a modern heritage building, senior ASI officials suggested even if Lotus Temple does not have local protection, it can still be pitched for world heritage. Under UNESCO guidelines, there is no mandatory requirement for nominations to have local government protection. Talks were then initiated with the Temple's trustees who were assured that the heritage tag would not affect development work in any way. But as we are so short of time now, it has been decided to defer the submission by a year," said officials.

Experts said Lotus Temple had excellent chances of getting the tag and becoming Delhi's fourth world heritage site. "The site is being pitched for world heritage inscription under category I and promoted as a site of human creative genius. It's an extraordinary building and we are drawing comparisons to Australia's Sydney Opera House and France's Ronchamp chapel," said INTACH officials. If the site had been submitted by January, then a site inspection will happen next year in October by ICOMOS and a final decision will be made in the world heritage session in June, 2018.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhis-lotus-temple-out-of-world-heritage-race/articleshow/56894289.cms, January 31, 2017

A splash of colours, rhythm of drum beats and joie de-vivre are all set to merge here as the curtains go up on the annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela on Wednesday.The mela is being hosted jointly by the Haryana Tourism Corporation and Surajkund Mela Authority, in collaboration with the Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.For the 31st edition of the much anticipated fair, Jharkhand has been chosen to be the Theme State."The mela provides a rare opportunity to the Theme State to showcase its handicrafts, handlooms, performing arts, cuisine and its tourist potential to a vast cross-section of people in an impressive manner.

"Jharkhand's diverse crafts and dance forms will offer a veritable treat for visitors. Get ready to witness Jharkhand's rich culture, tradition and exclusive artefacts made by the artisans that are in great demand throughout the world," the organisers said in a statement.At least 20 countries and all the states of India will be participating in the mela.

"The mela celebrates the unique diversity of Indian traditions and culture in an ambience, created to represent the ethos of rural India. Surajkund International Crafts Mela showcases some of the most exquisite handlooms and handicrafts of India. Handmade fabrics soaked in ethnic colours make an eye-catching display for the visitors," the organisers added. A large number of national and international folk artistes and cultural groups will present daily performances at the two Chaupals (open-air theatres), located in the mela premises. Also, enthralling cultural evening programmes will be held at the main Chaupal during each of the mela evenings. The cultural extravaganza will conclude on February 15.

- http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/surajkund-international-crafts-mela-to-start-from-wednesday-1654696, January 31, 2017

The University Grants Commission (UGC), in its latest circular, has asked all its affiliated universities and colleges to celebrate February 21 as Matrubhasha Diwas. In its circular dated January 25, it said the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has informed that UNESCO had declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day (IMLD) to promote dissemination of mother tongues and fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.

According to the circular, the objectives of the day are to highlight the linguistic diversity of the country, to encourage usage, understanding and draw attention to the diversity of cultures in India and the consequent forums of literature, craft, performing arts, scripts and other forms of creative expression and to encourage the learning of languages. "Activities like elocution, debate, singing, essay writing competitions, painting competitions, music and dramatic performances, exhibitions, online resources and activities depicting linguistic and diverse wealth of India, could be arranged on the occasion," it added. The circular has asked the institutions to send a report on the action taken on the said activities.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/celebrate-feb-21-as-matrubhasha-diwas-ugc/articleshow/56880686.cms, January 31, 2017

Government should take steps to bring down the country's reliance on fossil fuels below the level of other countries and continue to be a good global citizen on climate change, the Economic survey said today. India, which signed Paris agreement on climate change in December 2015, will now shift its focus to implementing the pacts, it said. On India's fossil fuel use from long-term perspective, the Survey said that so far the country's reliance on fossil fuels remains "well below" China and also below the US, the UK and Europe at comparable stages of development. "Going forward, of course, India needs to bend the curve to ensure that its reliance on fossil fuels declines and keeping it below the level of other countries so that its good global citizenship on climate change can continue," it said.

On pricing of carbon to tackle climate change, the Survey said since June 2014, when international oil prices started declining, India has increased its excise duties from Rs 15.5 per litre to Rs 22.7 per litre as of December 2016 for branded petrol and from Rs 5.8 per litre to Rs 19.7 per litre for branded diesel. When compared with other G-20 nations, the results are striking. The increase in petrol tax has been over 150 per cent in India, it said. In contrast, the governments of most advanced countries have simply passed on the benefits to consumers, setting back the cause of curbing climate change. "As a result, India now outperforms all the countries except those in Europe in terms of tax on petroleum and diesel," the Survey noted. Having decisively moved from a regime of carbon subsidies, it is now de facto imposing a carbon tax on petroleum products at about USD 150 per tonne, which is about 6 times greater than the level recommended by the Stern Review on Climate Change, it added.

New Delhi, Jan 31 India has attained the fourth position globally in installed wind power capacity after China, US and Germany as a result of various steps in the "right" direction, the Economic Survey said today. With the legal framework in place for the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and launched during the UN climate summit in Paris, ISA will be a "major" international body headquartered in India, it added. "As a result of various actions in the right direction, India attained 4th position in global wind power installed capacity after China, USA and Germany," it said. It said that currently, India's renewable energy sector is undergoing transformation with a target of 175 GW of renewable energy capacity to be reached by 2022. In order to achieve the target, the major programmes on implementation of Solar Park, Solar Defence Scheme, Solar scheme for Central Public Sector Undertakings, Solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plants on canal bank and canal tops, solar pump, solar rooftop among others have been launched in recent years. "A capacity addition of 14.30 GW of renewable energy has been reported during the last two and half years under Grid Connected Renewable Power, which include 5.8 GW from Solar Power, 7.04 GW from Wind Power, 0.53 GW from Small Hydro Power and 0.93 GW from Bio-power," it said.

As on October 31, 2016, India achieved 46.3 GW grid-interactive power capacity, 7.5 GW of grid-connected power generation capacity in renewable energy, and small hydro power capacity of 4.3 GW. In addition, 92,305 solar pumps were installed and Rs 38,000 crore worth of Green Energy Corridor is being set up to ensure evacuation of renewable energy. With India's initiative, ISA envisaged as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs, will provide a platform to collaborate on addressing the identified gaps through a common and agreed approach. "24 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of ISA after it was opened for signature on November 15, 2016. ISA is expected to become inter-governmental treaty-based organization that will be registered under Article 102 of the UN charter after 15 countries ratify the Agreement. "With legal framework in place, ISA will be a major international body headquartered in India," it said. (MORE) The survey pointed out that the government has established the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change to assist states and UTs to undertake projects for adaptation to climate change. "Rs 182.3 crore has been released for 18 projects for sectors including agriculture and animal husbandry, water resources, coastal areas, biodiversity and ecosystem services. "India is also one of the few countries in the world to impose a tax on coal. This coal cess which has been renamed as 'Clean Environment Cess' in the Union Budget 2016-17 funds the National Clean Environment Fund (NCEF)," it said. The Clean Environment Cess has been doubled in the 2016-17 budget from Rs 200 per tonne to Rs 400 per tonne, the survey said. It said that the proceeds of the NCEF are being used to finance projects under Green Energy Corridor for boosting the transmission sector, Namami Gange, Green India Mission, Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, installation of SPV lights and small capacity lights, installation of SPV water pumping systems, SPV power plants and grid connected rooftop SPV power plants.

The survey states that in January 2016, Government amended the National Tariff Policy for electricity. The tariff policy amendment has a focus on the environmental aspect with provisions such as Renewable Purchase Obligation in which 8 per cent of electricity consumption excluding hydro power shall come from solar energy by March 2022. It also has provision of Renewable Generation Obligation in which new coal or lignite based thermal plants after specified date will also establish/procure/ purchase renewable capacity. It has the provision of bundling of renewable power with power from plants whose Power Purchase Agreements have expired or completed their useful life, no inter-state transmission charges for solar and wind power and procurement of 100 per cent power produced from waste-to-energy plants, among others. India ratified the Paris Agreement on October 2 last year and the country's comprehensive target is to lower the emissions intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels. It also targets to increase the share of non-fossil fuels based power generation capacity to 40 per cent of installed electric power capacity by 2030 and to create an additional (cumulative) carbon sink of 2.5-3 Gt CO2 e through additional forest and tree cover by 2030, it said.

- http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/ikea-to-source-locally-for-inhouse-restaurant/978354?scroll, January 31, 2017

An obscure village in the foothills of Melghat region of Amravati district in Maharashtra, Payvihir, has set an example for the country by consistently showing how communities and NGOs can work together to conserve the environment and ensure sustainable livelihood for people. In 2014, Payvihir bagged the Biodiversity Award from the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP) for turning a barren, 182-hectare land under community forest right (CFR), into a forest. In 2015, the village was honoured with the Maharashtra Wildlife Service Award presented by Sanctuary Asia in recognition of its invaluable contribution to environmental conservation in the state. Recently, the village also come up with an out-of-the-box idea of selling organic sitafals (custard apples) in Mumbai under their brand “Naturals Melghat”!

Here’s how the villagers of Payvihir, encouraged by the NGO Khoj, embraced the spirit of the contentious Forest Rights Act, 2006, and forged an incredible uplifting story of community conservation. In 2012, Payvihir was awarded 182 hectares of degraded land to exercise its community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006. Encouraged by Purnima Upadhyay of the NGO Khoj, the gram panchayat of Payvihir decided to devote its energies to regenerate and revive the forest biodiversity of the area. Villagers undertook soil and water conservation works, plantations, and protection from forest fires and grazing. They also ensured a mix of natural regeneration and afforestation. Problems like unemployment and migration were tackled by providing village development jobs to the locals under MNREGA. All the works were carried out as per the micro plan prepared by Khoj. The forest secretary Praveen Pardeshi also provided technical and financial support. By 2015, a flourishing forest stood in place of the 182 hectares of degraded land that the village was handed as part of their Community Forest Rights. This attracted herbivores like deer, wild boars, and sambars to the area. Bird nests, which were never seen earlier, also came up in the forests. Today, there are also carnivores like jackals and hyenas in the habitat, which is protected day and night by the villagers.

Afforestation and regeneration of lost flora and fauna also led to better livelihoods, and improved governance of the village. All of this was taken into consideration by the UNDP when they decided to bestow their Biodiversity Award on Payvihir. The award carried a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a citation. Along with this money, the village used funds from the tribal welfare department to set up a biogas plant that supplies biogas for three hours a day. The villagers sell cow dung to the plant at the rate of 75 paise per kg and also buy gas from the plant by paying ?200 per month. Next, Payvihir installed a solar drip irrigation system on forest land, becoming the first village to do so. Soon after, the villagers planted medicinal plants on 4 hectares of the land. To increase tree diversity, the villagers have started organic plantations of bamboo, sitaphal, hirda, behada, mahua, mango, neem, custard apple, amla, jamun, teak and arjuna trees. Teak will be used by the villagers themselves while organic mango and sitaphal will be sold to larger markets. Collection of tendu leaves and procurement of milk buffaloes on a 50% subsidy from the forest department is also supplementing the income of the villagers. Additionally, one member of each village household is ensured a connection to a means of livelihood – from tendu leaf collection to sale of organic fruit from trees.

This season, Payvihir joined hands with three adjacent CFR villages — Khatijapur, Upatkheda and Kumbiwagholi — to sell 10 tons of sitafals under the brand Naturals Melghat, and recorded a turnover of ?5 lakh. In this endeavour, the village was helped by Khoj, which sponsored the cardboard packaging, and the tribal department, which provided accommodation in the city to the villagers. Buoyed by the branding success, Payvihir now plans to sell organic farm produce (like wheat and jowar) as well as forest produce (like mahua and charoli) under its brand. As for its administrative earnings, the gram sabha of Payvihir has decided to utilise it for the development of health, education and sanitation facilities of the village. It has already ensured zero-waste generation in the village and sustainable employment opportunities for the village youth! Payvihir’s astute management of natural resources and ability to collectively move forward in the process of forest regeneration and environmental conservation is the first effort of its kind in the entire nation after the enactment of the Forest Rights Act 2006. Together, the hard-working villagers of this little tribal hamlet (it got its name from an old stepwell in a farm) made barren hills green again.

- http://www.thebetterindia.com/84503/payvihir-maharashtra-khoj-forest-conservation-organic-sitaphal/, January 31, 2017

He has since his childhood seen the ecological degradation of the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh — which remains snowbound for over six months of the year — owing to increasing exhaust fumes of vehicles and trash left behind by tourists. And when he became the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Justice Swatanter Kumar refused to close his eyes. He took one of the toughest decisions of curtailing commercial tourism activities to save the glaciers and fragile native flora and fauna from extinction. Kumar, the first Supreme Court judge to preside over the tribunal, says limiting passing of vehicles over the Rohtang Pass, located at an altitude of 13,050 feet some 52 km from Manali, to merely 1,200 (800 petrol and 400 diesel) from an average 10,000 per day, would certainly help save the 23 Himalayan glaciers ringed around it.

“There used to be a dense forest canopy in Ralha where even sunlight didn’t penetrate. Today you can straight away look at the sun, there is no tree. Where have the trees gone, nobody knows,” Kumar, who is visiting the Rohtang Pass since his childhood, told IANS in an interview. Without mincing words, he added: “It’s a manmade disaster.” Ralha is near picturesque tourist resort Kothi, some 15 km from Manali towards the Rohtang Pass, which is located in the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas. The “green” judge said even the temperature of Manali has changed a lot and the intensity of rains lessened. “When I visited the area, I was shocked to see the excessive emission of carbon monoxide from the vehicles and huge quantities of trash left behind by tourists at Rohtang Pass, which are taking a heavy toll on the snow cover,” he said.

Kumar said scientific studies clearly indicate that glaciers in the Rohtang Pass catchment are receding at a rate of one metre per year. At several points, he said, the snow is turning black and the rocks along the pass have turned black due to soot accumulation. “Everyone going for picnic carries coke, popcorns and beer bottles with them and then dumps these haphazardly there (at Rohtang Pass). There is plastic trash and human waste. The mule dung is polluting water and soil. This is the case before us,” he said. Saying candidly that it is the biggest challenge in his career to take the case to the logical conclusion, as there is opposition from the local cab operators, stakeholders and, of course, political pressure. “But finally, it’s because of the local people’s support and government’s interventions that things have started looking up. The government is now planning to set up a ropeway to take the tourists to the pass. This will certainly help curb environmental pollution,” said Kumar, who is retiring this year. According to him, the state’s Forest Department has also planted saplings to make the Ralha falls area green again. Kumar took over as the NGT Chairperson in December 2012 to decide on cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and natural resources. The judge, known for levying green cess on polluting trucks entering Delhi to banning registration of new diesel vehicles in the national capital, doesn’t hesitate slamming the central and the state governments, local civic bodies and stakeholders for failing to curb pollution.

Advocating sustainable development, Kumar, who was in Chandigarh on January 28 to attend an environment workshop, said: “You can make roads and development projects wherever they are necessary. But don’t damage nature up to that extent which is irreversible.” Citing a case, Shimla-born Kumar said just to protect 10 chir pine trees from axing, the British had deviated the route on the Kalka-Shimla rail track by constructing a tunnel. “These 10 saved trees exist even today.” “Environment awareness is inbuilt. We worship rivers but the unfortunate part is that they are most polluted. The municipal waste is one of the prominent health hazards in India,” he said. Favouring the judiciary to take an activist’s role to ensure environmental crimes do not go unpunished, Kumar said: “The courts must do judicial activism, but not judicial overreach.” He said the green tribunal is being looked upon in a different way internationally, instead of just a body adjudicating disputes. “I will personally visit the Rohtang Pass before my retirement (this year) to see that measures are taken to protect the eco-sensitive zone,” he added. The picturesque Rohtang Pass is a major attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists.

According to a journal of the Asiatic Society, Lieutenants A. Broome and A. Cunningham trekked to the Rohtang Pass on July 7, 1839, to trace the sources of the Punjab’s rivers. “The heat and glare reflected from the snow (on Rohtang Pass) were intolerable, and our faces were completely blistered,” they wrote.

- http://www.avenuemail.in/india/rohtangs-loss-biodiversity-manmade-disaster-ngt-chief/103940/, January 31, 2017

Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan was subject to the highest levels of human pressure of any NWHS. More than 100 natural World Heritage sites are being severely damaged by encroaching human activities, with the India's Keoladeo National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary among those facing the highest level of human footprints, a new study has warned.

Natural World Heritage Sites (NWHS), via the formal process run by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), are globally recognised as containing some of the Earth's most valuable natural assets. Researchers, including those from the University of Queensland in Australia and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in the US, looked at human pressure over time using the global Human Footprint criteria, which includes roads, agriculture, urbanisation and industrial infrastructure, along with forest loss.

They found that the Human Footprint has increased in 63 per cent of NWHS across all continents except Europe over the past two decades. The most impacted NWHS were found in Asia, including Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, Chitwan National Park in Nepal, and Simien National Park in Ethiopia. Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan was subject to the highest levels of human pressure of any NWHS. In terms of forest loss, highly imp acted parks included the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras, which lost 365 square kilometres (8.5 per cent) of their forest respectively, since 2000. Even celebrated places like Yellowstone National Park in the US were impacted, losing some six per cent of its forests.

Meanwhile, Waterton Glacier International Peace Park that crosses the Canadian and US border lost almost one quarter of its forested area (23 per cent or 540 square kilometres). "World Heritage natural sites should be maintained and protected fully. For a site to lose ten or twenty per cent of its forested area in two decades is alarming and must be addressed," said James Allan, from University of Queensland.

"Any place that is listed as a World Heritage site is a globally important asset to all of humanity," said James Watson of the University of Queensland. "The world would never accept the Acropolis being knocked down, or a couple of pyramids being flattened for housing estates or roads, yet right now, across our planet, we are simply letting many of our natural World Heritage sites be severely altered," Watson said.

"It is time for the global community to stand up and hold governments to account so that they take the conservation of natural World Heritage sites seriously," said Allan. "Urgent intervention is clearly needed to save these places and their outstanding natural universal values," he said. Some NWHS such as the Sinharaja Forest Reserve and Mana Pools National Park showed minimal change in forest loss or human pressure, but the authors say they are in the minority. The research appears in the journal Biological Conservation.

- http://www.asianage.com/life/health/310117/human-footprint-is-severely-damaging-natural-heritage-sites.html, January 31, 2017