Apologies for cross postings

Dear Friends,
Pasted below is the list of contents and edit of the new issue of the PA
   Update (Vol XIV, No. 3, June 2008 (No. 73). If you want any of the
stories or the soft copy version of the Update please do let me know.
Please also do pass to other egroups that might be  interested
thanks
Pankaj Sekhsaria


PROTECTED AREA UPDATE
News and Information from protected areas in India and South Asia

Vol. XIV No. 3 		 			                  June 2008 (No. 73)


LIST OF CONTENTS
EDITORIAL
An enduring vibrancy

NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES
ANDHRA PRADESH
- Meeting on wildlife training in Tirupati
ASSAM
- Radio link between forest and railway officials to protect elephants
- Wildlife sanctuary proposed near Jatinga
   -Seven hectares of Amchang WLS for NH 37 under East West Corridor Project
- Pygmy hogs to be released in Sonai Rupai WLS
- Tourism festival at Chakrashila WLS
- CBI to probe rhino poaching cases in Assam
GUJARAT
- Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to be expanded
- Wildlife Crime Cell begins work
- Rs. 830 crore proposal for ‘development’ of forests
JAMMU & KASHMIR
- CRPF personnel given wildlife related training in Dachigam NP
JHARKHAND
- Local women, ex-servicemen for protection of Betla NP
KERALA
- Suspected viral infection kills wild elephants in Waynad forests
- State wetlands to be mapped
- Air Deccan and Kerala FD to promote Periyar TR
LAKSHADWEEP
- Marine Conservation Reserve in Agatti
MADHYA PRADESH
- Gaur to be translocated from Kanha NP to the Bandavgarh NP
- Tourism development plans in Madhya Pradesh
- Kanha guides threaten to strike work
MAHARASHTRA
- Protected Area status proposed for Sewree-Mahul Wetlands
- Illicit liquor dens in Sanjay Gandhi NP may be responsible for leopard
deaths
- SC allows eviction from Sanjay Gandhi NP
- Bhorkada (Bhorgad) Conservation Reserve in Nashik District
- Proposal for Muniya Conservation Reserve 15 kms from Nagpur
- Villagers inside Tadoba Andhari threaten mass suicide if forced to
relocate
MEGHALAYA
- Nokrek BR nominated for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve program
ORISSA
- Demand for new tiger reserve, six new wildlife sanctuaries
- Two elephants electrocuted near Badrama WLS
- Steps to increase forest protection
- Water shortage threatens elephants, other wildlife
- Increased salinity threatens Bhitarkanika mangroves
- Villagers around Bhitarkanika NP allegedly harassed
- Crocodile attacks in and around Bhitarkanika NP
- Ferry ghats in Bhitarkanika sealed to prevent poaching, intrusion
RAJASTHAN
- Water, fodder scarcity in Tal Chappar WLS
TAMIL NADU
- Artificial salt licks for de-worming wildlife in Coimbatore Division
- Coral diseases to be investigated in the Gulf of Mannar BR
UTTARAKHAND
- Bamboo cover being increased to reduce human-elephant conflict in
Shivaliks
- Now, weekly off for domestic elephants in Corbett
- Fires affect Corbett TR, Rajaji NP
- Van Gujjars allowed passage to Govind Pashu Vihar National Park
- Delhi Dehradun highway through Rajaji NP to have six lanes
- Peacock deaths in close vicinity of Rajaji NP
WEST BENGAL
- Restrictions on tourism establishments around forests, PAs

NATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA
- Privilege motion against forest secretary
- 2007-08 funds allocations for conservation in North Eastern States
- Total number of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India
SOUTH ASIA
BHUTAN
- Tiger presence in Jigme Dorji NP overlaps with snow leopard habitat
NEPAL
- Vulture breeding centre set up in Chitwan

OPPORTUNITIES
- ATREE Small Grants Programme
- For implementing watershed and livelihood projects in Samrakshan’s MP
office

UPCOMING
- World Conservation Congress

IN THE SUPREME COURT

FUNDS RELEASED UNDER PROJECT TIGER

Forest occupancy and population estimates of tiger as per the refined
methodology


EDITORIAL
AN ENDURING VIBRANCY

That wildlife conservation and protection is low down in the list of
priorities for the country in general and the political class in
particular is a well known and well accepted fact. Though the community
of those interested in conservation is small, funds and resources are
always a problem, support is minimum and even those who support the idea
of conservation often disagree with each other vehemently, those who
follow the fate of conservation will willingly point to the enthusiasm
of the conservation movement here. In spite of the bleak prospects and
endless trouble there can be no denying that there is an enduring
vibrancy to conservation efforts being made across the length and
breadth of the landscape.
	 A cross section of the news reports in this issue of the PA Update is
perhaps a good indicator of this interest and the eagerness. In Assam
the critically endangered pygmy hog is being given a new lease of life
in an important and path breaking captive breeding and re-introduction
initiative. In Jammu & Kashmir the Forest Department has taken up a
program with the Central Reserve Police Force to sensitise troops
stationed inside the Dachigam National Park, while authorities in the
Betla National Park are, for the first time, involving local women in
the protection of the forests in the area. In Lakshadweep and in
Maharashtra researchers and NGOs have worked with the local communities
to create conservation reserves in line with newer thinking on protected
area creation and management and in other parts of the country, be it
Orissa, Assam or Maharashtra, there are more proposals for setting aside
areas for the benefit of wildlife.
	 This is not to say that the problems are not there. Poaching, habitat
destruction, encroachment, ingress of roads and other infrastructure
projects, diversion for commercial and industrial activities…the list is
long and one can go on. Also the fact that in India we still cling to
the ways of the past; still invoke the legacy of a long gone Prime
Minister to argue for conservation in a politically, socially and
economically new India; that we continue to show huge reluctance to
learn from other experiences from around the world, of new methods and
practices of co-managing along with communities; devolving power and
ensuring stake and participation of a larger numbers of those negatively
affected by the present exclusionary paradigm of conservation.
	 Even the initiatives mentioned above might have their own problems but
in concentrating only on what’s not right, we often tend to neglect and
undervalue all the good intentions and the many efforts that are
continually being made. Not to acknowledge these would be unfair because
the picture that gets created then is only an incomplete one. These are
as real as the problems and the threats faced by our wildlife and their
habitats and it is as important to oppose and fight the threats as it is
to recognize and support the initiatives and the successes.
	 There is a vibrancy to the conservation efforts here and it’s only
right that they be given their due.

PROTECTED AREA UPDATE
Vol. XIV, No. 3, June 2008 (No. 73)
Editor: Pankaj Sekhsaria
Editorial Assistance: Wrutuja Pardeshi
Illustrations: Madhuvanti Anantharajan
Produced by: Kalpavriksh
Ideas, comments, news and information may please be sent to the
editorial address:
KALPAVRIKSH, Apartment 5, Shri Dutta Krupa, 908 Deccan Gymkhana, Pune
411004, Maharashtra, India. Tel/Fax: 020 – 25654239.
Email: psekhsaria@...
Website: www.kalpavriksh.org
Production of PA Update 72 has been supported by Foundation for
Ecological Security (FES), Anand.





--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

0
--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

Dear Ecolovers !

Following is indeed a useful Blog on various organisations of
India working on Ecological aspects.

http://www.ecoorgsindia.blogspot.com

Enjoy ecoing with nature.

Warm regards,

Dr. Hiren Soni

DR. HIREN B. SONI
[M.Sc. (Zoology); Ph.D. (Environmental Science)]
Lecturer (Animal Science)
Biodiversity Specialist (Ornithology & Wildlife Biology)
29 – Yogiswami Society, Bhalej Road,
Anand – 388 001, Gujarat (India)
E-mail: hirensoni@...
Tel: 02692-251217 (R), 9426023901 (M)
URL: http://resumes.yahoo.com/hirensoni/cv
Blog: http://gujarat-biodiversity.blogspot.com
Moderator: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gujarat_Birds

"Solutions to Problems depend upon Knowledge which only Research can provide -
H. Kalmbach"

http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=front%5Fpage&file_name=st\
ory6%2Etxt&counter_img=6

Still uncontacted Indian tribe spotted in Amazon

Agencies | Rio de Janeiro


One of Brazil's last uncontacted Indian tribes has
been spotted in the far western Amazon jungle near the
Peruvian border, the National Indian Foundation said
on Thursday. The Indians were sighted in an
Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira
River in flights over remote Acre state, said the
Brazilian Government foundation, known as Funai.






Funai said it photographed "strong and healthy"
warriors, six huts and a large planted area.



But it was not known to which tribe they belonged, the
group said.



"Four distinct isolated people exist in this region,
whom we have accompanied for 20 years," Funai expert
Jose Carlos Meirelles Junior said in a statement.



The tribe sighted recently is one of the last not to
be contacted by officials. Funai does not make contact
with such tribes and prevents invasions of their land
to ensure their autonomy, the foundation said.



Survival International said the Indians are in danger
from illegal logging in Peru, which is driving
uncontacted tribes over the border and could lead to
conflict with the estimated 500 uncontacted Indians
now living on the Brazilian side. There are more than
100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, most of them in
Brazil and Peru, the group said in a statement. "These
pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes
really do exist," Survival director Stephen Corry
said. "The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure
that their territory is protected in accordance with
international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made
extinct."



Meanwhile reports from Rio De Janeiro said uncontacted
tribes have been photographed from the air, with
striking images showing them painted bright red and
brandishing bows and arrows.



One of the pictures, which can be seen on Survival
International's Web site
(http://www.survival-international.org), shows two
Indian men covered in bright red pigment poised to
fire arrows at the aircraft while another Indian looks
on.



Another photo shows about 15 Indians near thatched
huts, some of them also preparing to fire arrows at
the aircraft.







For any comments, queries or feedback, kindly mail us
at pioneerletters@...

for information...
pankaj


SciDev.net <http://info.scidev.net/t/352456/5890749/2965/0/>


Dear Colleague,

SciDev.Net proudly announces its second *joint IDRC-SciDev.Net Science
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--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

This is considered an invasive in many parts of the
world.....
Rauf

--- Pankaj Andaman <psekhsaria@...> wrote:

>
> ANIFPDCL ventures into "NONI" cultivation
> By Staff Reporter
>
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/anifpdcl-ventures-into-noni-cultivation\
.html
>
> The wonder fruit "NONI" (Morinda citrifolia), which
> is also known as
> Indian mulberry, is a native plant of India . It is
> a medicinal plant of
> high nutritious value. The climatic conditions of
> Andaman and Nicobar
> Islands are considered to be quite suitable for
> cultivation of this
> medicinal plant on commercial basis. In order that
> this medicinal plants
> is popularized in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the
> Ministry of Health,
> Government of India in collaboration with the
> National Medicinal Plants
> Board, New Delhi and CARI Port Blair conducted a
> launching ceremony of
> Network Research Project on Morinda Citrifolia, in
> Port Blair recently.
> ANIFPDCL has identified an area of 8 hectares as
> demonstrative plots in
> Port Blair and in its project areas at Mayabunder
> and Little Andaman to
> promote cultivation of 'NONI" with the help and
> assistance of CARI. Shri
> Nanigopal Das, who is an employee of the Corporation
> and a successful
> cultivator of "Noni" in Andaman, has been appointed
> as Nodal Officer of
> the Corporation for this cultivation in the
> identified areas.
>
> At a simple ceremony held today in the Vanvikas
> premises, Shri R N Naik,
> IFS, Managing Director launched the "Noni"
> cultivation by planting the
> first sapling. The demonstrative plots which are
> being raised by the
> Corporation will also provide basic information and
> know-how to the
> intending cultivators of this medicinal plant in the
> respective areas.
> The Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment and
> Forests have already
> permitted the Corporation to take up medicinal
> plants cultivation in the
> leased out forest areas available with the
> Corporation. Accordingly, the
> Corporation proposes to take up 100 hectares of
> "Noni" plantation during
> 2009-10 in the open and blank areas available in its
> Oil Palm Plantation
> in Little Andaman, under this scheme.
> --
>
> http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com
>
> C/o Kalpavriksh
> Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
> 908 Deccan Gym
> Pune 411004
> India
> Tel: 020 25654239
> Mob: 09423009933
> Email: psekhsaria@...
>


-------------------------
Rauf Ali
Aurodam
Auroville- 605 101

Cell: 94437 47146


       Has your work life balance shifted? Find out -
http://in.search.yahoo.com/search?&fr=na_onnetwork_mail_taglines&ei=UTF-8&rd=r1&\
p=work+life+balance

Damages to Coastal Eco-Systems Due to Tsunami and its Assessments
	 http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39207
PRESS RELEASE, PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU, GOVT. OF INDIA,
May 28, 2008

The recent natural hazard of tsunami has damaged life and property of
the people along the costal areas. The Ministry had identified 10
scientific agencies/institutes for assessment of damages to coastal
ecosystems and its assessments due to the recent tsunami. The name of
the institutes as follows:-

(i) Annamalai University, Parangipettai

(ii) Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata

(iii) Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi

(iv) Central Water Commission, New Delhi

(v) Centre for Earth Science Studies, Trivendrum

(vi) Forest Survey of India, Dehradun

(vii) Institute of Ocean Management, Anna University, Chennai

(viii) Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad

(ix) Suganthi Devadason Marine Reasearch Institute, Tuticorin

(x) Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata

As per the Report submitted by the above institutes it was reported that
the mangroves have undergone severe destruction in Andaman & Nicobar
Islands to the extent of 18%. In Andaman Islands 3850 ha of mangroves
were lost, while, 7750 mangroves were damaged. In Nicobar about 390 ha
of mangroves were damaged. Mangroves in Tamil Nadu and Kerala coastal
were marginally affected.

Coral reefs were also damaged in Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the extent
of 40,000 ha. Beaches, mudflats have also been affected on the islands
as well as in the mainland. Large tracks of land had become saline in
the island. Significant loss of forest to extent of 12,000 ha was
observed in Nicobar group and 40 ha of forest in Cuddalore.

As per some of the studies undertaken by the scientific institute it is
revealed that the mangroves, coral reefs, beaches etc., are in the
process of reformation. However, revival of these features and
ecosystems would take about 5 to 10 years.
--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

LG visits rural South Andaman
By Staff Reporter
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/lg-visits-rural-south-andaman.html

Gen Bhopinder Singh, Lt. Governor, visited a couple of villages in South
Andaman on May 23 and instructed the concerned officials to take up
projects for the benefit of rural people. Accompanied by Mariam Bibi,
Adhyaksha, Zilla Parishad, Tapan Mondal, Development Commissioner, Ved
Prakash, Secretary (Health), S. N. Jha, Deputy Commissioner (SA), the
Lt. Governor visited Bambooflat, Shore Point and Stewartganj. He
inspected areas submerged in sea-water at Stewartganj and Shore Point
and interacted with the villagers and farmers whose farmland had been
submerged in seawater.

The villagers accompanying the entourage complained about the lack of
action to arrest the ingression of seawater into the farmland even after
four years of tsunami. The entire stretch of land from Kadakachang to
Stewartganj was submerged in 2004 depriving a large number of the
villagers of the area of their livelihood. But inspite of several
requests and pleadings no development took place in four years since
tsunami. Neither the breach in the bank of sluice-gates at Kadakachang
was replaced nor the road restored in full. Some knee-jerk actions were
taken during the period and a half-done road was left for the travelling
public.

Gen Bhopinder Singh heard their problems and directed APWD authorities
for construction of sluice gates wherever necessary to prevent seawater
ingression into their farmland and assured the villagers to look into
all other issues placed by them.

He also directed the APWD to construct the road leading from Shore Point
to Kadakachang. However, the villagers are wary of such promises. "Let's
see if something comes out of the directions of the Lt Governor" said a
cynical villager.

The Lt. Governor also visited Community Health Centre (CHC), Bambooflat
and inspected the health care and infrastructure facilities in the hospital.

The Lt. Governor directed the Health authorities for providing required
staff for efficient functioning of this rural health centre. He
instructed APWD authorities for taking up repair and renovation of staff
quarters, toilets and hospital buildings which he wanted to be completed
by the end of June this year.

On a request from the Adhyaksha, Zilla Parishad for development of a
parking place, seawall and a fish market adjacent to Bambooflat jetty,
the Lt Governor directed PMB and APWD authorities to examine the matter
and submit a detailed report about the proposal.
Later, in the afternoon the Lt. Governor visited Dhanikhari Dam and
directed APWD to start the dam raising work at the earliest. He also
visited the freshwater lake site at Sipighat and at Garacharama and
directed the revenue authorities to remove encroachments of drains which
were the main cause of water-logging during incessant rains.

--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

This quote keeps coming up!

Unfortunately, Chief Seattle never made these profound
remarks. They originate with a 1971 environmental
documentary, and were apparently written by a
scriptwriter called Fred Perry. The film was about
Chief Seattle, and somehow, in the process the
scriptwriters imagination became confused with Chief
Seattle.

Take one comment as an example:

"I have seen a thousand rotting buffaloes on the
prairie, left by the white man who shot them from a
passing train." There was no railroad, nor buffaloes
in that part of the US at the time.

There are lots of others, sentiments that all of us
would share and identify with. Not from him, though.
Check out

http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/fake.html

  for one version; typing “Chief Seattle hoax” in a
search engine like Google will give the interested
reader lots of other opinions on the matter.

Regretfully,
Rauf


--- Tejal Dhulla Vishweshwar <tejal.roots@...>
wrote:

>  *Look what I found !! *
> **
> *"BROTHER EAGLE & SISTER SKY" Message by Chief
> Seetle*
>
> A must read for all.........Read this book Online.
> Check this link
> http://vidyaonline.org/arvindgupta/chiefseattle.pdf
>
> *Do read it to at least one child you know,  *
> *& children read aloud to at least one elder :)*
>
> The download takes some time, so for people who
> cannot get through the link
> read the text below; You will miss the illustrations
> though.........
>
> About this book:
> Nearly 150 years ago Chief Seattle, a respected and
> peaceful leader of one
> of the Northwest Indian Nations, delivered a
> compelling message to the
> government in Washington, D.C. who wanted to buy his
> people's land. He
> believed that all life on earth, and the Earth
> itself, is sacred, and that
> man's heedless abuse of nature will lead to his own
> destruction. It is a
> powerful plea for conservation to which every child
> and every adult will
> respond.
> 'His words are simple and effective. They moved me
> and I think they will
> move children as well. Susan Jeffers' excellent
> illustrations will help to
> hold their attention' - Wendy Cope, Daily Telegraph
> 'Each page is bursting with colour' - Early Times
> *************The Message begins...............
> In a time so long ago that nearly all traces of it
> are lost in the prairie
> dust, an ancient people were a part of the land that
> is today called
> America. Living here for thousands of years, their
> children became the great
> Indian civilizations of the Choctaw and Cherokee,
> Navaho,
> Iroquois and Sioux, among many others. Then white
> settlers from Europe began
> a bloody war against the Indians, and in the span of
> a single lifetime claimed all the Indians' land for
> themselves, allowing
> them only small tracts of land to live on.
> When the last of the Indian wars were drawing to a
> close, one of the bravest
> and most respected chiefs of the Northwest Nations,
> Chief Seattle, sat at a
> white man's table to sign a paper presented by the
> new Commissioner of
> Indian Affairs for the Territory. The government in
> Washington, D.C., wished
> to buy the lands of Chief Seattle's people. With a
> commanding presence and
> eyes that mirrored the great
> soul that lived within, the Chief rose to speak to
> the gathering in a
> resounding voice.
> How can you buy the sky?
> Chief Seattle began.
> How can you own the rain and the wind?
> My mother told me,
> Every part of this earth is sacred to our people.
> Every pine needle. Every sandy shore.
> Every mist in the dark woods.
> Every meadow and humming insect.
> All are holy in the memory of our people.
> My father said to me,
> I know the sap that courses through the trees
> as I know the blood that flows in my veins.
> We are part of the earth and it is part of us.
> The perfumed flowers are our sisters.
> The rocky crests, the meadows,
> the ponies—all belong to the same family.
> The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our
> brothers.
> The voice of my ancestors said to me,
> The shining water that moves in the streams and
> rivers is
> not simply water, but the blood of your
> grandfather's grandfather.
> Each ghostly reflection in the clear waters of the
> lakes tells of memories
> in the life of our people.
> The water's murmur is the voice of your
> great-great-grandmother.
> The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst.
> They carry our canoes and feed our children.
> You must give to the rivers the kindness you would
> give to any brother.
> The voice of my grandfather said to me,
> The air is precious. It shares its spirit with all
> the life it supports. The
> wind that gave me my first breath also received my
> last sigh.
> You must keep the land and air apart and sacred, as
> a place where one can go
> to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow
> flowers.
> When the last Red Man and Woman have vanished with
> their wilderness,and
> their memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving
> across the prairie, will
> the shores and forest still be here?
> Will there be any of the spirit of my people left?
> My ancestors said to me, This we know: The earth
> does not belong to us. We
> belong to the earth.
> The voice of my grandmother said to me,
> Teach your children what you have been taught.
> The earth is our mother.
> What befalls the earth befalls all the sons and
> daughters of the earth.
> Hear my voice and the voice of my ancestors,
> Chief Seattle said.
> The destiny of your people is a mystery to us.
> What will happen when the buffalo are all
> slaughtered?
> The wild horses tamed?
> What will happen when the secret corners of the
> forest are
> heavy with the scent of many men?
> When the view of the ripe hills is blotted by
> talking wires?
> Where will the thicket be? Gone!
> Where will the eagle be? Gone!
> And what will happen when we say good-bye to the
> swift pony and the hunt?
> It will be the end of living, and the beginning of
> survival.
> This we know: All things are connected like the
> blood that unites us.
> We did not weave the web of life,
> We are merely a strand in it.
> Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
> We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother's
> heartbeat.
> If we sell you our land, care for it as we have
> cared for it.
> Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is
> when you receive it.
> Preserve the land and the air and the rivers for
> your children's children
> and love it as we have loved it.
> ************
> The origins of Chief Seattle's words are partly
> obscured by the mists of
> time. Some call his words a letter and some a
> speech. What is known is that
> Chief Seattle was a respected and peaceful leader of
> one of the Northwest
> Indian Nations. In the mid-1850s when the government
> in Washington, D.C.,
> wanted to buy the lands of his exhausted and
> defeated people, he responded
> in his native tongue, with a natural eloquence
> stemming from his oral
> tradition. His words were transcribed by Dr. Henry
> A. Smith, who knew him
> well, and that transcription was interpreted and
> rewritten more than once in
> this century. Joseph Campbell adapted and brought
> Chief Seattle's message to
> a wider audience in his book The Power of Myth. I
> too have adapted Chief
> Seattle's message for Brother Eagle, Sister Sky.
> What matters is that Chief
> Seattle's words inspired—and continue to inspire—a
> most compelling truth: In
> our zeal to build and possess, we may lose all that
> we have. We have come
> late to environmental awareness, but there was a
> thundering message
> delivered a century ago by many
> of the great Native American chiefs, among them
> Black Elk, Red Cloud, and
> Seattle. To all of the Native American people, every
> creature and part of
> the earth was sacred; it was their belief that to
> waste or destroy nature
> and its wonders is to destroy life itself. Their
> words were not understood
> in their time. Now they haunt us. Now they have come
> true, and before it is
> too late we must listen.
> Susan Jeffers
> END
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>
>
=== message truncated ===


-------------------------
Rauf Ali
Aurodam
Auroville- 605 101

Cell: 94437 47146


       Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under one roof. Go to
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DUPED! Fishers in the net

By Zubair Ahmed

http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/cover-story/88-issue-15.html

The dream to get rich fast ended up in the poor fishermen of Hope Town
losing over Rs 1.60 lakh of their hard earned money in fake schemes
promoted by Kolkata based finance & investment companies that vanished
in thin air as fast as they had appeared. The exact number of victims in
Janglighat and Dairyfarm fisher folk who had fallen for the schemes and
amount of money involved the fraud is not known.
The vulnerable sections of society invariably fall victim to the
ill-designs of cheats and charlatans; and, in the process forget even to
file a complaint against the criminals, who just vanish without trace.
Such an operator tested the Andaman waters and got off without hassles.
More than a hundred vulnerable fishermen were duped of lakhs of rupees
by a private limited company registered in Kolkatta, in 1996-97.

The story begins in 1990s when the Welfare Economy (P) Ltd, a Kolkatta
based registered company opened shop in Andamans and lured susceptible
and ignorant fishermen folk at Dairy Farm, Janglighat and Hope Town to
invest in their daily saving schemes and fixed deposits promising
handsome returns. When the fishermen went to collect their doubled
amount after five years, they found that the company did not exist anymore.

The modus operandi was very simple. It appointed local representatives
on commission basis and also set up office at different places. After
the collection of the fund, they just disappeared. The local
representatives, who were themselves victims, had invested in the fake
schemes, and were waiting for their money to be doubled in five years.
It is more than a decade now and the fishermen are still waiting.

The company had many policies to attract the preys. They had money back
scheme under daily deposits, ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 100, for two years.
The depositors of Rs 100 would get a return of Rs 41,000/- on maturity
apart from the endowment amount of Rs 72,000/, which was a very
lucrative preposition as far as the poor fishermen were concerned. Apart
from the daily deposit scheme, fixed deposits attracted a large number
of persons to the net. Some of them had deposited as much as Rs 10,000/-
too.

In Hope Town itself the company owes Rs 1.6 lakhs to 50 fishermen.
Jangamaiah and his son Duryodhana had invested Rs 10,001 on 30 July 1992
and were expecting Rs 21,000/- on 30 July 1997 after maturity. Even
after ten years, what they are left with are the cards and welfare
certificates issued by the company under its hand and seal.
Another company floated by the same group also did the same trick.
Instant Welfare Economy and Finance Pvt Ltd also owe a large amount to
the Islanders.

he company which had its local head office at Lamba Line, Port Blair had
an office at Bambooflat too. There were three staff members, including
one Varalaxmi, who was the cashier. When the office was closed, it is
alleged that instead of returning the policy holders their dues, she
took all the office furniture and left the place. She too is supposed to
have deposited some amount in the company.

Then verified with the records of Department of Company Affairs, it was
found that both the companies were active. The Welfare Economy Ltd, with
registration no. U65993WB1982 PLC034649 was incorporated in 1982 and had
not filed their returns since 1991. The Instant Welfare Economy and
Finance Pvt Ltd with registration # U65993WB1992 PLC056973 had no
details about its directors or their balance sheet on the website of
Department of Company Affairs.
Rabindranath Jana, the whole time director of the company had filed the
last returns in 1991. The card issued to policy holders also has
information about the promoters of the company. M M Mukhopadhyay was the
chairman and Mohd Ashrof Ali Mollah, the Managing Director apart from RN
Jana, K R Gharami and B N Mondal as directors.

In the memorandum of association, the company declared that the
objective of the company was to carry on the business of investments in
all its branches and departments including borrowing, raising or taking
up money, and the lending or advancing money.

The local promoters of the company were G P Poddar, Managing Director
and B N Mondal, Executive Director. They had appointed local agents, who
too were duped.

Chintamani, a cleaner working in Electricity department, in connivance
with the company promoters had identified vulnerable sections of the
Islands and lured them to invest. The fishermen, mostly Telugu speaking,
were netted by using his influence among them. Some Ranchi labourers
were also his victims.

When contacted, Chintamani refused to divulge any information about the
company or promoters. But he did mislead this reporter and gave a wrong
address of the company. Most of the fishermen allege that he was the
local kingpin, who made many innocent persons to invest in the
fraudulent company.

Then the depositors at Hope Town realized their mistake, they lodged a
complaint with the Panchayat. With the help of Pradhan, they caught hold
of GP Poddar and made him sign a statement which promised that the
company would return the amount of Rs 1,60,000/- to its policy holders
in two instalments before 31 December 1996.

But it did not happen and only a few of them got paltry sums of money.
Majority of them had not heard from the company or GP Poddar, its
representative. Poddar too had vanished from the scene, says G Rama Rao,
a teacher working among fishermen, who was also an agent, who was duped.
When asked, why they did not file a complaint with the police, he said
that CID had initiated investigation. But V P Pandey, Deputy
Superintendent of Police, CID said that no formal complaint was
registered against either the firms or the individuals during that period.


V P Pandey also informed that a formal complaint could still be
registered by the victims to start investigations.

Speaking to LoA, a reputed Chartered Accountant said that the policy
holders as well as depositors can file a complaint with the ministry of
commerce against the company and its directors, which will initiate
action against them.
The problem with the policy holders is that they are all illiterate
people and do not know, what is written on the certificates. Even
politicians do not take much interest in the welfare of poor people,
said a former ward member of Shore Point Panchayat.
B Laxmi Narayan, ward member, Hope Town Panchayat says that most of the
fishermen family in his area have invested in the schemes.
Although the companies are active as per the DCA website, there are no
contact details available on the site.
--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

Eviction of Encroachments Starts Again
By Staff Reporter

http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/eviction-of-encroachments-starts-again.\
html

The revenue administration has restarted the process of eviction of
encroachment on government land with a vengeance since the past couple
of months. The area around Raj Niwas has been cleared of fresh
encroachment and illegal structures that had come up in the recent past.

Speaking to this reporter Santosh Prakash, Tahsildar Port Blair said
that it was an on going process and would continue to discourage people
from taking the liberty of squatting on revenue land with impunity. He
also informed that 107 illegal structures were demolished and the
encroachers evicted till May 21, 2008.

Santosh Prakash admitted that it was quite a task to monitor the entire
area under the tahsil that stretches from Chidiya Tapu to Havelock
covering the entire municipal area and several of rural South Andaman
villages. The number of Patwaris attached to Port Blair tahsil was just
14 to monitor the activities of a population of well over 2 lakh. The
Patwaris had other routine duties too to discharge apart from eviction
of encroachments. "The strength of Patwaris was fixed based on the
population of 1975 when the menace of encroachment was not that severe.
In the present circumstances we need a separate eviction squad"
interjected another revenue officer present at the time of the interview.

Elaborating further Santosh Prakash said that the operation had covered
the areas around Raj Niwas, Nayagaon, Dudh Line and Aberdeen. "It's not
a one time job. We evict them but they keep on coming back and raising
fresh structures. There is nothing we could about it" he concluded.

However, the recent move of the revenue department with the change of
guard at the head came as a pleasant surprise for the law abiding
citizens. Encroachment had almost become a legal mode of acquiring land
during the regime of Krishn Sharan Singh as deputy commissioner.



--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

This is an interesting alert being put out by the CSE/DTE.
Thought it would be relevant to our egroup as well.
pankaj

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: CSE/DTE Climate Change Alert
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 12:25:12 +0530
From: cse@...
Reply-To: vikas@...
To: cse@...

MAY 28, 2008: CSE/DTE Climate Change Alert

This is a monthly alert from Centre for Science and Environment /
Down To Earth on recent developments on climate change issues in
India (and hopefully, the subcontinent). We track what is happening in
policy circles and the actions being taken by different sectors --
industry, government and civil society.

Do let us know if you would like to remain on the list or unsubscribe. To
stop receiving this e-bulletin, please e-mail: souparno@...
with the word 'unsubscribe' in the subject.

A. Recent developments
1. Indian government comes up with an organisational design for its
climate negotiations. This is the first time an institutional structure has
been set up for climate in the country. At the top is the prime minister-
headed climate council. Read...
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=8

2. The British government's push for carbon capture and storage in
India. Read more at...
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=16

3. Why did the Srinagar-Leh highway (in the snow-covered Himalaya)
open ahead of its schedule this year? Is there evidence of abnormal
snow melting? Read..
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=14

4. India opposes EU carbon equalization scheme and says it will fight it
out in the WTO. Read..
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=15

5. Delhi's experiment with the bus rapid transport system and why it
has to work. A detailed story on the programme to introduce buses in
the city, an analysis of the opposition and what are the options for the
city and others like it which are car-locked today. Read...
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=3


B. Comments (and views)
1. Down To Earth correspondent reports on how Sierra Club makes a
hard pitch to India. Read ...
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=7


C. To watch out for
1. Prime minister's climate council meet called on June 2, 2008. The
Indian National Paper on climate to be ready by then. (Watch this
space for more)


Compiled by: Sunita Narain, Mario D'Souza, Souparno Banerjee,
Chandra Bhushan, Pradip Saha, Anumita Roychoudhury and others at
CSE

Write back to us at mario@... or souparno@...



--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

Refund of room tariff advance to tourists
http://www.and.nic.in/press/ptuesday.htm


The Directorate of Tourism, A&N Administration has started to refund the
25% advance payment of the room tariff to the tourists who had made
advance reservation of accommodation, which was cancelled during the
visit of VVIP, ITF and Milan-2008 (Dolphin Resort, Havelock from 20th to
31st Dec., 2007 and Hornbill Nest, Corbyn's Cove from 10th December 2007
to 31st January, 2008). The refund amount can be collected from the
Reception Counter of this Directorate by 30th June, 2008.

******

(This is, as you would recollect related directly to the visit of the
President of India to the islands in December 2007. There was a lot of
discussion and postings on this issue on the egroup.
For those who want to go back to refresh what had happened you can visit
the following links
http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com/2008/01/visit-and-aftermath.html
http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com/2007/12/undoing-damage.html
http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com/2007/12/tree-cutting-at-wandoor-more-pic\
tures.html
http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com/2007/12/tree-cutting-at-wandoor-presiden\
t-in.html
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/254358.html

thanks
pankaj


--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

Details are availble at
http://cms.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/index.cfm?uNewsID=919
regards
Swayamprabha


----- Original Message ----
From: swayamprabha das <thumuri@...>
To: andamanicobar yahoogroups <andamanicobar@...>; OMRCC orissa
<omrcc@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 5:11:24 PM
Subject: [omrcc] WCPA Young Conservation Award - last date extended to June 30


Dear All
FYI. Kindly apply/circulate/ share as appropriate
regards
Swayamprabha
------------ --------- --------- ---
WCPA Young Conservation Award
The award aims to recognize and raise awareness of the outstanding contributions
made to the management of protected areas, and leadership shown, by young
conservationists. It also seeks to encourage young professionals and help them
develop networks by inviting winners to join WCPA. Nominations/ applications are
invited for/from: young people working in conservation and actively managing
protected areas. This includes all people working in protected areas, such as
(but not limited to) rangers, interpreters, people working with local
communities, policy makers, scientists, and, includes people working for
government agencies, the private sector, non-government organizations, local
communities, etc.
Nominations/ applications
Nominations/ applications must be submitted for/by:
	 * young field practitioners (under the age of 35)
	 * for any outstanding contribution (single incident or sustained/ongoing
commitment) towards protected area management (from a local to a global scale)
The young professional¢ s work must show:
	 1. Extreme dedication to protected areas
	 2. Capacity to deal with adversity
	 3. Working over and above the normal call of duty.
The Young Conservationist Award Review Panel will judge the degree to which the
candidate demonstrates:
	 * Passion, dedication and commitment
	 * Degree of innovation (thinking outside of the box)
	 * Self sacrifice (time, costs, physical, bravery, etc)
	 * Scale/extent/ magnitude/ impact of contribution (area and duration).
Submissions:
	 * an updated CV (maximum two pages)
	 * letters from referees (maximum of three)
	 * a short submission (maximum of 450 words) on the nominee¢s contribution, with
special reference on how this contribution benefited/s and improved/s protected
area management.
Benefits for the awardee:
	 * IRF/WCPA Young Conservationist Award Certificate 
	 * Membership in WCPA, the world's premier network of protected area experts
	 * Publicity on WCPA and IRF websites
Applications should be sent preferably via e-mail to:

Djinn Pourkiani
Programme on Protected Areas
The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Rue Mauverney 28
Gland, CH-1196, Switzerland
Phone: + 41 (22) 999-0161
Fax: + 41 (22) 999 0025
E-mail: djinn.pourkiani@ iucn.org

Deadline for submissions: 30 June, 2008 
------------ --
Swayam prabha Das, Ph.D
Fulbright Hubert Humphrey Fellow
University of California, Davis 95616
California, USA
&

IUCN - USA Multilateral Office
1630, Connecticut Avenue NW, 3rd Floor
Washington DC 20009-1053






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

TRINET  Weekly News May 26, 2008

DRAFT CZM NOTIFICATION


Coastal Management Zone draft finalized : The draft of the Coastal
Management Zone has been finalized and the Ministry of Environment &
Forests invites public suggestions and objections in accordance with
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The draft was issued on 9th May,
2008. Within a period of 60 days from the date of issue of this
Notification suggestions and objections will be accepted.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39036



NFF demands debate on new notification : Panaji- Observing that the fish
production along the Indian coastline has reduced substantially - up to
50 per cent - and that the threat of displacement of the fisher folk
along the coastline is looming large with the government contemplating
replacement of the Coastal Zone Notification 1991, with the Coastal
Management Notification, the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), on
Tuesday, demanded that the new notification should be debated in the
assemblies of the coastal states. The NFF delegation, which is
travelling from Kutch to Kolkata, to spread an awareness about the
detrimental effects of the new proposed notification, is currently in
Goa, and will travel to Delhi during the monsoon session of the
Parliament to register the protest. The NFF chairperson, Mr Harekrishna
Debnath, who is leading the delegation, addressing a press conference,
this morning said that the CRZ 1991 is the only piece of legislation in
the country that guarantees traditional and customary rights to fishing
community. 'On the other hand,' he said, 'the CMZ is a confusing and
misleading piece of legislation which desires that the set back line for
the sea be decided by the local bodies.'

http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=052160



Udupi: NFF Launches Campaign to Safeguard Fishermen Rights : Udupi, May
24: Under the motto of  'save the coast and save the fishermen', the
National Fish Workers Forum (NFF), launched a national level campaign
for the rights of fishermen from Jakau coast, Kutch in Gujarat on May 1.
The campaign will continue till June 27, covering the entire stretch of
8,118 kms of coastline of the country. The Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ)
notification was issued in 1991, to prevent and minimize the impact of
human activities on marine and coastal ecology. But today, seashores and
adjoining areas are being opened up for being exploited by big
businesses like beach resorts, hotels, mines, industries, nuclear and
thermal power plants, hazardous chemical plants and hubs,  industrial
aquaculture, SEZs, STZs, mega projects, large scale mechanised  and
destructive fishing  activities etc., which are threatening the coastal
environment and  livelihood of the traditional fishermen and their
families, explained president of the Forum, Harikrishna Debnath at a
press conference held here on May 23. Debnath demanded the enactment of
a national legislation for regulating the usage of  the coastal region
and marine biodiversity for indirectly protecting the fishermens'
preferential rights and access to marine resourses. He also  accused the
government of putting forth systematic efforts to shut the fishermen
community from any meaningful participation in coastal management.
Debnath also said that the present campaign is a precursor to the Delhi
march, where fishermen and other  communities who are facing a threat,
will march to the parliament during it's monsoon session for asserting
their demands. General secretary of the Forum N D Kohli, secretary of
Akhila Karnataka Fishermen Parishad Vasudev Boloor and others were present.

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=46918&n_tit=Udupi%3A+NFF+Launc\
hes+Campaign+to+Safeguard+Fishermen+Rights

top

FISHERIES AND COASTAL MATTERS


Leasing of Government land opposed : Nagapattinam: The villagers of
Siruthalaikadu on Vedaranyam coast in the district on Thursday protested
against the move to give the Government's swamp area of about 5,000
acres on Vedaranyam coast on a long lease to private parties for
production of salt. Residents of Panchanathikulam, Naduchethi and
Siruthalaikadu pointed out that the Government had earlier proposed to
start salt production on its own. The present move would be detrimental
to the interests of the people and would affect the marine wealth on
Vedaranyam coast.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/23/stories/2008052354480300.htm



A mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws : The
religio-political controversy and public debate surrounding the
Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) have overshadowed the original
arguments raised against this project, namely its environmental,
economic and social impacts. Ecological significance: Part of the
project area, specifically Adam's Bridge, falls within the Gulf of
Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GOMBR). It is India's largest biosphere
reserve and has an area of 10,500 sq km, covering the "Indian part of
Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka." It is one of India's major
coral reef ecosystems with 3,600 species of flora and fauna, of which
377 are endemic. It is famous for its CHANKS (conches and other shells)
which make Rameswaram one of the world's largest shell trade and craft
centres. The 21 islands that constitute the core zone of the GOMBR form
the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, which is India's second marine
national park. UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve concept is based on the idea
of oneness of humanity transcending national frontiers and recognises
the need for conservation of vanishing species and habitats. The canal
at Adam's Bridge is a mere 20 km from Shingle Island, one of these 21
islands. With the completion of the SSCP, ships will be navigating
through the biosphere reserve and close to the park. The other part
where most of the capital dredging is planned is the Palk Bay, which is
also ecologically sensitive and has extensive sea grass meadows. Sea
grasses serve as nurseries for fish stocks, and are essential grazing
areas for turtles and dugongs (also known as the sea cow: a highly
endangered species on the verge of extinction).

   http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051951091100.htm



Efforts to preserve marine biodiversity : Tiruchi: The efforts of Tamil
Nadu Forest Department to preserve marine biodiversity through training
youths of coastal areas and empowering them with employment
opportunities in inland urban centres received a vital thrust on Monday
with the recruitment of 45 such youths belonging to Ramanathapuram
district by two companies in Tiruchi. Thirty-six girls and nine boys,
who had undergone one year training in computer applications at the
Mohamed Sathak Polytechnic College at Kilakarai were recruited by HOV
Services and MBR Agro Industries Private Limited. They were given the
recruitment orders at the end of a five-day employability training
programme conducted by the National College with support from District
Employment Exchange under the aegis of the 'Alternative Livelihood'
Programme executed by the Gulf of Mannar Bioreserve Trust with UNDP
(United Nations Development Programme) funding.  The prospect of
financial empowerment has prepared the youths mentally to relocate to
inland urban centres, according to the Assistant Director of Employment
P. Suresh Kumar.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/20/stories/2008052058300200.htm



Project to conserve Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve : Tuticorin: The
Department of Forests will carry out a Centre-sponsored project for
conservation and management of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve on an
estimated outlay of Rs.50 lakh during this financial year. Speaking to
The Hindu, L. Nadhan, District Forest Officer, said that the project was
aimed at augmenting the infrastructure and income generation activities
along the coastal villages of the district thereby reduce the dependency
of fishermen on the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere for their livelihood. The
move, according to him, would help the authorities concerned to preserve
the opulent marine resources in the Mannar region and prevent endangered
species from extinction.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051959050600.htm



Marg Ltd to build fishing harbour in Tamil Nadu : Joining hands with
Rajakkamangalam Thurai fishing folks near Kanyakumari, the city-based
Marg Limited will build a fishing harbour with an outlay of Rs.450
million, said a top company official Thursday. The harbour will be built
by a three-way joint venture company, in which Marg will hold 39 percent
stake, Consolidated Constructions 10 percent and the balance would be
with a trust with the 8,500-member fishing community as its member. 'The
project cost will be funded through a mix of equity (10 percent),
mezzanine funding/subordinated debt (15 percent) and debt (75 percent),'
G.R.K. Reddy, managing director of Marg, told the media here Thursday.
As for the revenue stream for the joint venture company, he said the
user charges will be 10 percent of the fish catch value. 'There will be
an auction hall, cold storage facilities and a boat repair centre, and
these services will be charged separately,' he added.

http://www.indiaprwire.com/businessnews/20080522/30274.htm



Govt subsidy lends 'depth' to fishing :  Visakhapatnam, May 19: Finding
promising fishing grounds may soon no longer be a matter of luck after
desultory drifting on blue water. Fishermen will be able to home in
straightaway on goodly catches with the help of the satellite-based
Global Positioning System (GPS) and Fish Finders (FFs) offered to them
by the Department of Fisheries at 50% subsidy. The GPS will show the
exact location (longitude and latitude) where the fish are available and
the FF indicate the depth at which they are located and the type of
fish. These expensive devices were hitherto being used only by trawler
operators hauling in catches at a depth of 23 metres. Now, thanks to the
Chief Minister's special package, ''Matsya Kranthi'', the hi-tech
facility has been made available to fisherfolk using boats that make
catches at a depth of only 13 metres. The GPS set costs about Rs 20,000
and the FF around Rs 30,000. These are being offered at a 50 percent
subsidy. The government has sanctioned GPS units to 65 fishermen and FFs
to 51. The devices are yet to be installed. The sanction was made in FY
08, and about 100 more fishermen would be benefited in FY 09.

http://www.siasat.com/english/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=268359&Itemi\
d=63&cattitle=Andhra%20Pradesh



Mangalore: 'Catfish is extinct in coastal Karnataka' : Mangalore May 23:
Excessive fishing in the coastal region has resulted in the extinction
of fish species such as catfish, according to director of the
Kochi-based Centre for Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI)
N.G.K. Pillai. Mr. Pillai, who was here to participate in a seminar,
told The Hindu that a few species, including catfish, had already
disappeared from the seas, and many species of fish were on the
threshold of "sustainable-level". He said that about 15 years ago,
Karnataka's coastal belt was known for catfish. "Although it is now
found in the coasts of other States, including Kerala, it is not
available in this region. There were two species of catfish in this
region and both of them have disappeared," he said. Stating that
excessive fishing had affected marine biodiversity, Mr. Pillai called
for urgent measures to prevent further damage to the fish species.

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=78752



CLIMATE CHANGE

See future on Google Earth : The future may not be too far. For
instance, the India of 2100 and the impact of climate change in the
years between now and then, can be seen through a new navigation tool on
Google Earth. The tool was added to the global satellite map-based
website on Monday. A joint initiative of the UK Met office Hadley Centre
and Google Corporation, it shows projected increase in temperatures in
different regions, based on medium carbon emission projection and how it
could impact millions of people. For India, the rise in temperature is
projected to be between 4 and 6ºC with the projection of a rise in sea
level devastating its eastern coast and agricultural production going
down by a quarter by 2080. Based on information collected during a joint
research project of the UK government, the Environment Ministry and
Rural Development Ministry in 2006, Google Earth takes you to places
that would undergo major changes because of climate change. The map
shows Kolkata could be ravaged by climate change in 2070. About 12
million people and assets worth $2,000 billion could be exposed to
coastal flooding, due to climate and social changes, says the
information map on Google Earth.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=68d7b916-dc2c-467c-99d\
f-a244afb6f447&&Headline=See+future+on+Google+Earth



Nowhere to run from nature : Johannesburg, 23 May 2008 (IRIN) - Norman
Myers, a world renowned British environmentalist and authority on
biodiversity, forecast more than a decade ago that as the impact of
climate change intensified, the number of people fleeing natural
disasters could climb to at least 50 million by 2010. Now, as the world
grapples with food shortages brought on in part by climate change, he is
revising his figures upwards. Estimates of the number of people likely
to be displaced by natural disasters or rising sea levels vary widely,
but as fiercer and bigger weather events hit the news headlines daily,
the temperature of debates on providing protection to people displaced
by the vagaries of nature is rising. Low-lying coastal areas constitute
only two percent of the total land surface of the earth, but contain 10
percent of the world's current population. A policy paper by the UN
University Institute for Environment and Human Security Section
(UNU-EHS) noted that about 75 percent of all vulnerable people living in
low-lying areas are in Asia.  Natural disasters can lead to permanent
migration, as illustrated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane
Katrina, which struck the southern United States in 2005, said Koko
Warner, head of Social Vulnerability and Environmental Migration at UNU-EHS.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=78387

top

CYCLONE NARGIS

Cyclone Nargis: Catalyst for change in Myanmar? The December 2004
tsunami that devastated the province of Aceh in Indonesia was a human
tragedy but a political blessing in the form of a peace agreement. What
are the chances that the dark cloud of Cyclone Nargis, which slammed
Myanmar/Burma on May 3, will have the silver lining of being a catalyst
for political change? When the 2004 tsunami struck in Indonesia, the
government had been fighting a secessionist movement in Aceh for more
than four decades. The province had been under martial law for years and
was off-limits for most international human rights groups, humanitarian
aid organizations, and reporters. Susilo Bambang Yudhyono, who became
president of Indonesia barely two months before the tsunami, took
advantage of the disaster to open up Aceh (after some hesitation) and
initiate negotiations with the secessionists. The results were one of
the largest disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts in modern
times, as well as the peace agreement which lead to the election of a
former secessionist leader as governor of the province. Recent
experience suggests two links between disasters and politics. First, the
more severe the disaster the greater the odds it will be politically
destabilizing. Second, the odds of instability are greater in countries
that have less developed political and economic systems.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KKAA-7ER7CV?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=\
TS-2004-000147-LKA



Nargis causing more economic damage than Indonesia`s tsunami : New York
(ANTARA News) - Cyclone Nargis may have inflicted more severe and
longer-lasting economic losses to Myanmar than the tsunami that
devastated part of Indonesia's Aceh province in 2004, UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday before flying to Southeast Asia. Ban
was expected on Wednesday in Yangon where he was to be given a Myanmar
government tour of the Irrawaddy delta, the worst affected area when
Nargis went through two weeks ago, killing tens of thousands of people.
The delta had been the food bowl for Myanmar. "I want to see the
conditions under which relief teams are working, and I intend to do all
I can to reinforce their efforts in coordination with Myanmar
authorities and international aid agencies," Ban was quoted by DPA as
telling reporters at UN headquarters before leaving for Bangkok and then
Yangon. Myanmar estimated damage caused by Nargis to the impoverished
nation at more than 10 billion dollars and has asked the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to handle relief aid. It said it was too
late for farmers to plant the next rice crop in the delta under the
circumstances caused by Nargis.

http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/5/21/nargis-causing-more-economic-damage-tha\
n-indonesias-tsunami/


Taking on Nargis by coming together : Three weeks after a tropical
cyclone hit Myanmar, the images are still vivid. Swirling waters,
displaced people, houses that collapsed like matchboxes, uprooted trees
and long queues in relief camps — this was the haunting aftermath of
cyclone Nargis. The world had hardly got over the calamity when a
massive earthquake hit the Sichuan area of China. If a group of
international bodies has its way, natural disasters may not lead to such
misery. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) are campaigning for a draft law that would lead to
easier, faster and better relief for calamity victims. The International
Disaster Response Law (available at www.ifrc.org) or IDRL calls for
drastic steps to co-ordinate disaster relief. What nations have right
now, the international groups argue, are clearly not enough. IFRC hopes
that "sovereign" countries will overcome national differences to make
this draft law a legal treaty with more teeth.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080521/jsp/opinion/story_9299035.jsp

top

TSUNAMI REHABILITATION

4 Years After Tsunami, Asia Better Prepared for Disasters : The
earthquake in China's Sichuan province and the devastating cyclone in
Burma are reminders that Asia is the world's most disaster-prone region.
People living here are regularly at the mercy of tropical storms,
earthquakes, floods, landslides and other calamities. Last year alone,
Asia was hit by almost 400 natural disasters. While countries in the
region are used to disasters, the enormous devastation brought about by
the tsunami in December 2004 was unprecedented. Nations were in a state
of shock - not only because of the massive loss of life and property but
also because of how un-prepared they had been for such a disaster.
Governments and aid organizations pledged to be ready for future
disasters. Experts say much has been achieved since then. Jerry Talbot,
the head of the Indian Ocean tsunami operation at the International
Federation of the Red Cross in Geneva, says countries are now better
prepared for disasters. He says one example is the Maldives, which did
not have a disaster plan before the tsunami. "The awareness now is very
high," he said. "The clear plan that is being implemented - they are
setting up structures around that plan, they are setting up regional
disaster focal points. And one of the key things in the Maldives is
logistics of course - how do they actually reach these small, isolated
pockets of people? So this is a clear example of where there has been a
major change."

http://voanews.com/english/2008-05-23-voa7.cfm



LIVELIHOODS

Census of salt workers to be taken in Vedaranyam : Nagapattinam: A
census of workers engaged in salt production in Vedaranyam in
Nagapattinam district would soon be taken by the district administration
with the assistance of non-governmental organisations, said Collector
Tenkasi S. Jawahar on Saturday. Addressing a meeting convened by the
Collector to hear the grievances and suggestions of salt workers at
Vedaranyam, the Collector said that the Government was according
priority for the welfare of salt workers and several schemes were being
implemented for the benefit of salt workers. He said that the census of
salt workers would enable the district administration to chalk out
several welfare projects for the salt workers and their families in the
distict.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051957800600.htm



Fish vendors take out rally in Vedaranyam : Nagapattinam: A large number
of fish vendors and agricultural workers affected by the tsunami took
out a rally in Vedaranyam on Wednesday demanding the Government to
provide tsunami relief immediately. They carried empty mudpots in the
rally. They alleged that the district administration was trying to stop
the compensation to them.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/22/stories/2008052252270300.htm

top
HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Action to be taken against NGOs : Nagapattinam: Action would be taken
against non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which did not construct
tsunami houses as per the norms and guidelines of the Government and
failed to construct septic tanks as per the agreement with the
government, Collector Tenkasi S. Jawahar said here on Saturday.The
Collector said that some NGOs had handed over tsunami permanent houses
to the beneficiaries assuring that it would provide facilities for
discharge of toilet water in soak pits. A few NGOs did not take
cognizance of it, causing unhygienic conditions in some places. Mr
Jawahar pointed out that the Government had been providing all basic
amenities including street lights, new roads, drinking water and
drainage in all the locations where tsunami houses were built and handed
over to the beneficiaries.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051956350800.htm



Inauguration today : Wednesday May 21 2008. Kollam: The construction of
the coastal road between Paravur Pozhikkara and Lakshmipuram Thoppe and
nine groins (short break-waters) will be inaugurated by Fisheries
Minister S Sarma at a function to be held at Pozhikkara at 4 pm on
Wednesday. The five-km-long road is constructed as part of the tsunami
rehabilitation project. The Harbour Engineering Department had decided
to construct the groins as sea wall was impractical in the area. Harbour
Engineering Department and Madras IIT had conducted a detailed study in
this regard. Based on the study, it was decided to construct nine groins
with a length of 60 to 100 metres at a distance of 150 to 250 metres.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080521000539&Page=R&Title=Keral\
a&Topic=0

top

Other Countries:

SRI LANKA

Communities take charge of reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka :
Thirty-eight-year-old Devika Fernando lost her home in the tsunami and
had no choice but to live in a temporary shelter in Ratmalana, a suburb
of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. However, in October 2007 she moved
with 18 other families to create a new settlement in Raigamuwata in the
neighbouring district of Kalutara. The settlement is part of an
owner-driven housing programme designed to provide cash grants and
technical support to families rebuilding homes that were damaged or
destroyed in the tsunami. 'We lived next door to each other in
Ratmalana, but here we have really come together as a community,'
explains Devika. Devika now leads a discussion about the water-related
needs in the new settlement, as part of her role as secretary of the
Raigamuwata Community Development Council. As part of the 'Community
Recovery and Reconstruction Partnership', the Sri Lanka Red Cross and UN
Habitat have worked with almost 6,000 beneficiaries to create 63
community development councils in six tsunami affected districts in the
north, east and south of the country. In addition to receiving funds
from the Red Cross to build their homes, each household also receives a
grant, equivalent to 200 Swiss francs, which goes into a bank account
managed by the council. With these funds, councils prioritise
infrastructure projects to benefit the whole community and help lead
their recovery.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/HMYT-7EVJQR?OpenDocument

top

Disclaimer:

This news update is provided by TRINet for the benefit of those working
in coastal areas and in tsunami rehabilitation

purely for information purposes only.

Please send your comments to info.trinet@...

Visit us at: www.trinet.in







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--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

Its all due to poor planning, lack of coordination between various
departments. All the nallahs are chocked due to constrctions and unplanned
dumping of soil  to avoid incursion of sea water in acse of chouldari,
garcahrama and bambooflat. No topographical survey every panchayat
independently dumped soil. After all water has to fing way some where in. I
really don't know how administration will solve this.

Shyam



   _____

From: andamanicobar@...
[mailto:andamanicobar@...] On Behalf Of Pankaj Andaman
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 2:29 PM
To: ANDAMANicobar
Subject: [andamanicobar] Victims of airport extension



Victims of airport extension
- By Govinda Raju
http://www.lightofa
<http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/component/content/article/65-victi
ms-of-airport-extension.html>
ndamans.com/index.php/component/content/article/65-victims-of-airport-extens
ion.html

Telugu Basti in Old Pahadgaon, a hamlet of over 50 houses belonging
predominantly to poor wage-earners of Telugu community had to bear the
brunt of heavy rainfall that turned the life upside down for the
residents of many low lying areas in town.

The village sprang up on the land purchased from a local resident of Old
Pahadgaon. About 15-20 houses were built on what was earlier a part of
paddy field. A nallah separates it from the rest of the houses
constructed on a hill slope. The nallah carries the entire rainwater of
Dolleyganj catchments that flows by the Polytechnic.

Monsoon usually brought misery when it would overflow its banks. But
usually, it would flood the courtyards and then recede. But the
torrential rains on May 11 followed by the one on May 13 was too much
for the people and the mostly dilapidated houses.

The cloudburst of sorts inundated the entire area and the water level
rose to as much as four feet. The soaring water left telltale signatures
on the walls of the buildings that was visible to the visiting team of
officers lead by Kailash Chandra, acting Secretary Public Works) and Dr.
N Ravi, Chief Engineer, APWD on May 14. All the belongings of the
residents were under water. It played havoc with consumer durables like
TV sets, refrigerators, music systems, clothes, stocked provisions,
poultry and the like.

The residents, about 350 in all, had to be evacuated to Polytechnic
where the Disaster Management Committee arranged for their food etc. As
usual there were complaints that the relief team distributed some
blankets but that all of them did not get it, the food supply was
erratic, etc. However, there were serious complaints that the assessment
of damages was at best, perfunctory. There was an absolute lack of
interest in drawing up a realistic statement of losses sustained by each
individual household. The victims did not expect any tangible relief
from the administration for the losses they sustained.

There were more such relief camps set up by the administration to
provide temporary succour to the victims of waterlogging and flooding.
One such camp was at the community hall at Brooksabad for over 25 Ranchi
families that had set up a hamlet at Corbyn's Cove quarry. Their houses
too were flooded by the incessant rain on May 11 and 13. They too are
daily wage earners living at abject poverty level. In addition, unlike
Telugu people, their houses were ramshackle hutments raised on
encroached land almost at the sea. It was the permissive attitude of the
administration towards encroachment that wreaked havoc in the lives of
those Ranchiwallahs. Had the revenue administration been vigilant it
would have removed those structures in time. The Ranchiwallahs would, in
that case, have selected some other spot to pitch their tents.

Severe waterlogging was reported from Prothroepur where residents hd to
move out of their houses. Workshops had their equipments and accessories
washed away, weak and temporary structures suffered serious damages.

Prothroepur School, School Line School too had run relief camps for a
couple of days. But as water receded, the occupants returned home. In an
interesting aside, a revenue official told this reporter that Bengali
migrant labourers went into the School Line School camp in the fond hope
that like tsunami, if they enlisted in the relief camp, they would get
permanent shelters.

Senior citizens attributed the unprecedented waterlogging causing
extensive damages and losses to the citizens to the extension of airport
and lack of management and upkeep of waterways, nallahs and rainwater
drains in town.

--

http://pankaj- <http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com>
atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@gmail. <mailto:psekhsaria%40gmail.com> com





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dear Vimala

I agree with you with much of what you say. Your language is refreshing. I
too feel the need to introduce these values in our schools but I do have
doubts about the extent to which it can be done. I have gone through the
experience of this type of work during my school days in the 1950s. After
that the same work schedule turned into SUPW. The problem with both of them
is that the regular school curriculum and SUPW remained in their own
independent compartments. To some extent this division confirmed the child
into believing that SUPW belonged to the poor and was manual work while
school education was intellectual work. So what you call the village work
being relegated to the area of the poor and the villager continued. I
believe that this has to be introduced in the school but in doing that we
have to find ways of getting the child to internalise the value of the
dignity of work. Otherwise it remains just a subject. We have to find ways
of revalorising rural technology and of updating it and through it help the
villager to experience the dignity of his/her life. It is a difficult task
but has to be attempted. I think it needs to be done at the village level
and then slowly it can go towards the school. Bye

Walter Fernandes
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vinay Tandon" <vtandy@...>
To: <andamanicobar@...>
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 1:35 PM
Subject: Re: [andamanicobar] Fw: livelihoods May 2008


In a long time it is good to see so much sense in what Vimala has written.
I recently read this thing about "immersion", living it out in villages with
those we wish to understand (not study) and help? A big problem, however,
seems to be that nearly all of us (including villagers), government or non
government,
for whatever reason are like urban (heat?) seeking missiles.......
our education makes us so. As far as caste is concerned, i think it goes
much much deeper than any (outdated?)connections with occupations.
vinay tandon


On 5/24/08, Vimala Katikaneni <vkatikaneni@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
> I appreciate Aksharakriti's genuine efforts in Livelihoods field. No
> doubt,
> It is the urgent need of the hour. The invaluable experiences I had as a
> child growing up in my village Telangana[hinterland!] giving me the
> courage
> to come forward and speak about my discomfort in 'many ' of NGO's
> "development" language [perhaps my linguistics background comes into play
> at
> this point]. Let me share my feelings.
>
>
> We all know, anything that enters the "market" is transformed into an
> object
> of consumption. Even water -the very base of life-is objectified.  That
> same
> water which we once saw as our 'source' of life is now seen as a ten rupee
> disposable bottle. The same way, by making the values of "economic
> development" central, present dominant developmental paradigm seems to me;
> tries to trap us with its decisive language. Take for example the word *
> "resource".* It forces us to subscribe the idea of master& slave,
> colonizer/colonized dichotomy, thus shapes our approach to life as one of
> mastery and domination. We view everything around us-nature as well as our
> fellow human beings-as nothing more than a glut of "resources" to be
> owned.
> This crass attitude has paved/paving the path to the gross exploitation
> and
> destruction without any consideration or care. This reveals the strength
> and
> extent of the colonization thinking brought on by developmental
> language/approach.
>
>
>
> Then..Is this the time for us to invent our own language?, I am just
> wondering...
>
>
>
> Coming back to the livelihoods question; now it is very important to
> recognize the importance of our little creative economic centers/village
> occupations. As we all know, These centers operate on a decentralized
> economic model whose productions are infinitely creative, despite their
> limited facilities, and nurture a profound respect for human labor.  By
> deeming these centers "Cottage Industries" we have reduced them to little
> more than museum pieces.  Such an idea completely dismisses the local
> collective consciousness and reflects an agenda to incorporate the local
> centers into a capital intensive industrial paradigm.  The need of the
> hour
> is a rigorous and thorough study of our village economic systems, systems
> which are based in friendship, consensus, and freedom.  We must demand to
> create our progressive policies in terms of the little creative centers'
> philosophical attitudes and work within the potentiality of their natural
> local surroundings [it is apparent that "localness" is marked by diverse
> yet
> interlinked attitudes that are rooted in particular locales.  Generally
> speaking, philosophical attitudes anchor our stream of
> consciousness.  These
> attitudes are not ideologies or "isms."  In this sense, localness reflects
> the socio-political and economic practices of a given place.  For
> Telangana
> villages, it is their local occupations that shape their particular stream
> of consciousness.]
> In my view; The skilled workers of  Telangana have silently allowed their
> values to be labeled "backward" and have, as a result, opened the door to
> the problems they face today.  By accepting the charge that they are weak,
> they have lost their self-confidence and embraced the suicidal act of
> seeking "work" in the concrete jungles. Now,the workers of the local
> creative centers must teach the urban middle-class that their "economism"
> centered attitudes are not only destroying nature but the local
> consciousness as well. For that; beyond the confines of caste, every
> village
> must re-establish hundreds of local productive centers of their own.
>
> For that we, educated middle class must speak the language of village. I
> believe.
>
>
> [Epilogue: Just like the modern sciences, our village occupations must be
> given the opportunity to be taught and studied in our schools.  These
> local
> occupations are the combination of social, economic, and artistic
> expression.  By including them in our school curriculum, we will be
> providing a new foundation for the otherwise declining *humanities *of our
> higher educational system.  But of utmost importance, we can erase the
> caste
> hierarchies based on occupations.  Unlike the present educational system
> that has rejected the value of local occupations but has retained caste,
> this idea will allow us to maintain our occupations and reject
> caste.  Through
> this we can re-write the means by which the rich grow richer and the
> endless
> economic growth that spreads the misery of urban life.  By understanding
> the
> democratic values of the little productive centers, which exist today
> through the support of friendship, fraternity, accountability, love, and
> sensitivity to natural and social surroundings, we can inspire our youth
> to
> live them.  In this way, we will be able to establish hundreds of little
> productive centers in all our villages.]
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Vimala
>
> Telangana
>
>
> On 5/22/08, G Muralidhar <muralivan@...> wrote:
> >
> >   Dear All,
> >
> > The latest edition of livelihoods - May 2008 is now released.
> >
> > You may see the same at www.aksharakriti.org and the link to download it
> > is:
> >
> >
>
http://www.aksharakriti.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,26\
/Itemid,31/
> >
> > Regards
> > Muralidhar
> > Akshara
> >
> > G Muralidhar
> > HIG-II Block 15 F-8
> > APHB Colony, Baghlingampally,
> > Hyderabad - 500044
> > Phone: 040-66638651
> > Cell: 93948-43008
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> > Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
> > A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

LG sanctions relief to families affected due to heavy rains
http://www.and.nic.in/press/psaturday.htm


MAY 24, 2008.
The Hon’ble Lt Governor has sanctioned relief to the tune of Rs
30,01,400/- to 1071 families who suffered loss and damage due to heavy
rain and water inundation. It may be recalled that Andaman Islands
experienced torrential rainfall with thunder and lightening from 9th to
13th May 2008 that caused heavy losses in Port Blair as well as in all
the rural areas. There was substantial damage to the private property
and agriculture crops. The worst affected areas were Mohanpura, Machi
Line, DAG Colony, Beodnabad, Old Pahargoan, Prothapur, School Line,
Brookshabad etc. The Administration responded quickly to the situation
and a number of emergency relief camps were set up to shift the people
from the danger zone. They were provided with food and other relief
materials. All the concerned departments including Electricity, APWD,
PBMC, Civil Supplies, Health and Transport were kept in readiness to
face any eventualities. The Hon’ble Lt. Governor, Lt General (Retd.)
Bhopinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM, held a special meeting with civil, defence
and airport authorities and reviewed the situation. He directed the
Relief Commissioner and the District Authorities to make prompt
assessment of the losses that occurred to the Islanders. The District
Administration conducted immediate assessment for 1071 affected families
in consultation with the PRI members.
--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

Victims of airport extension
- By Govinda Raju
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/component/content/article/65-victims-of\
-airport-extension.html

Telugu Basti in Old Pahadgaon, a hamlet of over 50 houses belonging
predominantly to poor wage-earners of Telugu community had to bear the
brunt of heavy rainfall that turned the life upside down for the
residents of many low lying areas in town.

The village sprang up on the land purchased from a local resident of Old
Pahadgaon. About 15-20 houses were built on what was earlier a part of
paddy field. A nallah separates it from the rest of the houses
constructed on a hill slope. The nallah carries the entire rainwater of
Dolleyganj catchments that flows by the Polytechnic.

Monsoon usually brought misery when it would overflow its banks. But
usually, it would flood the courtyards and then recede. But the
torrential rains on May 11 followed by the one on May 13 was too much
for the people and the mostly dilapidated houses.

The cloudburst of sorts inundated the entire area and the water level
rose to as much as four feet. The soaring water left telltale signatures
on the walls of the buildings that was visible to the visiting team of
officers lead by Kailash Chandra, acting Secretary Public Works) and Dr.
N Ravi, Chief Engineer, APWD on May 14. All the belongings of the
residents were under water. It played havoc with consumer durables like
TV sets, refrigerators, music systems, clothes, stocked provisions,
poultry and the like.

The residents, about 350 in all, had to be evacuated to Polytechnic
where the Disaster Management Committee arranged for their food etc. As
usual there were complaints that the relief team distributed some
blankets but that all of them did not get it, the food supply was
erratic, etc. However, there were serious complaints that the assessment
of damages was at best, perfunctory. There was an absolute lack of
interest in drawing up a realistic statement of losses sustained by each
individual household. The victims did not expect any tangible relief
from the administration for the losses they sustained.

There were more such relief camps set up by the administration to
provide temporary succour to the victims of waterlogging and flooding.
One such camp was at the community hall at Brooksabad for over 25 Ranchi
families that had set up a hamlet at Corbyn's Cove quarry. Their houses
too were flooded by the incessant rain on May 11 and 13. They too are
daily wage earners living at abject poverty level. In addition, unlike
Telugu people, their houses were ramshackle hutments raised on
encroached land almost at the sea. It was the permissive attitude of the
administration towards encroachment that wreaked havoc in the lives of
those Ranchiwallahs. Had the revenue administration been vigilant it
would have removed those structures in time. The Ranchiwallahs would, in
that case, have selected some other spot to pitch their tents.

Severe waterlogging was reported from Prothroepur where residents hd to
move out of their houses. Workshops had their equipments and accessories
washed away, weak and temporary structures suffered serious damages.

Prothroepur School, School Line School too had run relief camps for a
couple of days. But as water receded, the occupants returned home. In an
interesting aside, a revenue official told this reporter that Bengali
migrant labourers went into the School Line School camp in the fond hope
that like tsunami, if they enlisted in the relief camp, they would get
permanent shelters.

Senior citizens attributed the unprecedented waterlogging causing
extensive damages and losses to the citizens to the extension of airport
and lack of management and upkeep of waterways, nallahs and rainwater
drains in town.

--

http://pankaj-atcrossroads.blogspot.com

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gym
Pune 411004
India
Tel: 020 25654239
Mob: 09423009933
Email: psekhsaria@...

In a long time it is good to see so much sense in what Vimala has written.
I recently read this thing about "immersion", living it out in villages with
those we wish to understand (not study) and help? A big problem, however,
seems to be that nearly all of us (including villagers), government or non
government,
for whatever reason are like urban (heat?) seeking missiles.......
our education makes us so. As far as caste is concerned, i think it goes
much much deeper than any (outdated?)connections with occupations.
vinay tandon


On 5/24/08, Vimala Katikaneni <vkatikaneni@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
> I appreciate Aksharakriti's genuine efforts in Livelihoods field. No doubt,
> It is the urgent need of the hour. The invaluable experiences I had as a
> child growing up in my village Telangana[hinterland!] giving me the courage
> to come forward and speak about my discomfort in 'many ' of NGO's
> "development" language [perhaps my linguistics background comes into play
> at
> this point]. Let me share my feelings…
>
>
> We all know, anything that enters the "market" is transformed into an
> object
> of consumption. Even water —the very base of life—is objectified.  That
> same
> water which we once saw as our 'source' of life is now seen as a ten rupee
> disposable bottle. The same way, by making the values of "economic
> development" central, present dominant developmental paradigm seems to me;
> tries to trap us with its decisive language. Take for example the word *
> "resource".* It forces us to subscribe the idea of master& slave,
> colonizer/colonized dichotomy, thus shapes our approach to life as one of
> mastery and domination. We view everything around us—nature as well as our
> fellow human beings—as nothing more than a glut of "resources" to be owned.
> This crass attitude has paved/paving the path to the gross exploitation and
> destruction without any consideration or care. This reveals the strength
> and
> extent of the colonization thinking brought on by developmental
> language/approach.
>
>
>
> Then….Is this the time for us to invent our own language?, I am just
> wondering…….
>
>
>
> Coming back to the livelihoods question; now it is very important to
> recognize the importance of our little creative economic centers/village
> occupations. As we all know, These centers operate on a decentralized
> economic model whose productions are infinitely creative, despite their
> limited facilities, and nurture a profound respect for human labor.  By
> deeming these centers "Cottage Industries" we have reduced them to little
> more than museum pieces.  Such an idea completely dismisses the local
> collective consciousness and reflects an agenda to incorporate the local
> centers into a capital intensive industrial paradigm.  The need of the hour
> is a rigorous and thorough study of our village economic systems, systems
> which are based in friendship, consensus, and freedom.  We must demand to
> create our progressive policies in terms of the little creative centers'
> philosophical attitudes and work within the potentiality of their natural
> local surroundings [it is apparent that "localness" is marked by diverse
> yet
> interlinked attitudes that are rooted in particular locales.  Generally
> speaking, philosophical attitudes anchor our stream of
> consciousness.  These
> attitudes are not ideologies or "isms."  In this sense, localness reflects
> the socio-political and economic practices of a given place.  For Telangana
> villages, it is their local occupations that shape their particular stream
> of consciousness.]
> In my view; The skilled workers of  Telangana have silently allowed their
> values to be labeled "backward" and have, as a result, opened the door to
> the problems they face today.  By accepting the charge that they are weak,
> they have lost their self-confidence and embraced the suicidal act of
> seeking "work" in the concrete jungles. Now,the workers of the local
> creative centers must teach the urban middle-class that their "economism"
> centered attitudes are not only destroying nature but the local
> consciousness as well. For that; beyond the confines of caste, every
> village
> must re-establish hundreds of local productive centers of their own.
>
> For that we, educated middle class must speak the language of village… I
> believe.
>
>
> [Epilogue: Just like the modern sciences, our village occupations must be
> given the opportunity to be taught and studied in our schools.  These local
> occupations are the combination of social, economic, and artistic
> expression.  By including them in our school curriculum, we will be
> providing a new foundation for the otherwise declining *humanities *of our
> higher educational system.  But of utmost importance, we can erase the
> caste
> hierarchies based on occupations.  Unlike the present educational system
> that has rejected the value of local occupations but has retained caste,
> this idea will allow us to maintain our occupations and reject
> caste.  Through
> this we can re-write the means by which the rich grow richer and the
> endless
> economic growth that spreads the misery of urban life.  By understanding
> the
> democratic values of the little productive centers, which exist today
> through the support of friendship, fraternity, accountability, love, and
> sensitivity to natural and social surroundings, we can inspire our youth to
> live them.  In this way, we will be able to establish hundreds of little
> productive centers in all our villages.]
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Vimala
>
> Telangana
>
>
> On 5/22/08, G Muralidhar <muralivan@...> wrote:
> >
> >   Dear All,
> >
> > The latest edition of livelihoods - May 2008 is now released.
> >
> > You may see the same at www.aksharakriti.org and the link to download it
> > is:
> >
> >
>
http://www.aksharakriti.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,26\
/Itemid,31/
> >
> > Regards
> > Muralidhar
> > Akshara
> >
> > G Muralidhar
> > HIG-II Block 15 F-8
> > APHB Colony, Baghlingampally,
> > Hyderabad - 500044
> > Phone: 040-66638651
> > Cell: 93948-43008
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> > Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
> > A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dear all and Vimala in particular,
Your words strike a deep resonance in something that I have been trying for
several years to bring forward on the agenda.  Start with words (and the
implications of them) like "poverty" and labels like the "poor" which
disguise the deliberate evisceration of community wealth and natural world
in order to make dead profits and killing stores of money.



We need to reclaim language.  Not just languages like Hindi or english or
whatever, but the implications of terms and their connotations.  More than
ever today, we are facing the subversion of democracy into a manipulated
voting process that hands over immense power, power to annihilate and
destroy to people we wouldn't trust to go on an errand to the corner store
with 50 rupees because they would run off with it.  We call this democratic
process.

And so on.

How do we reclaim language for speaking plainly and saying what we mean?  How
do we restore integrity to our thoughts and words so that actions can be
transparent and honourable.
  I don't know.  But we must do it for the sake of the survival of our world
and its peoples.
Sincerely and best wishes
Anna


On 5/24/08, Vimala Katikaneni <vkatikaneni@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
> I appreciate Aksharakriti's genuine efforts in Livelihoods field. No doubt,
> It is the urgent need of the hour. The invaluable experiences I had as a
> child growing up in my village Telangana[hinterland!] giving me the courage
> to come forward and speak about my discomfort in 'many ' of NGO's
> "development" language [perhaps my linguistics background comes into play
> at
> this point]. Let me share my feelings…
>
>
> We all know, anything that enters the "market" is transformed into an
> object
> of consumption. Even water —the very base of life—is objectified.  That
> same
> water which we once saw as our 'source' of life is now seen as a ten rupee
> disposable bottle. The same way, by making the values of "economic
> development" central, present dominant developmental paradigm seems to me;
> tries to trap us with its decisive language. Take for example the word *
> "resource".* It forces us to subscribe the idea of master& slave,
> colonizer/colonized dichotomy, thus shapes our approach to life as one of
> mastery and domination. We view everything around us—nature as well as our
> fellow human beings—as nothing more than a glut of "resources" to be owned.
> This crass attitude has paved/paving the path to the gross exploitation and
> destruction without any consideration or care. This reveals the strength
> and
> extent of the colonization thinking brought on by developmental
> language/approach.
>
>
>
> Then….Is this the time for us to invent our own language?, I am just
> wondering…….
>
>
>
> Coming back to the livelihoods question; now it is very important to
> recognize the importance of our little creative economic centers/village
> occupations. As we all know, These centers operate on a decentralized
> economic model whose productions are infinitely creative, despite their
> limited facilities, and nurture a profound respect for human labor.  By
> deeming these centers "Cottage Industries" we have reduced them to little
> more than museum pieces.  Such an idea completely dismisses the local
> collective consciousness and reflects an agenda to incorporate the local
> centers into a capital intensive industrial paradigm.  The need of the hour
> is a rigorous and thorough study of our village economic systems, systems
> which are based in friendship, consensus, and freedom.  We must demand to
> create our progressive policies in terms of the little creative centers'
> philosophical attitudes and work within the potentiality of their natural
> local surroundings [it is apparent that "localness" is marked by diverse
> yet
> interlinked attitudes that are rooted in particular locales.  Generally
> speaking, philosophical attitudes anchor our stream of
> consciousness.  These
> attitudes are not ideologies or "isms."  In this sense, localness reflects
> the socio-political and economic practices of a given place.  For Telangana
> villages, it is their local occupations that shape their particular stream
> of consciousness.]
> In my view; The skilled workers of  Telangana have silently allowed their
> values to be labeled "backward" and have, as a result, opened the door to
> the problems they face today.  By accepting the charge that they are weak,
> they have lost their self-confidence and embraced the suicidal act of
> seeking "work" in the concrete jungles. Now,the workers of the local
> creative centers must teach the urban middle-class that their "economism"
> centered attitudes are not only destroying nature but the local
> consciousness as well. For that; beyond the confines of caste, every
> village
> must re-establish hundreds of local productive centers of their own.
>
> For that we, educated middle class must speak the language of village… I
> believe.
>
>
> [Epilogue: Just like the modern sciences, our village occupations must be
> given the opportunity to be taught and studied in our schools.  These local
> occupations are the combination of social, economic, and artistic
> expression.  By including them in our school curriculum, we will be
> providing a new foundation for the otherwise declining *humanities *of our
> higher educational system.  But of utmost importance, we can erase the
> caste
> hierarchies based on occupations.  Unlike the present educational system
> that has rejected the value of local occupations but has retained caste,
> this idea will allow us to maintain our occupations and reject
> caste.  Through
> this we can re-write the means by which the rich grow richer and the
> endless
> economic growth that spreads the misery of urban life.  By understanding
> the
> democratic values of the little productive centers, which exist today
> through the support of friendship, fraternity, accountability, love, and
> sensitivity to natural and social surroundings, we can inspire our youth to
> live them.  In this way, we will be able to establish hundreds of little
> productive centers in all our villages.]
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Vimala
>
> Telangana
>
>
> On 5/22/08, G Muralidhar <muralivan@...> wrote:
> >
> >   Dear All,
> >
> > The latest edition of livelihoods - May 2008 is now released.
> >
> > You may see the same at www.aksharakriti.org and the link to download it
> > is:
> >
> >
>
http://www.aksharakriti.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,26\
/Itemid,31/
> >
> > Regards
> > Muralidhar
> > Akshara
> >
> > G Muralidhar
> > HIG-II Block 15 F-8
> > APHB Colony, Baghlingampally,
> > Hyderabad - 500044
> > Phone: 040-66638651
> > Cell: 93948-43008
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> > Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
> > A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I really liked what you said about the development discourse, and the need
to find alternative ways of thinking and speaking. In your village model,
there is hope and idealism, but there are two issues that have to be
resolved: how to recreate use values for village or decentralised
production, which can also take place in metros and doesnt have to be in
villages only, since factory production has made their goods much cheaper
and replaced village products and secondly, can we look at economies of
scale to reduce prices of village products?
I really liked the idea of using this kind of vocational education to remove
the link with caste and some educational movements in Maharashtra and
elsewhere are trying just that.
Keep thinking out of the box.
Nina Rao


On 24/05/2008, Vimala Katikaneni <vkatikaneni@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
> I appreciate Aksharakriti's genuine efforts in Livelihoods field. No doubt,
> It is the urgent need of the hour. The invaluable experiences I had as a
> child growing up in my village Telangana[hinterland!] giving me the courage
> to come forward and speak about my discomfort in 'many ' of NGO's
> "development" language [perhaps my linguistics background comes into play
> at
> this point]. Let me share my feelings…
>
>
> We all know, anything that enters the "market" is transformed into an
> object
> of consumption. Even water —the very base of life—is objectified.  That
> same
> water which we once saw as our 'source' of life is now seen as a ten rupee
> disposable bottle. The same way, by making the values of "economic
> development" central, present dominant developmental paradigm seems to me;
> tries to trap us with its decisive language. Take for example the word *
> "resource".* It forces us to subscribe the idea of master& slave,
> colonizer/colonized dichotomy, thus shapes our approach to life as one of
> mastery and domination. We view everything around us—nature as well as our
> fellow human beings—as nothing more than a glut of "resources" to be owned.
> This crass attitude has paved/paving the path to the gross exploitation and
> destruction without any consideration or care. This reveals the strength
> and
> extent of the colonization thinking brought on by developmental
> language/approach.
>
>
>
> Then….Is this the time for us to invent our own language?, I am just
> wondering…….
>
>
>
> Coming back to the livelihoods question; now it is very important to
> recognize the importance of our little creative economic centers/village
> occupations. As we all know, These centers operate on a decentralized
> economic model whose productions are infinitely creative, despite their
> limited facilities, and nurture a profound respect for human labor.  By
> deeming these centers "Cottage Industries" we have reduced them to little
> more than museum pieces.  Such an idea completely dismisses the local
> collective consciousness and reflects an agenda to incorporate the local
> centers into a capital intensive industrial paradigm.  The need of the hour
> is a rigorous and thorough study of our village economic systems, systems
> which are based in friendship, consensus, and freedom.  We must demand to
> create our progressive policies in terms of the little creative centers'
> philosophical attitudes and work within the potentiality of their natural
> local surroundings [it is apparent that "localness" is marked by diverse
> yet
> interlinked attitudes that are rooted in particular locales.  Generally
> speaking, philosophical attitudes anchor our stream of
> consciousness.  These
> attitudes are not ideologies or "isms."  In this sense, localness reflects
> the socio-political and economic practices of a given place.  For Telangana
> villages, it is their local occupations that shape their particular stream
> of consciousness.]
> In my view; The skilled workers of  Telangana have silently allowed their
> values to be labeled "backward" and have, as a result, opened the door to
> the problems they face today.  By accepting the charge that they are weak,
> they have lost their self-confidence and embraced the suicidal act of
> seeking "work" in the concrete jungles. Now,the workers of the local
> creative centers must teach the urban middle-class that their "economism"
> centered attitudes are not only destroying nature but the local
> consciousness as well. For that; beyond the confines of caste, every
> village
> must re-establish hundreds of local productive centers of their own.
>
> For that we, educated middle class must speak the language of village… I
> believe.
>
>
> [Epilogue: Just like the modern sciences, our village occupations must be
> given the opportunity to be taught and studied in our schools.  These local
> occupations are the combination of social, economic, and artistic
> expression.  By including them in our school curriculum, we will be
> providing a new foundation for the otherwise declining *humanities *of our
> higher educational system.  But of utmost importance, we can erase the
> caste
> hierarchies based on occupations.  Unlike the present educational system
> that has rejected the value of local occupations but has retained caste,
> this idea will allow us to maintain our occupations and reject
> caste.  Through
> this we can re-write the means by which the rich grow richer and the
> endless
> economic growth that spreads the misery of urban life.  By understanding
> the
> democratic values of the little productive centers, which exist today
> through the support of friendship, fraternity, accountability, love, and
> sensitivity to natural and social surroundings, we can inspire our youth to
> live them.  In this way, we will be able to establish hundreds of little
> productive centers in all our villages.]
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Vimala
>
> Telangana
>
>
> On 5/22/08, G Muralidhar <muralivan@...> wrote:
> >
> >   Dear All,
> >
> > The latest edition of livelihoods - May 2008 is now released.
> >
> > You may see the same at www.aksharakriti.org and the link to download it
> > is:
> >
> >
>
http://www.aksharakriti.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,26\
/Itemid,31/
> >
> > Regards
> > Muralidhar
> > Akshara
> >
> > G Muralidhar
> > HIG-II Block 15 F-8
> > APHB Colony, Baghlingampally,
> > Hyderabad - 500044
> > Phone: 040-66638651
> > Cell: 93948-43008
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> > Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
> > A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dear all,
I appreciate Aksharakriti's genuine efforts in Livelihoods field. No doubt,
It is the urgent need of the hour. The invaluable experiences I had as a
child growing up in my village Telangana[hinterland!] giving me the courage
to come forward and speak about my discomfort in 'many ' of NGO's
"development" language [perhaps my linguistics background comes into play at
this point]. Let me share my feelings…


We all know, anything that enters the "market" is transformed into an object
of consumption. Even water —the very base of life—is objectified.  That same
water which we once saw as our 'source' of life is now seen as a ten rupee
disposable bottle. The same way, by making the values of "economic
development" central, present dominant developmental paradigm seems to me;
tries to trap us with its decisive language. Take for example the word *
"resource".* It forces us to subscribe the idea of master& slave,
colonizer/colonized dichotomy, thus shapes our approach to life as one of
mastery and domination. We view everything around us—nature as well as our
fellow human beings—as nothing more than a glut of "resources" to be owned.
This crass attitude has paved/paving the path to the gross exploitation and
destruction without any consideration or care. This reveals the strength and
extent of the colonization thinking brought on by developmental
language/approach.



Then….Is this the time for us to invent our own language?, I am just
wondering…….



Coming back to the livelihoods question; now it is very important to
recognize the importance of our little creative economic centers/village
occupations. As we all know, These centers operate on a decentralized
economic model whose productions are infinitely creative, despite their
limited facilities, and nurture a profound respect for human labor.  By
deeming these centers "Cottage Industries" we have reduced them to little
more than museum pieces.  Such an idea completely dismisses the local
collective consciousness and reflects an agenda to incorporate the local
centers into a capital intensive industrial paradigm.  The need of the hour
is a rigorous and thorough study of our village economic systems, systems
which are based in friendship, consensus, and freedom.  We must demand to
create our progressive policies in terms of the little creative centers'
philosophical attitudes and work within the potentiality of their natural
local surroundings [it is apparent that "localness" is marked by diverse yet
interlinked attitudes that are rooted in particular locales.  Generally
speaking, philosophical attitudes anchor our stream of consciousness.  These
attitudes are not ideologies or "isms."  In this sense, localness reflects
the socio-political and economic practices of a given place.  For Telangana
villages, it is their local occupations that shape their particular stream
of consciousness.]
  In my view; The skilled workers of  Telangana have silently allowed their
values to be labeled "backward" and have, as a result, opened the door to
the problems they face today.  By accepting the charge that they are weak,
they have lost their self-confidence and embraced the suicidal act of
seeking "work" in the concrete jungles. Now,the workers of the local
creative centers must teach the urban middle-class that their "economism"
centered attitudes are not only destroying nature but the local
consciousness as well. For that; beyond the confines of caste, every village
must re-establish hundreds of local productive centers of their own.

For that we, educated middle class must speak the language of village… I
believe.


[Epilogue: Just like the modern sciences, our village occupations must be
given the opportunity to be taught and studied in our schools.  These local
occupations are the combination of social, economic, and artistic
expression.  By including them in our school curriculum, we will be
providing a new foundation for the otherwise declining *humanities *of our
higher educational system.  But of utmost importance, we can erase the caste
hierarchies based on occupations.  Unlike the present educational system
that has rejected the value of local occupations but has retained caste,
this idea will allow us to maintain our occupations and reject caste.  Through
this we can re-write the means by which the rich grow richer and the endless
economic growth that spreads the misery of urban life.  By understanding the
democratic values of the little productive centers, which exist today
through the support of friendship, fraternity, accountability, love, and
sensitivity to natural and social surroundings, we can inspire our youth to
live them.  In this way, we will be able to establish hundreds of little
productive centers in all our villages.]



Regards,

Vimala

Telangana


On 5/22/08, G Muralidhar <muralivan@...> wrote:
>
>   Dear All,
>
> The latest edition of livelihoods - May 2008 is now released.
>
> You may see the same at www.aksharakriti.org and the link to download it
> is:
>
>
http://www.aksharakriti.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,26\
/Itemid,31/
>
> Regards
> Muralidhar
> Akshara
>
> G Muralidhar
> HIG-II Block 15 F-8
> APHB Colony, Baghlingampally,
> Hyderabad - 500044
> Phone: 040-66638651
> Cell: 93948-43008
>
> __________________________________________________________
> Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
> A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

WHO extends patronage of RMRC
By Staff Reporter
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/who-extends-patronage-of-rmrc/25-the-pr\
oject/23-who-extends-patronage-of-rmrc.html

The incidence of leptospirosis (Andaman Fever) has come down from about
23 per 1 lakh population to about 8 per 1 lakh population" Dr
Vijayachari, Director RMRC told the mediapersons in his press conference
held at RMRC complex on May 07, 2008.

The press conference was called specifically to share the information
that the World Health Organisation had extended the consultant
laboratory status of the centre for investigation and research works in
leptospirosis for South East Asian countries for another term of four
years. Answering a specific question, Dr Vijayachari informed the press
that two references were received for work in the field in Sri Lanka and
Thailand. However, it was not finalised yet, he said.

The director further explained that apart from leptospirosis, the centre
was engaged in fruitful research work in endemic diseases like malaria,
diarrhoeal viral infection, Chikungunya etc. He also said that in cases
of outbreak of any such diseases, the centre worked in close cooperation
with the local health authorities. He cited the example of Chikungunya
outbreak year before last when the entire team of RMRC had embarked upon
fighting the dreaded disease shoulder to shoulder with the health
authorities. Dr Satya Prakash mentioned the specific case of Brooksabad
village in South Andaman where the centre had achieved wonderful result
through community participation in eliminating the mosquito breeding
pockets. "Chikungunya is much more dangerous affliction than the people
credit it with" said Dr Vijayachari. "It could lead to permanent
disabilities" he continued.

Dr Vijayachari told the media that one of the mandates of the centre was
to research discover and develop tribal medicines for the benefit of the
humanity at large. He explained that since more and more tribes,
including the Jarawas, turned towards the public health system, the
matter acquired utmost urgency as after some time the new generations of
the tribes would not know the traditional medicines its forefathers
relied upon.

The director however failed to provide a satisfactory explanation why
malaria, the bane of Nicobar district, was not accorded top priority in
the scheme of things at the centre. The explanation that the Tribal
Council failed top provide land to set up a Field Study Centre after the
one was washed away in 2004 tsunami, the media felt, did not hold much
water. Frequent visit by RMRC team was no substitute to a focussed study
of the vector born diseases, particularly malaria that was taking a
heavy toll of the residents and migrants alike.

The director took the mediapersons round the laboratories that would be
envy of any well established research centre. The centre carried out its
various activities with eight scientists; six of them were only
available at the moment. Two more were expected to join soon.

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ANIFPDCL ventures into "NONI" cultivation
By Staff Reporter
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/anifpdcl-ventures-into-noni-cultivation\
.html

The wonder fruit "NONI" (Morinda citrifolia), which is also known as
Indian mulberry, is a native plant of India . It is a medicinal plant of
high nutritious value. The climatic conditions of Andaman and Nicobar
Islands are considered to be quite suitable for cultivation of this
medicinal plant on commercial basis. In order that this medicinal plants
is popularized in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Ministry of Health,
Government of India in collaboration with the National Medicinal Plants
Board, New Delhi and CARI Port Blair conducted a launching ceremony of
Network Research Project on Morinda Citrifolia, in Port Blair recently.
ANIFPDCL has identified an area of 8 hectares as demonstrative plots in
Port Blair and in its project areas at Mayabunder and Little Andaman to
promote cultivation of 'NONI" with the help and assistance of CARI. Shri
Nanigopal Das, who is an employee of the Corporation and a successful
cultivator of "Noni" in Andaman, has been appointed as Nodal Officer of
the Corporation for this cultivation in the identified areas.

At a simple ceremony held today in the Vanvikas premises, Shri R N Naik,
IFS, Managing Director launched the "Noni" cultivation by planting the
first sapling. The demonstrative plots which are being raised by the
Corporation will also provide basic information and know-how to the
intending cultivators of this medicinal plant in the respective areas.
The Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests have already
permitted the Corporation to take up medicinal plants cultivation in the
leased out forest areas available with the Corporation. Accordingly, the
Corporation proposes to take up 100 hectares of "Noni" plantation during
2009-10 in the open and blank areas available in its Oil Palm Plantation
in Little Andaman, under this scheme.
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The sloth continues
By Govinda Raju

http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/component/content/article/53-the-sloth-\
continues.html
After the massive rain on September 14, 2006 that had flooded entire
Mohanpura, Airport and Ramakrishna Mission areas, The Light of Andamans
had carried a cover story encompassing all the aspects of flooding in
its issue of September 23, 2006. At the time, the havoc was not as
extensive as it was on Saturday, May 10, 2008. Next time it might be
even more severe.

The cover story is reproduced for the benefit of the readers since
nothing substantial had changed in the meantime. The report of Water &
Power Consultancy (India) Ltd (WAPCOS) on integrating the Drainage
System of Port Blair town continued to gather dust in the meantime.

Death in the Drain & WAPCOS Report

Death of a Central School student in 1996 had stirred the sleeping giant
of A&N Administration to do something about the drainage system of Port
Blair that had turned into a virtual death trap. The problem was very
acute at three different points in town; Mohanpura, Ramakrishna Mission
and Corbyn's Cove Junction.

It goes to the credit of Port Blair Municipal Council that they had
taken up the matter with the then Lt. Governor, Mr. IP Gupta requesting
him to order a serious study to find out a lasting solution to the
perennial problem of water logging. The ball landed in the court of the
Andaman PWD. The wheel of government turns slowly. The work; improvement
of drainage system in Port Blair, was finally awarded to Water & Power
Consultancy (India) Ltd, (WAPCOS) a Government of India Undertaking.
They are the experts in such subjects and the Andaman Harbour Works and
The APWD retain them on a routine basis for their expert advice in such
matters.

The services of WAPCOS were retained for Rs 20 lakh. WAPCOS was in the
process of finalizing the report when tsunami struck and everything
changed. The studies conducted were useless in view of the subduction of
South Andaman by almost a meter. Mohanpura was already a low lying area.

Tsunami had further complicated the matter. Undaunted, WAPCOS went ahead
with a fresh survey and modified its report suitably according to the
changed circumstances.

The final report was submitted in early 2006. It is reliably understood
that the report recommends a comprehensive drainage network connecting
all the drains, widening and deepening it where necessary and realigning
some of them.

At the two crucial flooding points; at Phoenix Bay near Shipping Complex
gate and the other at Corbyn's Cove junction, they have suggested Intake
Arrangements that would collect rain water discharge during high tide
and pump it out into the sea.

It is a highly technical job that cannot be accomplished through
piecemeal, knee-jerk actions. Speaking to this reporter, a retired
executive engineer said, "It has to be taken up on a time bound manner
with a dedicated team of staff and officers. If taken up on a war
footing, the work would take about three years to complete.

The estimated project cost is Rs 15.00 crores. It might escalate to Rs
25 crore. However, the bound copies of the report adorn the shelves of
APWD offices. Not a single step has been taken so far even to study the
report. "Are we waiting for another death in the drain?" retorted the
old engineer.
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State of public health in Car Nicobar alarming: RMRC
By Govinda Raju
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/state-of-public-health-in-car-nicobar-a\
larming-rmrc.html

Dwelling on the public health issues of the Nicobar district in general
and the tribes in particular, Dr Satya Prakash provided a graphic
description of the problems the tribal people of Car Nicobar suffered
from. He explained that the RMRC studies revealed that alcoholism,
tuberculosis, hepatitis B, malaria, hypertension and overweight were
prevalent in a large scale. Hypertension was an area of serious concern
as it afflicted the tribals of all ages. It was highest at the middle
age and tapered off in case of those above 60 years of age.

Dr Satya Prakash felt that a serious study was called for to trace the
reasons for hypertension. "The RMRC was keen to commission a study on
the identified malaise the tribe suffers from" said Dr Sugunan. "But no
serious study was possible through remote control. We need laboratory
and man power to stay there for a fixed period and carry out the study"
he felt.

Dr Vijayachari, Dr Sugunan and Dr Satya Prakash, all three of them
lamented the fact that the Tribal Council was not prepared to spare a
piece of land, inspite of repeated pleadings, for setting up a Malaria
Research Centre at Car Nicobar. They agreed that the issue was a very
serious one that affected the lives of not only the migrants and
government servants working there but also the members of the tribes
themselves. They agreed that, with the changed lifestyle and food
habits, the members of the tribe themselves were losing the intrinsic
immunity against the endemic diseases of the islands.

Large scale prevalence of tuberculosis could be a result of alcoholism;
a medico-social problem, but hypertension was something that needed a
serious look in, said Dr Satya Prakash. "But in the absence of
cooperation from the Tribal Council we are helpless" concluded Dr
Vijayachari.
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Better proud than safe

Neelesh Misra , Hindustan Times

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=7d1380ec-a547-4fb0-9bf\
f-d80fc3b11528&&Headline=Better+proud+than+safe
First Published: 23:08 IST(22/5/2008)
Last Updated: 23:15 IST(22/5/2008)




Myanmar’s military dictatorship won’t allow international aid to come
into the country that has been left devastated by Cyclone Nargis. The
world is rightly outraged. Even junta-friendly India has urged the
Myanmarese government to accept global aid. But then, look who’s talking.

India had also famously refused international aid and access to foreign
aid groups in the Andamans after the devastating tsunami hit its
coastlines in 2004. New Delhi had then stated with a confident voice
that it could and would manage its own affairs, thank you very much. But
three-and-a-half years after the  tsunami, permanent shelters for the
homeless in the Andamans have still not been built. Tender notices for
the reconstruction projects are still appearing in local newspapers.

One might be tempted to question the comparison made between India, a
democratic, regional superpower, and Myanmar, a secretive military-ruled
State. But the comparison, which should have been impossible to make, is
there for all to see — especially for those suffering, who don’t quite
care whether a democratic government or a tin-pot dictatorship is
denying them food and shelter. A confident India, with a rising economic
prowess, has all the right to say ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to outside
help. But shouldn’t we be eating at least a slice of the humble pie if
thousands are left to suffer for years because of national pride?

The tsunami was not the first time that India was hit by a natural
disaster of such proportions. More importantly, it also won’t be the
last time. India needs to firm up its ‘rising power’ pride by actions
that signify that it can ‘do it alone’. In the Andamans, almost 10,000
permanent shelters were to be built in the archipelago where 7,450
people died. A total of 16,400 people were killed across Indian
coastlines. Construction has not even begun on more than 80 per cent of
the houses. In the rest, the basic structure is yet to be built — and
this according to the government’s own project report that was made
public at the end of February. “In the last seven days, I have seen at
least three tenders floated for the construction of permanent shelters,”
says Samir Acharya who heads the Society of Andaman and Nicobar Ecology,
the region’s leading voluntary group. “We are still at that stage.”

Tamil Nadu, the other area wracked by the tsunami, fares only slightly
better — 35,700 homes have been completed by the government and
voluntary groups, with some 17,600 remaining to be completed and most of
them yet to be started.

India, which sent aid to other countries after the 2004 tsunami, and to
Pakistan after the Kashmir earthquake, furiously protected its turf
after the two disasters — even banning journalists for a long time
except for government-chaperoned trips. Things were so frustrating for
international aid workers in the days immediately after the tsunami that
a small group anonymously sat at a press conference with the region’s
administrator and pleaded to know why they were not being allowed to
help. The local chapter of the Red Cross complained to the
lieutenant-governor that material marked for the organisation had been
‘hijacked’ by the administration. When boxes of aid material arrived in
Port Blair by ship and air, they were taken away by government officials.

Captains of boats were threatened with tough action if they took any aid
workers or journalists around. A few reporters tried to get on to boats
wearing dirty T-shirts to mix in with the homeless victims. They were
caught and offloaded. Sounds mighty familiar, doesn’t it?

“India has done the same thing in the past that Myanmar is doing now. It
is a false sense of pride — and probably the government does not want to
probe into its own affairs,” says Acharya.

A recent Right to Information petition filed from Chhattisgarh
unravelled how more than Rs 12 crore donated to the Prime Minister’s
fund for victims of the tsunami and the Kashmir earthquake were never
received. After the earthquake, foreign aid agencies were a no-no,
despite  most of them working in the area for years. Blankets were not
distributed on Durga Puja, which fell a few days after day of the
earthquake, because it was a government holiday. Officials stuck
religiously at a time of death and destruction to the red mark on the
calendar. “We all tried desperately to buy tents after the earthquake.
But all the tent manufacturers told us there were orders not to sell to
anyone but the government during that time,” says Acharya. All this was
part of a tedious ‘re-tendering’ process after two companies contracted
to build homes never completed them.

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, the United States had politely but
firmly said no to international aid coming into New Orleans. But the
magnitude of the calamity forced Washington to lift any embargo.
Perhaps, India could consider doing what the Myanmar junta won’t —
unless, of course, it can keep its promises that it hasn’t for the last
three-and-a-half years.
Send Feedback

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Sir,
 Spottin of whales off thje coast of Mangalore is not at all a new
phenomina. I have spotted many during my voyages in the Sagarsambanth a research
vessel of Central Marine fisheries research Institute, Cochin. Infact I have
released on Humpback whale from Kanyakumari coast. Being a member of Cetacean
specialist group of IUCN I am monitoring the stranding of Marin mammals along
the Indian coast. I have written a book on the Marine Mammals of India, Whales
and dolphins of India based on my observations.
I am sure there is no connection  between the chinese earthquake and the
occurrence of whales.
Yours faithfully
 
R>S>Lal Mohan

--- On Thu, 5/22/08, Pankaj Sekhsaria <psekhsaria@...> wrote:

From: Pankaj Sekhsaria <psekhsaria@...>
Subject: [andamanicobar] [Fwd: Whales spotted in Arabian Sea off
Mangalore:Portends]
To: "Andamanicobar" <andamanicobar@...>
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2008, 2:00 PM






Very interesting post...
pankaj

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Whales spotted in Arabian Sea off Mangalore:Portends
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 22:01:22 -0700
From: Arunachalam Kumar <ixedoc@SULEKHA. COM>
Reply-To: Arunachalam Kumar <ixedoc@SULEKHA. COM>
To: nathistory-india@ Princeton. EDU

Numerous press reports today in newspapers in India have recorded the
sighting a a small pod of whales close to the Arabian Sea shoreline off
Mangalore, a city in Karanataka on the west coast of India (1) (2). This
is the first time ever these mammals have been spotted in these parts.

1. http://mangalorean. com/news. php?newstype= local&newsid= 78523
<http://mangalorean. com/news. php?newstype= local&newsid= 78523Â >

2.
http://www.daijiwor ld.com/news/ news_disp. asp?n_id= 46809&n_tit=
Mangalore% 3A+Whales+ Spotted+in+ Panambur+ Beach

<http://www.daijiwor ld.com/news/ news_disp. asp?n_id= 46809&n_tit=
Mangalore% 3A+Whales+ Spotted+in+ Panambur+ Beach>

3.

https://lists. princeton. edu/cgi-bin/ wa?A2=ind0412& L=nathistory-
india&T=0& F=&S=&P=2356

The sighting of these cetaceans, is in a way, in my view related to the
recent massive earthquake in China. The connection between tectonic
plate shifts (terranian or submarine) and erratic movement patterns in
whales was reported a few years ago by me on this list (3) - the email
predicting a possible earthquake after record of whale strandings from
New Zealand turned out uncannily correct (the Sumatran tsunami).

I once again reiterate that the odd migratory route disturbances whales
exhibit, is in some way related to a possible submarine earthquake,
leading top a tsunami like situation in the Bay of Bengal volcano or a
disruptive volcano or earthquake in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Northwest
of India in a few days to weeks from now.

Dr. Arunachalam Kumar

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Sulekha Star Gallery
Bollywood Stars -- Served Sizzling Hot & Spicy!
http://www.sulekha. com/movies

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Meeting to mitigate shortage of LPG cylinders in Southern group held
http://www.and.nic.in/press/pmonday.htm


A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Shri. Rajesh Somaal Spl.
Secy-cum-Director (CS&CA) in his office chamber with officers of Indian
Oil Corporation and the CCS Ltd. on 16.05.2008 at 11.00 AM regarding
shortage of LPG cylinders at Southern Group of Islands and the problems
related to issue of Double Bottle connection to the Tsunami Victims.



During the meeting the Spl. Secy-cum-Director (CS&CA) directed the
concerned officers of Indian Oil Corporation and the CCS Ltd. to
immediately issue Double Bottle connection to all beneficiaries against
the grant of Rs. 79,82,166/- provided to the CCS Ltd by the A&N
Administration and directed to furnish the action taken report within
three days. He further advised the Plant Manager, IOC and the Manager,
LPG CCS Ltd to give top priority regarding identification of land and
construction of LPG godowns at Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Kamorta, and
Campbell Bay by seeking help from the Deputy Commissioner, Car Nicobar
and to take necessary step for obtaining necessary licenses such as
complete other formalities as soon as possible for permanent solution to
regular supply of LPG cylinders at Southern Group of Islands.



The Plant Manager, IOC informed the Director (CS&CA) that the Indian Oil
Corporation has already arranged 10,000 no of LPG cylinders for A&N
Islands and the same will be transshipped from Kolkata within 45 days
after finalization of shipment tender which is sufficient to solve the
problems related to transportation of LPG cylinders to southern group of
Islands.
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Reshuffle: A Mixed Bag



   By Govinda Raju
http://www.lightofandamans.com/index.php/cover-story/31-general/15-reshuffle-a-m\
ixed-bg.html

With plenty of IAS officers of varied experience and exposure to choose
from, one would have expected the administration to demonstrate, in
clear terms, its agenda for development; priorities and the direction
that it liked the islands to take in the next few years. On the contrary
the reshuffle order has proved a damp squib resulting in despair,
demoralization and erosion of authority.

The reshuffle order 1442 of the administration is a mixed bag for those
involved with it. While some have been rewarded for non-performance
others have been demoted or relegated to the back benches for performing
well. Seniority; something that is held sacrosanct in bureaucracy has
been dealt a severe blow.

Arvind Ray is the permanent stand-in chief secretary and is second in
command after the CS. But he never held the charge of #2. When he joined
Janak Digal was holding the charge of Development Commissioner the
customary #2 man in the cabinet. It was expected that after his
departure Arvind Ray would be shifted. But it was not to be. He was
shifted as secretary to LG, a post reserved for a junior IAS officer. In
addition he was also made the MD of ANIIDCO. His talent and seniority is
going waste in a post that could be held either by a Vivek Pandey or an
Ashish More. Is it a case of under utilization or over protection?

Tapan Mondal, Ved Prakash, GG Saxena and Kailash Chandra have just
joined. GG Saxena however has been given an onerous task of developing
tourism without the assistance of a director or a capable deputy
director. It is a hot seat that needs special attention. He would find
himself in an unenviable position to fulfil the expectations in such a
scenario.

Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management are going to prove an
albatross round the neck of Tapan Mondal especially with the onset of
monsoon when all the activities on permanent shelter front would come to
a standstill. He would be expected to deliver under impossible
conditions. Coordination among the departments had become redundant. It
used to be conducted at the level of LG. Now it has been relegated to
the level of Dev Commissioner, not even Chief Secretary. Not much could
be expected in this front too.

Those awere the hazards that the new incumbents would face but just what
prompted the administration to kick Daulat Ram Tamta upstairs as Deputy
Commissioner, Madhyottar Andaman is hard to understand. Apparently he
never showed any spark either as the special secretary-cum-director of
tourism nor did he visit a single Panchayat during his entire tenure as
Director of Panchayat. Did he do something at Havelock that is not in
public domain but highly valued by the administration? Havelock nowadays
plays a very important role in deciding the fate of bureaucrats. If DR
Tamta deserved it; why not Rajesh Somaal? Both were sailing in the same
boat and Somaal appeared to be senior to Tamta.

Classic case of ‘cutting down to size’ was seen in the case of Dharam
Pal, SKP Sodhi and Vivek Pandey.

Dharam Pal has an impeccable track record so far in whatever he handled
in hi short tenure. He promoted the idea of opening up 15 islands and 50
sites to tourism when he was secretary (tourism). The plan was shelved
once the department was shifted to someone else. He tried to streamline
the shipping services by bringing reformation in inventory control,
repairs of vessels and improving passenger amenities. In power he was
working on reducing the dependence on fossil fuel and expand and
restructure the department. In health he had played a vital role in
getting more doctors and implementation of the National Rural health
Mission. He has now been assigned the inconsequential industries, khadi
& village industries, cooperation and of course, elections.

However, he has taken up the new assignment too very seriously and
shifted his focus to industries. He is the only officer from the islands
who is empanelled for appointment as joint secretary in the Central
Government.



SKP Sodhi is another officer who, inspite of her elevation to IAS did
not deserve any better in the eyes of the administration. She was
initially appointed director of tourism. The moment she started doing
something concrete, she was unceremoniously shifted to social & tribal
welfare that has combined staff strength of less than 70. After her
elevation and training she was given a fanciful designation;
director-cum-secretary.

She is free, frank, forthright and decisive lady. She would not mince
word nor would hesitate to speak her mind. That perhaps is not liked by
the powers that be. SN Jha and Kailash Chandra, who were elevated along
with her, have been given plum postings; SN Jha, deputy commissioner &
secretary and Kailash Chandra, a full secretary.

Does Havelock have anything to do for her fall from grace?


Vivek Pandey was doing fine as deputy commissioner. It is a mystery as
to what prompted the administration to post him to Zilla Parishad with
additional charge of Registrar of Cooperative Societies. Did he too step
on the toes of someone powerful?

More than getting the best out of the available officers, the order
appears to have been influenced more by extraneous considerations that
would breed demoralization in the bureaucracy and promote sycophancy.


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