Its so sad that uninvited we have to glean how the science of time applies
itself!
Thanks for a well written report.
Every good deed helps.
Sinerely,
R. Ashok Kumar

Swayam P Das <sdas@...> wrote:
Dear all,

Despite not being invited, I thought it would be useful to gate-crash. My
observations are briefly mentioned below, and is not meant to offend
anybody.

It was a low key affair, after the Inaugural Session. Hardly 30 people were
present, mostly the Govt. officials and the presenters. Ravi Chellam and
few others left once the Technical session started. There was only one
representative from MoEF, DIG Forest Mr. Bipin Behari. From the NGOs, apart
from Reefwatch, only WWF was present ... without invitation!

The first technical session on Forest Management, presented by Mr. S.S.
Choudhury generated a lot of heat with Mr. Chidambaram & Kurma Rao of Zilla
Parishad lambasting the faulty Forest mgmt practices and even suggested
that the UT Admin should deport all the inhabitants to main land or
elsewhere & conserve the forest resources. The Admin is looking forward to
implement the JFM.

The next presentation by Dr. P.S. Ray, on remote sensing application to map
forest resources: "Biodiversity at landscape level" was again met with
stiff resistance from the Zilla Parishad members, who refuted the
authenticity of the maps presented.

The presentation on Biodiversity at Seascape level presented by Sarang, met
with luke warm response. There were hardly many present to initiate a
debate. The other two presentations, ICZM & Conservation of Avi fauna
(emphasis was on Edible Swiftlet nests) didn't instigate much debate.

On the legal side, SC orders were constantly mentioned as being followed in
some cases and it seems the A&N Admin has asked for time extensions on 5
cases. Mr. S.S. Choudhury did present slides on this, but was not able to
gather much due to seating & lighting arrangements. I have requested for a
copy of the presentation, will circulate when I receive them. But not much
debate ensued out of this presentation.

The ATR issue was tactfully handled by the Admin of A&N stating that the
Admin is taking care to ensure that the Jarawa population is not threatened
by the ATR. The ATR closure will affect 3 million people. Eco-Tourism seems
to be on the agenda. Rainwater Harvesting is being promoted to support
tourism ventures.

According to Lt. Gov Ram Kapse, Baratang will be promoted as a Tourist spot
in coming months. New areas will also be leased for developing tourist
attractions. Tourism policy is under consideration and will be introduced
after the Cabinet Committee approval. From Jan 05, a Charter flight between
Bangkok & Port Blair will commence.

The issue of not inviting more NGOs/Academicians and others have been
mentioned to the Chief Secretary and Lt. Governor separately. Of course the
Press had separate meeting with Lt. Gov and Chief Secretary which has
already been circulated.

Attaching 6 scanned pages for the benefit of all who could not be there or
not invited! First 4 pages are Lt. Gov's  Address, the next 2 pages is the
Press release. Apologies if the scanned pages have clogged your mail box.

Warm regards,
Swayamprabha

Dr. (Ms.) SWAYAM PRABHA DAS
Coordinator
Oceans & Coasts Programme
WWF-India Secretariat
172-B,Lodi Estate,
New Delhi 110 003
India
Tel: 91-11-51504806/4821, 51504815-17 extn 4806/4821
Fax: 91-11-2469 1226/2462 6837
Visit  www.wwfindia.org

When in doubt, err on the side of conservation





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HE DAILY TELEGRAMS / Nov. 26, 2004

Harmonizing Bio-Diversity Conservation and Sustainable Development

A Blue print for Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Port Blair, Nov 25

   Prof. Ram Kapse, Lt. Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands while
addressing the inaugural session of the seminar on "Conservation of
Biodiversity in Andaman & Nicobar Islands" held at Indian Institute of
Public Administration said that the phenomenal biodiversity that A & N
Islands display is the work of nature over millennia which resulted in
varieties of genes and species with a very high degree of endemism. The
ecosystems of the Islands are rich in biodiversity but also very fragile.
Effective protection is possible only if ecological interests of the Islands
are harmonized with the development needs of the people.

     "Experts talk of paradigm change to correct environmental maladies, but
a proper model of development is yet to develop where people acquire a
vested interest in sustainable management of forests and conservation of
biodiversity. Unless there exists a healthy mindscape full of compassion and
devoid of greed, there cannot be a healthy landscape." he further added.

    The Seminar was organized jointly by IIPA, New Delhi and Island
Development & Training Institute, Port Blair to highlight the richness of
the biodiversity of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and devise strategies for its
conservation. Dr. (Mrs.) Sayeeda Hamid, Member of the Planning Commission
was the chief guest at the inaugural session.

    While inaugurating the seminar she highlighted the urgency of providing
full protection to the unique terrestrial and marine biodiversity of Andaman
& Nicobar Islands, which is recognized internationally and acknowledged as
one of the biodiversity hot spots.

    Shri Manoranjan Bhakta, Member of Parliament was the Guest of Honour. He
made an impassioned appeal to keep people at the centre of conservation
strategy for its successful implementation. He said, "since conservation is
the priority, not only for Islanders but for mankind itself, I would appeal
to the decision and policy makers at the highest level to provide adequate
incentives to people for conserving invaluable assets of biodiversity in A &
N Islands".

    The islands of Andaman & Nicobar are of considerable importance because
of the substantial number of endemic species (not found elsewhere). Out of
55 terrestrial and 7 marine mammal species reported so far, 32 species are
endemic. Out of 76 species of reptiles found in these islands 24 are
endemic. Endemism is very high in birds. Of 254 species of birds reported in
these islands, as many as 96 are endemic. While islands of Andaman & Nicobar
account for only 0.2% of the landmass of South Asia, they have approximately
9% of its endemic avifauna. 179 species of corals found here constitute the
richest coral reefs in India.

    In Andaman and Nicobar Islands actual forest and tree cover spreads over
85% of the geographical area. 87% of geographical area is notified as
forests.

    Dr. Sanjeev Reddy, Director of Indian Institute of Public Administration
and Chief Secretary of A & N Administration announced that to promote
institutional interventions and focused action regarding conservation of
environment and sustainable development, a branch of IIPA at Port Blair
would be launched with immediate effect. Lt. Governor, will be the Chairman
of the branch of IIPA at Port Blair. IIPA will also bring out a publication
on the issues and database on A & N Islands.

    Experts from different institutions, Adhyaksha of Zilla Parishad,
Chairperson of Port Blair Municipal Council also presented their views at
the Seminar.

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Dear all,

Despite not being invited, I thought it would be useful to gate-crash. My
observations are briefly mentioned below, and is not meant to offend
anybody.

It was a low key affair, after the Inaugural Session. Hardly 30 people were
present, mostly the Govt. officials and the presenters. Ravi Chellam and
few others left once the Technical session started. There was only one
representative from MoEF, DIG Forest Mr. Bipin Behari. From the NGOs, apart
from Reefwatch, only WWF was present ... without invitation!

The first technical session on Forest Management, presented by Mr. S.S.
Choudhury generated a lot of heat with Mr. Chidambaram & Kurma Rao of Zilla
Parishad lambasting the faulty Forest mgmt practices and even suggested
that the UT Admin should deport all the inhabitants to main land or
elsewhere & conserve the forest resources. The Admin is looking forward to
implement the JFM.

The next presentation by Dr. P.S. Ray, on remote sensing application to map
forest resources: "Biodiversity at landscape level" was again met with
stiff resistance from the Zilla Parishad members, who refuted the
authenticity of the maps presented.

The presentation on Biodiversity at Seascape level presented by Sarang, met
with luke warm response. There were hardly many present to initiate a
debate. The other two presentations, ICZM & Conservation of Avi fauna
(emphasis was on Edible Swiftlet nests) didn't instigate much debate.

On the legal side, SC orders were constantly mentioned as being followed in
some cases and it seems the A&N Admin has asked for time extensions on 5
cases. Mr. S.S. Choudhury did present slides on this, but was not able to
gather much due to seating & lighting arrangements. I have requested for a
copy of the presentation, will circulate when I receive them. But not much
debate ensued out of this presentation.

The ATR issue was tactfully handled by the Admin of A&N stating that the
Admin is taking care to ensure that the Jarawa population is not threatened
by the ATR. The ATR closure will affect 3 million people. Eco-Tourism seems
to be on the agenda. Rainwater Harvesting is being promoted to support
tourism ventures.

According to Lt. Gov Ram Kapse, Baratang will be promoted as a Tourist spot
in coming months. New areas will also be leased for developing tourist
attractions. Tourism policy is under consideration and will be introduced
after the Cabinet Committee approval. From Jan 05, a Charter flight between
Bangkok & Port Blair will commence.

The issue of not inviting more NGOs/Academicians and others have been
mentioned to the Chief Secretary and Lt. Governor separately. Of course the
Press had separate meeting with Lt. Gov and Chief Secretary which has
already been circulated.

Attaching 6 scanned pages for the benefit of all who could not be there or
not invited! First 4 pages are Lt. Gov's  Address, the next 2 pages is the
Press release. Apologies if the scanned pages have clogged your mail box.

Warm regards,
Swayamprabha

Dr. (Ms.) SWAYAM PRABHA DAS
Coordinator
Oceans & Coasts Programme
WWF-India Secretariat
172-B,Lodi Estate,
New Delhi 110 003
India
Tel: 91-11-51504806/4821, 51504815-17 extn 4806/4821
Fax: 91-11-2469 1226/2462 6837
Visit  www.wwfindia.org

When in doubt, err on the side of conservation

Most of this note is not directly relevant, certainly not the title; except
for the last line.
Pankaj
Don't take your wife along, Speaker tells MPs

IANS[ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2004 05:26:58 PM ]
  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/886860.cms
NEW DELHI: Indian MPs have been asked to travel judiciously, without taking
their spouses along every time, and refuse expensive gifts - or risk being
prohibited from travelling at all.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who has been trying to bring order in
a particularly chaotic lower House, has come up with stronger guidelines for
parliamentary panels going on tours.

Though guidelines were already present, they have been made more stringent
and black-and-white after criticism of expensive study tours by MPs' panels
at a heavy cost to state-owned enterprises that foot the bill.

In the new rules, yet to be circulated among all chairmen of parliamentary
panels, MPs have been asked to take spouses or attendants along only on
medical grounds.

If they take companions without permission, the MPs risk being barred from
travelling at all. And if they are permitted to take companions along, the
members have to bear the expenses for their stay.

The panels are to confine the number of tours to three or four in the
intersession period, and the MPs cannot use the tour to do their own
sightseeing or personal work.

The members have also been asked to refrain from accepting expensive gifts
from the public sector undertaking that is sponsoring the tour. In the
interest of decorum, they have been strongly advised not to consume liquor
during official events.

While on tour, the MPs cannot accept private invitations.

"We have discussed the guidelines extensively, and it is felt that the study
tours of parliamentary panels are becoming too lavish and a great burden to
public sector enterprises," said a veteran MP and chairman of a
parliamentary standing panel.

"Guidelines are already there, but the speaker is just trying to enforce and
reinforce them."

He gave the example of the standing panel on railways that visited the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands ostensibly to explore the possibility of a rail
network there.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Subject: FW: COUNTRIES GATHER IN BANGKOK FOR FAO MEETING ON
REDUCINGFISHINGIMPACTS ON ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES


FAO NEWS RELEASE MA 04/05

http://www.fao.or.th/Press_Releases/press_releases.htm
Contact: Diderik de Vleeschauwer, Information
  Officer,
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Diderik.deVleeschauwer@...,  (662) 697-4126

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

COUNTRIES GATHER IN BANGKOK FOR FAO MEETING
ON REDUCING FISHING IMPACTS ON ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES

Bangkok, 26 November 2004  -  FAO fisheries
  specialists, experts from
academia, and fisheries officials and policy-makers
  from around the  world will meet in Bangkok at the UN Conference Centre
from
  29 November to 2 December 2004 to formulate recommendations on sea  turtles
conservation
  and fisheries. Sea turtles have traditionally been exploited for  their
meat, eggs,
  shell and skin, in some cases resulting in local  overexploitation and the
need
  to restrict or prohibit exploitation and trade. However,  these animals
  are also affected by fisheries as they get caught as bycatch  in many
coastal
  areas as well as in the high seas, from temperate to tropical  regions of
the
  world oceans. As all species of sea turtles are considered  endangered by
The
World Conservation Union (IUCN), any international trade in sea turtles or
sea
turtle products is prohibited given that they are  included in CITES
Appendix I
The FAO meeting will explore and establish strategies  for reducing
accidental by-catch of marine turtles in the fishing sector; the  use of new
technologies and fishing techniques to reduce accidental deaths of sea
turtles in coastal and open-sea longline fisheries; global guidelines
for the reduction of sea turtle by-catch; data-collection related to sea
turtle-fisheries
interactions; economic incentives for fishers to  implement turtle
conservation measures; special ASsistance for developing countries in
reducing sea turtle mortalities in fisheries; and
  related matters. >This technical meeting is closed to the public and
  media. Interested journalists should contact Diderik de Vleeschauwer, FAO
Information
Officer,
telephone (+66) 2 697 4124 or 6, for more
  information.

>Upon request, appointments for interviews with
members of the FAO
secretariat
will be arranged.
BACKGROUND MATERIAL

Meeting agenda and documentation
ftp://ftp.fao.org/fi/DOCUMENT/tc-stcf/2004/default.htm

Helping sea turtles off the hook" | FAO news story
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/39447/index.html



>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> The all-new My Yahoo! - What will yours do?
> http://my.yahoo.com


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Dear Friends,
Some time back we had sent out information on the day long seminar related
to the A&N islands that is being held as part of the Intercongress of the
International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (IUAES), to
be held in Kolkata from Dec. 12-15th.  The theme of the conference is Mega
Urbanization, Multi-ethnic society, Human Rights and Development and the
session on the Andamans is: 'Indigenous Futures: The Andaman Islanders in
the 21 st Century'


  More information about the conference can be obtained from the website
below.

http://www.iuaesintercongresscalcutta-2004.com/
http://www.iuaesintercongresscalcutta-2004.com/programme.htm

Following also are the details of the session on the Andamans:

The Andaman session is scheduled all day of Dec 13th, and will be held at
the Ballygunge Science College.  Some of the issues to be addressed at the
session are as noted below:

  C 2.4

Session: 4

Indigenous Futures: The Andaman Islanders in the 21 st Century.

Convenors:

.  Prof. Sita Venkateswar
Lecturer and Associate Professor Massey University , New Zealand
Social Anthropology Programme, Massey University Private Bag 11-222,
Palmerston North, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Tel: 64-6-3505799 ext.2515. Fax 64-6-3505689. E-mail
S.Venkateswar@...

.  Prof. Vishvajit Pandya,
  Dhirubhai Ambani-Institute of Information and Communication Technology,
Ahmedabad, India:

This panel will address the current situation in the Andaman Islands with
respect to the indigenous groups and formulate various alternatives to
protect and simultaneously enable the different groups to take control of
their own destinies. What models of best practice can we look towards to
suggest the various capacity building measures that point towards such a
goal? What are the various alternatives to the prevailing welfare system
such that it is thoroughly overhauled and rendered accountable? How can bio
diversity in the islands be ensured that taps into indigenous knowledge of
the environment and resource control? This session will invite papers from
academics, activists, policymakers and writers to address some of the
questions raised here as well as others that are relevant to enabling a
viable indigenous future in the islands.


Below is the tentative list of participants at the Andaman session,
according to the following categories: paper presenters, discussants,
participants.

Paper Presenters

1.  Madhusree Mukerjee,
Writer, Freelance Journalist
Paper Title: Welfare and the Andamanese

2.  Kanchan Mukerjee, Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata
Paper Title: Native Andaman Islanders and their future: Short and Long Term
Issues

3. Chhanda Bose, La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata
Paper Title: Migration in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during 1901 to
2001: Pattern and Impact

4. Vishvajit Pandya, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and
Communication Technology, Ahmedabad
        Paper Title: Moved Worlds and Re-Moved Cultures: Andaman Islanders

5. Simron Singh, Heinz Schandl and Rasheed Yusoof
IFF-Social Ecology, University of Klagenfurt, Vienna
Paper Title: A Multiple Scale Integrated Assessment of the Future of the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands

6. Samir Acharya, Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology (SANE)
Paper Title: Tribes vs. the Supertribe in A & N Islands

7. Denis Giles, Society for Andaman Nicobar Ecology (SANE)
Paper Title: Water: present scenario of the Islands

8. Reshmi Nair, Venkat Ramanujam and Yachna Srivastava
Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology (SANE) and Tata Institure for Social
Sciences (TISSR)
Paper Title: A Study of Colonisation and Development (Neil Island)

9. V. Sudarsen, S. Sumathi, University of Madras, Chennai
Paper Title: Will the Andaman Island Groups Last the 21st Century


10. Manish Chandi, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust/ANET
Paper Title: From Fear to Policy: Attitudinal Shifts in the Perception and
Dealings with Indigenous Andaman Islanders

11. Pramod Kumar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Paper Title: Cultural Conflict and Repercussion

12. V. K. Kashyap, T. Sitalaxmi, R. Trivedi
Paper Title: Impact of Urbanization on the Contemporary Gene Pool of the
Andaman Islanders

13. Pankaj Sekhsaria, Kalpavriksh, Pune
Paper Title: Andaman's Tribal Reserves: Protecting Forests, Biodiversity and
Indigenous Peoples

14. Aparna Vaidik, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Paper Title: The Andamanese Imagined: The Colonial Moment

15. Beatriz Huertas Castillo, AIDESAP (Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo
de la Selva Peruana)
Paper Title: The Isolated Indigenous of the Peruvian Amazon

Discussants
1. George Weber, The Andaman Association, Geneva
2. Harry Andrews, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, ANET
3. Phillip Endicott, University of Oxford
4. Derek Elias, UNESCO, Thailand


Participants at the round table ( in addition to those listed above)
1. Anvita Abbi, Jawaharlal Nehru University
2. Shailendra Mohan, Jawaharlal Nehru University
3. Bidisha Som, Jawaharlal Nehru University
4.. Arti Kumari, Jawaharlal Nehru University
5. Ramesh Sahani, Anthropological Survey of India, Shillong
6. Heide-Leigh Theisen, Retd.,  Museum für Volkerkunde, Wien
7. Arun Malik, UNESCO, Thailand
8. M.V. Krishna Kumar, Jawaharlal Nehru University
8  Syeda Hameed, Island Development Authority, Planning Commission

There are 2 kinds of colonisations.

  The first one is by an imperial external power in
which the economic exploitation of a land which is
colonised is conducted.

The second one follows later...when the rich and the
powerful WITHIN a land expand at the cost of the poor.


--- Pankaj <pankaj@...> wrote:

> From the latest issue of Tehelka...
>
> A FOOTNOTE FORGOTTEN
>
>
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main9.asp?filename=hub120404a_footnote.asp
>
> The sixty thousand-year history of the indigenous
> people of the Andaman
> Islands has always been ignored, writes PANKAJ
> SEKHSARIA
>
> An exotic paradise for world-weary tourists, the
> target of massive tourism
> promotion and more recently, the cause of a bout of
> political histrionics -
> that more or less is the face of the Andaman and
> Nicobar Islands for India
> and the world at large.
>
> Mani Shankar Aiyar goes to Port Blair and orders the
> removal of a plaque
> honouring the memory of Damodar Savarkar at the
> Cellular Jail, to correct
> history. At the right end of the political spectrum,
> Sushma Swaraj leads a
> march on the Cellular Jail to restore India's
> 'rightful' historical legacy.
> Has anyone asked, what about the legacy of the
> indigenous people of the
> Islands? First a colony of the British Empire and
> now of the Indian state -
> is that their footnote in the history of power
> politics?
>
> The British, the Cellular Jail and the Indian state
> comprise a 150-year odd
> history. The indigenous people - the Jarawas, the
> Onge, the Great Andamanese
> and the Sentinelese - have lived in these islands
> for at least 60,000 years!
> Does anyone care to know their history, or the fact
> that they face near
> extinction?
>
> Long before the British took control of these
> islands, the lush tropical
> forests of the Andamans (and the Nicobars) were home
> to these communities,
> which lived in complete isolation. Nomadic
> hunter-gatherers, they lived on
> food such as meat, fish and yam and moved in the
> islands' forests in family
> groups. The encounter with British colonialism was
> the beginning of their
> marginalisation, a process that is still on. Large
> swathes of land, once
> their homelands are today denuded of forests and
> controlled by the state and
> mainland settlers.
>
> The Cellular Jail that we refer to as a glorious
> chapter of India's freedom
> struggle, itself was built in the homelands of the
> Great Andamanese. A
> population of more than 5000 people in the 1850s,
> they number 40 individuals
> today. The other communities have not fared better
> either.
>
> The statistics say it all. In 1901, the population
> of the Andaman Islands
> numbered 18,000, of which the indigenous people
> comprised about 10 percent.
> The 1961 census put the total population at about
> 50,000 of which the number
> of all the Andaman tribes had come down to about
> 500. Outnumbered at 1:100.
> It was the beginning of a process that led to their
> marginalisation as the
> settler population exploded after the 1960s.
>
> In the '60s, the Indian government put together its
> defining document on
> these islands - the 'Report by the
> Inter-Departmental Team on Accelerated
> Development Programme for Andaman & Nicobar Islands'
> - published by the
> ministry of rehabilitation of the Government of
> India. In six short pages,
> Chapter XII of the report, titled 'Colonisation',
> laid out a plan to settle
> thousands of families from mainland India in the
> lands of the islands'
> ancient peoples. Tens of thousands of hectares of
> forests were to be cleared
> for this purpose.
>
> The 2001 census reveals the success of this
> stratagem. The total population
> of the Islands had jumped to nearly 3,00,000, six
> times since 1960, with
> about 40 Great Andamanese, 100 Onges, 250 Jarawas
> and a 100 Sentinelese -
> totalling only about 500. Outnumbered further at 1:
> 600. As for their
> quality of life, it is better left unsaid.
> In 1998, the Jarawas broke their isolation to
> interact with the settlers and
> were almost immediately hit by measles. A people who
> for thousands of years
> have eaten only raw, roasted or boiled food are now
> being given cooked
> foods, oils, salt and biscuits, among others, that
> is bound to have a
> long-term impact. The last five years have seen a
> dramatic rise in their use
> of intoxicants like tobacco, gutka and alcohol,
> introduced to them by the
> settlers. This has not shown a difference in a
> further depletion of numbers
> but that surely is a matter of time.
>
> Did India's freedom fighters imprisoned in the
> Cellular Jail know this? For
> that matter, even Mani Shankar Aiyar, Sushma Swaraj
> and their retinues? Will
> they have anything to say about reclaiming this
> history as well?
>
> Do they know that the state machinery in these
> islands has not implemented -
> and is openly violating - the Supreme Court's orders
> passed in May 2002,
> including those for the closure of the Andaman Trunk
> Road that runs through
> or along the forests of the Jarawa Tribal reserve,
> and for the creation of a
> system to control the ingress of mainlandpopulation
> into the Islands.
>
> If someone did write this complete history of the
> Islands, then the period
> starting with the British occupation would probably
> be just one chapter. The
> modern Indian state might get a couple of
> paragraphs, and Savarkar, probably
> a footnote within that. Mani Shankar Aiyar and
> Sushma Swaraj would probably
> get a sub-footnote, if a new category by that name
> can be coined.
>
>
>
> C/o Kalpavriksh
> Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
> 908 Deccan Gymkhana,
> Pune 411004
> Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
> Fax: 25654239
>
>
>
>


__________________________________________________
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Andamans caught between hard rock and the sea
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/937801.cms
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2004 11:31:41 PM ]

NEW DELHI: The Andamans administration has asked the Centre to restrict
entry to the emerald isles, introducing a permit regime to regulate visitors
and bar settlers.

The aim is to limit numbers in the ecologically-fragile islands where just
13% of the total area is available for development. The administration,
caught between the requirements of conservation and development, sees no
contradiction between this move and its hopes of a new tourism policy which
will allow islands or plots to be leased out for low-volume, high-end
resorts on the Maldivian pattern.

"We feel new entry into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands needs to be
restricted," said Lt-Governor Ram Kapse, at a seminar here on Thursday on
biodiversity conservation in the islands.

With Andamans officials and elected representatives present, it was supposed
to be part of an effort to forge some agreement between the two sides. The
few activists present said they had come uninvited.

Kapse and his team say the first step in a solution has to be to limit
numbers. There is just no place for more people on the beautiful isles where
the conflict between conservation and development is particularly acute. The
area is so rich in biodiversity it is estimated to have 113 species per
hectare. No activist wants this touched, but people need a livelihood The
administration has asked the home ministry to regulate permits, with a
complete 'no' to permanent migration. "Sustainable growth is possible only
for the population already there," said Kapse.

In three decades, the population has raced from 30,000 to around four lakh
people but much of the area is out of bounds: 85% of the 8,000 sq km is
forest or tree cover, government policy and SC vigilance have shut the door
on commercial over-exploitation. Till 1991, 60% of the entire revenue came
from forest management practices; this is down to 22%.

The administration is trying to focus on three areas to sustain
livelihoods - tourism, fisheries and high-value agriculture - but the
bitterness is obvious. Port Blair municipal council chairman P Krishnan put
it thus: "We need trees but we need people too."

Zila parishad chief Chidambram, who made no bones about viewing the forest
department as an obstacle, suggested that if no development was to be
permitted, it might be better just to evict everyone from the islands.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

A report from the workshop held in Delhi on 25th Nov.
I don't quite understand what the LG is saying. This would be a violation of
SC orders on more than one count.
pankaj

Andaman & Nicober palm plantation to generate business

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=75231

ASHOK B SHARMA
OUR ECONOMY BUREAU
Posted online: Friday, November 26, 2004 at 0000 hours IST

NEW DELHI, NOV 25:  The Andaman & Nicober Islands in the next five years
will have enough plantation of palm to generate business worth Rs five crore
said Lt governor Ram Kapse.

              Mr Kapse, who was speaking to the mediapersons at the sidelines
of the seminar on 'Conservation of Biodiversity in A&N Islands jointly
organised in Capital on Thursday by Indian Institute of Public
Administration and the Port Blair based Island Development & Training
Institute, said that he has asked the Central government to extend a loan of
Rs six crore to the Forest Corporation to undertake some work. He said that
the corporation's work came to a standstill on account of the Supreme Court'
s verdict baning felling of trees. He said, "The Supreme Court has asked for
an action plan to be prepared. We have already prepared a draft and sent it
to the Central government. Once the action plan is approved the Forest
Corporation will get some work which would result in direct and indirect
employment opportunities."

            Mr Kapse said that the loans extended to Forest Corporation will
help in disbursing employees salary which was held up from October.

           The Lt governor has planned to generate employment opportunities
through eco-tourism, fisheries and food processing. He said the Union
tourism ministry is now finalising the eco-tourism policy for A&N Islands.
He also urged the Indian Airlines and Jet Airways which are operating
flights to A&N Islands to extend the benefits of apex fares to visitors and
tourists. He said that Rs 5 crore budget has been proposed for development
of high value agriculture in the islands.


Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partner online.

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Another report on the A&N seminar in Delhi
THE HINDU
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2004/11/26/stories/2004112601000900.htm
Lt. Governor against permanent settlement in Andamans
By Aarti Dhar



NEW DELHI, NOV. 25. The Lt. Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ram
Kapse, has written to the Centre seeking a total ban on migration of people
on the island in the "interest of the ecology and the local community''.

Talking to reporters during a seminar on "Conservation of Biodiversity in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands'' here today organised jointly by the Island
Development and Training Institute, Port Blair and the Indian Institute of
Public Administration, Mr. Kapse said his letter to the Union Home Ministry
was in spirit of the recommendations made by the Saldhana Commission in
1988.

"We have suggested promulgation of a regulation already in existence in the
north-eastern States and the Lakshdweep Islands that does not allow
permanent settlement in these areas,'' Mr. Kapse said. People can come and
visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands but they should not be allowed to
settle there, he said adding that this had been done following reports of
experts who feel it was necessary to save any further damage to the fragile
ecology of the islands and for the sustenance of the 3.56 lakh people there.
The Centre accepted the Saldhana Commission report and reversed its policy
of settling people on the islands, though it is yet to implement all the
recommendations fully. "The Centre will fully implement the recommendation
after studying the legal aspects of the report, which will take some time,''
Mr. Kapse pointed out.

Statistics show that the population of the aboriginals on the inhabited
islands is only 800 besides 35,000 Nicobaris and the remaining are migrants
from the mainland who were settled there after 1950 onwards.

But increasing population has wrecked havoc with the biodiversity and the
forests since the people survive on forest wood and minor forest products as
there is only 13 per cent land available to them. But, after the enactment
of the National Forest Policy, 1988 and the recent Supreme Court
notification that prevent felling of trees, sustenance has become a major
issue.

"We are now trying to promote high-value agriculture, fisheries and
eco-tourism. While the Cabinet has cleared high-value agriculture and
fisheries schemes, clearance for eco-tourism will depend on the National
Tourism Policy which is yet to be announced,'' he said.





C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
India
Tel: + 91 20 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239
Email: pankajs@...
C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

From the latest issue of Tehelka...

A FOOTNOTE FORGOTTEN

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main9.asp?filename=hub120404a_footnote.asp

The sixty thousand-year history of the indigenous people of the Andaman
Islands has always been ignored, writes PANKAJ SEKHSARIA

An exotic paradise for world-weary tourists, the target of massive tourism
promotion and more recently, the cause of a bout of political histrionics -
that more or less is the face of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for India
and the world at large.

Mani Shankar Aiyar goes to Port Blair and orders the removal of a plaque
honouring the memory of Damodar Savarkar at the Cellular Jail, to correct
history. At the right end of the political spectrum, Sushma Swaraj leads a
march on the Cellular Jail to restore India's 'rightful' historical legacy.
Has anyone asked, what about the legacy of the indigenous people of the
Islands? First a colony of the British Empire and now of the Indian state -
is that their footnote in the history of power politics?

The British, the Cellular Jail and the Indian state comprise a 150-year odd
history. The indigenous people - the Jarawas, the Onge, the Great Andamanese
and the Sentinelese - have lived in these islands for at least 60,000 years!
Does anyone care to know their history, or the fact that they face near
extinction?

Long before the British took control of these islands, the lush tropical
forests of the Andamans (and the Nicobars) were home to these communities,
which lived in complete isolation. Nomadic hunter-gatherers, they lived on
food such as meat, fish and yam and moved in the islands' forests in family
groups. The encounter with British colonialism was the beginning of their
marginalisation, a process that is still on. Large swathes of land, once
their homelands are today denuded of forests and controlled by the state and
mainland settlers.

The Cellular Jail that we refer to as a glorious chapter of India's freedom
struggle, itself was built in the homelands of the Great Andamanese. A
population of more than 5000 people in the 1850s, they number 40 individuals
today. The other communities have not fared better either.

The statistics say it all. In 1901, the population of the Andaman Islands
numbered 18,000, of which the indigenous people comprised about 10 percent.
The 1961 census put the total population at about 50,000 of which the number
of all the Andaman tribes had come down to about 500. Outnumbered at 1:100.
It was the beginning of a process that led to their marginalisation as the
settler population exploded after the 1960s.

In the '60s, the Indian government put together its defining document on
these islands - the 'Report by the Inter-Departmental Team on Accelerated
Development Programme for Andaman & Nicobar Islands' - published by the
ministry of rehabilitation of the Government of India. In six short pages,
Chapter XII of the report, titled 'Colonisation', laid out a plan to settle
thousands of families from mainland India in the lands of the islands'
ancient peoples. Tens of thousands of hectares of forests were to be cleared
for this purpose.

The 2001 census reveals the success of this stratagem. The total population
of the Islands had jumped to nearly 3,00,000, six times since 1960, with
about 40 Great Andamanese, 100 Onges, 250 Jarawas and a 100 Sentinelese -
totalling only about 500. Outnumbered further at 1: 600. As for their
quality of life, it is better left unsaid.
In 1998, the Jarawas broke their isolation to interact with the settlers and
were almost immediately hit by measles. A people who for thousands of years
have eaten only raw, roasted or boiled food are now being given cooked
foods, oils, salt and biscuits, among others, that is bound to have a
long-term impact. The last five years have seen a dramatic rise in their use
of intoxicants like tobacco, gutka and alcohol, introduced to them by the
settlers. This has not shown a difference in a further depletion of numbers
but that surely is a matter of time.

Did India's freedom fighters imprisoned in the Cellular Jail know this? For
that matter, even Mani Shankar Aiyar, Sushma Swaraj and their retinues? Will
they have anything to say about reclaiming this history as well?

Do they know that the state machinery in these islands has not implemented -
and is openly violating - the Supreme Court's orders passed in May 2002,
including those for the closure of the Andaman Trunk Road that runs through
or along the forests of the Jarawa Tribal reserve, and for the creation of a
system to control the ingress of mainlandpopulation into the Islands.

If someone did write this complete history of the Islands, then the period
starting with the British occupation would probably be just one chapter. The
modern Indian state might get a couple of paragraphs, and Savarkar, probably
a footnote within that. Mani Shankar Aiyar and Sushma Swaraj would probably
get a sub-footnote, if a new category by that name can be coined.



C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Any feedback inputs from anybody who attended the seminar?
pankaj
C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS
Nov. 12, 2004
Apprehension of seven Burma poachers by Forest Department

Port Blair, Nov 11

    A coordinated anti poaching operation was launched by Diglipur Division
to curb poaching and illegal collection forest and wild life produces in the
west and east coastal areas of the Diglipur Division. The operation was
conducted from 3rd November, 2004 to 7th November, 2004.

    A team consisting of fifteen members including staffs and labours of
Mobile Squad, Diglipur Division took part in the operation. During the
course of operation on 7th November, 2004 the team on surveillance sighted a
Burmese Engine Dinghy one Km. Northwest to Belly Bay (Karen Nallah).

    A concerted effort followed by vigorous chase by the forest team using
the engine Dinghy (named Dolphin) resulted in apprehension of Burmese
mechanized dinghy at 04:30 hrs in which seven Burmese were found. Ration
articles, Cooking utensils, Camping materials, Diving equipments etc were
found in the Dinghy. All the Seven Burmese along with Engine Dinghy
containing ration articles, Cooking utensils, Camping materials, Diving
equipments etc brought to Aerial bay and handed over to the SHO, Diglipur on
7th November, 2004. It has been learnt that the main purpose of the poachers
is to collect forest, wild life and marine wealth from the western and
eastern part of DigIipur Division, a communication from DFO, Diglipur said.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS / Nov. 21, 2004
LG to inaugurate seminar on conservation of water at JNRM
Port Blair, Nov. 20.

       The Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Prof. Ram Kapse will
inaugurate the seminar on "Conservation and Utilisation of water in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands" on 22-11-2004 in the auditorium of JNRM Port Blair at
0930 Hrs. The Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Shri Manoranjan Bhakta, Zilla
Parishad Adhyaksh Shri. R Chidambaram, Chairman Port Blair Municipal Council
Shri. K. Krishnan will also address the gathering.

      Dr. Madhav A. Chitale, Former Chairman, Central Water Commission and
Former Secretary to the GOI, Ministry of Water Resources will address on the
"Approaches to the development of water resources". Shri. A.P Deshpande
Honorary Secretary, Marathi Vigyan Parishad will deliver a talk on "Moving
towards Sustainable utilisation of water in Andaman and Nicobar Islands",
Shri A. Jothikar from the Central Ground Water Board, Eastern region will
talk on "Ground water resources of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, its
utilisation and management". Dr. Madan Nanoti from National Environment
Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) will deliver a talk on the Strategies
and Technologies for water resources management. The Chief Engineer, APWD,
Shri G.C. Khattar will deliver talk on water resources management and
storage facility with reference to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Shri
Subramanium, Secretary In charge of PMBC will speak on water distribution
network- public awareness and participation.

      The Seminar is being attended by the representative of Panchayat Raj
Institutions, Councillors of Municipal Council, NGO's, Social workers,
Research Organisations, Govt Officers, Teaching Faculties of collage of
JNRM, Civil Engineering students of Govt. Polytechnic, ITI etc. The Seminar
is organised as a part of the year of Scientific Awareness- 2004 program of
the Department of Science and Technology, Andaman and Nicobar Administration
and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Science and Technology Council. All
interested are requested to attend the seminar.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Dear all,

I am happy to forward you the new website details of
the Kerala fishworkers association, a very strong
organization working for the welfare of the fishermen
in Kerala.

Please give your valuable suggestions. You can help
this association by suggesting good ways and means to
maintain the fishery environment & fish stock in a
sustainable manner.

Hope to hear from you.
With regards,
S.Lazarus.

Prof. Dr.S.Lazarus
Chairman, Institute for Environmental Research and
Social Education (IERSE)
18/150, Nesamony Nagar
Nagercoil - 629 001
Kanyakumari District
TamilNadu INDIA.

Tel: 91 4652 233701
      91 0\94431 36617 (mobile)



Note: forwarded message attached.




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

----- Original Message -----
From: Patty Debenham
To: PACIFIC@...
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 3:18 AM
Subject: [PACIFIC] More Than Half the World's Coral Reefs Endangered


The following press release comes from a meeting held this week in Bangkok
by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.


NEWS RELEASE


Not all doom and gloom even if 58% of the world's coral reefs are now
endangered

Bangkok , Thailand, 19 November 2004
(IUCN) - Although it reveals that over 58% of
all coral reefs are now endangered, the 2004 edition of the Status of
Coral Reefs of the World points to much progress and recovery. Today
at the 3 rd IUCN World Conservation Congress in Bangkok experts presented
the progress in coral reef monitoring and status over the last decade that
next month will be published in Status of Coral Reefs of the
World.

Once again, human impacts are to blame for the depletion of reefs.
Sedimentation, land-based pollution, over harvesting of reef fish and
other resources, added to the effects of climate change and the presence
of invasive species are responsible for the current status of these marine
marvels.

"With so many reefs endangered, efforts to save corals could be
overlooked. The 2004 Status of Coral Reefs of the World pinpoints
where and how progress is being made and instils hope that these marine
treasures will persist, for people to enjoy and benefit from," said Carl
Gustaf Lundin, Head of the IUCN Global Marine Programme.

Coral reefs are some of the most valuable, species-diverse and
spectacular places on earth. Approximately 100,000 coral reef and
reef-associated species have been described to date, but experts have
barely begun to catalogue the total number of species inhabiting the
world's reefs and some estimate that there could be 2 million species or
more. Reefs protect coastlines from erosion, provide a home for many
economically important marine species, and form an important link in
cycling nutrients from land to the open ocean.

From a human perspective, coral reefs represent a critical resource. It
is estimated that reefs provide seafood for one billion people in Asia
alone, many of them from poor communities. Reef-based activities,
principally fishing and tourism provide economic livelihoods for millions
of others.

Notwithstanding their value, reefs face further stress from coral
disease, invasive species and coral "bleaching" brought about by rapid
climate change. Pressures on coral reefs from coral predators such as the
crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) and coral disease appear to have
stabilized or even reduced; but there are still severe problems on some
reefs. The evidence points to both of these being exacerbated by human
pressures, through the removal of predators of COTS and
increasing water temperatures that stress corals making them more
susceptible to coral diseases.

Some recent global trends

Global threats to coral reefs have apparently stabilised, such that:

. Coral reefs have continued to recover after the 1998 El Nino global
coral bleaching event, with strong and healthy recovery in well-managed
and remote reefs; however, the recovery is not uniform and many reefs
virtually destroyed in 1998 are showing minimal signs of recovery.
Recovery should continue, provided that there are no major climate
shifts in the next few decades;

. The coral bleaching in 1998 was a 1 in a 1000 year event in many
regions with no past history of such damage in official government
records or in the memories of traditional cultures of the affected coral
reef countries. Also very old corals in the vicinity of 1000 years old
died during the 1998. There has been no repeat of coral bleaching at the
same global scale in the 6 years since, although some more localised
bleaching events occurred in 2000 and 2003 causing damage to reefs.

. Increasing sea surface temperatures and CO 2 concentrations provide
clear evidence of global climate change in the tropics, and current
predictions are that the extreme events of 1998 will become more common
in the next 50 years, i.e. massive global bleaching mortality will not
be a 1/1000 year event in the future, but a regular event.

Some recent regional trends

. The corals on many Caribbean reefs have declined by up to 80%, and
many reefs do not resemble the reefs of 30 years ago. However there are
encouraging signs of recovery in some areas;

. There are few encouraging signs for reefs in the higher diversity
areas of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, where human pressures
continue to increase, whereas reefs in the Pacific and around Australia
remain quite healthy

. In south Asia, over 60% of the reefs were killed during the 1998
mass bleaching. Today almost half of the reefs remain dead and many are
showing signs of a shift to permanent algal domination. Although
governments have made efforts to improve legislation, management and
monitoring remain insufficient. "As long as poverty, population growth
and lack of alternative livelihoods keep people dependent on already
depleted reef resources, the coral reefs of South Asia will continue to
degrade", says Jerker Tamelander, Coordinator, CORDIO/IUCN Regional
Marine Programme South Asia.

. Small Island Developing States in all oceans remain particularly
vulnerable to climate change due to the critical importance of coral
reefs and reef resources in providing livelihoods, food and economic
sustenance.

The Status of Coral Reefs of the World series

The Status of Coral Reefs of the World reports, released by the Global
Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), are the major mechanism to carry
messages from the international coral reef scientific community to a wider
audience. Production of the report is dependent on input from over 80
countries and states, as well as other partners active in coral reef
monitoring, research, conservation, management and policy setting.

What's new in the 2004 edition?

Although the plight of coral reefs remains very precarious, Status 2004
will not be all "doom and gloom". New features will include:

. A review of the progress in coral reef monitoring and status since
1994 when the International Coral Reef Initiative and the Global Coral
Reef Monitoring Network were established;

. A review of new initiatives in coral reef conservation and
management in the last two years;

. A review of the effectiveness of the GCRMN in raising awareness;

. A review of the progress in monitoring in marine protected areas
(MPAs) and special sites;

. A prediction of reef status in 2014; and

. Recommendations for better reef management and status by 2014.

. For the first time this report assesses the status of cold water
coral reefs in the world.

For more information contact:

Carl Gustaf Lundin, Head, IUCN Global Marine
Programme;
Mobile in Thailand: +66 (0) 41 219421;
Tel +41 22 999 02
04;
E-mail: marine@....

Website:
href="http://www.iucn.org/themes/marine">www.iucn.org/themes/marine

About IUCN
Created in 1948, IUCN -- The World Conservation Union
brings together 81 States, 114 government agencies, 800 plus NGOs, and
some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique
worldwide partnership. IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and
assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and
diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is
equitable and ecologically sustainable.

IUCN is the world's largest environmental knowledge
network and has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national
conservation and biodiversity strategies. IUCN is a multicultural,
multilingual organization with 1000 staff located in 62 countries. Its
headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland.

The Congress is the governing body of IUCN - The World
Conservation Union. It is held every four years and represents the world's
largest democratic environmental forum where governments and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) jointly establish conservation
priorities, guide the Union's policy and approve its Programme.

The 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress will be held from
17-25 November 2004 in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme: "People and
Nature - only one world".

--
PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS.
THERE IS NO CHANGE IN PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS

Patty Debenham, Ph.D.
Marine Biologist
SeaWeb
917 Broderick Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Ph. 415 771-5757
Fax. 415 771-5715
pdebenham@...
C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Dear all the members,

I would like to suggest the need to include communications for transforming
conusmption patterns so that they are more eco-freindly at all these
conferences.This can be done by minimizing the use of fossil fuel based
services and utilities and minimizing travel needs and other instruments
that can be used personally and collectively.

Cause of bio-diversity is linked with establishing renewable energy based
sustainable habitats with ecologicaly sustainbale and equitable consumption
patterns  globally.

Dr.Muhammad Mukhtar Alam


----- Original Message -----
From: "Pankaj" <pankaj@...>
To: <ANDAMAnicobar@...>
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:45 AM
Subject: [andamanicobar] Seminar on Biodiversity of A&N in Delhi


>
> Dear Friends,
>
> The A&N Administration has organised a one day seminar on Biodiversity
> Conservation in the A&N Islands in New Delhi on Nov. 25. The seminar is
> being held at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).
>
> The tentative schedule and presentations for the seminar are as follows:
> a) Forest Conservation in the Islands by the A&N Forest Department
> b) Biodiversity Conservation at the Landscape level by the National Remote
> Sensing Agency (NRSA), Dehradun
> c) Biodiversity Conservation at the sea scape level by Reefwatch
> d) Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for hte Islands by Anna
> University
> e) Avifauna of the islands by SACON, Coimbatore.
>
> If there are any members of this group who have been invited and will be
> attending the seminar, please do write back to us with details of what
> happened and what were the discussions and conclusions if any that came
out.
>
> Pankaj Sekhsaria
> C/o Kalpavriksh
> Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
> 908 Deccan Gymkhana,
> Pune 411004
> Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
> Fax: 25654239
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Dear Friends,

The A&N Administration has organised a one day seminar on Biodiversity
Conservation in the A&N Islands in New Delhi on Nov. 25. The seminar is
being held at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).

The tentative schedule and presentations for the seminar are as follows:
a) Forest Conservation in the Islands by the A&N Forest Department
b) Biodiversity Conservation at the Landscape level by the National Remote
Sensing Agency (NRSA), Dehradun
c) Biodiversity Conservation at the sea scape level by Reefwatch
d) Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for hte Islands by Anna
University
e) Avifauna of the islands by SACON, Coimbatore.

If there are any members of this group who have been invited and will be
attending the seminar, please do write back to us with details of what
happened and what were the discussions and conclusions if any that came out.

Pankaj Sekhsaria
C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS / Nov. 7, 2004
Media and Tour Operators visit Baratang eco tourism circuit

Port Blair, Nov 6

   The local media and tour operators were taken to the Baratang Islands for
a tour of the Baratang eco-tourism circuit which is being opened via sea
route to tourists from tomorrow.

    The team left Port Blair at 6.30 am in the morning and reached Baratang
at about 10.30 am. Thereafter they were taken to the limestone caves through
the mangrove lined creeks of Baratang to have a first hand impression of the
caves. The media and the tour operators were then shown the mud volcano,
which was followed by a tour of the Baludera Beach, where the forest
department has constructed eco-friendly huts and tree top huts for tourists.

    Earlier the DFO Baratang, Shri H. Senthil Kumar welcomed the team at a
function organised at the Community Hall which was also attended by the Up
Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad, Shri G. Kurma Rao. The Baratang eco-tourism
circuit will be accessible by boat MV Mohit from 7 November 2004.

C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS / Nov. 8, 2004

Animal Birth Control Programme

Port Blair, Nov. 07

    The Animal Birth Control Programme, Lamba Line has requested the general
public to register their complaints in the Dog Control Cell against nuisance
of stray dogs in their locality. The animal birth control project has now
become more or less mandatory that 'No stray dogs shall be killed as a rule
subject to the exception of critically, ill, violent fatally injured or
rabid dogs. Killing of dogs is illegal and punishable under the prevention
of cruelty to Animals Rule 1979'.

    The animal birth control programme for stray dogs aims to effectively
control the population of stray dogs to achieve it's gradual reduction and
stabilize the same on a long term basis beside providing an environment free
of diseases. The programme helps reduce population of stray dogs and
prevents many communicable disease like scabies, leptospirosis, parasitic
diseases etc. apart from controlling breeding nuisance.

    The operation of the stray dogs is done in the Animal Birth Control
centre where pre and postoperative care is also given. The sterilized dogs
will be sent back to their original territory, said the Dog Control Officer
in a communication here.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

<http://www.ceeindia.org/esf/>
Dear Friends,

As you know, 2005-2014 has been declared by the United Nations General
Assembly as the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development. To
mark the beginning of the Decade, Centre for Environment Education
India, in partnership with Ministry of Environment and Forests and
Ministry of Human Resource Development, UNESCO and UNEP, is organizing
an international conference 'Education for a Sustainable Future' (ESF),
January 18-20, 2005, at Ahmedabad, India. (Please see attached brochure
or visit www.ceeindia.org/esf for more details.)

We are sure that this conference, specially the
<http://www.ceeindia.org/esf/workshops.htm#no15> "Workshop on Media and
Sustainable Development" (please see below for details) will be of
interest to you and your partners. This workshop is being offered in
partnership with TVE Asia <http://www.tveap.org/>  Pacific.

We look forward to your participation in this Conference. May we also
request you to circulate this information to your networks and others
who you think will find it of interest.

Thanking you

Yours sincerely

Sunil Jacob

Workshop on Media and SD
How can we transform the different types of mass and niche media from
being part of the problem to become part of the solution in pursuit of
sustainable development?
This workshop will review the past and current contributions of the
media, and look at how civil society, professionals, activist groups and
communities better engage the media, recognizing that the many and
varied forms of media are only one part of a broader communications
process necessary for ESD. The workshop will also provide an opportunity
to share some inspiring models from leading practitioners.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
Centre for Environment Education
Southern Regional Cell
143, Kamala Mansion
Infantry Road, Bangalore 560 001, INDIA
Ph: +91-80-22869094/9907, Fax +91-80-22868209
  <http://www.ceeindia.org/> www.ceeindia.org,
<http://www.kidsrgreen.org/> www.kidsrgreen.org



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

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS
Oct. 28, 2004

Agriculture Directorate promotes eco-landscaping for urban areas

Port Blair, Oct 27

    To develop urban areas of Port Blair by economical means the new concepts
of ecological landscaping and organic nutrition garden are being popularized
by the Directorate of Agriculture. The concept is based on the use of
organic nutrients such as organic manures, vermin-compost, powdered Neem
cake and composted coir pith. Pest and disease attack can be controlled by
the use of botanical insecticides and bio-control agents.

    To economize the use of water, organic mulch such as coir pith can be
used to conserve and retain moisture at the root zone of plants. Along with
ornamental plants some vegetable plants can be grown in pots and can be
placed on root top and windowsills. This besides giving us nutrition and
aesthetic value also provides pleasure of harvesting our own fresh
vegetables.

    This concept is prevalent in countries such as Japan where roof or
terrace gardening is popular. In our country metropolitan cities have
developed this concept for beautification. Interested persons can contact
the Directorate of Agriculture on further details.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Email: kvriksh@...
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Team
To: timteam02@...
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 1:00 PM
Subject: tim-team Clearinghouse: More children lured into
thetourism-relatedsex trade


Dear colleagues and friends,



".what the tourist wants, the tourist gets". This is even true for men who
are traveling around the world to exploit children for sexual pleasure. As
the following reports from Bangkok and Cartagena Columbia reveal, more and
more youngsters are being drawn into the tourism-related sex trade in
Asia-Pacific and Latin America.



Yours truly,

Anita Pleumarom

Tourism Investigation & Monitoring Team (tim-team)



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

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/041110/w111072.html



SEX TRADE CLAIMING MORE CHILDREN IN EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC, U.N. DELEGATES
SAY

01:57 AM EST, November 11



BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - More and more children are entering the sex trade
in East Asia and the Pacific, with exploiters using the Internet and mobile
phones equipped with cameras to lure minors, child rights advocates said
Wednesday.



Senior officials and representatives from 23 countries ended three days of
talks Wednesday in Bangkok aimed at evaluating efforts to fight child
prostitution in the region.



"It is commonly agreed that, tragically, the situation in some cases is
graver than it was before," said Denise Ritchie, New Zealand representative
of the watchdog group ECPAT, or End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography
and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes.



"In other words, there are more and more children than ever who have been
coerced or enslaved in the sex trade," she told a news conference.



In recent years, the trade has spread, particularly in the South Pacific,
through growing tourism and fishing industries, delegates said. They also
noted that technology such as the Internet and mobile phones with cameras
were being used to exploit children.



Officials at the UN-hosted meeting agreed to fight the sexual exploitation
of children by trying to change attitudes, behaviour and cultural practices.



But stronger participation by governments and implementation of child
protection laws are still needed, delegates said.



The meeting included representatives from Australia, Cambodia, China, Fiji,
Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, the
Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vanuatu and Vietnam.



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



http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20041110/CART
AGENA10/TPTravel/TopStories



SEX TOURISM TAINTS CARTAGENA

Colombia's 'Jewel of the Caribbean' has become a centre for underage
exploitation



By VANESSA ARRINGTON

Associated Press

Wednesday, November 10, 2004 - Page R9



CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA -- As the world's kidnapping capital and site of a
four-decade civil war, Colombia is not a tourist magnet. But there's a
notable exception -- Cartagena, a sparkling colonial city on the coast that
Colombians call "the jewel of the Caribbean."



Cartagena's history as a Spanish bastion against English invasion, and its
cobblestone streets, quaint plazas, colonial churches, art museums and
seafood restaurants attract many visitors. Yet behind the thick, ancient
walls lurks a darker attraction: the sexual exploitation of minors by
foreigners.



The city has become a magnet for men, many of them Europeans, seeking sex
with young girls and sometimes boys, many of them from families displaced
from their rural homes by fighting among leftist rebels, government forces
and right-wing paramilitary groups.



On the main hotel strip, foreigners openly haggle with underaged girls
selling their bodies or duck past pink neon lights into what purports to be
a discothèque. Inside, teenaged girls at tables perk up only when a man
walks by. He can take his pick, pay as little as $18 and take her to a room
across the road.



"Unfortunately, Cartagena has the image of being a place where people can
have whatever kind of sexual relations they want," says Fabian Cardenas, the
local co-ordinator for Renacer, a private group that helps victims of sexual
exploitation.



"There are many foreigners who come here with the sheer objective of having
sex. And what the tourist wants, the tourist gets."



An estimated 1,500 girls and boys work in Cartagena's sex industry. Over the
past three years, Renacer has learned of girls as young as 7 and boys as
young as 9 being sexually exploited, Cardenas says.



Cartagena isn't alone. Many Latin American cities, in countries such as
Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Brazil, are now being
frequented by "sex tourists" looking for minors, as a result of a shift in
the business from Asia following police crackdowns.



"The kids are on the street because of desperation," says Bruce Harris, the
former Latin America director of Casa Alianza, a children's rights group.
"The last thing they have to sell is themselves. This is mixed with the fact
that the laws for the most part are still very weak, and there's corruption
in the application of the law."



Bolivar Province's police chief, Colonel Jesus Gomez, who oversees
Cartagena, says detectives are investigating sex rings in the city, but have
yet to make any arrests.



Meanwhile, non-governmental groups such as Renacer and the Roman Catholic
Church are trying to help the youngsters.



The problem is not confined to tourist districts. At a brothel in
Cartagena's rundown Bosque neighbourhood, several teenagers relax before the
Friday night rush, watching television and chatting at the tables they will
later dance on.



One 17-year-old -- who declines to give her name, like other sex workers
interviewed -- says her family in the eastern city of Cucuta thinks that she
is working at a restaurant.



The impoverished fishing village of Zapatero near Cartagena is home to at
least a half-dozen teenaged prostitutes, many sharing rooms in wooden
shacks. They are taken aboard merchant ships and passed from sailor to
sailor, often leaving sick and in some cases physically abused, Cardenas
says. Many get hooked on drugs.



Outreach workers for Renacer -- which means "to be reborn" in Spanish --
roam Cartagena's streets and visit strip joints to offer underaged
prostitutes a way out.



In a town a half-hour from Cartagena, about 30 teenaged former sex workers
are trying to put the past behind them at a Renacer rehabilitation centre.
For many, it may be their last chance to get their lives in order.



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

NOTE: The articles introduced in this Clearinghouse do not necessarily
represent the views of the Tourism Investigation & Monitoring Team
(tim-team).



tourism investigation & monitoring team (tim-team)
P.O. Box 51 Chorakhebua
Bangkok 10230, Thailand
Email: timteam02@...
Webpage: http://www.twnside.org.sg/tour.htm


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Do you Yahoo!?
Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com
C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS / Nov. 9, 2004
ZP Adhyaksh & Member of Parliament  calls on President
Various matters pertaining to the islands discussed

Port Blair, Nov 08

    Shri R.Chidambaram, Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad and Shri Manoranjan Bhakta,
Member of Parliament accompanied by Pramukhs and Pradhans of Gram Panchayat
from these islands called on the President of India today at Rashtrapati
Bhavan and held discussions on various matters concerning the union
territory. They held discussions with the President for more than 45
minutes.

    The delegation also invited the President to visit the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, which was accepted and the President assured the delegation
that he will visit the islands at an early date.

    The delegation placed before the President one of the long pending demand
of the people of the Islands for an elected assembly. To reduce the
un-employment problem of the educated youths of the territory the delegation
requested for developing tourism infrastructure and also for reduction in
the air fare so that more and more tourists will be attracted towards the
islands. The President agreeing with the delegation mentioned that the
present air fare is on the high side and needs to be reduced to minimize the
hardship of the islanders as well as to promote tourism.

    The President desired for bamboo cultivation in the islands on a large
scale so that the economic condition of the people of the islands can be
improved. He also stated that there is scope for deep sea fishing in the
islands. At the end the President mentioned that he has got all the respects
for the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a ZP press release said here.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS / Nov. 9, 2004
Isles delegates meet Vice Chairman Planning commission

Port Blair, Nov. 8

    The Member of Parliament, Shri M R Bhakta accompanied by Shri.R.
Chidambaram, Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad met the Vice Chairman of Planning
Commission in New Delhi on 5th November 2004 and discussed with him the
developmental activities that are taking place in the Union Territory of
Andaman & Nicobar Islands. They also met Dr.(Mrs) Syeda Hamid, Member,
Planning Commission and discuss with her matters of importance relating to
A&N Islands. Both Vice Chairman, Planning commission and the Member assured
the Member of Parliament and Adhyaksh for considering favourably the schemes
of the Territory for implementation.

    Shri Bhakta, accompanied by Shri. R. Chidambaram, Shri Sree Chander,
Member Zilla Parishad, Shri Balakrishnan, Pradhan and Shri. Mangal Singh,
Political Secretary of Congress Party also met Shri. Pranabh Mukherjee,
Defense Minister on Nov 7, 2004 and discussed with him various matters
relating to the Union Territory.  The Minister assured that the problems of
the Union Territory will be taken up with concerned Ministry for early
settlement, a ZP communiqué said here today.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

Press Release
Andaman and Nicobar Administration
Directorate of IP&T
Port Blair, November 04, 2004

New Eco-Tourism Circuit at Baratang

           With the identification of the unique natural features of Baratang
Island like mud volcano, Baludera beach, lime stone caves and the mangrove
creeks, Baratang has become an eco-tourism spot. During the last one year, a
large number of tourists have started visiting Baratang. Consequently the
Administration has proposed an eco-tourism circuit from Port Blair to
Baratang.
           Under this arrangement an air-conditioned boat 'MV Mohit' with a
passenger capacity of 36 push-back seats will be planned to sail daily from
Port Blair. The boat will leave Phoenix Bay Jetty at 6'0 clock in the
morning and reach Nilambur Jetty at 10.30 AM, en-route the tourists will be
able to see the dense greenery of the National Park of Mount Harriet and the
mangrove rich creeks between South Andaman and Baratang.
           At Baratang tourists can see unique mud volcano with some gaseous
activity. It is one of such few spots in the whole world. At Baludera beach
elephant ride also will be available. The jungle trail to the lime stone
caves provide an excellent opportunity to see the bio-diversity of the flora
and the magnificent trees. The geology of Baratang has serpentine
geographical features.
           Tourists can return from Baratang in the same boat departing at
4.00 PM to reach Port Blair by 9.00 PM. In addition to tourists, others also
can avail the facility in case of availability of seat. Since it is an
air-conditioned fast boat, the one-way charge will be Rs. 100 per passenger;
the tourist can buy return tickets to come back on the same day.
           In view of the restrictions on the Andaman Trunk Road for use by
tourists, it is expected that this will be an attractive and economical
alternative.

          The boat service will start from November 7, 2004.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

----- Original Message -----
From: Patty Debenham
To: PACIFIC@...
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 2:03 AM
Subject: [PACIFIC] Ocean News in the Pacific


Marine Sciences and News from the Asia Pacific Region
SeaWeb
July 26th, 2004

This e-newsletter is produced regularly and distributed free of charge by
SeaWeb to keep interested individuals informed of current news and other
information. To be added to the distribution list, please contact us a
jbrown@...

We apologize for any cross-postings

Please do not hesitate to contact us (jbrown@...) if you have any
questions or need assistance in following up with any of the items mentioned
below.

1.Overfishing on the increase in Asia-Pacific seas (News Release, FAO)
2.Dead Zones emerging as big threat to 21st Century fish stocks (News
Release, UNEP)
3.Scientists raise alarm over increased exploitation of Pacific tuna (News
article, Agence France Presse)
4.Tips to Turn the Tide in Favour of Endangered Sea Turtles (News Release,
UNEP)


-----------

1. Overfishing on the increase in Asia-Pacific seas
News Release from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO)
6 August 2004

The management of fishery resources in the Asia-Pacific needs to be
improved, as overfishing is increasing and the abundance of more valuable
species has declined, according to FAO.

Rome/Bangkok -- The management of fishery resources in Asia-Pacific needs to
be improved, as overfishing is increasing and the abundance of more valuable
species has declined, according to an FAO report presented to the
Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission during a meeting this week in Chiang Mai,
Thailand.

FAO's report affirmed that fisheries and aquaculture are of vital importance
for food security and the economies of the region, but cautioned that
improved management of these activities is required in order to secure the
sector's future.

Production has already peaked
The Asia-Pacific region is the world's largest producer of fish, for both
aquaculture and capture fisheries (which account for 91 and 48 percent of
total world production, respectively). In 2002, this amounted to 46.9
million tonnes from aquaculture and 44.7 million tonnes from capture
fisheries.

FAO reported that there was rapid growth in marine capture fisheries in the
region between 1950 and 1990, but this has slowed down over the last decade.
The trend over the past 30 years has been from larger sized demersal
(bottom-dwelling) fish towards smaller pelagic -- or open water -- fish.

Small fish species, damaged catch and juvenile fish targeted in these
fisheries are sometimes referred to as 'trash fish' and have a low market
value. An increasing proportion of this 'trash fish' is used directly or
indirectly as fish meal in aquaculture and livestock feed.

Demand for these low-value 'trash fish' for this purpose has fuelled
increasing pressure on fish stocks, the Organization also noted.

Dramatic shifts in abundance
FAO cited a study by the WorldFish Centre (an international resource
organization belonging to the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research) of some areas in Asia-Pacific which suggests that
over the last 25 years the amount of fish available has declined to between
6 and 33 percent of their original abundance.

In a few instances, the decline has been as steep as 40 percent over five
years.

Changes in the composition of fish resources have also occurred, FAO noted.
The abundance of larger, more valuable species has declined, while the
proportion of smaller fish lower down the food chain, sometimes referred to
as "trash fish," has notably increased -- a phenomenon known as "fishing
down the food chain".

Recent studies estimate that the amount of 'trash fish' being landed now
exceeds 60 percent of the total marine production from the South China Sea,
about 60 percent of the catch in the Gulf of Thailand, 30 to 80 percent in
Viet Nam, and 50 percent in trawl catches from Western Malaysia.

"Demand is fast outstripping supply and prices are expected to rise,
resulting in greater incentives to target these fish and aggravate the
over-fishing problem in the area," FAO said.

Coastal fisheries in the region will continue to decline unless excess
fishing capacity and fishing effort are greatly reduced, the report said.

New challenges for Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission
The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) will take on a new role to act
as a regional consultative forum to promote the sustainable development of
fisheries and aquaculture in the region.

It will provide a framework for its members to identify and discuss common
issues in the region, promote partnerships with relevant regional
organizations and serve as source of relevant and up-to-date information on
activities relating to responsible fisheries and aquaculture in the region.

In the coming years, its main focus will be on small-scale fisheries and
aquaculture.

APFIC's goal is to promote better management of both fisheries and
aquaculture resources to increase the contribution that these activities
make to the food security and poverty alleviation for millions of people in
the region, stressing that "the challenge to the region is how to take a
more holistic approach to fishery management, that accommodates the needs of
the different users of the fishery sector, as well as balancing human well
being against ecological well being."

###
Contacts:
In Rome:
George Kourous
Information Officer, FAO
george.kourous@...
(+39) 06 570 53168

In Bangkok:
Diderik de Vleeschauwer
Information Officer
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP)
(+66) 2 697 4126
diderik.devleeschauwer@...

Inland fisheries and aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/49367/article_49372en.html

Related links
Agenda of the 28th session of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission
http://www.fao.org/fi/NEMS/events/detail_event.asp?event_id=15268

Asia-Pacific fisheries: Into the next millennium
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/X6947E/x6947e00.htm

FAO partnership in Asia-Pacific promotes community-based resource management
http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/field/2003/1203_stream.htm

FAO regional office for Asia and the Pacific, Fisheries group
http://www.fao.or.th/Technical_Groups/Fisheries/fisheries.htm



2. Dead Zones emerging as big threat to 21st Century fish stocks
News Release from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
29 March 2004

Jeju/Nairobi- There are nearly 150 oxygen-starved or "dead zones" in the
world's oceans and seas, a new report by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) shows.

These 'dead zones' are linked to an excess of nutrients, mainly nitrogen,
that originate from agricultural fertilizers, vehicle and factory emissions
and wastes. Low levels of oxygen in the water make it difficult for fish,
oysters and other marine creatures to survive as well as important habitats
such as sea grass beds.

Experts claim that the number and size of deoxygenated areas is on the rise
with the total number detected rising every decade since the 1970s. They are
warning that these areas are fast becoming major threats to fish stocks and
thus to the people who depend upon fisheries for food and livelihoods.

The issue is raised in UNEP's first ever Global Environment Outlook Year
Book which is being launched to governments attending the Global Ministerial
Environment Forum (GMEF) taking place this week in Jeju, Korea.

The Year Book looks at some of the environment-related milestones of the
past year both globally and regionally.

Issues covered include the coming into force of the Cartagena Protocol, an
international treaty covering trade in genetically modified organisms, the
costs of mainly weather-related natural disasters and the challenges that
remain in improving drinking water supplies for over 1 billion people.

The Year Book also identifies the continued 'fertilization' of the planet
and growth of oxygen starved areas in the oceans as a key emerging issue
that governments need to urgently address.

In some parts of the world, such as large parts of Africa, nitrogen
shortages are reducing farmers' chances of meeting food demands. Such areas
desperately need more fertilizers. However, in many other parts of the
globe, excessive use of fertilizers is contributing to the escalating
problem of dead zones.

Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director, said: " Human-kind is engaged in a
gigantic, global, experiment as a result of the inefficient and often
over-use of fertilizers, the discharge of untreated sewage and the ever
rising emissions from vehicles and factories. The nitrogen and phosphorous
from these sources are being discharged into rivers and the coastal
environment or being deposited from the atmosphere, triggering these
alarming and sometimes irreversible effects".

"Some of these so called dead zones or oxygen starved areas are relatively
small, less than one square kilometre in size, whereas others are far larger
at up to 70,000 square kilometres. What is clear is, that unless urgent
action is taken to tackle the sources of the problem, it is likely to
escalate rapidly " he said.

"Hundreds of millions of people depend on the marine environment for food,
for their livelihoods and for their cultural fulfillment. Reducing the
impacts of agriculture, human wastes and air pollution on the oceans and
seas will be a key component in helping us to meet the Millennium
Development Goals and deliver the World Summit on Sustainable Development's
Plan of Implementation in areas ranging from fisheries and biodiversity
loss, to sanitation and poverty," added Mr Toepfer.

The emergence of areas of artificially low oxygen levels can be closely
correlated with the use of synthetic fertilizers in agriculture. Nitrogen is
a main ingredient of these fertilizers.

Even when carefully managed, a lot of the fertilizer applied to crops is
left in the soil. From there it is easily washed into rivers and
subsequently to the sea.

The fertilizers, often in combination with nutrients from sewage, and
nitrogen gases from traffic and industrial fumes falling on coastal water
from the air, trigger blooms of tiny marine organisms called phytoplankton.

Their rapid growth and decomposition uses up oxygen in the sea-water leading
to depleted oxygen levels.

Sometimes the effects are mild. But sometimes they can be dramatic with fish
fleeing the 'suffocating waters" and creatures, like clams, lobsters,
oysters, snails and other slow moving, bottom living creatures, dying en
mass.

The economic costs associated with these oxygen depleted areas is unknown,
but predicted to be significant on a global scale.

Some of the earliest recorded dead zones were in places like Chesapeake Bay
in the United States, the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat, the Black Sea and the
northern Adriatic Sea. Others have been reported in Scandinavian fjords.

The most well known area of depleted oxygen is in the Gulf of Mexico. Its
occurrence is directly linked to nutrients or fertilizers brought to the
Gulf by the Mississippi River.

Others have been appearing off South America, China, Japan, south east
Australia and New Zealand.

In some parts of the world, actions have been taken to reduce the amounts of
fertilizer and sewage running off the land.

An agreement for the River Rhine in Europe, in which countries agreed to
reduce by half the levels of nitrogen being discharged, has cut by 37 per
cent the quantities of nitrogen entering the North Sea.

However, there is concern that more oxygen starved areas will emerge in
coastal waters off parts of Asia, Latin America and Africa as
industrialization and more intensive agriculture increase the discharge of
nutrients.

Experts believe that global warming, with its likely increase in rainfall
and temperatures, may aggravate the problem. Research by a team at the
College of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science in
Gloucester Point, Virginia, whose work has contributed to the GEO Year Book,
indicates that there may be large changes in rainfall patterns with a
doubling of levels of carbon dioxide.

In some areas, this in turn could lead to a marked increase in the levels of
run-off from rivers into the seas. They calculate that dissolved oxygen
levels in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, triggered by an increased discharge
from the Mississippi river basin of 20 per cent and a climb in temperature
of up to four degrees Centigrade, could fall by 30 to 60 per cent.

Actions to reduce the threats should focus on sources of the nitrogen
overload. Numerous options are available to governments, partly as a result
of new scientific understanding as to how nitrogen 'cascades' through the
environment.

For example, forests and grasslands have a high ability to 'soak up' excess
nitrogen and slow down its movement from the land to the rivers and the
seas. Planting more forests and encouraging more grasslands in some areas of
the globe might help.

Improving 'precision agriculture' so that less fertilizer is wasted should
be another option. Producing livestock in the regions where most of their
feed comes from could also reap benefits.

Large number of farm animals in Europe are fed on soya, produced in North
America and Latin America. Raising the animals in the soya growing regions
could reduce the exports of nitrogen to regions like the European Union
where nitrogen excess is an issue.

Other actions include more widespread use of technologies that remove
nitrogen compounds from vehicles fumes alongside the wider uptake of
alternative energy sources that are not based on burning fossil fuels.

Better treatment of sewage, both by high tech systems such as water
treatment works and low tech systems, such as wetlands and reed bed
networks, will not only reduce nutrient discharges to coastal waters, but
will help the world meet the water and sanitation aims in the Millennium
Development Goals.

Notes to Editors
The UNEP Global Environment Outlook (GEO) Year Book 2003 is a new
accompaniment to the successful Global Environment Outlook (GEO). The third
in this series was published in 2002.

The impact of fertilizers and nutrients on the health of the planet was
flagged up in GEO-2000 but, as the new Year Book shows, little action to
address the threat has been taken globally.

The Year Book, including the report and graphics on 'Dead Zones', is
available at www.unep.org/geo/yearbook/
It can be purchased at http://www.earthprint.com/go.htm?to=3348 priced $20

The 8th Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial
Environment Forum will take place in Jeju from 29 March to 31 March 2004.
More details are available at http://www.unep.org/GC/GCSS-VIII/index.asp and
also at http://www.2004unepkorea.org/

For More Information Please Contact Eric Falt, Spokesperson/Director of UNEP
's Division of Communications and Public Information, on Tel: 254 20 623292,
Mobile: 254 (0) 733 682656, E-mail: eric.falt@... or Nick Nuttall, UNEP
Head of Media, on Tel: 254 20 623084, Mobile: 254 (0) 733 632755, E-mail:
nick.nuttall@... or Tim Higham, Regional Information Officer, UNEP,
Bangkok, phone +66 2 288 2127, mob +66 9 1283803, email higham@...

UNEP News Release 2004/14


3. Scientists raise alarm over increased exploitation of Pacific tuna
Agence France Presse
26 August 2004

Scientists have sounded the alarm over tuna stocks in the Pacific, warning
that some species cannot sustain any further increases in fishing.

Annually just over two million tons of tuna worth around 2.6 billion
dollars, around half the world's total tuna catch, are taken out of the
Pacific Ocean.

Scientists and researchers told a technical conference here that bigeye and
yellowfin tuna were threatened by overfishing.

"Our fishery is the most targeted and important area compared to other
oceans," said John Hampton, manager of the Oceanic Fisheries Programme, part
of the New Caledonian-headquartered Pacific Community regional aid agency.

"We must prepare for what could happen in light of what's happened in other
oceans," he told AFP.

Earlier this year the Tuna Commission, linking fishing nations including
China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea with resource-owning nations such as
the 14 Pacific island states, was created with the power to regulate the
high seas and 320-kilometre (200-mile) exclusive economic zones.

As part of the commission, to be headquartered in the Federated States of
Micronesia, 60 fisheries experts met here this week to present their
research on stock assessments.

A report from Hampton tabled at the meeting said bigeye, which comprise six
percent of the total Pacific tuna catch, were being overfished "and the
current level of exploitation appears not to be sustainable in the long
term".

Hampton said fishing fleets' practice of catching younger fish was impacting
the health of bigeye stocks in the region.

"Bigeye is emerging as a management problem," he said.

Yellowfin tuna, which make up 22 percent of the catch and are prized for the
fresh sashimi market in Japan, were "likely to be nearing full exploitation
and any future increases in fishing mortality would not result in any
long-term increase in yield and may move the yellowfin stock to an
overfished state".

Explained Hampton: "There is no room for further increases in catches of
yellowfin."

On top of concern over the current level of fishing by Asian and US fishing
fleets, Hampton said European fleets were expressing interest in fishing in
the region.

The Pacific is blessed with an abundance of skipjack, used primarily in
canning, and scientists were not concerned at its harvest, Hampton said.

He said one of the problems in determining the actual catch level is the
reliability of data provided by the different fishing countries.

Myriad challenges -- multiple fishing methods, heavy economic interests of
Asian and other fishing nations, under-reporting of fish catches and
relatively little enforcement capability of most Pacific island countries --
make tuna regulation in the region extremely difficult.

Aside from diplomacy, the Tuna Commission's main enforcement tool will be
the vessel monitoring system that all fishing vessels are now required to
use.

The commission's success "will stand or fall on the vessel monitoring
system,
" Hampton said.

Under the system, data on the vessel's location is transmitted via satellite
to the Forum Fisheries Agency, based in the Solomon Islands, and then to
individual member countries to enable them to monitor fishing activities in
their waters.

LOAD-DATE: August 26, 2004



4. Tips to Turn the Tide in Favour of Endangered Sea Turtles
News Release from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
2 August 2004

Guide Gives Fishermen Advice on How to Catch Fish Not Turtles

Nairobi/Honolulu/Bangkok, 2 August 2004 - Fishermen who use large circular
hooks baited with fish rather than squid may not only boost their catches,
they may also significantly reduce the number of turtles killed and harmed
in fishing gear every year.

Studies, using so-called "circle hooks" baited with mackerel, found that
around 90 per cent fewer leatherback turtles and over 60 per cent fewer
loggerhead turtles were caught compared to the use of traditional J-shaped
hooks baited with squid.

Meanwhile the fishermen -- involved in the United States Atlantic longline
swordfish fishery -- caught up to a fifth more swordfish when using the
circle hooks and mackerel as bait.

The importance of testing new kinds of hooks and fishing methods as a way of
conserving rare and endangered migratory marine turtles is highlighted in a
new booklet called 'Catch Fish Not Turtles Using Longlines' compiled by the
Honolulu, Hawaii-based Blue Ocean Institute.

It has been produced in collaboration with the United Nations Environment
Programme's (UNEP) Regional Seas Programme and the Indian Ocean-South East
Asian (IOSEA) Marine Turtle Secretariat, as well as numerous fisheries and
research bodies.

Sea turtles are among the most extraordinary and charismatic creatures on
the planet. They are some of the world's great nomads, sometimes navigating
thousands of miles between feeding and nesting grounds. Some turtles, like
the olive ridley, have been around over 200 million years, once living
alongside the dinosaurs. Revenue-raising tourism has been developed in some
parts of the world, based around the unquestioned attraction to visitors of
seeing turtles at first hand.

Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director said: "We need to balance the
legitimate economic needs of fishermen, including longliners, with the need
to conserve the marine environment, including sea turtles. I am sure the
tips and advice in this booklet can play their part in furthering the urgent
need for more responsible fishing that respects the natural world upon which
we all depend".

"If we are to ensure the survival of sea turtles well into the future,
action needs to be taken now to protect them in the oceans and at nesting
sites. The tragic truth is that many species are in precipitous decline.
Some experts predict that leatherbacks and loggerheads may become extinct in
the Pacific Ocean within two decades", he added.

Eric Gilman of the Blue Ocean Institute noted: "In the last few years,
preliminary progress has been made to develop techniques that effectively
avoid sea turtle capture, reduce injury to hooked turtles, and are
acceptable to the longline industry. It should be possible to reduce sea
turtle deaths in pelagic longline gear to negligible levels".

"The booklet highlights new techniques and tips that could, given greater
support and genuine will within the industry, propel us towards this goal.
However, the methods found to be effective and commercially viable in
preliminary trials in one longline fishery may not be the answer in other
fisheries. So we must step up research into other techniques and
technologies, otherwise we face losing sea turtle species and fishermen risk
losing their livelihood ," he added.

Douglas Hykle, Coordinator of the Bangkok-based Indian Ocean-South East
Asian Marine Turtle Secretariat, said, "Sea turtle numbers have declined
dramatically in recent years due to the combined effect of many threats,
including mortality in fishing gear. Whether some populations survive the
next few decades is an open question."

The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development set an ambitious target of
2010 for achieving a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of
biodiversity, and called for the establishment of a representative network
of marine protected areas by 2012. Much work still needs to be done to
achieve these goals, which are directly relevant to sea turtle conservation.

"An international approach is critical to deal with the conservation of
highly migratory species and management of threats that occur over broad
areas", said Mr. Hykle. "This multilingual booklet presents the current
knowledge of how to address the threat to turtles from capture in longline
fishing gear, and serves as a model to tackle other priority threats through
collaboration with industry, managers, scientists and other groups."

Background

Hooks and Deep Sea Setting
Many longline fisheries traditionally use so-called J-shaped hooks. Tests
have recently been carried out on larger circle-shaped hooks, baited with
mackerel rather than squid as outlined above, with promising results. Tests
indicate that the wider the hook, the smaller the chance of a turtle being
able to swallow it.

Furthermore, when hard-shelled turtles, like the loggerhead, are hooked, the
turtles tend to deeply swallow conventional J-shaped hooks, whereas circle
hooks tend to hook them in the mouth making it easier to remove the gear and
save the animal.

Other preliminary studies from Australia and Hawaii indicate that fishermen
who set their lines and hooks below 40 metres deep may catch just as much
fish but far fewer turtles.

The booklet says that using large circle hooks and setting gear below 40
metres "appear to be solutions for some fisheries", but adds: "More research
and commercial demonstrations are needed, especially for fisheries where
large hooks and deeper setting are not economically possible".

Fish or Squid Bait
Some studies indicate that use of fish bait can help conserve turtles. The
booklet notes: "Fish appears to come free of the hook while being
progressively eaten by a turtle in small bites. Squid holds much more firmly
to the hook and tends to cause more turtles to ingest the hook with the
squid". Because definitive research has yet to be conducted on this, the
booklet suggests that fishermen compare bait types to determine which ones
maintain catch rates of target fish and catch fewer turtles.

Other Ideas
Scores of other low and high tech devices and techniques are being studied,
including deterrents designed to scare turtles away from hooks and lines.
These include the deployment of fake, fibreglass sharks, light emitting
diodes, acoustic devices or 'scarers", and dying bait blue.

Other kinds of hooks are also being tested including ones with bimetallic
strips that conceal the point of the hook only at deeper, cold water
temperatures, rather than in the warmer, shallower waters where turtles are
generally found.

Releasing Capture Turtles
The booklet also gives eight key tips on how to handle a snagged turtle in
order to maximize its chances of survival. These include advice on how to
remove an ingested hook and how to treat a turtle until it can be released.

Notes to Editors
The booklet, 'Catch Fish Not Turtles Using Longlines', is available online
at www.wpcouncil.org and www.ioseaturtles.org

It can be ordered free of charge in English, Japanese, or Spanish from
Blue Ocean Institute, 2718 Napuaa Place, Honolulu HI 96822 USA; E-mail:
ericgilman@...

For More Information Please Contact Eric Falt, Spokesperson/Director of UNEP
's Division of Communications and Public Information, Tel: +254 20 623292,
Mobile: +254 (0) 733 682656, Email: eric.falt@... or Nick Nuttall, UNEP
Head of Media, Tel: +254 20 623084, Mobile: +254 733 632755, E-mail:
nick.nuttall@...

At the Blue Ocean Institute, please contact Eric Gilman on Tel:
+1.808.988.1976, E-mail: ericgilman@...
At the Indian Ocean-South East Asian Marine Turtle Secretariat, please
contact Douglas Hykle, Coordinator, on Tel: +662.288.1471, E-mail:
iosea@...
UNEP News Release 2004/36





--
PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS.
THERE IS NO CHANGE IN PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS

Patty Debenham, Ph.D.
Marine Biologist
SeaWeb
917 Broderick Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Ph. 415 771-5757
Fax. 415 771-5715
pdebenham@...
C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

----- Original Message -----
From: Jason Lefkowitz, Oceana
To: Debi Goenka
Sent: Saturday, November 06, 2004 4:11 AM
Subject: Oceana Protects Dolphins From Sonar in Canary Islands


Dear Debi,

I just wanted to send you a brief note to tell you about an exciting victory
that was just won by Oceana Europe.


You're probably already familiar with the issue of how the sonar used by US
and other naval military vessels can interfere with the natural mechanisms
that dolphins and other cetaceans use to navigate underwater. This can lead
to these dolphins losing their way and becoming stranded on shore -- a
potentially fatal risk.

(If not, here's a link to a report we've prepared on the subject that you
can read online:


Oceana Europe has been tackling this issue head-on, and this week they won a
really important victory: they have convinced the government of Spain to
stop the US and other navies from using this sonar equipment in the Canary
Islands, where over 80 cetaceans, mostly beaked whales, have been stranded
during military exercises over the last 20 years -- one of the highest
numbers of strandings anywhere in the world.

Our European staff played such a key leadership role in this issue that the
Spanish government even consulted with them when writing the speech to
announce the decision to that nation's Congress! Their accomplishment shows
how much respect Oceana is gaining around the world, thanks in no small part
to your ongoing support.

I wanted to tell you about this victory so that you could see the progress
we're making around the world on preserving and defending the oceans and the
life within them. It's a big challenge, but with the commitment of dedicated
people like our European team and citizens like you around the world, I know
that we'll succeed!

For the oceans,
Jason Lefkowitz
E-Activism Manager
Oceana

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C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239

15 October 2004



Sub: International Conference on Education for a Sustainable Future (ESF)



Dear colleague,



Centre for Environment Education (CEE) is organizing a workshop on 'Education
for Ocean Conservation'  in association with the World Ocean Network at the
International Conference on 'Education for a Sustainable Future' (ESF) during  
18-20th January, 2005 at CEE, Ahmedabad, India, in partnership with the World
Ocean Network and the International Ocean Institute. ESF is being organized to
mark the launch of  "UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development"
(UNDESD). The workshop will be focusing on education for conservation of oceans,
coasts and islands. In view of your keen interest and support for ocean
conservation issues, I look forward to your kind guidance and support to the
Conference/ workshop. We would be immensely grateful if you could be with us
during the occasion as our guest of honour to launch the UNDESD with respect to
oceans.



The conference is expected to contribute significantly in giving direction to
the Decade's activities. The objective is to share experiences, best practices
in "Education for Sustainable Development" (ESD) and to develop a blueprint of
action for ESD. The developing country perspective is a key learning to be
shared through the Conference. An exhibition is also being organized during the
conference. More details of the conference may please be accessed on the
website: www.ceeindia.org/esf.



We are also seeking partnerships and sponsorships from major international,
national and regional agencies for the conference/workshop.In view of your
interest in sustainable development issues, we solicit your partnership and
participation in the conference.



We look forward to your confirmation on your participation and a paper to be
presented for discussion in the workshop/conference. Any other suggestions for a
more fruitful and meaningful outcome of the workshop would be greatly
appreciated.



Thanking you



Yours sincerely,



Dr Ram Boojh
Coordinator, ESF- Oceans
Centre for Environment Education (CEE North)
19/323, Indira Nagar, Lucknow 226016 India
Tel 91-522-2716628 (Off), 2716570 (Fax)
e mail: ramboojh.yadav@...; ramboojh1@...





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

THE DAILY TELEGRAMS
Oct. 28, 2004
Rationalization of ship fares in Islands-mainland sectors

Port Blair, Oct 27

   In view of the increase in the cost of operation and in line with the
advise of the Government of India for recovery of the operational cost of
service, A & N Administration has revised the ship fare in the Islands -
mainland sectors by 5-10%. The revision will be effective from 1st November,
2004.

    During the year 2003-2004, a total of 1,80,038 islanders and
non-islanders have traveled between the islands and the mainland. This
sector is being served by MV Nicobar, MV Nancowry, MV Swaraj Dweep, MV
Harshavar-dhana & MV Akbar. The ship fare in A & N Islands is subsidized for
the islanders as well as the non-islanders for the last several years.

    Recently container freight service has also been re-started in the
passenger ships sailing from Chennai. Although the major share of the trade
between the islands and the mainland is carried out in cargo ships of the
private sector, the provision of the container service in these ships will
be beneficial to the traders since the rates of the freight are lower in the
ships owned by the A & N Administration.


C/o Kalpavriksh
Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa
908 Deccan Gymkhana,
Pune 411004
Tel: 020 - 25654239 / 25675450
Fax: 25654239