Orissa probes if chopper flew over tiger reserve

[Mrudul Godbole]

Orissa probes if chopper flew over tiger reserve
IANS, Dec 4, 2010, 09.56pm IST

BHUBANESWAR: A probe has been ordered into the allegation that a Biju Janata Dal MP flew a chopper over Orissa's Satkosia Tiger Reserve violating green laws, an official said Saturday.

Chief Wild Life Warden P.N. Padhi has asked his local officials to investigate and submit a report soon after a newspaper reported the alleged violation by Baijayant Panda, a Lok Sabha member of the Biju Janata Dal representing Kendrapara constituency.

Citing preliminary findings, Padhi said there was no chopper movement in the area at least during the past 10 days. "I am waiting for the written report," he told IANS.

Oriya daily Sambad reported Friday that Panda, an industrialist-turned-politician, allegedly flew the chopper at a low height without taking permission from the wild life authority.

Although it did not mention when the incident took place, the newspaper report added that the local residents and officials witnessed the chopper fly over the tiger reserve.

The report said a young industrialist-cum-parliamentarian from Haryana was the co-pilot and gave photographs of the chopper.

The opposition Congress in the state has demanded an inquiry into the incident and sought action.

Panda's political secretary J.P. Ghosh refuted the allegation and said Panda always flew with proper permission from the air traffic control (ATC). "He has never violated any rules," he told IANS.

Biswajit Mohanty, secretary of the Wildlife Society of Orissa, said disturbances caused by low flying helicopters inside the reserve was not new.

It was illegal as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Mohanty said.

"I wrote a letter to the central ministry of environment and forests and to the National Tiger Conservation Authority," he said.

Satkosia is located over an area of 964 square km along the gorge off the Mahanadi river. It was declared as a tiger reserve in 2007.

The reserve - spread over four districts of Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh - is home to about 18 Royal Bengal tigers and more then 300 elephants, according to state government figures.


Article at : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Orissa-probes-if-chopper-flew-over-tiger-reserve/articleshow/7044265.cms#ixzz17KQMwdPL

[Sabyasachi Patra]

There is precedence to these kinds of acts by industrialists. In Corbett, Mr Thapar's plane had crashed and no body knew what was the out come of the investigation. The issue of Bijayanta Panda's flight over Satkosia would also be forgotten in no time. However, I am surprised how this came to light, as he is an MP from the ruling BJD party.

Sabyasachi

[Mrudul Godbole]

More update on the news..

Jairam shoots off missives over chopper movement in tiger reserve
IANS, Dec 19, 2010, 04.50pm IST

BHUBANESWAR: Upset by complaints of low-flying helicopters over a tiger reserve in Orissa, environment minister Jairam Ramesh has sought the intervention of chief minister Naveen Patnaik and civil aviation minister Praful Patel in the matter.

Ramesh, in his letter to Patel Saturday, said he had received a complaint regarding a low-flying helicopter over the Satkosia tiger reserve. "It is learnt that this has happened twice in the area in November 2009 and September 2010," the letter said.

"As you are aware, such low flights over wildlife habitats amount to 'hunting' under the Wildlife (protection) Act, since it causes disturbance to wild animals," said the letter, a copy of which is also in possession of IANS.

"The state authorities have lodged a complaint with the Air Traffic Management Unit, Civil Aviation Department, Kolkata in this regard," Ramesh wrote.

"I would very much appreciate your intervention in the matter. An advisory from your end to all concerned for avoiding such low flights over protected areas would immensely help conservation," the environment minister said.

In a separate letter, Ramesh has also sought the intervention of Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the matter.

Ramesh wrote the letters after Biswajit Mohanty, secretary of the Wildlife Society of Orissa, wrote to the ministry about the alleged movement of helicopter over the tiger reserve.

Oriya daily Sambad had reported earlier this month that Baijayant Panda, a Lok Sabha MP of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) representing Kendrapara constituency, flew in a chopper at a low height over the reserve without taking permission from wildlife authorities.

Although it did not say when the incident took place, the report said local residents and officials had seen the chopper fly over the reserve.

Panda's political secretary J.P. Ghosh, however, refuted the allegation and said the MP always flew with proper permission from the air traffic control. "He has never violated any rules," Ghosh said.

Satkosia is located over an area of 964 sq km along a gorge off the Mahanadi river. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2007.

The reserve - spread over four districts of Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh - is home to about 18 Royal Bengal tigers and more than 300 elephants, according to state government figures.

Article at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Jairam-shoots-off-missives-over-chopper-movement-in-tiger-reserve/articleshow/7128048.cms#ixzz18jopoe7F

[Mrudul Godbole]

Some more news update..

Ramesh recommends ban on low-altitude flying in tiger reserves
New Delhi, Dec 18, (PTI) :

Environment Ministry has recommended a ban on low altitude flying in tiger reserves in the wake of the alleged aircraft violation over the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Orissa by BJD MP Baijayant Panda.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel asking them to protect reserves from such violations, said ministry officials here.

"The letters have been faxed to both Patnaik and Patel," said an official, adding that the ministry took exception to Panda, who violated Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The incident of alleged violation of green laws by the Biju Janta Dal (BJD) MP was reported by local media in the first week of this month.

Opposition Congress had demanded a probe into the incident and sought action against the MP, who allegedly flew the chopper at a low altitude over Satkosia, which was declared as a tiger reserve in 2007.

State's wildlife activists had also written to the Environment Ministry seeking action against the MP for flying at very low altitude without taking permission from the wild life authority, which is home to about 18 Royal Bengal tigers.

Link - http://www.deccanherald.com/content/121760/ramesh-recommends-ban-low-altitude.html