Mrudul Godbole
03-02-2011, 10:43 PM
Tortoise sanctuary may be cleared of sand dunes
Rajeev Dikshit, TNN, Feb 3, 2011, 10.15pm IST
VARANASI: Shape of the river bed of the Ganga in Varanasi is changing due to excessive sedimentation. Thus, the forest department has decided to forward a fresh proposal to the government of India for the constitution of a team of experts to find ways for removal of sand dunes from area falling under the tortoise sanctuary.
Divisional forest officer of Kashi Wildlife Division (KWD) PP Verma disclosed: "We will send a proposal to the Central Wildlife Board through the State Wildlife Board to find scientific ways for removing the sand from tortoise sanctuary. The proposal will be sent in a day or two." Lesser water and its weak current are considered to be major reasons for the heavy sedimentation, not only on the eastern banks of the Ganga but also in the middle of the river at many places.
Attention of the district administration was drawn towards heavy sedimentation and emergence of sand dunes in the middle of river in 2009. When some local groups raised an alarm that the scenic ghats along the Ganga in this oldest living city were in danger, the then district magistrate (DM) AK Upadhyaya started correspondence with the state government to constitute a team of experts to asses the threat posed to ghats.
Records of the divisional forest office showed that in November 16, 2009 the DM was replied through a letter that as the area between Ramnagar Fort and Malviya Bridge had been declared as tortoise sanctuary, removal of sand from the area was not possible. That area was declared a tortoise sanctuary on December 21, 1989. According to KWD, as per the Wildlife (Conservation) Act-1972, sand mining in the protected zone of sanctuary is prohibited as tortoises lay eggs in the sand on river banks. Thus, sand mining on the eastern bank of the river was completely banned. It resulted in creation of high dunes on the eastern bank of the Ganga which resulted in increasing pressure of stream on the opposite bank where historical ghats existed. Due to the changing pressure of river stream, ghat steps started eroding.
After receiving a reply from the forest department, the district administration put the issue on the backburner. But, for the past few weeks, the boatmen fraternity has adopted a warpath again for the removal of sanctuary. It compelled the officials to seek remedial steps. Verma said the issue had been taken up seriously. Forest department sources said by making provisions to spare some islands for nesting and egging of tortoises, sand could be removed to maintain the shape of river. But, Verma said any decision could be taken by the government of India only.
How many tortoises are there anyway?
Between 1987 and 2010, around 33,356 tortoises have been released in the Ganga by the Kashi Wildlife Division's tortoise breeding centre, Sarnath. But, how many of these tortoises are actually present in the sanctuary is a billion dollar question.
The KWD has no tool to gauge whether tortoises are staying in the limits of the sanctuary. Divisional forest officer PP Verma said: "This question is being asked for a long time. But, we cannot confine a living being to an area, especially when it has been released in flowing water. But, as no report has ever been heard about the death of animals like tortoises or crocodiles in the Ganga at a time, it is sure that they are present somewhere in the river."
Though the stretch of seven kilometres of river from Rajghat to Ramnagar Fort was declared as wildlife protected zone in 1989, the breeding centre in Sarnath started work in 1987. By the end of GAP-I in 1993, 28,920 tortoises were released in the Ganga. An investment of Rs 91.97 lakh was made by the government. With the end of GAP-I, the tortoise breeding project was also stopped in 1993. The forest department started reviving the project from 2005 again.
Keeping the requirements of the place, four carnivorous species of tortoises viz Aspederitiz Gangetic, Geoclamis Hamiltonai, Chitra Indica and Lasimous species were selected. The eggs of those species were brought from the nests of tortoises situated along the Yamuna and the Chambal to the breeding centre. As many as 230 species of tortoises existed on the earth out of which 33 are available in India. In UP, only 13 species of tortoises exist. These four species were selected to make Ganga free of bio-pollutants.
Can the sanctuary be shifted to the up or down stream of the Ganga?
The forest department officials find it impossible as once any area is declared as a wildlife sanctuary, no major changes can be done. The forest officials are also of the opinion that shifting of this sanctuary is also not in the interests of the Ganga.
Though the forest officials did not tell why it was not in the interest of the river, an answer could be found in the unplanned growth along the western bank of the Ganga and direct disposal of sewage at many points. Agencies like Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) have not succeeded in putting a check on the mushrooming of illegal colonies as well as buildings on the western bank. These developments have only increased pollution in the Ganga.
Thus, a possibility of the emergence of similar colonies and buildings on the eastern bank of the Ganga, courtesy land mafia, could not be denied with the shifting of the tortoise sanctuary. It will increase the problem of sewage and other waste disposal in the Ganga. VDA has already planned to develop an institutional hub just after the sand bed along the Ganga on its eastern bank.
When DFO PP Verma was contacted, he said: "The sanctuary area was not getting disturbed by the VDA project. But, a green belt would have to be developed as the boundary wall of sanctuary area." He said eco-tourism could also be permitted in the area of sanctuary as per the environment laws, but the sanctuary could neither be shifted nor major changes be made.
Link - Tortoise sanctuary may be cleared of sand dunes - The Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Tortoise-sanctuary-may-be-cleared-of-sand-dunes/articleshow/7420436.cms#ixzz1Cv1rlxZr)
Rajeev Dikshit, TNN, Feb 3, 2011, 10.15pm IST
VARANASI: Shape of the river bed of the Ganga in Varanasi is changing due to excessive sedimentation. Thus, the forest department has decided to forward a fresh proposal to the government of India for the constitution of a team of experts to find ways for removal of sand dunes from area falling under the tortoise sanctuary.
Divisional forest officer of Kashi Wildlife Division (KWD) PP Verma disclosed: "We will send a proposal to the Central Wildlife Board through the State Wildlife Board to find scientific ways for removing the sand from tortoise sanctuary. The proposal will be sent in a day or two." Lesser water and its weak current are considered to be major reasons for the heavy sedimentation, not only on the eastern banks of the Ganga but also in the middle of the river at many places.
Attention of the district administration was drawn towards heavy sedimentation and emergence of sand dunes in the middle of river in 2009. When some local groups raised an alarm that the scenic ghats along the Ganga in this oldest living city were in danger, the then district magistrate (DM) AK Upadhyaya started correspondence with the state government to constitute a team of experts to asses the threat posed to ghats.
Records of the divisional forest office showed that in November 16, 2009 the DM was replied through a letter that as the area between Ramnagar Fort and Malviya Bridge had been declared as tortoise sanctuary, removal of sand from the area was not possible. That area was declared a tortoise sanctuary on December 21, 1989. According to KWD, as per the Wildlife (Conservation) Act-1972, sand mining in the protected zone of sanctuary is prohibited as tortoises lay eggs in the sand on river banks. Thus, sand mining on the eastern bank of the river was completely banned. It resulted in creation of high dunes on the eastern bank of the Ganga which resulted in increasing pressure of stream on the opposite bank where historical ghats existed. Due to the changing pressure of river stream, ghat steps started eroding.
After receiving a reply from the forest department, the district administration put the issue on the backburner. But, for the past few weeks, the boatmen fraternity has adopted a warpath again for the removal of sanctuary. It compelled the officials to seek remedial steps. Verma said the issue had been taken up seriously. Forest department sources said by making provisions to spare some islands for nesting and egging of tortoises, sand could be removed to maintain the shape of river. But, Verma said any decision could be taken by the government of India only.
How many tortoises are there anyway?
Between 1987 and 2010, around 33,356 tortoises have been released in the Ganga by the Kashi Wildlife Division's tortoise breeding centre, Sarnath. But, how many of these tortoises are actually present in the sanctuary is a billion dollar question.
The KWD has no tool to gauge whether tortoises are staying in the limits of the sanctuary. Divisional forest officer PP Verma said: "This question is being asked for a long time. But, we cannot confine a living being to an area, especially when it has been released in flowing water. But, as no report has ever been heard about the death of animals like tortoises or crocodiles in the Ganga at a time, it is sure that they are present somewhere in the river."
Though the stretch of seven kilometres of river from Rajghat to Ramnagar Fort was declared as wildlife protected zone in 1989, the breeding centre in Sarnath started work in 1987. By the end of GAP-I in 1993, 28,920 tortoises were released in the Ganga. An investment of Rs 91.97 lakh was made by the government. With the end of GAP-I, the tortoise breeding project was also stopped in 1993. The forest department started reviving the project from 2005 again.
Keeping the requirements of the place, four carnivorous species of tortoises viz Aspederitiz Gangetic, Geoclamis Hamiltonai, Chitra Indica and Lasimous species were selected. The eggs of those species were brought from the nests of tortoises situated along the Yamuna and the Chambal to the breeding centre. As many as 230 species of tortoises existed on the earth out of which 33 are available in India. In UP, only 13 species of tortoises exist. These four species were selected to make Ganga free of bio-pollutants.
Can the sanctuary be shifted to the up or down stream of the Ganga?
The forest department officials find it impossible as once any area is declared as a wildlife sanctuary, no major changes can be done. The forest officials are also of the opinion that shifting of this sanctuary is also not in the interests of the Ganga.
Though the forest officials did not tell why it was not in the interest of the river, an answer could be found in the unplanned growth along the western bank of the Ganga and direct disposal of sewage at many points. Agencies like Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) have not succeeded in putting a check on the mushrooming of illegal colonies as well as buildings on the western bank. These developments have only increased pollution in the Ganga.
Thus, a possibility of the emergence of similar colonies and buildings on the eastern bank of the Ganga, courtesy land mafia, could not be denied with the shifting of the tortoise sanctuary. It will increase the problem of sewage and other waste disposal in the Ganga. VDA has already planned to develop an institutional hub just after the sand bed along the Ganga on its eastern bank.
When DFO PP Verma was contacted, he said: "The sanctuary area was not getting disturbed by the VDA project. But, a green belt would have to be developed as the boundary wall of sanctuary area." He said eco-tourism could also be permitted in the area of sanctuary as per the environment laws, but the sanctuary could neither be shifted nor major changes be made.
Link - Tortoise sanctuary may be cleared of sand dunes - The Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Tortoise-sanctuary-may-be-cleared-of-sand-dunes/articleshow/7420436.cms#ixzz1Cv1rlxZr)