Stop constructions inside Ranthambore, SC panel tells state

Stop constructions inside Ranthambore, SC panel tells state
TNN, Mar 15, 2011, 04.54am IST

JAIPUR: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court has directed the state government to bring all such activities to a stop at the Ranthambore National Park that violates the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 or directives of the apex court.

The CEC directive follows a petition filed by Belinda Wright, executive director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India.

In the petition, Wright had alleged that the state forest department has been undertaking massive construction work at the national park which is violative of provisions in the law.

The CEC's directives to S Ahmad, chief secretary, Rajasthan, has also sought a response to the petition from the state government.

Sources said during her recent visit to the park, Wrigth came across massive construction work inside for a project undertaken by the forest department for constructing 20 big dams each costing between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 75 lakh. Later, she filed a petition with the CEC.

The department has already constructed more than 100 small anicuts and 20 ponds. Excavation work is also on for Bhanwardha Dam in the Berdha area with the use of excavator machines and explosives.

Heavy excavator machines and pneumatic drills are being used and blasting conducted for the constructions inside the park and wildlife experts pointed out that these activities are creating immense stress for the wild animals.

"A number of cement anicuts and earth dams have also been constructed around Galai Sagar while the Tambakhan road has been dug out and widened with a JCB machine, apparently to facilitate use of this road by tourist vehicles going to Zone 4," a wildlife activists said.

The Supreme Court in an order dated February 14, 2000, has prohibited any non-forest activity like felling of trees, removal of biomass and miscellaneous construction activity in protected forest areas without prior permission from it.

Wildlife activists feel that the current construction being undertaken inside the park will create disturbance in the natural eco-system of Ranthambore causing irreversible damage.

On the anvil is another anicut at Adi Dagar, beyond Lakardah, in a nullah that runs from Lakardah to Bakola. The area, however, has a number of perennial waterholes that provide water for the wild animals, especially during the critical summer months. This is where the tigress Machali' (T-16) spent the summer of 2010, making its kills around the waterholes.

"All the proposed and execution sites of the construction are breeding areas of tigers. These dams will ruin them completely. If construction begins, tigers will move out from these territories -- something that can be attributed to the wide straying of tigers from the park these days. The flora of this xeric and arid environment when exposed to excess water, which would get collected in these dams, will be damaged. Similarly, the fauna, too, will be affected as the moisture content of the soil will increase which disturbs the burrowing animals largely," an expert said.

However, forest department officials feel that last summer the park was under severe stress due to scarcity of water and it is necessary to build additional water bodies to fight the arid summers becoming tougher by the years due to climate change.

Link - Stop constructions inside Ranthambore, SC panel tells state - Times Of India

The forest department appears to be in a mission to concretise Ranthambhore. They have constructed numerous concrete check dams, some of those ill advised. There is regular movement of construction equipment and tractors etc. Add to that the din created by the noisy tourists. The level of sound pollution in our wilderness areas is amazing. Can our wildlife stay in peace?

I am happy that the Hon'ble Supreme Court has given directives to stop this madness.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi