The Hindu Business Line : Live and let live

ON the Andheri-Powai Lake stretch in Mumbai, a traveller in a bus or auto has to take in vehicle fumes or dust from frequent road repairs. Powai Lake and the IIT campus on its shores at the far end makes one cheerful even if one is unaware of the flora and fauna of the Lake and the high science taught at IIT. One could spot some egrets at around 9 in the morning on the way to a seminar held by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) last week. My good friend Kishor Rithe and his young friends were discussing the habits and status of the Spotted owlet (Athene blewitti). Three to five birds are left in the Toranmal Reserve Forest of Shahada, in Maharashtra, while in Melghat, where Kishor has done interesting work on the bird, the population size is better.

Through the day, the bird sits at one place, preferably in the junctions formed by branches of any soft tree. "One day I watched a bird which stayed at one place from 9 in the morning to around 5 in the evening. Apparently, it defecates every day at the same time, probably at the same spot. The bird tries one's patience," Kishor told me. Tribals are cutting down the nesting trees to get hold of a few eggs, which they keep at home for bringing good luck.

At the seminar, BNHS distributed a few studies on Indian wildlife such as A Look at Threatened Species, Defending Wild India, an issue of the Hornbill and the 100th Volume of the Journal of the BNHS. For ordinary human beings the Journal is a tough proposition being loaded with biological science. This writer read the other publications and was quite hurt at the large number of endangered species. Sloth bear, sarus crane, hispid hare, forest owlet, yellow-throated bulbul, vultures, Jerdon's Courser, Andaman Teal and the list goes on.

The Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus), is found in the tall grasslands of the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal, and its sad tale is well told by Gopinathan Maheswaran. It's a globally endangered lagomorph (any of the various gnawing animals). At present, there are just about 25-30 Hispid hares in the area as the habitat has been disturbed by roads with the grass being cut by tribals for building homes. The author pleads for a change in the pattern of grassland burning as it coincides with the breeding season of the animal. The Hispid hare is just one example of habitat disturbance by tribals, who cannot be blamed as their livelihood is in danger with dams and roads being built across the country without their consent.

From the days of Maharajas to the British period and the years of independence, tribals, animals and forests have had no say in wildlife management. Is there anyway to keep alive India's tribals, from whom forests have been snatched, and the wildlife therein? Mahesh Rangarajan recalls a 1979 speech of M. Krishnan, "where the savant referred to the choices before the conservation movement being between Emperor Ashoka's method of setting aside and forcefully protecting Abhyaranyas and those of Vedanthangal i.e. those of protection by the local communities... . With the maturing of democratic practices the local communities i.e. the disadvantaged sections are asserting themselves as never before and Ashoka's and Vedanthangal's approaches are now locked in a contest for supremacy." Is a contest necessary?

There are some who see the issue as one between keeping intact forest and speedy development. Development, the western way, places the markets above forests but India need not adopt that model. Recently, BNHS has come up with a Green Governance Programme supported by the ICICI Bank, which has promised to put in Rs 50 lakh to sensitise bankers on environment.

At present, huge projects get okayed by banks and the affected parties move courts. Projects get stalled apart from there being heavy cost over-runs. The BNHS would like to avoid the tangle provided bankers and corporates believe in preserving the little left of India's fabulous forest wealth. Not many are enthused but the experiment is worth a try. Most Indian corporates have ruined extant forests and coastlines while putting up projects and now the Indian Government is keen on the hazardous job of linking rivers, building huge dams in the North-East and laying highways without any concern for the forests, a major tribal habitat. For instance, will the Indian Government revise its stand or at least give a hearing to tribals, wild life experts and others before pushing for the Lower Subansiri Dam in the North-East? Over the last week one got a firm assurance from Lt. General Vinayak Patankar, Quarter Master General, that the army, which is the biggest landowner in the country, will turn green all field stations and cantonments as a policy. Will promises be honoured?

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Live and let live

Alternative jobs for Shahtoosh shawl workers urged

Call to set up mini theatres for kids' films

Red alert for flora & fauna