The Hindu Business Line : `Earth Heroes' bag ABN-Amro awards

A WOMAN looks at the photo of Turtles by Dr Manoj C. Sindagi, which won the first prize at the Sanctuary - ABN-Amro Wildlife Photography Contest in Mumbai. The picture was shot at Nagarahole National park, Karnataka. — Paul Noronha

Mumbai , Dec. 7

ABN-Amro Bank has sanctioned a Rs 80-lakh grant for rehabilitating the displaced tribals of Melghat and will work with the micro-finance institution BASIX.

The bank will also set up a 500-member `green task force' among its employees through a certification programme in association with Sanctuary magazine.

For the seventh year, the ABN-Amro wildlife awards were given to "Earth Heroes" - men and women who have stood up in defence of the environment. "Environment and development need not be at loggerheads with each other," said Paul Abraham, Managing Director, ABN-Amro.

While it might seem like a drop in the ocean, the awardees say India Inc has at least begun to lend its name to what might otherwise be a forgotten cause.

"Corporate support for environment conservation is virtually absent. So, such recognition is more than welcome," said Prof NW Kale, who received the Green Teacher Award.

Prof Kale and Prakash Laddha have been actively involved in creating awareness and sensitising students in the Satpuda region of central India. Besides environmental education, they have also been involved in community conservation.

"Earth Heroes" come from all walks of life. The Lifetime Achievement award went to the herpetologist Romulus Whitaker - who founded the Snake Park in Guindy, Chennai and then the Madras Crocodile Bank and Centre for Herpetology in Mahabalipuram.

An American by birth, Whitaker has been the Vice-Chairman for the Crocodile Specialist Group IUCN for several years and is currently spearheading a campaign to bring the Gharial back from extinction.

Pradeep Vyas and the Sundarbans Patrolling Team received the "Wildlife Service Award" for their efforts towards securing the Sundarban Tiger Reserve and improving relations between the surrounding villages and park authorities. Dr Dharmendra Khandal from Rajasthan is a tiger conservationist who has worked in Ranthambore and received the award for the rehabilitation of the families of poachers from the Moghiya tribe.

The awards also went to Nitin Desai, a conservationist battling the illegal trade in wildlife, Praveen Bhargava who has worked towards conserving forests of Bhadra, Kudremukh and Nagarahole; and Mohammad Firoz Ahmed, a wildlife biologist and environment educator in Assam.

The Young Naturalist Award went to Bajrang Bishnoi from Rajasthan who lost two of his teeth protecting desert animals from poachers.

Other recipients were Sameer Kehimkar, a snake rescuer and herpetologist from Maharashtra, and Hakabhai Makawana from Gujarat, a coconut cutter who has been working to save vultures.

The "Wind under the Wings Award" went to NDTV for supporting Swati Thyagarajan in the production of the TV series "Born Wild".

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