Wetland wonderland (The Hindu- 23 Sep 2012)

N. SHIVA KUMAR

Marine wealth: A colourful sea anemone. Photos: N. Shiva Kumar Aerial roots: Helps mangrove trees to breathe despite high tides. Crustaceans' delight: A wide variety of crabs are found in mangrove forests. Tourist potential: Mangrove saplings planted on Gujarat coast. Subjected to plunder and deforestation for years, people are finally waking up to the role mangrove forests play in containing erosion, de-polluting air and maintaining a healthy marine ecology Just as the Olympics are conducted once in four years, environmentalists across the globe also hold their mega meeting once in four years. While the more dramatic Olympics grab headlines, the ‘green guys’ do not get any publicity on that scale, even though the proceedings on natural science directly impacts all living creatures, including mankind. This year, the World Conservation Congress was held in Korea in the quest to use nature for resolving the growing list of economic and social issues. Conducted by IUCN — International Union for Conservation of Nature, from September 1 to 15, its agenda was to find pragmatic solutions to environmental and developmental challenges in the world. One of the major decisions taken in the congress was to prepare the Red List of Ecosystems that will harmonise the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and other IUCN knowledge products. When used together, ecosystem and species red lists will provide the most informative indicator of the status of biological diversity at national and global levels. Also in focus are the sensitive mangrove ecosystems which are unique but underrated and one of the least considered of all the ecologically niches until the world shattering tsunamis of 2004 and 2011 happened. Thankfully, mangroves are now credited for taming the tides against tempests and safeguarding valuable wildlife and sensitive shorelines. Mangroves are unique jungles and one of the most productive wetlands on earth. Yet, these coastal tropical forests are among the most threatened habitats. They may be disappearing faster than tropical rainforests, and so far, with little public notice. Lavishly growing in the inter-tidal areas and river mouths between land and sea, mangroves provide critical habitat for a diverse marine and terrestrial flora and fauna. Healthy mangrove forests are key to a healthy marine ecology and wildlife that thrives in this breathtaking wonderland. Endowed with 7517 km long coastline, the Indian subcontinent is rich in mangrove forests, but it is being ruthlessly plundered. However, management of mangroves in India is also slowly picking up, especially in the west coast, on the east coast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. According to the government in 1987, India lost 40 per cent of its mangrove area in the last century. Rapid industrialisation, pollution and increasing population has resulted in degradation of mangroves. Even though legal protection exists to protect this ecosystem under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, are the people actually aware of this? Very few citizens are responsive to mangrove forests and even fewer have ever seen them. Even those who have seen them will not appreciate their splendour at face value, until the nuances are explained. On a visit to Andaman Islands, just before the 2004 tsunami, mangroves skirted the islands but nobody spoke of the greenery. We were only told of the beautiful beaches and blue lagoons. Nevertheless, on my more recent visit to Sundarbans in West Bengal, the forest that lies snugly in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal, there seems to be more respect for this remarkable jungle of undergrowth. Formed by the confluence of many rivers, the Sundarbans is often flooded with a mixture of freshwater and seawater. The interplay of low tide and high tide is one of the miracles of mangroves where tiny islands are created everyday and vanish the next day. It is rated as the most dynamic and dramatic landscape on earth. The Sundarbans mangrove covers 10,000 sq km of which about 6,000 sq km is in Bangladesh and rest in India. Due to its vital wealth and statistics, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This exceptional water world is an amalgamation of creeks, canals and serpentine rivers of varying width from a few meters to several km. Travelling in a watercraft for two full days from sun up to sundown and gazing at the amazing maze of jungles made me dizzy. The wealth of vegetation was so astounding, that even my two decades of nature watching did not help me recognise even a single species of plant. I was merrily shooting to capture flora and fauna specially adapted to this unique landscape as visual documentary. Hemant Karkhanis of Godrej Marine Ecology Centre from Bombay says that mangroves not only act as buffer zones between the land and sea but also protect the golden sands from constant erosion. They are perfect breeding and nursery grounds for a variety of marine animals, good source of timber, fuel and fodder. They also purify the water by absorbing impurities and help us to breathe cleaner air by absorbing the pollutants in the air. In the future, they are a potential source for recreation and tourism.

जानलेवा हो सकता है अदरक जागरण संवाददाता, बाहरी दिल्ली : स्वास्थ्य के लिए लाभकारी अदरक खरीदने से पहले सचेत हो जाइए। राजधानी में धड़ल्ले से अदरक की तेजाब से धुलाई हो रही है। ऐसा अदरक की चमक बरकरार रखने के लिए किया जा रहा है, लेकिन यह लोगों के लिए मौत की वजह बन सकती है। स्वास्थ्य विशेषज्ञ का मानना है कि तेजाब से अदरक को धोने से न केवल उसका औषधीय गुण कम होता है, बल्कि इसका लंबे समय तक सेवन से कई जानलेवा बीमारियां होने का भी खतरा रहता है। इस मुद्दे को लेकर 17 सितंबर को नगर निगम उत्तरी सदन में हुई बैठक में उठाए गए सवाल पर निगम आयुक्त पी के गुप्ता ने जांच के आदेश भी दिए थे, लेकिन राजधानी में यह कार्य बदस्तूर जारी है। अधिकारी की नाक के नीचे चल रहा है अवैध धंधा : आजादपुर मंडी के आसपास केइलाके में अदरक में चमक पैदा करने के लिए तेजाब से धोने का धंधा तो सालों से चल ही रहा है, इसके अलावा यह खेल आजादपुर मंडी कृषि उत्पाद विपणन कमेटी (एपीएमसी) परिसर में भी चल रहा है, लेकिन इसके आला अधिकारी को इसकी भनक तक नहीं है। एपीएमसी के चेयरमैन राजेंद्र शर्मा ने बताया कि उन्हें इस बात की जानकारी नहीं है, लेकिन उन्होंने भरोसा दिलाया कि अगर ऐसा है तो तत्काल इसपर रोक लगाई जाएगी और फलों व सब्जियों की धुलाई की निगरानी के लिए अधिकारियों को नियुक्त किया जाएगा। जागरण टीम ने भी लिया जायजा : दैनिक जागरण टीम ने बृहस्पतिवार को सराय पीपल थला, भड़ौला गांव व यहां की झुग्गियों में चल रहे इस गैर कानूनी धंधे का जायजा लिया और इसे अपने कैमरे में कैद किया। इन इलाकों की तंग गलियों में दो से ढ़ाई हजार रुपये में झुग्गियों व मकानों को किराए पर लेकर इस धंधे को अंजाम दिया जा रहा है। अप्रवासी मजदूरों द्वारा पानी में तेजाब मिलाकर अदरक धोते पाया गया। इन जगहों पर तेजाब की भरी व खाली बोतलें भी पाई गई। अदरक को मंडी से ढेले व टैंपों से ले जाया जाता है। कहीं-कहीं तो बडे़ पैमाने पर यह काम चल रहा है और चालीस से पचास बोरियां धुलाई के लिए रखीं गई हैं। कई मकान व झुग्गियां अंदर से बंद थी। काफी कोशिश के बाद भी उसके अंदर मौजूद व्यक्ति दरवाजा खोलने को राजी नहीं हुआ। दिल्ली में भारी खपत है अदरक की : आजादपुर मंडी में पश्चिम बंगाल व दक्षिण भारत से रोजाना औसतन 12 से 15 टन अदरक की आवक है। किसान मिट्टी युक्त अदरक को लेकर मंडी में पहुंचते हैं, जहां थोक कारोबारियों को बेच दिया जाता है। अब यहां के कारोबारियों द्वारा अदरक की धुलाई के बाद इसे खुदरा दुकानदारों को बेचा जाता है, लेकिन कम समय में धुलाई होने व चमक पैदा करने के लिए तेजाब का प्रयोग किया जाता है। दिल्ली खाद्य सुरक्षा आयुक्त के. जे. वर्मन ने कहा कि उनका विभाग इस मामले की जांच कराएगा। यदि इस प्रकार की गतिविधि हो रही है, तो निश्चित तौर पर इसमें शामिल लोगों के खिलाफ कड़ी कार्रवाई की जाएगी। उन्होंने कहा कि वे मंडियों से जुड़े अधिकारियों से भी कहेंगे कि इस मामले को गंभीरता से लें और ऐसे किसी भी धंधे को रोकने के लिए तत्काल कदम उठाएं।

The Hindu : Today's Paper / MISCELLANEOUS : Wetland wonderland

The Hindu : Today's Paper / MISCELLANEOUS : Wetland wonderland

The Hindu : Opinion / Open Page : Beware the loss of biodiversity

The Hindu : Opinion / Open Page : Beware the loss of biodiversity

Beware the loss of biodiversity (The Hindu 23 Sep. 2012)

Prof. P. J. Sanjeeva Raj

Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety or richness of ecosystems, species composition therein, and their genetic diversity too. Professor Edward O. Wilson, Harvard visionary of biodiversity, observes that the current rate of biodiversity loss is perhaps the highest since the loss of dinosaurs about 65 million years ago during the Mesozoic era, when humans had not appeared. He regrets that if such indiscriminate annihilation of all biodiversity from the face of the earth happens for anthropogenic reasons, as has been seen now, it is sure to force humanity into an emotional shock and trauma of loneliness and helplessness on this planet. He believes that the current wave of biodiversity loss is sure to lead us into an age that may be appropriately called the “Eremozoic Era, the Age of Loneliness.” Loss of biodiversity is a much greater threat to human survival than even climate change. Both could act, synergistically too, to escalate human extinction faster. Biodiversity is so indispensable for human survival that the United Nations General Assembly has designated the decade 2011- 2020 as the ‘Biodiversity Decade’ with the chief objective of enabling humans to live peaceably or harmoniously with nature and its biodiversity. We should be happy that during October 1-19, 2012, XI Conference of Parties (CoP-11), a global mega event on biodiversity, is taking place in Hyderabad, when delegates from 193 party countries are expected to meet. They will review the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was originally introduced at the Earth Summit or the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Riode Janeiro in 1992. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is the nodal agency for CoP-11. Today, India is one of the 17 mega-diverse (richest biodiversity) countries. Biodiversity provides all basic needs for our healthy survival — oxygen, food, medicines, fibre, fuel, energy, fertilizers, fodder and waste-disposal, etc. Fast vanishing honeybees, dragonflies, bats, frogs, house sparrows, filter (suspension)-feeder oysters and all keystone species are causing great economic loss as well as posing an imminent threat to human peace and survival. The three-fold biodiversity mission before us is to inventorise the existing biodiversity, conserve it, and, above all, equitably share the sustainable benefits out of it. Unique role

Urban Jungle

Footpaths maketh a city G. Ananthakrishnan A footpath in Saidapet, Chennai. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

The Hindu A footpath in Saidapet, Chennai. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao The single biggest activity promoting good health is walking, but Chennai is notorious for its hostility to walkers. Governments investing tax money of citizens should naturally consider whether their projects benefit the maximum number of people. At the very least, they should refrain from spending money in a way that adds to the misery of the population. Chennai’s administrators are colossal failures in this regard. To them, a good city is measured by ever wider roads, no footpaths, and constantly flowing vehicular traffic — and they will not hesitate to spend staggering amounts to ensure that. Our civic leaders should rethink their unintelligent policy approaches for a variety of reasons. Here are some compelling ones. There is a strong connection between the nature of the city — or built environment — and public health. The single biggest, near-universal activity that promotes good health is walking, but Chennai is now globally notorious for its hostility towards walkers — the Union ministry of urban development notes that the city has the worst ‘walkabililty index’ among comparable centres in the country, with non-existent or unusable footpaths. How badly Chennai is faring can be assessed from the gap between official standards for road infrastructure, and that followed by agencies such as the Corporation of Chennai. Roads must have foothpaths — a minimum of 1.8 metres wide — on both sides, with non-mountable kerbs. That desirable standard was identified not long ago by a chief engineer of the Union ministry of road transport and highways at a national meeting on pedestrian safety. A somewhat outdated standard of the Indian Roads Congress recommends, among other things, that footpaths on both sides must be at least 1.5 metres wide, with even wider footpaths at bus stops. Those who have lived in Chennai for long, including in the 1980s when we became a ‘car nation’, would remember such footpaths along Anna Road and other places. The city then fell prey to ‘road widening’, a walkers’ scourge that continues. To return to public health, there is a clear link between walking and prevention of chronic diseases (diabetes and hypertension are prominent here). A study of users of a light railway system in the United States found that the risk of a higher Body Mass Index and obesity was reduced for those who walked regularly to the railway. Earlier studies have found similar correlations. Now that we will have a metro rail and already use other railways and buses, would it not help to have more walkability? The city with the worst walkability score shows little understanding of universal design — the principle which says making things better for everyone makes them better for the disabled too. If our leaders can therefore unlearn their faulty policies and improve walking infrastructure, the city can help tens of thousands of disabled people — including the growing population of those with age-related disabilities. Did you know, for example, that every year, at least 3,500 persons in Chennai undergo knee replacement for relief from arthritic pain? These people need smooth footpaths to walk, as do all of us. So when spending precious public funds, our car-borne, treadmill-loving policymakers should put walkers first.

उड़ीसा में सात लोगों को जिंदा जला डाला (Rashtriya Sahara- 01 May 2011)

बेहरमपुर (उड़ीसा) (एजेंसी)। उग्र भीड़ ने यहां से लगभग साठ किलोमीटर दूर गंजम जिले में स्थित पत्थर तोड़ने की एक इकाई में एक महिला समेत सात लोगों को जलाकर मार डाला। एक वरिष्ठ पुलिस अधिकारी ने शनिवार को यहां यह जानकारी दी। उप पुलिस महानिरीक्षक (दक्षिण रेंज) आरके शर्मा ने बताया कि छह लोग इतनी बुरी तरह से जल गए हैं कि उनकी पहचान ही नहीं की जा सकती। इनलोगों का जला हुआ शव एक कमरे के अंदर से मिला है। उन्होंने कहा, हमें संदेह है कि हमलावरों ने डीजल या पेट्रोल का इस्तेमाल किया था।'

उन्होंने कहा कि हालांकि आग बुझाने के लिए असका और हिंजिली से दमकल की गाड़ियां घटनास्थल पर पहुंच गई थीं लेकिन दुर्भाग्यवश किसी को बचाया नहीं जा सका। शर्मा ने कहा कि इस इलाके में अक्सर स्थानीय लोगों की पत्थर तोड़ने की इकाइयों के मालिकों के साथ झड़प होने की सूचनाएं मिलती रहती हैं। स्थानीय लोगों को इलाके में पत्थर तोड़ने के लिए विस्फोट कराए जाने पर घोर आपत्ति है।