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How can Government hold “Public hearing” legally for
buffer notification?
Press Release
After the reports appearing
in one or two news papers about the “public hearing” on
notifying buffer area of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 scheduled on 25th
February 2010, Satpuda Foundation has taken a strong
objection and called it as an another attempt from
mining lobby.
Kishor Rithe, President of
Satpuda Foundation has issued the press release today
and strongly objected on any such “Public hearing” if at
all it is being scheduled. The “public hearing” or
“Public consultation” is conducted under Environment
Protection Act 1986 for certain projects and Tadoba
Andhari Tiger Reserve buffer does not fall under such
project. How can anybody call a "public hearing" on
this?
Kishor Rithe who was also a
member on the committee to notify the buffer of
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve has stated that the
“buffer” of Tadoba Andhari Critical Tiger Habitat is
getting notified under Wildlife Protection Act 1972 as
amended in 2006.
The Field Director had
already consulted all 79 villages in the buffer of TATR
and had submitted their views by the report to the
“buffer” committee. The wildlife wing had promised to
address their fuel wood, fodder issues through a
comprehensive management plan and finally the state
committee had recommended the “buffer”.
The state Government can now
straight issue the notification of buffer. We had
already pointed out this delay in issuing notification
to Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Mr. B. P. Pandey
in presence of Mr. Jairam Ramesh the Union Minister for
Environment and Forest during their recent visit to TATR
on 26th and 27th January 2010.
Arranging any “public
hearing” or “Public consultation” again, may attract the
legal implications. “The possibility of some efforts by
mining lobby to oppose the buffer by raising some
irrelevant issues can not be ruled out”, Satpuda
Foundation stated further.
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International course concluded successfully
The 20 days long international course
organised by Satpuda Foundation in collaboration with
the S.G.B. Amravati University, Amravati, Environment
Education and Conservation Global (EECG), USA, Wildlife
Department of Maharashtra and Nature Conservation
Society, Amravati (NCSA) in ‘Education as a tool for
species conservation with a focus on tiger in India’
concluded successfully.
The course was conducted from November 2 to 20, 2009 at
Amravati. This is the first such course of international
importance which has been organised in India. The course
was modelled after course that EECG has conducted in
cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution in China,
Malaysia, Thailand, and Namibia.
18 selected delegates from Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh
and different parts of India participated in this
course. You may read about the course in the report
here.
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Be a
Wildlife Conservation Trainer!
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How to conduct nature study camp?
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How to guide nature walks-explaining
bio-diversity importance properly? What to explain
students going for a nature walk in the jungle?
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How to conduct different nature
games?
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How to conduct different field
assignments (on conservation and livelihood issues)
given to students?
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Time Management and activity
management.
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Jungle ethics, Discipline required
for sustainable living.
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The ways of giving back to mother
earth something----Learning at Muthawa centre.
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You will get ample knowledge about
hard-core conservation issues through lectures of
experts.
Nature
Conservation Society Amravati and Satpuda Foundation has
launched a joint programme for young conservationist to
become a professional "Wildlife Conservation Trainer"
The interested young nature lovers would be given an
opportunity to learn the training techniques under the
experts like Prof. Nishikant Kale, Kishor Rithe, Prof.
Prakash Laddha and Dr. G.N. Vankhede. The specialised
training would be given while conducting different
training programmes for CBSE school students in Melghat.
The young nature lovers can apply for this programme.
If
selected, you would be provided an opportunity to
participate in the training programme. You will get the
certificate of completion at the end of the programme.
If the person undergoes at least 4 such training
programmes, we will assess them and award them the
certificate as a "Wildlife Conservation Trainer". We
will also provide these qualified trainers an
opportunity to work with NCSA and SF in arranging
several training programmes for us in the Satpuda
Landscape for which they will also receive honorarium
along with travel and other expenses.
Qualification: You should
have completed your graduation (in any branch) but MUST
have a passion to become the wildlife conservation
trainer.
The
Training fees: The
training fees for trainees would be only Rs.500 per
course. This includes mainly their food expenses. They
need to bear their own travel and other expenses. Free
accommodation and training material.
Win this
opportunity today only! Apply for Feb and March training
programmes as follows-
1 Feb-6
Feb 2010
15 Feb-20
Feb 2010
22 Feb to
27 Feb 2010
12 March
to 16 March 2010
Selection: The applicants
should contact-Rajashree Khalap (
rajashree.khalap@gmail.com), Manish Sawankar (
manish.sawankar@gmail.com) and Dinesh Kothari (dineshkothari1@gmail.com)
and submit their applications. We encourage electronic
communication only. The applicants would be informed
about their selection in six working days from the date
of their application.

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New year's gift- Sahyadri to be Maharashtra
State’s 4th tiger reserve
Jan 5, 2010The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had
declared a Sahyadri as a tiger reserve "in principle"—
the fourth in the state after Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari
and Pench.However today the Maharashtra state has issued
the notification of the same.
The NTCA nod came at a meeting held on May 21, 2008
which also cleared creation of three more new tiger
reserves in the country (Sunabeda in Orissa, Pilibhit in
Uttar Pradesh and Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh.) and
Nagarahole national park in Karnatka to be treated as a
tiger reserve.
A three-member expert committee comprising principal
chief conservator of forests (PCCF), wildlife, B
Majumdar, chief conservator of forests (CCF) Dr Nand
Kishore, and wildlife conservationist Kishor Rithe was
formed for identification and delineation of core or
critical tiger habitat in tiger reserves under Wildlife
Protection Act (WPA), 1972. The committee proposed to
declare four areas Sahyadri, Tadoba, Pench and Melghat
as critical tiger habitats (CTHs) on December 30, 2007.
Later the proposal was sent to NTCA on 9th May 2008.
Maharashtra State’s Critical Tiger Habitat Expert
Committee member Mr.Kishor Rithe even met Union Minister
Mr.S.Regupathy in 2008 in Delhi to firmly put this
demand. Mumbai based Environmentalist Mr.Debi Goenka,
Keen naturalist bureaucrat Mr. Praveen Pardeshi also
supported this proposal. The Maharashtra state had sent
the proposal to NTCA on 9th May 2008 which got clearance
"in principal" from NTCA in their meeting.The next
requirement will be from the state to issue the
notification.
Today the state has issued the same. Kishor Rithe also
expressed thanks to former Chief Wildlife Warden
Mr. B Majumdar for his support for this reserve. The
status of tiger reserve to Sahyadri will help in bring
in more funds. Besides, integrity of the area will be
secured by getting highest level of protection.”
What is Sahyadri Tiger Reserve?
Sahyadri Tiger Reserve would comprise of
two protected areas, viz Chandoli National Park and
Koyana wildlife sanctuary.
The Chandoli National Park:
The forest area of 317.67 sq.km was declared as Chandoli
National Park in 2004.
The forest area comes in Walva (Sangali),
Chiplun(Ratnagiri), Karad (Satara) and Karvir(Kolhapur)
tahsils. There are 3 villages which are deeply situated
in the National Park and demanding the resettlement
package since long, would now get the 10 Lakh per family
package announced recently by Government of India.
The National Park (NP) is situated mostly along the
crest of the western Ghats, named after Chandoli
village. The NP lies between Koyana and Radhanagari
sanctuaries. Semi evergreen forest. Some of the pristine
forest patches and the human settlements were submerged
under the Verna reservoir. The forest have recorded the
presence of Indian Giant squirrel and mouse deer.Origin
of Verna river and the entire catchments of recently
built Vasant sagar reservoir are protected by this NP.
Two 17th century forts,Prachitgadh and Bhairavgadh are
located in and around the sanctuary. Shivaji Raje and
Sambhaji raje had used these forts as open air jails for
“prisoners of war” and as an observation point cum
recreational facility “Sadas”, the lateritic plateaus
with seasonal vegetation, fallen boulders, small caves
and overhanging cliffs provide good habitat for Sloth
bears.
Koyana Wildlife Sanctuary:
The 423.55 sq.km forest of Koyana wildlife sanctuary was
declared as sanctuary in 1985. It is situated in Satara
and Karad tahsil of Satara district of Kolhapur wildlife
division. The sanctuary is the catchment of Koyana river
and thereby helping the Koyana dam too. However the
forest area has supported a rich flora and fauna,
typically of Western Ghats.
There are 12 villages situated deep inside the forest
area of Koyana sanctuary which would get the benefit of
10Lakh per family resettlement package now, with this
announcement.
As per the amended WPA rules, the reserve will also have
a buffer zone apart from its existing area of 741.22 sq
km, constituting Chandoli National Park (317.67 sq km)
and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary (423.55 sq km), under the
Kolhapur Wildlife Division. The will bring more money
for village eco-development schemes.
In 2007 estimation, the Kolhapur wildlife division has
estimated to have nine tigers and 66 leopards in the
reserve.
With this decision, Maharashtra has got the fourth Tiger
Reserve and this would be the first Tiger Reserve in the
remaining Maharashtra as all the earlier three reserves
are situated in Vidarbha region.This decision would
bring the huge money for the Tiger protection in the
western Ghats from the centre.

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