Online Petition to save Karnala Bird Sanctuary

2 views

Skip to first unread message

godfrey pimenta

unread,

Aug 11, 2013, 2:07:24 AM8/11/13

to Ann Ferrao, abbassi110, ayeshasiddque66, angela pinto, bombaydiocese, Bernadine Dcosta, BCS Alex, baptista_renie, bassi.kim, bfmenezes, clara1002, claralewis, Ronnie CA, Maffelia Carvalho, cassijohn_110, David Cardoz, chandu464, Chirag Chauhan, Vaidehi Chitre, shane cardoz, Leon Dabreo, david martin, Rita Dsa, devidas deshpande, dereyktalker, Darryl Gomes, eleuternunes, editor, East Indians, edwin_britto, edgarmathias, Enid Abreo, ethelnacy, ferreira_maria, Fr Warner, MalStanley Fernandez, fiona_agency, FahadSayed, Fr James, Fr Henry, Fr Gilbert, FrAjit Tellis, Francis Lopez, francis swamy, francis.kinny, francismenezes54, gsrikar, gpbrian, gleasonbarretto, Gunjan Zatakia, anita gonzago, gaothanvoice, Hari Nagrani, HIMANSHU UPADHYAY, hari.sridhar11, himanshuparekh7, Hussainbrokermumbai, Anand Hule, anandcas, SATISH ANAND, info33, info, jc_roshani, NEIL JUHU, gordon jacobs, KP Nyati, kaushalpillai, kirti parekh, Kiran Prajapati, kkgopinath2000, kkkarle, kalpitm, KetanShah, ladispereira, Leena Sagar, lance_ferreira, lynettemiranda47, lukemendes, mayura25, manoj nair, merckd, mandar phodkar, Ranita M, miranda, nelson estates, ncorriea, P N, nikhilghanekar, nidhiparekh, npawar36, Orson Noronha, prem, personnelpeolpe, pereitadwayne, Csf post, Pearl Dalal, quintindsouza, Melwin Quadros, quinette70, ralphmisquitta, Ruben Fernandes, rajesh.mishra, roshell.nunes, RALSTON FERNANDES, Ravi Gujjar, Ashok Ravat, ashokjoshi152, ashokpurohit, ransonmendonsa, ranson, Suniel Nayar, sindhukotian, shyammoorjani, soubhikmitra, susanfpereira, sv gopal, santosheemishra, Santosh Gupta, sharad_natekar, shamshadahmed1972, tapori26, taoalphonso, GREG PEREIRA, tararjm, tulsidasv, treerose55, tsadararangani, trevor pereira, tandonshubhra, TANYA AJWANI, Thresia Joshy, Soul team, nelsonpatel, navrozekhambata, waltermurzello, wigbertrodricks, walmeida, neilpereira360, Murial Nigrel, Daphne Warapen, winniesaldanha, wishnew27, vishwaswaghmode, vishwas7485, vinodm, vanessa_80, vellavency, Venkatesh S, eihv2005 utan, umeshkshetty, urvimahajan, Yvonne Rebello, yogesh_dsouza, yaven crasto, yogi_janvi, yogesh_vsnl, Yezdi Rabadi, yashicatolani, ycnaidu

Dear Friends

It is our humble request to you to join our online campaign to save the Karnala Bird Sanctuary from clutches of mindless development. Please see the letter being addressed by us to Prime Minster of India in this behalf.

To sign the Online Petition, you may please visit our website www.thewatchdog.in and subscibe your name and email address.

The Birds and animlas need us to care for them. Please circulate this email amongst your friends and relatives worldwide.

regards

For

For Watchdog Foundation

Nicholas H. Almeida/Godfrey W. Pimenta

To,

Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Prime Minister of India,

South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi.
India-110011.

Sub: Threat to Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Raigad, Maharashtra.

Sir,

At the very outset, we hereby lodge our strong protest against casual and lackadaisical manner in which the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife of which Dr. Asad Rahmani, Director, BNHS is a member and has sought to approve a project in a meeting held on 6^th June 2013, for the manufacture of Viscose Staple Fibres 80,000 TPA at, Plot No.M-1 & M-2 MIDC, Additional Patalganga Industrial Area, Village Sarsai, Tehsil Panvel, District Raigad, Maharashtra to be set up by M/s. Lenzing Modi Fibres India (P) Ltd.

It seems, the tragedies on account of mindless and gory environmental destruction do not instil any respect for the environment in us and the Utrrakhand is the latest example of man’s greed to satiate his own needs in self-destructive way. We are aghast and totally dismayed that you as a protector of birds species in general have been mute spectator to all that wrongdoings happenings especially to few left natural habitat of birds i.e. Karnala Bird Sanctuary which is located within 1.5 km distance of this project site.

The brief justification given by the project proponent is that the project is of “National Importance” as it will provide the country’s textile, healthcare and hygiene industries with much needed Viscose Fibre, generate direct/indirect employment to thousand of persons and will also contribute revenue to the Government to the extent of Rs.300 Cr. per annum.

We hereby dismiss the tall claims made by the project proponent. Firstly, the fact of the matter is that the National Board for Wildlife did not allow expansion of National Highway passing through Karnala Bird Sanctuary, which being a project of national importance, then how can Viscose Fibre Plant of a private investor be called a project of national importance. Secondly, if project is located safe distance away from the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, it could still give the desired revenue and generate employment. As such justification given by the project proponent are not only absurd in nature but also illogical to say the least.

It is learnt that Chief Wildlife Warden too has recommended the proposal with inter-alia with certain conditions, one of them being study of tolerance of birds and mitigation measures.

We put it on record that the close proximity of the Viscose Fibres Plant to Karnala Bird Sanctuary is likely to produce harmful gases such as SO2, H2S and CS2, which contains harmful sulphur. Any excess of this gases in the atmosphere will lead to acid rain and may even acidify the water found in the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, which may ultimately threaten the very existence of birds. As you may aware that Karnala Bird Sanctuary is home to 147 species of resident and 37 species of migratory birds, who visit the sanctuary during winters. Among the birds seen here are paradise fly catcher, magpie robin, malabar whistling trush, racket-tailed drongo, golden backed woodpecker, crested serpent eagle etc. Two rare birds i.e. Ashy Minimet and Spotted heart woodpeckers have also been sighted here.

We also put it on record that some of the bird species are becoming increasingly uncommon in this geographical area due to the rapid industrialization in the surrounding areas. The Karnala bird sanctuary, has a rich habitat of valued fauna, largely birds. Until recently, this bird sanctuary had the status of wildlife sanctuary, which is brought down to the status of the mere forest by the government authorities for reasons best known to them. The ecology of this entire area is on the verge of deterioration, owing to rapid urbanisation in the surroundings and other development processes.

We also put it on record that, per se we are not against industrial development in the region, but the development which is not sustainable will be opposed by us at all costs. We pose the following questions to you:

a) Can this industries not be located at safe distance from the Karnala Bird Sanctuary?

b) What is the real object that the project proponent is sticking his neck out to locate this industry at the same spot?

c) Has any scientific study of tolerance of birds and mitigation measures done as advised by Chief Wildlife Warden, if the answer is in the negative then why this tearing hurry to set up the project?

We suggest that the Prime Minister of India take up the cause of the saving the Karnala Bird Sanctuary from environmental degradation otherwise it will be too late in the date to protect the Bird Sanctuary from the clutches of the industrial development which is bound to have serious repercussions on the future existence of the birds living in the said bird sanctuary.

Thanking you,

Yours truly,

For Watchdog Foundation

( Nicholas H. Almeida/Godfrey W. Pimenta)

Get your own FREE website and domain with business email solutions, click here