From: sumaira abdulali <sumairaabdulali@yahoo.com>
To: Jairam Ramesh Environment Minister <jairam54@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, February 21, 2011 8:07:22 AM
Subject: Note on ESA Status for Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor
Dear Mr Ramesh,
Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife Corridor as Eco Sensitive Area (ESA):
Sawantwadi-Dodamarg in Maharashtra is a beautiful diverse rainforest where myriad endemic species, officially recorded tigers and leopards thrive, and a catchment area for neighboring Goa State and for numerous villages supporting traditional agrarian livelihoods. In recognition of its special nature, it has been accepted for UNESCO ’World Bio Diversity Hot Spot’ status on an application from the Government of India.
The area is under threat from over 30 mining leases issued recently by the State Government of Maharashtra to companies with known track records of environmental violations in neighboring Goa State. As the leases were based on false Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) certificates they have been stayed by the MoEF until June 2011.
Despite the MoEF Stay and sustained local opposition, the State Government continues to process fresh ‘sustainable’ mining leases even today.The State Environment Secretary has also informed me that an additional 54 leases are already operational (whether for this region alone or a wider area is not known since the list is not yet available).
Open cast mining can never be ‘sustainable’ in a wildlife corridor. Intense local opposition is evident by representations of 22 villages to the Madhav Gadgil Committee, Wildlife Warden and Collector. Their demand for ‘Environmentally Sensitive Area’ (ESA) Status will ensure no activity which destroys the sensitive nature of this biodiversity hotspot, including mining, in the long term.
Since the area fulfills most criteria of the Pranab Sen Committee Report for notification of ESA and also conforms to the MoEF ‘Guidelines for Declaration of Eco Sensitive Zones around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries’, dated 9th February 2011, (since it is part of a wildlife corridor between National Parks in Maharashtra and Karnataka States), I will be very grateful for immediate steps to notify this important wildlife corridor as ESA.
Thank you and with regards.
Yours sincerely,
Sumaira Abdulali
Sumaira Abdulali
Convenor,
AWAAZ Foundation
982 15 20805
awaazfoundation.org
To: Jairam Ramesh Environment Minister <jairam54@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, February 21, 2011 8:07:22 AM
Subject: Note on ESA Status for Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor
Dear Mr Ramesh,
Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife Corridor as Eco Sensitive Area (ESA):
Sawantwadi-Dodamarg in Maharashtra is a beautiful diverse rainforest where myriad endemic species, officially recorded tigers and leopards thrive, and a catchment area for neighboring Goa State and for numerous villages supporting traditional agrarian livelihoods. In recognition of its special nature, it has been accepted for UNESCO ’World Bio Diversity Hot Spot’ status on an application from the Government of India.
The area is under threat from over 30 mining leases issued recently by the State Government of Maharashtra to companies with known track records of environmental violations in neighboring Goa State. As the leases were based on false Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) certificates they have been stayed by the MoEF until June 2011.
Despite the MoEF Stay and sustained local opposition, the State Government continues to process fresh ‘sustainable’ mining leases even today.The State Environment Secretary has also informed me that an additional 54 leases are already operational (whether for this region alone or a wider area is not known since the list is not yet available).
Open cast mining can never be ‘sustainable’ in a wildlife corridor. Intense local opposition is evident by representations of 22 villages to the Madhav Gadgil Committee, Wildlife Warden and Collector. Their demand for ‘Environmentally Sensitive Area’ (ESA) Status will ensure no activity which destroys the sensitive nature of this biodiversity hotspot, including mining, in the long term.
Since the area fulfills most criteria of the Pranab Sen Committee Report for notification of ESA and also conforms to the MoEF ‘Guidelines for Declaration of Eco Sensitive Zones around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries’, dated 9th February 2011, (since it is part of a wildlife corridor between National Parks in Maharashtra and Karnataka States), I will be very grateful for immediate steps to notify this important wildlife corridor as ESA.
Thank you and with regards.
Yours sincerely,
Sumaira Abdulali
Convenor,
AWAAZ Foundation
982 15 20805
awaazfoundation.org
