The Hindu : Front Page : Joint action plan to protect Nilgiri biosphere likely

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 03, 2007
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Joint action plan to protect Nilgiri biosphere likely

S. Rajendran

Forest Ministers of southern States to meet this month

Nilgiri biosphere constitutes the major portion of forests in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka
The States will discuss the constitution of a joint task force to protect it

Bangalore: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are expected to come out with a joint action plan to protect the Nilgiri biosphere, and in particular the wildlife therein.

The Union Government funds the efforts at protecting the Nilgiri biosphere, and at present the three States independently receive funds for the conservation programmes. Irrespective of enjoying a common boundary along the Wayanad, Bandipur-Nagarahole and Mudumalai ranges, the three States do not share a common approach in the steps they take in protecting the biosphere resulting in poachers of one region operating in the protected areas of the other.

Sources in the State Government told The Hindu here that the Forest Ministers and heads of the Forest Departments of the three States would meet here shortly to finalise a joint action plan to protect the wildlife in the forests for ming part of the Nilgiri biosphere. Equipped with the plan, the three States would thereafter impress upon the Union Government to provide more funds to protect the region.

The Forest Ministers Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Pondicherry and Andhra Pradesh are scheduled to meet in Bangalore on September 20 and 21, along with the Forest Secretaries and Principal Chief Conservators of Forests to discuss on a variety of subjects relating to forests. With the Nilgiri biosphere constituting the major chunk of forests in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, the three States would discuss a joint action plan.

Principal Chief Conservator of forests, Karnataka, A.K. Varma said that on the discussions for a joint action plan to protect the Nilgiri biosphere, the States would also contemplate on constituting a joint task force to protect it.

At present, poachers operating on the Karnataka side of the forests when chased entered Kerala or Tamil Nadu and vice-versa. A joint task force would thus serve as an effective mechanism for protecting the forests, he added.

Karnataka is also planning to have a detailed discussion with Kerala and Tamil Nadu on how to curb smuggling of sandalwood. While there are no private sandal oil extraction units in the State, there are many such units in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and they are stated to be dependant on smuggled sandalwood.

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