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Customs rescue 403 tortoises from two passengers at Tiruchi airport

Customs rescue 403 tortoises from two passengers at Tiruchi airport

The Hindu18-07-2025
The Customs officials rescued 403 live Indian Star tortoises from two Kuala Lumpur bound passengers at the Tiruchi international Airport on Wednesday.
The officials intercepted the two passengers when they came to the airport to board a Batik Air flight. The officials found 403 live Indian Star tortoises from their trolley bags.
The tortoises and the passengers were later handed over to the Forest Department in Tiruchi to take action against them under the Wildlife Protection Act, a message posted in the X platform of the Trichy Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate said.
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T.N. Forest Dept. restores unused stretch of intertidal barren land along Uppanar River in Cuddalore
T.N. Forest Dept. restores unused stretch of intertidal barren land along Uppanar River in Cuddalore

The Hindu

time2 hours ago

  • The Hindu

T.N. Forest Dept. restores unused stretch of intertidal barren land along Uppanar River in Cuddalore

A community-based ecological restoration initiative by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department by roping in the local community, has helped restore an unused stretch of intertidal barren land with degraded creek edges along the Uppanar river near Cuddalore. A mangrove island with native mangrove species has now taken shape on the stretch. For years, the revenue land owned by the Kudikadu panchayat near Cuddalore SIPCOT remained an unused stretch of intertidal barren land with degraded creek edges and suffered from neglect due to growth of invasive species. The land was selected for the restoration process since it comprised low-lying, saline-prone areas with natural tidal influence, making it ecologically ideal for mangrove regeneration. An assessment of the site was conducted and the Forest department initiated restoration efforts by planting appropriate species of mangroves based on the region's salinity and tidal conditions. According to B. Iqbal, Forest Range Officer (FRO), Pichavaram Range, 'The invasive species of Prosporis juliflora was removed and a modified fish-bone canal system was developed to facilitate natural tidal flow and sapling survival across a total expanse of 25 hectares.' 'In addition, linear planting of native mangrove species was carried out along the canal and creek edges, with a total of 20,000 saplings. Key mangrove species, including Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia marina, Exocoeria agallocha, Bruguiera cylindrical, Ceriops decandra, Kandelia candel, and Soneratia apetala were planted along the stretch. The entire plantation and their maintenance is being carried out by the local communities, ensuring community livelihood generation and stewardship,' he added. The fish bone model allows the water to reach every nook and corner of the field channels. This model has found success in earlier applications at Pichavaram. Considering the ecological significance and long-term conservation potential of this site, a formal proposal has been submitted under Section 26 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, to notify this area as Reserve Forest. This would ensure long-term legal protection to the restored mangrove ecosystem. According to government estimates, the mangrove cover in Tamil Nadu is at 44.94 square kilometres (sq. km.), out of which 7.73 sq. km. is in Cuddalore. Straddling the Vellar and Coleroon estuaries, about 21% of Pichavaram is occupied by waterbodies, 27% by healthy mangrove vegetation, 38% by mudflats with sparsely grown mangroves, and sand dunes occupied the rest of the area. According to Mr. Iqbal, to further strengthen local participation and protective mechanisms, steps have been initiated to form a Village Mangrove Committee (VMC) at Kudikadu. This committee will involve local stakeholders in protection, maintenance, and awareness activities related to the mangrove ecosystem.

For five tribal settlements in Munnar, proper road is a distant dream
For five tribal settlements in Munnar, proper road is a distant dream

The Hindu

time3 hours ago

  • The Hindu

For five tribal settlements in Munnar, proper road is a distant dream

In a stark reminder of the brutal realities faced by indigenous communities, L. Gandhi Ammal, a tribal woman from the remote Valsapettykudy tribal settlement in Anamudi Shola National Park under the Munnar Wildlife Division, writhed in pain for hours with no ambulance in sight — because there is no proper road. Injured on the way to the MGNREGS work, she was finally carried to the nearest hospital in Marayur on a bamboo stretcher by over 50 fellow tribespeople, trudging six kilometres through treacherous terrain. This ordeal unfolds as monsoon rains leave nearly 330 Muthuvan tribal families in five settlements cut off from basic services, trapped in isolation by the government's failure to build a proper road. According to Idukki block panchayat member C. Rajendran, there is a motorable road from Vattavada to Chilanthiyar and from Ollavayalkudy to Marayur. Between Chilanthiyar and Ollavayalkudy, which is a 13-km stretch, there are tribal settlements such as Valsapettykudy, Moolavallikudy, Vayaltharakudy, Swamiyaralakudy, and Koodallarkudy which are struggling for want of a proper road. One has to travel 103 kilometres to reach these settlements through the Munnar-Marayur route. Former Vattavada grama panchayat president R. Ramaraj alleged that officials from the Munnar wildlife division were obstructing the road construction intended for tribal settlements. 'People's representatives and local people tried to build a motorable road on the 13-kilometre stretch, but the Forest department opposed it. The five tribal settlements were isolated in the heavy rainfall. If the tribespeople need to visit other settlements, they must either walk several kilometres or travel over 100 kilometres via the Munnar route,' according to Mr. Ramaraj. Sources said the government had allotted ₹18.5 crore for the construction of a road connecting Chilanthiayar-Ollavayal through Valsapettykudy. 'However, the Forest department mandated that permission be obtained through the Parivesh portal for the road's construction. The funds were then redirected to another project,' they said. Mr. Rajendran said that due to the absence of a proper road, children in the five settlements had to be shifted to hostels at the age of five to attend school. 'If we construct a proper road, the children can live with families and reach the school through the government-arranged Vidyavahini project,' he said. Forest dept. version Meanwhile, Munnar Wildlife Warden K.V. Harikrishnan said the construction of a proper road connecting to the settlements would require 3.5 hectares of forestland. 'The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) can provide one hectare of land for development activities. If more land is needed, the user agency of the project should submit an application to MoEF through the Parivesh portal for permission. The Forest department will not oppose the road construction,' said Mr. Harikrishnan.

Maha mulls ₹10L accident cover, ID for sarpamitras
Maha mulls ₹10L accident cover, ID for sarpamitras

Time of India

timea day ago

  • Time of India

Maha mulls ₹10L accident cover, ID for sarpamitras

Nagpur: Sarpamitras — snake rescue volunteers who risk their lives to protect both reptiles and people — may soon get official identity cards and accident insurance cover of up to ₹10 lakh, with the state govt moving to formally recognise them as essential service providers. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced a proposal to this effect after chairing a high-level meeting at Mantralaya on Wednesday. He said the govt would recommend to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that sarpamitras be granted 'frontline worker' status under disaster management guidelines. "Sarpamitras play a crucial role in saving lives, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, where snakebite cases are frequent. Their work often puts them at a greater personal risk," Bawankule said. "The govt is positively considering their long-standing demands, including accident insurance, official identification, and institutional recognition," he said. The proposal includes setting up a special online portal to maintain a verified database of registered snake rescuers across the state. Forest department will be tasked with creating a standard operating procedure (SOP) to govern their work, verify credentials through police background checks, and issue official ID cards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo The meeting was attended by forest department additional chief secretary Milind Mhaiskar, state wildlife chief conservator M Srinivas Rao, and All India Sarpamitra and Pranimitra Sanghatana president Prof Sambhaji Patil. Bawankule said discussions would soon be held with the chief minister to finalise the accident insurance scheme offering ₹10–15 lakh compensation in case of death or permanent disability while on duty. "These volunteers have been demanding such safeguards for years. Their selfless service deserves institutional respect and financial protection," he said. Wildlife chief Rao, however, reminded that sarpamitras must strictly comply with the Wildlife Protection Act while handling snakes. He added that no rescue work should be carried out without proper training and coordination with the forest department. The forest department has also proposed integrating sarpamitras into the state's official disaster response network, recognising their role during monsoons and flood-related emergencies.

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