India-Olive Ridley sea turtles - two articles

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Please forward to other groups who may be interested in helping the Visakha SPCA

battle this new threat to sea turtles on the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Our sea

turtle report will be available shortly. Thank you. www.VisakhaSPCA.org

 

Deployment of heavy machinery, coastal erosion, pollution feared

 

" Though several trawlers have not installed turtle exclusion devices (TEDs),

the number of dead turtles found by us on the beach between the city and

Bhimunipatnam came down from last year's 110 to 14 this year, " said Visakha

Society for Prevention to Cruelty to Animals president Pradeep Kumar Nath.

 

 

Date:04/08/2005 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2005/08/04/stories/2005080402120200.htm

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Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

 

Olive Ridleys will be first to fall if beach mining begins, say

environmentalists

 

Santosh Patnaik

 

Deployment of heavy machinery, coastal erosion, pollution feared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WASHED ASHORE: A dead turtle found at Ramakrishna Beach in Visakhapatnam.

— Photos: K.R. Deepak

 

 

VISAKHAPATNAM: The State Government's decision to encourage beach sand

mining in north coastal Andhra in a big way has caused serious concern among

environmentalists.

 

It is feared that mining of beach sand minerals will lead to deployment of

heavy machinery. The extraction of valuables from the beach will cause coastal

erosion and pollution, seriously hitting marine life and fish catches.

 

A survey conducted in 2002 over an area of 1,086 hectares had estimated

garnet deposits at 8.7 million tonnes and ilmenite at 4.9 million tonnes. Huge

deposits of leucoxene (brown ilemnite), sillimanite, rutile and zircon are also

found.

 

Sources told The Hindu that Trimax, one of the applicants for beach mining

between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam, has already secured a mining lease on

a large stretch of area in Srikakulam district.

 

Strong claimant

 

 

Transworld Garnet Private Limited, which carried out detailed exploration

activity including drilling in the region for over two years, is a strong

claimant for extracting heavy mineral deposits over 235 acres with Srikurmam as

the central point between the Nagavali and the Vamsadhara rivers.

 

The applications submitted by Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development

Corporation, National Mineral Development Corporation, Indian Rare Earths

Limited and Trimax are under study.

 

A lease can be given only after securing clearances from the Union

Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Shore Area Development Authority as

per the Coastal Zone Regulation notification.

 

A Mining Department official seeking anonymity said that except the case

of Trimax for a lease in Srikakulam, the applications of all others were at

various stages of consideration.

 

Damage to environment

 

 

" The decision will not only cause destruction to the marine species but

also heavy damage to the environment,'' said executive director Ravi

Rebbapragada of Samata, an NGO.

 

Environmentalists feel that the first casualty of beach sand mining will

be Olive Ridley turtles -- declared an endangered species and included in

Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (protection) Act of 1972.

 

The Andhra coast is home to five species of marine turtles found in Indian

Ocean -- Olive Ridley, Leather Back, Green Turtle, Loggerhead and Hawks Bill.

 

The decision has come at a time when animal lovers were rejoicing their

success in the conservation drive with the involvement of local fishermen in 24

villages between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam and Vikas, a local NGO.

 

Moreover, the December 26 tsunami came as a boon in disguise as the

mechanised trawlers did not venture into the ocean in a big way in its

aftermath.

 

Fewer dead turtles

 

 

" Though several trawlers have not installed turtle exclusion devices

(TEDs), the number of dead turtles found by us on the beach between the city and

Bhimunipatnam came down from last year's 110 to 14 this year, " said Visakha

Society for Prevention to Cruelty to Animals president Pradip Kumar Nath.

 

The delay in the removal of a structure built for hosting National Games

2002 at Rushikonda and Submarine Museum on the beach near YMCA were also posing

problems for Olive Ridley nestings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Copyright 2000 - 2005 The Hindu

 

2nd article

 

Quote from below Deccan Chronicle 28 July 2005 article " Rare turtle faces

Mining Threat "

 

Re endangered olive ridley sea turtles " It is sheer violation of Coastal

Regulation Zone Act of 1991 " said founder president of Visakha Society for

Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Mr. Pradeep Nath. Last year 110 Olive

Ridleys died along the coast from Vizag to Bhimli while 600 died in Srikakulam.

This year the deaths have been less. It is ironic that the tsunami saved their

lives. Sparse fishing activity has helped them breed. " We are working with

other organizations to save the endangered species " says Mr. Nath. He said

there were many causes for the death of this species. Trawling activity does

affect the turtle population while some die due to strangulation. The usage of

Turtle Excluder Device ought to be made mandatory.