India- Visakha SPCA new sea turtle report

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attachment referred to in this report. Thank you.

--Dear friends

and sea turtle contacts:

 

The attached report by Pradeep Nath was finished just before the flood/cyclone

destroyed much of the Visakha SPCA shelter. So we had to get the disaster

reports out first. Work, though greatly hampered by nonstop rain, continues to

repair the shelter and properly shelter the 700 animals. Please read the

disaster reports on our web site: www.visakhaspca.org.

 

Pradeep Nath writes that " the experience from this natural disaster will help

them become a role model with innovative structures to prevent future flood or

cyclone damage. Visakha SPCA aims to become a centre for the animals in

distress and with hospital/dispensary standards for withstanding cyclones. We

are also learning about new technology to deal with pollution from flood. From

every bad situation we come up with the best solution to help animals in crisis

and with all of your help our facility will be one of a kind to help many

others. " Anyone who knows of VSPCA's work personally knows the truth of their

ability and drive to accomplish the comeback and improvement of the shelter!

 

 

Regarding the attached Olive Ridley report the issues are already at the

Centrally Empowered Committee setup by The Supreme Court. There are three major

issues involved: A four lane road being proposed along the Visakha coast ;

industrial sand mining on the beach; and a warship museum on the beach.

 

All three destroy sea turtle habitat and violate the CRZ (coastal regulation

zone) rules. By pursing these objections legally with our lawyer we hope to put

some fire in this issue to the authorities.

 

One of the decisions being decided is to provide suitable marked areas for the

sea turtles along the new proposed road. We want to push forward to make sure

any construction along the beach includes suitable considerations for the sea

turtle.

 

In Andhra Pradesh there are only five nesting grounds identified by the experts.

But we know there are more and no one has ever surveyed the entire Andhra

Pradesh coast. If they did they would see how many Olive Ridleys need

protecting. Another issue of shame is that of 2000 fishing trawler vessels in

Andhra Pradesh and Orissa the TED (turtle excluder device) is not being used and

is not enforced.

 

In the attached report there are several news articles. Some of them quote

Pradeep Nath. I have all of them available by scan if anyone wants a more

readable copy, please let me know which ones. Unfortunately, they were not

available online. Also since the recent cyclone in Visakhapatnam the beach sand

(see below dramatic photo) has been so effected it remains to be seen if this

natural disaster will impact the authorities penchant to build up the coast

line.

Date:24/09/2005 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/24/stories/2005092401350200.htm

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Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam - A new threat

MARCH OF THE SEA: Beach sand eroded by the recent rain in Visakhapatnam

with clouds hanging low on Friday. — Photo: K.R. Deepak

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weintraub, Seattle, Washington USA

U.S. Representative; Visakha SPCA, India www.VisakhaSPCA.org

 

Visakha SPCA

26-15-200 Main Road

Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

530001, India

Tel: 91-891-3096217, 2564759

email: Pradeep Nath, Founder and President vspcadeep