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THE CORBETT FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER
April & May 2020 |
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The Corbett Foundation stands in support of the fight against COVID-19. We urge everyone to exercise caution and take utmost care of self and family in fighting off this deadly disease and safely overcome these unprecedented times. We strongly recommend that we all follow the health advisories issued by the World Health Organisation and the Government of India in combating this disease.
Be Safe, Take care. |
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OBJECTIONS RAISED TO FOREST AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCES GIVEN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN PERIOD
A group of 291 conservation scientists and allied professionals, including 12 former members of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife, the highest advisory body on wildlife that is chaired by the Prime Minister of India, have expressed their serious concerns about the lack of due diligence for environmental and forest clearances, especially during the pandemic-related restrictions and hardships.
Specifically, the letter referenced the decisions and clearances given at the 57th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life on the 7th of April 2020 that were related to the 31 proposals affecting 15 tiger reserves, sanctuaries, notified Eco-sensitive zones (ESZ), deemed Eco-sensitive zones and designated wildlife corridors. The authors presented several concerns with regards to the project evaluations not being done rigorously to the method of functioning by statutory bodies. The letter stated that video calls were not an efficient mode of communication to assess the environmental, livelihood and biodiversity impacts of projects. Signatories pointed out that under normal circumstances, Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meetings would last an entire day. In comparison, meetings during the recent lockdown have lasted only 2 hours, with only 10 minutes to appraise each project. Due to the reliance on only digital documents uploaded by project developers on the Parivesh single window clearance portal leads to “fait accompli situations”, and gravely compromises the appraisals by the committees during the lockdown. The signatories stated that appraisals and assessments for clearance are being reduced to an “empty formality” lacking the credibility and rigour of its purpose.
Clearances were granted to coal mining in Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve in Assam, limestone mining projects within the ESZs of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway project affecting the ESZs of Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, Katerpurna Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra, among other projects.
Read the contents of the letter here.
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The Corbett Foundation extends its support to India's fight against COVID-19 |
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We all are fighting COVID-19 pandemic and doing everything possible to prevent the spread of this outbreak. The Corbett Foundation (TCF) recognises the humongous efforts taken by the Government of India and the respective State Governments. TCF, in its own small way, is gearing up to prevent the spread of coronavirus in and around Corbett, Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves through its Rural Medical Outreach Programme supported by Bajaj Auto Ltd. TCF teams have been busy making 3-ply cotton reusable masks for free distribution locally, providing sanitizers, spreading awareness and providing Ars Alb 30 homeopathic medicine to boost immunity as per guidelines of Ayush Ministry. All these are being reached out to as many health workers, essential services employees, local communities and forest department staff to assist in India's efforts to fight this pandemic.
Please watch this short 2-min film we have made on our medical outreach support in supporting #IndiaFightsCorona.
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DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD SUPPLIES AS A SUPPORT DURING LOCKDOWN PERIOD
The Corbett Foundation teams have been providing essential food supplies to some of the needy familes in Corbett Tiger Reserve and to the families affected due to carnivore attacks in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. We have managed to reach out to only a limited number of such families and would appreciate any financial support towards COVID-19 prevention and relief activities.
Those interested in supporting us, may kindly contact us through email info@corbettfoundation.org. |
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ARTICLES IN ROUNDGLASS SUSTAIN AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC |
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Kedar Gore, Director and Devesh Gadhavi, Deputy Director of The Corbett Foundation (both Members of IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), Bustard Specialist Group) jointly authored an article on the plight of Great Indian Bustard in India. This article was carried by RoundGlass Sustain website.
Another article in National Geographic magazine highlighted the issue of bear conservation in general and excerpts of an interview with Dr. Harendra Singh Bargali, co-Chair of IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group, Sloth Bear Expert Team, who has done extensive research on Sloth Bears in Central India. Dr. Bargali heads TCF's division in Uttarakhand.
Do click on the below images to read the above-mentioned articles. |
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WILDLIFE RESCUE WORK DURING LOCKDOWN PERIOD
The Corbett Foundation team in Kaziranga has been busy attending distress calls from local communties to rescue wild animals that were stranded and orphaned, and those that entered human habitation. TCF's community engagement work since past many years has ensured that the local communities call our helpline numbers if they come across any such wild animal instead of killing it in retaliation. A total of 106 distress calls were attended to by our team and wild birds, reptiles and mammals were rescued, treated if necessary and have been either released back to the wild in presence of forest officials or have been handed over to Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, Kaziranga for further care. |
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AFRICAN SWINE FEVER - A NEW CHALLENGE IN ASSAM
As we all struggle to cope with new norms of life with COVID-19, an imminent threat of African Swine Fever (ASF) looms over the fringe villages of Kaziranga National Park. It is not only going to adversely affect the wellbeing of hundreds of domestic pigs and the farmers but it may also pose a serious threat to the wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations inside the park. The Critically Endangered pygmy hog
Porcula salvania populations in Manas Tiger Reserve and few other areas in Assam could be in danger too if this disease spread isn't controlled soon. So The Corbett Foundation is reaching out to nearly 1200 families in the villages at the periphery of Kaziranga. This poster developed by Kaziranga National Park and The Corbett Foundation in Assamese, Bengali and English languages, is being shared social media platforms to raise awareness on the symptoms and control of African Swine Fever which resembles our known Classical Swine Fever. In the absence of any treatment and vaccination for the ASF, greater attention needs to be devoted to carcass disposal. It is of utmost importance that no pig carcass is disposed off in wetlands.
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32 NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS WORLDWIDE COME TOGETHER TO SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS AND OBJECTIONS TO CHINA'S 'NATIONAL CATALOGUE OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY GENETIC RESOURCES' |
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The Corbett Foundatio joined hands with 32 wildlife conservation organisations from around the world plus conservation experts, to voice its concern to China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on a draft policy document outlining which species may be regarded as livestock and thereby exempt from the prohibition introduced in February 2020 on breeding and trade in terrestrial wild animals for consumption as food with an appeal to take action that will protect global biodiversity and prevent future pandemics. The recommendations submitted can be read here. |
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SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS
Dr. AJT Johnsingh and Dr. Asad R. Rahmani
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The Corbett Foundation is a charitable trust registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882. It is also registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 under registration number 231650853. The donations to The Corbett Foundation are tax exempt u/s 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The Corbett Foundation is accredited by Credibility Alliance under the Desirable Norms prescribed for Good Governance of Voluntary Organisations.
NITI Aayog ID: UA/2017/0179126 |
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