Friday, December 11, 2009
Subterranean leak: A secret disaster in Bhopal
"Continuing nightmare in Bhopal: CSE laboratory tests soil, water samples from Union Carbide; finds high contamination of pesticides and other toxins."
"Full CSE lab report on contamination of soil and water inside and outside Union Carbide Limited, Bhopal."
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/webexclusives/pdf/Bhopal_lab_report.pdf
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Golden Langurs - "The Golden Jewels Of Assam"
These Golden Langurs were photographed at the Umananda -a river island near Guwahati city. Golden Langurs are critically endangered species and are endemic to Assam.
Khamrenga Wetland
This is the Khamrenga Wetland near Thakurkuchi village within Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary at Guwahati, Assam.
Nohkalikai Falls
This is the Nohkalikai Falls located at Siju in Shillong,Meghalaya.This photograph was taken in 2007 by my classmate S.B.Borah.Our batch had the oppurtunity to visit Shillong as a part of our M.Sc curriculum.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
HUMAN- ELEPHANT CONFLICT (HEC) IN ASSAM
Introduction
From time immemorial, man always has a congenial, emotional relationship with elephants. In Hindu religion, this majestic animal is worshiped in the form of elephant-headed God Lord Ganesha. Elephants are not only worshiped religiously but also praised for their intelligence. Infact, they are considered to be the most intelligent among the animals kingdom, but not above humans. Infact in some societies particularly in Asia owning a domestic elephant was a matter of pride and symbol of high status.
However, today the state of these elephant across the globe is quite sorrowful. The reason is the human being themselves. Human greed has thrown these creatures into the verge of extinction. Indiscriminate destruction of forest cover, change in land use pattern, poaching the elephants for ivory tusks etc. have led to the steep downfall in the population of the elephants. These have further led to the development of negative human-elephant interactions. Such interaction results in negative impact on human socio-economic or cultural life, on elephant conservation or on the environment. It is important to note that the economic lose due to damages done by elephants may not be accountable at national or state levels, but it is devastating for the individual farmer or a particular village.
The Conflict
Human elephant conflict may be categorized as either ‘direct’ or ‘indirect according to its impact upon people. Direct human elephant conflict result in the damage to crops, livestock, and property as well as injury and death of both human and elephant. Indirect human elephant conflict causes broad and indirect social impacts upon people. In recent years, in the state of Assam direct conflict with elephants has resulted in numerous human death and loss of property. Within a span of four year, from 2001 to 2005, the human deaths due to human elephant conflict stands at 194, while that of elephant is 118. According to official records, during this period another 61 elephants died of natural reasons and 62 of unknown reasons.
The areas that regularly come into news for human elephant conflict are the districts of Sonitpur, Karbi Anglong and Kamrup (metro). Investingly, these four districts in the recent times has seen a lot of developmental activities and urbanization which has lead to the decrease in vegetation cover, availability of food for the elephants, safe refuge in the forest pattern, topography, natural hazards etc are the factors which are unique to each place and we are yet to fully understand them.
In Guwahati the worst affected areas are Panikhaiti, Chandrapur, Thakurkuchi, Deepor Beel, Azara, Botahghuli, Sonapur, Rani-Garbhanga landscape. In these areas, the elephant herds and the crop field during night and damage houses and property.
Indirect human elephant conflict situation create a stressful environment for the human. During the harvesting period the farmers together guard their paddy field throughout the night. During crop raids, they risk their lives to save the crops which bring cash and feed them during the dry season. To some extent the human elephant conflict problem has detoriated the social fabrication in these regions. In 2001, within a period of three months from July to September, villagers in Sonitpur district poisoned 31 elephant to death. This is a case of sheer revenge of the villagers against the raiding elephants which undermines the very conservation efforts for saving the elephant population in this region or the country itself.
The situation Golaghat and Karbi Anglong landscape is even more adverse. According to a research done by Dr. B K Talukdar (2007), there are about 200-250 elephants in the Golaghat and Karbi Anglong landscape. These elephant have been seriously affected by the establishment of Numligarh Refinery Ltd. In Telgram area, stone quarrying in Behora, Mikirchang area and also due to widening of national highway. Destruction of elephant habitat in this region is one of the main reason behind the conflict situation. According to statistics, since 1872, 855 of forested area in the Golaghat and Karbi Anglong region have been encroached and deforested. Diphu in Karbi Anglong has witnessed deforestation of 98.29% of total area.
According to Talukdar (2007), a herd of 150-165 elephants comes out of the Nambor- Doigisung Reserve Forest and raid the crop field and stored grains in the night. In these raids a lot of household damages occur.
Water Requirement
A normal adult elephant requires about 140-200 liters of water daily. Thus for a herd of about 100 elephants the daily water requirement is around 14000- 20000 litres. So it is obvious that elephant would prefer a forest from where they would have easy accessibility to water bodies. In north east the mountains and forest area fed with numerous stream and river channels and there are large no. of wetlands also.
In Guwahati city, Amchang and Rani- Garbhanga hill ranges have quite good no. of streams and wetlands. Wile Deepor Beel serves the need of the elephant of Rani Garbhanga Forests, Khamranga Beel in Thakurkuchi area and other small wetlands inside the Amchang wildlife sanctuary are often visited by a herd of about 32elephants. The herd that visit Deepor Beel consist of about 80-100 elephant. In Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Sonitpur district also the elephant herds often visit the main river channel and there are also a good no. of wetlands in these district, particularly in Kaziranga National Park.
Diet
Elephants are found to spend 70-90% of their time in foraging, consuming about 100-200 kg of vegetation. Some of the most preferred food items of the elephants are grasses, bamboo, roots and barks of tress fruits and paddy crops. All this items are easily available in all parts of Assam and the whole north east India.
Pattern of crop damage:
Elephant damages the crops in a way that varies both spatially and temporally. From the observation in Kaziranga and Manas national park, Amchang wildlife sanctuary and Deepor Beel, it is quite evident that crop damages is more likely to occur along the boundaries of protected areas. It is quite possible that, since elephant have an acute spatial awareness, they are able to recognize the transition between ‘safe’ forest and ‘dangerous’ crop fields. Crop damages also frequently occur around the water points as in case of deeper Beel and kamranga Beel. It is interesting to note that according to farmers, it is only during the harvesting period when the elephant regularly raid the crops. According to them, the elephant raids occur mostly within the first two weeks of the harvesting period. This also could be evidence to the fact that elephants do have a good sense of seasonal variation of vegetation pattern.
Human elephant conflict mitigation measures
Human elephant conflict mitigation is a complex issue, for which measures cannot be or rather should it be adopted and implemented without properly understanding ecology and behaviour of the concerned herd of elephants and also the entire environmental setting of the area should be taken into account.
Some of the steps adopted by the Assam government are as follows-
1) Anti-depredation squads placed in affected areas.
2) Engaging Kunki (trained) elephants to chase away the herds.
3) Forest officials provided with fire crackers.
4) Special training for forest personals by elephant trainers and researchers.
5) Erection of battery and solar powered fencings.
6) Creation of five new elephant reserves.
7) Compensation to affected families and farmers from funds of project elephant.
Conventional methods of mitigating human elephant conflict in Assam have yielded only average results. In some forest areas only one or two steps adopted has been implemented. Perhaps all theses steps are taken up together, might give good results. However another promising concept in this regard is that of Community Based Conflict Management (CBCM). This has been implemented by some NGO’s in this region. Here, the effort made by “Aranyak” in the formation of Sashya Suraksha Samiti (Crop Protection Committee) in Golaghat district is worth mentioning. Local SHG’s have also been supported by “Aranyak” in production of high yielding crops and elephant repellent crop varieties. This effort has resulted in minimizing the growing resentment and hatred of the people towards elephants. The villagers have started showing their interest in mitigating the problem strategically.
From time immemorial, man always has a congenial, emotional relationship with elephants. In Hindu religion, this majestic animal is worshiped in the form of elephant-headed God Lord Ganesha. Elephants are not only worshiped religiously but also praised for their intelligence. Infact, they are considered to be the most intelligent among the animals kingdom, but not above humans. Infact in some societies particularly in Asia owning a domestic elephant was a matter of pride and symbol of high status.
However, today the state of these elephant across the globe is quite sorrowful. The reason is the human being themselves. Human greed has thrown these creatures into the verge of extinction. Indiscriminate destruction of forest cover, change in land use pattern, poaching the elephants for ivory tusks etc. have led to the steep downfall in the population of the elephants. These have further led to the development of negative human-elephant interactions. Such interaction results in negative impact on human socio-economic or cultural life, on elephant conservation or on the environment. It is important to note that the economic lose due to damages done by elephants may not be accountable at national or state levels, but it is devastating for the individual farmer or a particular village.
The Conflict
Human elephant conflict may be categorized as either ‘direct’ or ‘indirect according to its impact upon people. Direct human elephant conflict result in the damage to crops, livestock, and property as well as injury and death of both human and elephant. Indirect human elephant conflict causes broad and indirect social impacts upon people. In recent years, in the state of Assam direct conflict with elephants has resulted in numerous human death and loss of property. Within a span of four year, from 2001 to 2005, the human deaths due to human elephant conflict stands at 194, while that of elephant is 118. According to official records, during this period another 61 elephants died of natural reasons and 62 of unknown reasons.
The areas that regularly come into news for human elephant conflict are the districts of Sonitpur, Karbi Anglong and Kamrup (metro). Investingly, these four districts in the recent times has seen a lot of developmental activities and urbanization which has lead to the decrease in vegetation cover, availability of food for the elephants, safe refuge in the forest pattern, topography, natural hazards etc are the factors which are unique to each place and we are yet to fully understand them.
In Guwahati the worst affected areas are Panikhaiti, Chandrapur, Thakurkuchi, Deepor Beel, Azara, Botahghuli, Sonapur, Rani-Garbhanga landscape. In these areas, the elephant herds and the crop field during night and damage houses and property.
Indirect human elephant conflict situation create a stressful environment for the human. During the harvesting period the farmers together guard their paddy field throughout the night. During crop raids, they risk their lives to save the crops which bring cash and feed them during the dry season. To some extent the human elephant conflict problem has detoriated the social fabrication in these regions. In 2001, within a period of three months from July to September, villagers in Sonitpur district poisoned 31 elephant to death. This is a case of sheer revenge of the villagers against the raiding elephants which undermines the very conservation efforts for saving the elephant population in this region or the country itself.
The situation Golaghat and Karbi Anglong landscape is even more adverse. According to a research done by Dr. B K Talukdar (2007), there are about 200-250 elephants in the Golaghat and Karbi Anglong landscape. These elephant have been seriously affected by the establishment of Numligarh Refinery Ltd. In Telgram area, stone quarrying in Behora, Mikirchang area and also due to widening of national highway. Destruction of elephant habitat in this region is one of the main reason behind the conflict situation. According to statistics, since 1872, 855 of forested area in the Golaghat and Karbi Anglong region have been encroached and deforested. Diphu in Karbi Anglong has witnessed deforestation of 98.29% of total area.
According to Talukdar (2007), a herd of 150-165 elephants comes out of the Nambor- Doigisung Reserve Forest and raid the crop field and stored grains in the night. In these raids a lot of household damages occur.
Water Requirement
A normal adult elephant requires about 140-200 liters of water daily. Thus for a herd of about 100 elephants the daily water requirement is around 14000- 20000 litres. So it is obvious that elephant would prefer a forest from where they would have easy accessibility to water bodies. In north east the mountains and forest area fed with numerous stream and river channels and there are large no. of wetlands also.
In Guwahati city, Amchang and Rani- Garbhanga hill ranges have quite good no. of streams and wetlands. Wile Deepor Beel serves the need of the elephant of Rani Garbhanga Forests, Khamranga Beel in Thakurkuchi area and other small wetlands inside the Amchang wildlife sanctuary are often visited by a herd of about 32elephants. The herd that visit Deepor Beel consist of about 80-100 elephant. In Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Sonitpur district also the elephant herds often visit the main river channel and there are also a good no. of wetlands in these district, particularly in Kaziranga National Park.
Diet
Elephants are found to spend 70-90% of their time in foraging, consuming about 100-200 kg of vegetation. Some of the most preferred food items of the elephants are grasses, bamboo, roots and barks of tress fruits and paddy crops. All this items are easily available in all parts of Assam and the whole north east India.
Pattern of crop damage:
Elephant damages the crops in a way that varies both spatially and temporally. From the observation in Kaziranga and Manas national park, Amchang wildlife sanctuary and Deepor Beel, it is quite evident that crop damages is more likely to occur along the boundaries of protected areas. It is quite possible that, since elephant have an acute spatial awareness, they are able to recognize the transition between ‘safe’ forest and ‘dangerous’ crop fields. Crop damages also frequently occur around the water points as in case of deeper Beel and kamranga Beel. It is interesting to note that according to farmers, it is only during the harvesting period when the elephant regularly raid the crops. According to them, the elephant raids occur mostly within the first two weeks of the harvesting period. This also could be evidence to the fact that elephants do have a good sense of seasonal variation of vegetation pattern.
Human elephant conflict mitigation measures
Human elephant conflict mitigation is a complex issue, for which measures cannot be or rather should it be adopted and implemented without properly understanding ecology and behaviour of the concerned herd of elephants and also the entire environmental setting of the area should be taken into account.
Some of the steps adopted by the Assam government are as follows-
1) Anti-depredation squads placed in affected areas.
2) Engaging Kunki (trained) elephants to chase away the herds.
3) Forest officials provided with fire crackers.
4) Special training for forest personals by elephant trainers and researchers.
5) Erection of battery and solar powered fencings.
6) Creation of five new elephant reserves.
7) Compensation to affected families and farmers from funds of project elephant.
Conventional methods of mitigating human elephant conflict in Assam have yielded only average results. In some forest areas only one or two steps adopted has been implemented. Perhaps all theses steps are taken up together, might give good results. However another promising concept in this regard is that of Community Based Conflict Management (CBCM). This has been implemented by some NGO’s in this region. Here, the effort made by “Aranyak” in the formation of Sashya Suraksha Samiti (Crop Protection Committee) in Golaghat district is worth mentioning. Local SHG’s have also been supported by “Aranyak” in production of high yielding crops and elephant repellent crop varieties. This effort has resulted in minimizing the growing resentment and hatred of the people towards elephants. The villagers have started showing their interest in mitigating the problem strategically.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A Crawling Beauty.........
This beautiful snake, a Green Viper, was photographed by my friend Kuladip Sarma, who's a student of wildlife sciences at Gauhati University. The snake was seen crawling infornt of our hostel.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Why am I.......?
I have always loved to be in the midst of a jungle.......the sound of the crickets.....variedly coloured butterflies hovering all around and sometimes one of it just comes and rests on your body...then again the birds are there to fill your ears with their sweet voices.....its so mesmerising. And as you keep travelling one thing is always in mind......may be a few yards ahead there is some wild animal waiting.......the fear together with the excitement of seeing one is a sort of feeling that i cannot express. These feelings and excitement keeps pushing me into the forests.......My interest in wildlife or the love for nature has perhaps developed from the fact that from my childhood itself i have seen my family performing religious rituals worshiping nature. e.g every year we perform rituals worshiping "Manasa Devi"(Serpent Goddess). There are many such rituals that have perhaps aroused my interest in wildlife. As i grew up i understood the importance of conservation of wildlife and took the plunge into this field. As a first step i chose to study Zoology in my first degree and later i took up Environmental Science in my Masters. During these years i have visited many forests around Guwahati and also some National parks and wildlife sanctuaries of the state as part of academic curriculum.Apart from this i along with some of my friends used to travel to local forest areas during vacations......long walks deep into the woods is physically tiring but at the end of the day it made us more energetic. Also during the years i have seen the plight of the people due to environmental degradation.......of course we are ourselves to be blamed for these. If we as human beings.....the most intelligent of all life forms on earth.......don't realise that whatever Mother Nature has given us is not just for us.....it is to be cherished by all life forms and also our future progeny.....then we are heading towards an inevitable catastrophe very soon.Keeping all this things in mind i have decided to join the crusaders for the environment and dedicate my life towards the advancement of environmental science and technology through research and also bring about an exchange of knowledge between the indigenous people and modern scientific world which would pave the way for a steady and stable earth.
That's why I am an Environmental Researcher!
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