Bandu Dhotre

सरकारने अजून संवेदनशील भाग किती आहे , हेच जाहीर केलेले नाही , असे सांगून ते म्हणाले की , याउपरही अशा संवेदनशील भागात खाणकामांना परवानगी देता कामा नये. ताडोबातील वन्यजीवांवर विपरित परिणाम होतील म्हणून वने आणि पर्यावरण मंत्रालयाने याआधी १९९९ मध्ये याच कोळसा खाणीचा प्रस्ताव फेटाळला होता. आता १० वर्षांनंतर व्याघ्र भ्रमंतीचा मार्गच संकुचित झाला आहे. अशा स्थितीत प्रस्ताव फेटाळण्यात आलेल्या कोळसा खाणीला परवानगी देणे अयोग्य आहे.
कोळसा खाणीचा हा पट्टा मुळात ब्रह्मपुरी वन विभागात येतो. हा भाग प्राणी आणि मनुष्य यांच्यातील संघर्षासाठी ओळखला जातो. खाणींमुळे प्राण्यांवर संकट येऊ शकते. ताडोबा अभयारण्य व्यवस्थापनाने हा भाग धोकादायक बनल्याचे म्हटलेले आहे. एका आराखडयाअंतर्गत त्याचे नव्याने संवर्धनही व्यवस्थापनाने सुरू केले आहे. वनेमंत्री जयराम रमेश यांच्या ध्यानात ही बाब अलीकडच्या दिल्ली भेटीत आपण आणून दिल्याचेही धोत्रे यांनी सांगितले. आपणास अद्यापपर्यंत कंपनीकडून पर्यावरणविषयक मंजुरीसाठी कोणताही प्रस्ताव आलेला नाही , असे त्यांनी म्हटले आणि पर्यावरणाला मारक कोणत्याही प्रकल्पाला मंत्रालयाकडून परवानगी दिली जाणार नसल्याचे आश्वासन त्यांनी दिले , असेही धोत्रे म्हणाले.

It appears that Chandrapur citizens have finally realised what loss
they will sustain if the mine of Adani Power Limited (APL) is allowed in the core forest area of Lohara near Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). Their strong opposition to the proposed mine was reflected in the total response to a strike call given by conservationists, social organizations and political parties collectively on Tuesday.

The movement to oppose the proposed mine that was underway since one year gained fresh momentum after conservationist Bandu Dhotre began a fast unto death from July 20th before the district collectorate. As the agitation progressed, people in every section of the society understood the importance of preserving Lohara jungle and soon, support began pouring in to the satyagraha started by Dhotre. As his hunger strike entered the 9th day on Tuesday, bandh was called upon unanimously by supporters of Dhotre.

Three major political parties including Congress, BJP and Shiv Sena backed it. The bandh call evoked 100% response and traders in Chandrapur did not open their shops in the main market in the morning. Education institutions too declared holiday and students reaching the schools and colleges were turned
back. Even petrol pumps and cinemas were kept closed. However, emergency services such as hospitals and medical shops remained open. No effect of the bandh call was seen on the attendance in government offices and banks.

Several groups of Congress and Shiv Sena supporters, along with those of conservationist organizations, were seen parading along the streets, closing the few shops and institutions that defied the bandh call. Streets and markets wore a deserted look in the afternoon following the bandh call.

Former Congress MP Naresh Pugalia, who was first among the political leaders to declare full support to Dhotre's agitation said, "I have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to revoke the permission to all coal blocks allocated around TATR, including Lohara coal block given to APL. The allocation in the core forest area threatening the existence of the tiger is in stark
contrast with the policy of union ministry of environment and forests. While I have detailed the disastrous consequences of mining in the forest around Tadoba to PM and other concerned authorities, I will personally take up the issue with them when I reach Delhi."

In light of the fact that Lohara forest acts as a tiger corridor and allowing mining in this rich wildlife habitat will disrupt ecological balance to a disastrous extent, Pugalia has demanded for CBI probe about how APL managed to get coal block allocated in core jungle area. He is likely to fly to Delhi on Wednesday to take up the matter with the authorities concerned.

Meanwhile, support continues to pour in for Bandu Dhotre. On Tuesday, office bearers of Chandrapur Bar Association met Dhotre and declared their full support against the proposed APL mine in Lohara.

"Now, traders, industrialists, doctors, lawyers, politicians, conservationists, ex-forest employees and, most importantly, the common man, stands with me in the fight against APL. The district collector repeatedly tried to pursuade me to give up the fast, claiming that the matter is concerned with union government and there is nothing left to be done at the district level. However,
I will not budge till the union coal ministry cancels the allocation of the coal blocks," said Dhtore.

TOI

CHANDRAPUR: Eco-Pro organisation has taken up the demand for protection and conservation of fast depleting tiger corridor between Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and the Indrawati tiger project in Andhra Pradesh. A delegation of the organisation brought the various aspects posing a threat to the tiger corridor to the notice of Union minister for forest and environment Jairam Ramesh and member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority Rajesh Gopal in New Delhi a couple of days back.

President of Eco-Pro Bandu Dhotre said that a continuous stretch of jungle from TATR passing through Lohara, Junona, Ballarpur, Kothari Dhaba forest areas in Chandrapur district connects it to the Chaprala sanctuary in Gadchiroli district and further to the Indrawati tiger project across the border in Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that there are around 50 tigers in the jungles of Chandrapur district, apart from in TATR.

"This continuous stretch of forest land, though thinned at some places, acts as a corridor for tigers and other wild animals up to Indrawati tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh. However, tree felling by FDCM authorities in Dhaba forest range and illegal felling and increasing traffic on the roads intersecting the forest areas are causing hindrance to the movement of wildlife and disturbing the corridor," said Dhotre.

He claimed that tigers had vanished from Chaprala way back in 2000. However, a pair of tiger has reappeared in this sanctuary this year, thanks to the same corridor after nine long years. "Any disturbance in this corridor would be detrimental to the wildlife and its movement," he said.

Mazhar Ali, TNN, Jul 21, 2009, 03.05am IST