Times of India , Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Correspondent : Vijay Pinjarkar

NAGPUR: At a time when forests are shrinking, a city-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) has come forward to protect wildlife and bio-diversity-rich Muniya, 15 km from Nagpur, as a conservation reserve with the help of communities. According to sources, Prof Vijay Ghugey, president, Nisarga Vigyan Mandal (NVM), had submitted a proposal to B Majumdar, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), wildlife, Maharashtra, in September 2007. Muniya is spread across 30 kms and comprises over 10 compartments. It has over 1,686 hectares of protected forests and over 710 hectares of reserve forests in the North Umrer Range in the Nagpur Forest Division. A site-specific study by NVM in the past four years shows that the forest has scheduled animals like leopards, black bucks, Great Indian Bustard (GIBs), pented storks, besides a 100 variety of birds and other mammals. "If chief conservator of forests (CCF), territorial, Nagpur circle, takes initiative, Muniya will go a long way in protecting wildlife or else, it would not be an exaggeration if the area is slowly grabbed by builders' lobby which is active and has come close to the forest areas," feared wildlife conservationists and naturalists. Top sources informed that the chief wildlife warden, taking a serious note of the issue, on September 4, 2007, is learnt to have written to S W H Naqvi, CCF (territorial), Nagpur circle, requesting him to examine the proposal and if found fit, a self-contained draft notification with a description of the boundaries along with a map and a resolution of gram panchayat be sent to him for further action. When contacted, Naqvi admitted that he had received the proposal and had also talked to Prof Ghugey on the issue. "I fully support the proposal but consent of the villagers is necessary before declaring the area as a conservation reserve," Naqvi told TOI. It may be mentioned that over 350-hectare Borgad in east Nasik territorial division has already been declared as state's first conservation reserve at the initiative taken by an NGO. "There's a need to examine the area to fix the boundaries. For the past five years, we've been working in the area. If conservation efforts are not taken, there will be huge destruction of wildlife and watersheds. Already, grazing and tree-felling is rampant and animals are vulnerable to poaching as they have to cross the road to move Matkazari lake, the only drinking water source in the area," Prof Ghugey said. He further said, "There are 18 villages on the fringes of Muniya and we've been convincing these villagers, mostly tribals, about the benefits of conservation reserve. We plan to fulfil their livelihood needs by supporting them financially by setting up agro-based units and self-help groups through our newly set up Nature Education Training Research Academy." vijay.pinjarkar@timesgroup.com

SOURCE : Times of India, Tuesday, April 22, 2008