DHENKANAL: Mahima devotees thronging the Magha mela at Joranda, near here, will go back home this year without their memento. 'Khanjani', the favourite musical instrument of the Mahima devotees, has been banned under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 since it is made from the skin of monitor lizard. In a massive drive mounted by Forest officials, at least 400 'khanjanis' were seized over the last 10 days and more on the eve of the mela on Tuesday. Senior devotees, who are upset over the move, said the instrument is widely used during prayer and singing of devotional songs in memory of Mahima Gosain, the founder of Mahima Dharma. Those, who visit the mela that started 144 years ago, always carried back the 'khanjani', they said, adding it is strange that the ban is being enforced after so many years. Forest officials are even frisking visitors and devotees during their entry into Joranda. DFO Sashi Paul said the Mahima peetha's devotees and the 'babas' were apprised about the government regulation at least 10 days prior to the mela. Forest officials even raided Sundhikateni and Jaipurakateni villages in Parjang block, where the 'khanjanis' are prepared, to unearth the skin and wood. But they failed to find anything. Apart from the devotees, vendors too are a disappointed lot as their
labour has gone in vain. It is a major setback to their earnings as they used to sell at least 10,000 pieces everyday during the week-long festival. Meanwhile, the district administration and police have made elaborate security arrangements and taken adequate measures to keep health problems and traffic snarl-ups at bay. On the first day, more than 50,000 devotees witnessed the mela.They have arrived from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and different parts of the State. The
mela started on Tuesday and will go on for a week. Message from Corporate India regarding Wildlife In the wake of recent reports that wildlife is in trouble once more in India, a group of empowered citizens have come together on February 24, 2005, to find ways to add their strength to that of the wildlife andnature conservation movement in India.The enclosed statement of concern is agreed by: Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Industries, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries Limited, Kumaramangalam Birla, Chairman, A. V. Birla Group of Companies, K.V.Kamath, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank Limited, Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC Limited, Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Enterprises Limited, Sunil Munjal, President,
Confederation of Indian Industries, Romesh Sobti, CEO, ABN AMRO Bank,
Kiran Mazumdar, Chairman & Managing Director, Biocon India Limited, Vikram Lal, Former Chairman, Eicher Group, Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Soaps Private Limited, Jamshyd & Pheroza Godrej, Godrej & Boyce, Naina Lal Kidwai, Vice Chairman and MD, HSBC Securities, Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, S. Ramadorai, Managing Director, TCS, and Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Merrill Lynch. The corporate leaders have decided to lend their strength to the nature conservation movement and said they would work collectively towards the
task of winning national consensus for wildlife conservation and that they
would be approaching all like-minded corporates and industry associations including CII, ASSOCHAM, FICCI, etc. to be a part of and add their
strengths to this initiative
Speaking to the press about their concerns Mr. Hemendra Kothari and Mr. S. Ramadorai on behalf of the group announced that they do not intend to
replace existing efforts either by the government, or NGOs, but rather to support the work of credible organizations and individuals working to
combat environmental problems. All the people mentioned above have agreed to work towards this objective Recent reports in the media about poaching gangs impacting the Tiger population in Sariska and Ranthambore only underscores the constant threat the magnificent cat faces for survival. The situation in other sanctuaries is equally worrying and gives us reason to be concerned. Flagship species including the Great Indian Bustards, elephants and even some sharks are in danger of extinction. According to recent estimates the trade in illegal wildlife products isnext only to narcotics and arms smuggling and is worth some US$12 billion a
year. India, as home to some of the most charismatic animals on the planet, is
now a major source market for this trade. Most of the demand for wildlife products comes from outside the country - unfortunately, it is our
wildlife heritage that is plundered to supply this external demand. Project Tiger, which has just completed three decades of existence, has justifiably been recognized as one of the world's most successful conservation projects. The tiger and elephant are vital constituents of India's 'brand equity'. The tiger is a symbol of our biodiversity. If it
is allowed to vanish, this will spell disaster for a host of other fauna and flora. Vital water catchments will be lost, affecting the lives of
millions who depend on natural resources for their survival. Protecting wildlife is not merely a matter of emotion or aesthetics. Wild habitats hold the key to India's water security, soil health and thus agriculture. A destabilised environment will eventually destabilise our economy itself. The Honorable Prime Minister and chief ministers of all states must know that corporate India and industry is concerned and is willing to support them in the vital task of protecting our natural heritage. We recognise that corals, mangroves, forests, rivers, grasslands, wetlands and mountains are the components of our natural treasury. We owe it to our children to prevent their natural heritage from coming to any harm.
Together we can and will save the wildlife of India. Corporate Support: "All of us in India should be concerned with the wanton destruction of our indigenous wildlife. Tigers and elephants are a part of India's history
and heritage. We need to protect these indigenous species from poachers and gangs who profit from killing these animals for monetary gain from the
sale of skins, claws, teeth and tusks. Our inability to act today will cause
this heritage to be lost to us forever." Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata
Industries Limited. "Wildlife sanctuaries have given my family, including my late father, great joy. I definitely would like to commit to the conservation effort. While
we aspire for India to become a strong economic power in the world at the
same time we must protect and preserve all that is precious to the human
spirit, including wild nature which has inspired our cultures, religions and civilization," said Mr. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director,
Reliance Industries Limited. "The cause of strengthening India's natural resources and heritage is avery important one and we are happy to come forward to work towards conserving our natural heritage," Mr. Kumarmangalam Birla, Chairman, A.V. Birla
Group. "The most basic principle of asset management is to keep your capital
intact and use only the incremental gain. This must be applied to our natural capital too," said Mr. KV Kamath, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank Limited. "If we cannot preserve the legacy of our natural heritage futuregenerations will judge all our development gains to have been futile," said Mr. Deepak
Parekh, Chairman, HDFC Limited. "Animals like the tiger enhance India's brand equity overseas. Furthermore, saving the tiger amounts to saving our forests, thus our precious water resources," said Mr. Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Enterprises Limited. "We at CII feel its very important to nurture our natural resources and as
a representative of the Industry, are very happy to be associated with the initiative to protect our wildlife and environment," said Mr. Sunil
Munjal, President, Confederation of Indian Industries.
"Protecting the environment amounts to protecting our long-term economic foundations," said Mr. Romesh Sobti, CEO ABN Amro India. 'I truly believe that our wild spaces are crucial to national development
and today's corporates are much more socially responsible and will be able
to make a lasting difference to nature conservation," said Ms. Naina Lal
Kidwai, Vice Chairman and MD, HSBC Securities.
"Protecting wildlife habitats like forests and jungles ensures that our
lakes and rivers will flow all year round. TCS employees are currently
engaged in a learning exercise that we hope will help them turn into green
warriors for natural India," said Mr. S. Ramadorai, Managing Director,
Tata Consultancy Services. "Wild habitats really hold the key to India's water security, soil health and thus agriculture. Almost all of these are vital water catchments and will be lost, affecting the lives of millions who depend on this most
basic natural resource for their very survival. From just 27 tiger reserves
across India, more than 300 rivers originate. Protection of wildlife is paramount as a destabilized environment will eventually destabilize our economy,"
said Mr. Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Merrill Lynch Limited and founder of
the Wildlife Conservation Trust. Other Signatories: . Kiran Mazumdar, Chairman & Managing Director, Biocon India Limited . Vikram Lal, Former Chairman, Eicher Group . Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Soaps Private Limited. Jamshyd & Pheroza, Godrej, Godrej & Boyce . Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra
