WATCHING wildlife has become something of a prestigious entry in the bio-data of many top names in the corporate world. They have been disturbed by the way wildlife parks have become poaching habitats with the Project Tiger (an emergency has been declared in Ranthambor) unable to protect tigers. The Merc of Nature has been hunted out of Sariska and their population is dropping in Ranthambhor, Bandhavgarh, and many other parks, though the government still continues to play with numbers on the files.
Some days ago Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Merrill Lynch, got corporates to stand up for Indian wildlife. Except for S. Ramadorai, Managing Director, TCS, others sent in their signed statements and Kothari told the press India Inc will make the critical difference. "In the wake of recent reports that wildlife is in trouble once more in India, a group of empowered citizens has come together to find ways to add their strength to that of the wildlife and nature conservation movement in India," says the press release pledging Corporate India to protect India's wildlife.
At present, the group is an amoebic outfit and hopefully will turn into an active NGO. The scroll of honour has famous names headed by Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani and Kumaramangalam Birla, apart from many others.
The India Inc efforts follow the Green Governance programme of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) funded by ICICI Bank. At the press meet, some questions were raised over the legitimate conflict of business interests with the imperative need to protect environment. A potentially profit-making investment in mining may rip forest cover and corporates will have to decide between shareholder interest and wildlife. This particular issue was raised by a lady from a TV channel and Hemendra Kothari replied, "a balance has to be struck." Is that possible in the financial world when banks and merchant bankers are sure to back multi-crore investments in iron ore or bauxite mining?
A sampler: Tata Steel has announced plans to set up a steel plant based on iron ore in Orissa linked to upgrading the Damra port. Bankers are looking at it as a sound financial investment but slip on the fact that Damra lies on the pathway of the Olive Ridley's turtle. Can a balance then be struck though Ratan Tata has said: "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. Our inability to act today will cause this heritage to be lost to us forever."
Olive Ridley turtle is a precious heritage. Six consortiums including Reliance Energy and L&T are bidding to build the Rs 4,000-crore sea link between Sewri and Navi Mumbai. Mumbai can be proud that Sewri is the home of flamingos and other water birds, something few cities can boast of. The sea-link will mean an end to the flamingos.
Yet, issa is the bauxite mining and refinery project of Vedanta Aluminium. A letter dated March 2, 2005, written by M.K. Jiwrajka, Member Secretary, Central Empowered Committee (constituted by the Supreme Court of India) to A.D.N. Rao, standing counsel for the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) raises a few questions. Environmental clearance to the project has been given by the MoEF stating that it does not involve any forest land.
"Actually about 58 ha and 680 ha of forest land is involved for setting up the plant and for mining, respectively. The State Government as well as Vedanta Aluminium Ltd are of the view that mining from the proposed forest area is an integral part of the project. It is, therefore, seen that the environmental clearance has been accorded under wrong premise that no forest land is involved. Under these circumstances, how the environmental clearance of the project can remain valid and whether the MoEF is initiating action to stop the ongoing work of the project. The MoEF guidelines issued for implementation of the FC Act prohibits starting of work on non-forest land pending a decision about non-forestry use of forest land under the FC Act. In the instant case substantial work has already been carried out. Whether any action in this regard has been initiated by the MoEF," asks the three-page letter.
The report of the Fact Finding Team of the CEC has taken the view that "Niyamgiri is a very rich forest from biodiversity point of view. A proposal has already been approved in the working plan to declare this area as a sanctuary. ... It was further revealed that the State Government have made a proposal to include this area in the proposed new elephant reserve. Further the hills form the origin of Banasdhara river." Till date high-value projects have been favoured over wildlife. For this writer, the lovable wildlife and forests are more important. Will India Inc take a stand?
