Naithal
(Coastal Information Conservation And Action)
Reg No. 814/03
Thaikadappuram PO, Nileshwaram Via., Kasaragod Dist., Kerala
Sub: 1. Protest against the construction of Tourism Resort at
Thaikadappuram, which will topple the turtle conservation of Naithal.
2. Acquisition of land for the Tourism project.
Naithal, an organization for coastal information conservation and
action, was established in the year, 2001. Much earlier a group of
youths used to get involved in the environmental issues of the area,
with special emphasis on protest against sand mining that was
predominant in the coastal areas of Kanhangad municipality, and
Nileshwar grama panchayaths of Kasaragod District, Kerala. The
organization came into being as a result of their aspiration to give
such activities an organized form. The organization won the battle
against sand mining in the area that comes under the Coastal
Regulation Zone Act. The tangible consequence of preserving pure
drinking water enabled it to get the wholehearted support of the
locals.
Our coast is gifted by the arrival of Olive Ridley turtles, which
extends from the month of September to March. Hence, Naithal enhanced
its activities by stepping to the turtle conservation programmes,
which has now become one of the most important of its projects. The
project area covers 15kms. of the coastal belt of Kanhangad
Municipality, Nileshwar Grama Panchayat and Padanna Grama Panchayat of
Kasaragod District of Kerala. We patiently wait for our 'guests' and
the laid eggs are collected and hatched at hatcheries constructed
with the support of Kerala Forest and Wild life Department.
The project is undertaken with the support and co-operation of the
Department of Forest and Wild Life. In Kerala, such a participatory
conservation project is undertaken only at Thaikadappuram
(Nileshwaram) of Kasargod District and Kolavi of Calicut District. The
need and importance of continuing the project has been emphasized by
many scientists and research organizations of national repute. The
endangered species of Olive Ridley Turtles is included in Schedule 1
of Wild life Protection Act, which shows the significance of this
project.
The project could instill the need and importance of protecting the
entire bio-diversity among the people, who were formerly using turtle
eggs for food. In addition we could organise the public and make them
part of the conservation activities.
Recognising our turtle conservation project as the best environmental
activity in the state, The Environment Monitoring Forum, Cochin
conferred us the P.V. Thampi Memorial Environmental Award in the year
2004.
No of Eggs collected / hatched
Year Number of eggs collected Number of Nests No of hatches
2002 - 03 1548 12 927
2003 - 04 3216 26 1853
2004 - 05 2913 21 2514
2005 - 06 3119 24 2817
2006 - 07 2518 21 880 out of 8 nests and season still continues.
Breaking the existing belief that the egg-laying season spans from
September to March, in the year 2003-04, a nest was found in the month
of August. The scientists of Zoological Survey of India reported that
it is a first ever-observed incident in which a turtle laid eggs in
the month of August.
Naithal has conducted a study on solid waste deposits and
encroachment of Nileshwaram River, and the report has been handed over
to Nileshwar Grama Panchayath. Naithal members were in the forefront
of the fight against the year long burning issue of aerial spray of
Endosulfan in Kasaragod District.
School children of the area, under the banner of 'Naithal Kids', are
also doing contributory activities in these areas.
But The Horror
But there is a horror that hinders our forward movement and makes us
frustrated. The claw of the undergoing tourism project is to stifle us
and make our project totally futile and impossible. The constructions
of the tourism project at Ozhinhavalappu in Kanhangad Municipality,
Kasaragod District by the Chopra group is in the site where we get the
maximum number of eggs. Turtles do not visit illuminated coasts, but
only peaceful ones, free of sound pollution and other disturbances. It
is quite certain that the mercury lamps installed here and the
tourists will repel the turtles away from their paradise. The
construction neglects the Wildlife Protection Act and the Coastal
Regulation Zone Act that prohibits construction any kind that would
endanger the habitats of species included in schedule 1. Further, no
Environmental Impact Assessment, has been carried out while starting
such a huge project in this ecologically sensitive area. The
exploitation of drinking water will be another major threat. This
coast is the only one in Kerala, where the ground water is not saline.
However, over consumption of ground water will certainly deprive the
coast of this gift.
Interestingly, the construction is just near to the high tide line,
whereas permission is not granted for poor fishermen to construct
houses in the zone. All these constructions will jeopardise the
micro-climate of the area.
So we need the support and backing of the like-minded people. Kindly
contribute your mite by spreading message to preserve the chastity of
the coast. We request each and every one of you to appeal the
concerned to spare the breading site of the turtles.
Kindly make your appeal to –
1. Chief Minister of Kerala, Trivandrum.
2. Ministry for Environment and Forest, New Delhi
3. Ministry for Forest and Wild Life, Trivandrum, Kerala.
4. District Collector, Kasaragod, Kerala
5. Municipal Chairman, Kanhangad Municipality, Kasaragod, Kerala.
If you don't mind, please send a copy of appeal to us also.
Thanking You
Naithal
Contact : email : sudheer_nlr @yahoo.com
Tele: 0091 09847768888 (Sudheer
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