Tata can save the turtles

Turtles nest; port threat persists : Environmentalists

March 26, 2009

A file photo of turtles nesting

Bhubhaneshwar, India — Greenpeace welcomed the news of return of mass-nesting of Olive Ridley Turtles at Nasi Islands off the Gahirmatha coast. Reports available from the Department of Forests – Wildlife, Government of Orissa suggest that over 100,000 turtles nested en masse at Nasi 2 – Islands (1). The last two seasons have however also witnessed unusually severe erosion of the Gahirmatha Beaches. The length of the Nasi nesting beach has now shrunk to less than a kilometre, thereby significantly reducing the nesting habitat available for mass-nesting of the turtles in the region.

“We are absolutely delighted to see the turtles return to Gahirmatha in tune with their annual sojourn after giving the region a miss in 2007-2008 turtle season.” said Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India. “However, this episode of mass-nesting cannot be used as a smoke screen by port promoters in projecting that all is fine. It would be dangerous to assume so since this nesting does not mean that the turtles and the adjoining ecologically sensitive areas, including the Bitharkanika National Park are safe .Our concerns, shared by scientists, academics and other conservationists over ongoing dredging operations for construction of the Dhamra Port, and its impacts on the turtles and adjoining areas, remain (2). In the absence of any credible and comprehensive assessment of dredging and port construction activities on these areas, the significant ecological threat persists” he added. Continue reading…

Posted in News | Tagged Arribada, Gahirmatha, nesting, olive ridley turtle, orissa, Tata, turtles | 3 Responses

Don’t let TATA terminate the turtles

March 24, 2009

Greenpeace activists blockade the headquarters of the TATA Group, demanding Mr. Ratan Tata halt construction on TATA’s Dhamra port in Orissa, which threatens the endangered olive ridley sea turtles.

TATA corporation is in the global spotlight as they launch the Nano, the world’s cheapest car. But the spotlight ought to be on a costly little secret: TATA’s giant port at Dhamra, which threatens the nesting grounds of an endangered turtle species.

Merriam-Webster has this entry under ‘ta-ta’; Etymology: baby talk-used to express farewell.

That’s apt, considering that the TATA corporation could soon be making us say goodbye to of one of India’s largest marine reserves - Gahirmatha, and with it one of the world’s few remaining Olive Ridley turtle nesting grounds.

Every year, between 200,000 to 500,000 turtles make their way to the mass nesting beaches of Gahirmatha on India’s east coast. This is just about 12 kilometres away from a giant port being constructed by TATA at Dhamra.

TATA is India’s largest corporation and has a growing international empire, with its recent acquisitions of Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus and the Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

In India, the company’s reputation for social responsibility has been considerably tarnished over the last decade, and its performance on the Dhamra project is one of the reasons. Continue reading…

Posted in Blog | Tagged Dhamra port, olive ridleys, Tata, tata nano | 5 Responses

On development, TATA, and the turtles

March 2, 2009

The magic words “development, economic growth, employment opportunities” are often used as an excuse to muzzle or silence opposition to environmentally destructive projects. I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of hearing this over the last four years, as I’ve followed the Dhamra port trail. Development and economic growth are of course critical, especially in a state like Orissa, and ports are possibly part of this recipe (whether we need an assembly line of ports like bus stops is another debate altogether), but at what cost? Environmental and allied livelihood concerns blatantly dismissed as affordable trade-offs, a distraction at best, or a vested interest at worst. Well, welcome to the Dhamra Port Project!

Four years ago, November 2004 to be precise, the port area was a thriving habitat in itself, covered with Suadea intertidal grass as far as the eye could see. Circa 2009, it’s a scarred patch, on it’s way to becoming a modern development marvel - concrete and steel; never mind the presence of rare species of crabs, frogs and snakes - not to mention turtles offshore - in pristine habitats which they’ve known as home since time immemorial. Continue reading…

Posted in Blog | Tagged destructive projects, Dhamra, rare species, Tata, turtles, vested interest | 2 Responses

Greenpeace files legal notice seeking unconditional apology and damages

March 1, 2009

Bhubaneswar, March 1, 2009: Environmental organisation Greenpeace has served a legal notice for defamation against Oriya daily Samaj, web portal orissadiary.com and the newspaper Nayabati. The notice is in response to a front page article in the Samaj’s Friday February 27, 2009 edition, and a version of the same which appeared on web portal orissadiary.com and in Nayabati on February 28, 2009. The Samaj article had alleged that Greenpeace (and other well known organizations working for turtle protection) have been infiltrated by terrorist elements, who might be considering and planning an attack under the guise of environmental protection. In its notice to the Samaj, Greenpeace has demanded an unconditional public apology and retraction and damages to the extent of Rs. 10 Crores within a period of 7 days, failing which it will approach the judiciary system and courts to seek a resolution on the same.

“It is disquieting that such a libelous and blatantly false article can appear without anyone questioning it. To label organizations working for the protection of Orissa’s environment and wildlife as terrorists or having terror links is not just libel, it is also clearly the work of people who do not have the best interests of the state or the country at heart. We are calling on the management of Samaj to conduct an enquiry into how this article was published, issue a public apology and name the parties responsible”, said Samit Aich, Executive Director, Greenpeace India. Continue reading…

Posted in News | Tagged greenpeace, legal, orissa | Leave a response

Dhamra port controversy: dialogue fails, TATAs refuse to suspend dredging

February 26, 2009

Dredging continues posing irreversible impact on the area.

Bangalore, February 26th, 2009: The dialogue between an alliance of environmental organisations with TATA Steel and other promoters of the Dhamra Port hit a dead end on February 20, 2009, after TATA refused to consider any suspension of dredging work at the port. TATA had earlier committed ‘in principle’ to an independent and comprehensive threat assessment. However, the promoters were unwilling to suspend critical elements of the construction, particularly dredging, which conservationists fear could be causing irreversible harm to the ecology. Suspension of dredging would be fundamental for any scientifically credible and meaningful study to be conducted.

“We find this reluctance to suspend dredging inconsistent with TATA Steel’s commitments to reconsider the project if an independent study were to indicate any environmental threat from the port” said Ashish Fernandes, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace. “It is illogical and dubious science to expect a biological assessment of the area to go on even as large scale habitat alteration from dredging and land filling continues” he added. Continue reading…

Posted in News | Tagged biological threat, Dhamra, olive ridley turtle, Ratan Tata, saltwater crocodile, Tata, Tata steel, tatas, turtles | 4 Responses