Leopard killed in-front of Police,SDM and DFO in Mandwadi

                                    This photo is captured from Patrika

Another incident of man animal conflict and leopard goes to rest for ever. While news of the tragic attack on a leopard by the villagers is not a concern for the forest officials, hiding the facts have become a priority. 

The incident is of Mandawadi of Rajpur sub-Division on Saturday.The barbaric act and the ruthlessness of the villagers was captured on the Camera being instigated by the SDM and other administration present at the time of the incident.

                                 Using  this Pictures without permission will come under copyright action

The Version of Forest as expected--It dived into the well and died of shock. Shame on all of us who are becoming inhuman and insensitive.

DFO Sendwa was present at the time of incident confirmed by DFO Barwani who was briefed about the incident after 5 hours after the death of the Leopard.

The fact is it died of stone pelting in the presence of Police, SDM and DFO as captured on TV crew of a local channel.The incident is of Khandwa Circle.

             Photo Of UDAI

The stories have been planted by the Forest department to save a face off gain. Will somebody question them on the Guidelines given by MOEF on Man Animal Leopard Conflict? Why were the guidelines not followed? Has the Madhya Pradesh wildlife wing ever considered briefing the lower staff and other on the Guidelines? Or Dr HS Pabla busy planning translocation instead of wildlife management and Conservation.

The Wildlife Wing of the MOEF has not parted with the details of Leopard since 2003 as not sufficed by Madhya Pradesh or the head office of the Wildlife Madhya Pradesh has data /Figures of casualties, deaths, births of Leopards as confirmed by them in writing to us.

We are anguished and sad.

Who is accountable for this tragedy? Why are leopards wandering from their habitat? A transparent inquiry with all facts to be shared with us is insisted along with the postmortem reports from the Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh. Suspending the lower staff will not suffice or close the case. The HOD should be made accountable.

In the last 5 years more than 125 Leopards have died, 85 through poachers, 11 man animal conflict 29 died due to natural deaths or illness.

 In 2004 the population was 1075 at present  in 2011 its estimated as 1073

Watch it for yourself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e7hZB9wJfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIYOamcd388&feature=channel_video_title

Don't become prey to lions: CJ

The Gujarat high court has stayed land deals in the periphery of the lions' den – the Gir sanctuary.

Issue involves possession of land by non-Maldharis

While ordering a stay on land deals in the reserved forest surrounding the Gir sanctuary, chief justice SJ Mukhopadhaya called for maintaining a balance between development and nature. The forest department has been maintaining that the increased grazing has resulted in decrease of prey for lions in the forest. Moreover, the forest officials have also been insisting that the sale of plots allotted to Maldharis be declared illegal, and non-Maldharis be evicted from the place. However, the petitioner claims that he has been deliberately harassed by forest officials due to other social consideration and his ownership of the plot is legal. To this, the chief justice commented, "Lions' place has to be protected. You shift from the place before you become prey to lions.

HC orders probe into alleged felling of trees in “Nouradehi Abhayaranya”

A division bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court comprising Chief Justice Syed Rafat Alam and Justice Alok Aradhe has ordered an inquiry into the alleged  1-felling of trees 2- Burning of their shoots to destroy the evidences by the Forest authorities in “Nouradehi Abhayaranya”.

Nouradehi Abhayaranya” is surrounded by Sagar, Damoh and Narshinpur Districts which is about 150 km from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. 

The division bench has directed the forest authorities of Madhya Pradesh to execute  re plantation of trees in the affected area iif found true.

Hearing a petition filed by Ambika Prasad Dubey of Eco-forest development committee Jalpiry, Narsingpur district the court has directed the compliance of the orders within six months.

the commitee has alleged that in March 2007, thousnad of vauable trees were felled by the then Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Archana Shukla and others in “Nouradehi Abhayaranya”.

The petitioner further alleged that in order to destroy the evidence of their existence, their shoots were also burnt completely by the said DFO in connivance with few villagers and officers.The petitioner had prayed to the court to stop felling of trees in order to prevent environmental imbalance and damage to “Nouradehi Abhayaranya” and to take suitable action against the guilty.

Patrolling the Tiger Land is anti wildlife.

Madhya Pradesh Wildlife Department is anti wildlife protection act. This can be substantiated by Madhya Pradesh new scheme "Patrolling the Tiger Land” to be launched with the new session in October 2010.

The department is not ready to learn any lessons from the Jhurjura Murder. This incident has occurred in the core area of Bandhavgarh National Park despite it being one of the most well managed National Parks in the country. The incident occurred as the "Tourism "is permitted in the Core / Critical tiger habitat areas. The Forest officers are ready to destroy the status of “Tiger State” of my State Madhya Pradesh for tourism and personal interests. Any lay person understands the scientific and objective criterion of this requirement but unfortunately who will make the Madhya Pradesh Forest department understand.

Under the Patrolling the Tiger Land scheme, tourists will be able to trek forests along with patrolling parties in the national parks in the state so that they can have a real experience of wildlife and flora and fauna, official sources said today. The tourists national park/sanctuary will be provided with a patrolling party/trek by the range officer concerned or any other competent authority, they said, adding the tourists would be able to go into deep jungles accompanied by patrolling party. Tourists will be allowed to carry food and drinking water with them. They will have to pay vehicle entry fees as per rules apart from separate charges for trekking the forest along with the patrolling party, they said. Only four tourists will be allowed to accompany a patrolling party and they will be allowed to take rest in the camps of the forest department.
While the whole world is engaged in saving the nature and tigers under Dr H. S Pabla as the Chief Wild Life Warden is hell bent to make the Forest reserve and the National parks an area for circus. There is a difference between a Zoo and a National PARK. If the aim of activities is to entertain, rather than educate tourists, this is complete belittle or humiliate the local people. Can anybody take a guarantee of a place it cannot be overrun with photographers and tourist in safari vehicles all jostling for the best position around a bemused Tiger pride or leopard in a tree? This decision by the forest department indicates that priority is tourism, not conservation. It is also very naive to think that any wild animal will stand around to give photo opps to tourists on foot. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are three states where most tourist flock to see wildlife especially tigers. So??

Delineating/notifying the buffer areas as per the provision of the Wildlife (Protection Act, 1972 are still pending from the state. Identifying/notifying of the core /critical tiger habitat is also pending from the state. There is none to solicit their intervention from top to bottom for ensuring statutory requirements in the interest of the Tiger conservation. Eco tourism ensures the survival of the attractions of the nature and culture, without harming the resources. It promotes the preservation of wildlife and the natural habitats. 

Wildlife tourism in this country is increasing rapidly like a wildfire. Every year more and more visitors are coming to this country to explore its various wildlife parks and sanctuaries and treasure unique lifetime. Tour operators and business developers are running the resorts near the national parks and destroying then balance. This scheme is being launched as the answer to the refusal for his personal tourism project which he wants to be executed along with his foreign business partners in South Africa. Tour operators and resort owners lead the Forest Department by its nose.

Immediately  we need to look into the following points.

Where is the Detailed project report of the Patrolling the Tiger Land. For any Government initiative a report is to be submitted.

Will somebody answer where will the Profits go? To foreign companies, such as tour operators and hotel chains, rather than to the local community. In the name of infrastructure promotion important projects for local communities are side-lined as infrastructure developments are more focused on tourists. Pollution and disruption to wildlife habitats and wildlife behavior will surely occur. Environmental damage will be on rampant..Most of the tourists are not sensitive and once started, selective permit is out of question. Increasing quality petrolling is one thing, but adding fun/entertainment to this serious cause is something not at all appreciated Roads and tracks for safari jeeps will erode grass cover, damaging plant and animal’s species and disturbing local habitats. The removal of vegetation for the construction of roads will lead to increased soil erosion. Economic inequality will be on the rise, persons who will benefit most from the profits of tourism will not be local people but wealthy landowners, politicians, babus or the hotel and travel companies. Cutting down trees provides timber for safari lodges and fuel for cooking - but also leads to ecosystem damage through soil erosion .Are we serious about our mother nature or greed will not end. Won’t there be water cycle damage? Diverting water for tourists can leave local aquifer and water reserves exploited - leaving local people, plants and animals short of water. Tourist hotels are the ones responsible for water pollution as a result of waste dumping into rivers.

The same Babu is also responsible for the Panna Genocide. He wants hunting to be legal in the national parks.

I along with 2500 group members demand that immediately the execution of the scheme be stopped and the habitat should be well managed and conserved without interference from hungry hotel industry which will destroy the ecological balance and finally loss of Habitat. This project will be disastrous for the animals plus impact on the ecology of the core area with untrained humans.

Wake up friends

Police Seize Firearms Used by Wildlife Officials to Fight Off Poachers, Putting Critically Endangered Bengal Tigers at Increased Risk

In only the last eight years, the Bengal Tiger population has decreased by over 61% and is now frighteningly close to extinction with only 1,400 of the cats left.  Habitat loss and poaching are to blame for their decline.  Nagarhole Tiger Reserve is home to the highest density of these tigers in all of India, attracting a heavy and constant flow of poachers.  Forest officers tasked with protecting the National Park’s tiger population (and other wildlife) from the poachers are now impeded by a devastating combination of muddy monsoon conditions and a complete lack of defense.

Following a shooting incident inside the Reserve, neighboring police departments confiscated wildlife officials’ firearms as part of routine procedure and will not return them until the investigation is completed and the case closed.  In some ranges of this National Park, as much as 40% of their firearms were taken, including service rifles.  In fact, the forest officers of one of the Reserve’s ranges were left with only a single rifle to protect the animals and themselves against the heavily armed poaching gangs frequenting the Reserve.

Tiger skins removed from carcasses so bones can be sold for tiger bone wine.

Further complicating anti-poaching efforts are the muddy conditions brought about by the current monsoon season, which prevents the officers from using vehicles to patrol the park.  Forced to conduct foot patrols without an adequate supply of firearms, many staff refuse to put themselves at such high risk.  Consequently, poachers are enabled to do increased damage to the Reserve’s tiger population, as well as other wildlife species such as the Asian elephant.

Many struggling nations lack the finances and manpower necessary for enforcing laws against poaching.  As a result, poaching goes on largely unchecked and wildlife populations dwindle.  In Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, these issues are further complicated by the fact that police agencies have the power to remove wildlife officials’ main means of fighting off poachers and putting the guards’ lives at risk.  One forest officer proclaims, “How can one government department seize the arms of another? The Veeranahosahalli range had only one gun until last month till we borrowed a rifle from the neighboring range for patrolling.”

The tigers of this 650 km ² National Park are at a severely increased risk of being slaughtered until the police agencies return forest officers’ firearms.  China’s demand for tiger parts used in traditional medicine and eaten as delicacy have fueled rampant poaching of the animals, decimating their populations throughout Asia.  Four of ten tiger species have gone extinct in the last 100 years.  The remaining six species are all listed as critically endangered.  Most at risk of extinction are South China tigers, with a mere 47 left in zoos and only a few remaining in the wild.  Anti-poaching efforts are key to preventing the extinction of all remaining tiger species.

Photo obtained from NatGeo News Watch

  

Kanha National Park.

Again a bad News from Madhya Pradesh. A 45 day old cub has died in Kanha National Park.

Th female tiger cub was found dead on Sunday in Sondar area of Kanha Tiger Reserve in eastern Madhya Pradesh.

After a forest guard experienced a foul smell from the forest area, he searched and found the dead cub, possibly 22 days old in the Kisli range of the Reserve, the Park Officiating Field Director A K Nagar said.

He said that a cut has been found near the stomach of the cub, adding that it appears that some carnivorous might had killed it yesterday.

Female Panther Poached in Satpura Tiger Reserve

Female Panther was found dead just two kilometers from Panchmari in the Satpura Tiger Reserve. She was killed using a snare.


Satpura Tiger Reserve is  traditionally rich area in wildlife. Upto about 19th century, the area  had a rich population of major animals like panthers, tiger, elephants, bison, wild buffaloes and barasingha. But fast deterioration of wildlife habitat led to the disappearance of many of these species, most of the areas of Satpura Tiger Reserve are covered with dense forests. However, there are several open patches and grasslands providing Ideal habitat for the wild animals.

 Tiger, the main species is found in the Tiger Reserve in good numbers but remains confined in good forest areas. Panthers are found all over the reserve. Gaurs the largest herbivore, are in large number but are largely localized in moist and semi-moist forests of Bori WLS and Satpura NP.Sambar, Chital, barking deer, chin Kara and mouse deer are distributed all over the reserve. Chausingha or four horned antelope and nilgai are found throughout the area. However, the sighting of barking deer and four horned antelope are not common. Nilgai are found concentrated in drier parts of the Reserve. Sloth bear is also frequently seen in forests rich in fruit trees particularly mahua, tendu and achar. These animals are more frequently seen in Sonbhadravalley. Langurs are common throughout the Reserve. Rhesus monkeys are localized at Pachmarhi particularly close to habitation. Wild dog or  dhole and wolf are also found in the  Reserve. Civet, common fox, jackal and jungle cat are found throughout the Reserve. Wild boars are seen in plenty throughout the Reserve. Giant squirrels and flying squirrels are also seen in the Reserve. Giant squirrels are found all along the nala and rivers around Pachmarhi, Bori, Dhain and Churna. Among reptiles, cobra, Russel viper, python, chameleon and common Indian monitor are found in large numbers throughout the Park. Crocodiles are also found  in water bodies of the Reserve.

The Tiger Reserve is located between 22º 15’ and 22º 45’ N latitudes and 77º 50’ and 78º 30’ E longitudes. Pachmarhi is an important hill station of the state and is located within the area of Pachmarhi WLS. The area is important from the stand point of bio-aesthetic, cultural and social values. The access to the area is easy, the reserve is easily approachable by road from Bhopal (210 km), Jabalpur (240 km), Chhindwara (85 km) and Nagpur (250 km). Pipariya (52 km) and Itarsi are the nearest railhead and rail junction respectively. The Pachmarhi town is accessible all the yea round, but the interior areas are approachable only during the fair weather.

The area is known as a part of the Gondwana tract after the Gond tribe, who chiefly inhabited in this area and practiced shifting cultivation. In the fourteenth and fifteenth century, this area of Gonds was infiltrated by Rajputs and who, by the time of Mougals, had succeeded in reclaiming several parts of the Narmada valley for agriculture. The Gonds were pushed to higher plateaus and slopes to continue hunting and their shifting cultivation. This area saw unrest due to the tension between the Marathas and the Mougals during the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

During the year 1818, the area saw the advent of British rule. In the year 1861, the forest Department was set up in the central provinces under Captain GF Pearson of the Madras Army, with Captain J. Forsyth of Bengal staff Corps, as one of his assistants. In 1862, the forest Department of the central provinces started in a building named Bison Lodge in Pachmarhi. The original house no longer exists, but at the same spot, another building has been constructed, which is also called Bison lodge and has been converted into a forest museum under the Satpura NP.

Even the Prime Minister is not serious on Saving Tiger

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=282134468943&ref=ts#!/group.php?gid=309989262232&ref=ts
http://news.rediff.com/column/2010/may/12/shehla-masood-on-the-jairam-ramesh-controversy.htm

While the tiger will most likely not go extinct in the next half-century, its current trajectory is catastrophic. A combination of poor governance, bureaucratic sloth and lack of leadership is leading us towards an ecological disaster, argues wildlife activist Shehla Masood.

Union Minster for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh [ Images ] roared in Beijing [ Images ] to support Chinese companies like Huawei. I wish he had shown even a hundredth of that zeal to save tigers back home. Ramesh should have addressed the issue; he is given the responsibility to do so by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ]. He loved to do everything else except this.

I got the shock of my life what I recently went to his ministry as a wildlife activist working for tiger conservation through public awareness and collecting information through the Right to Information Act.

I always thought India would be proud of this minister and the prime minister -- both above board, sincere and cool. And what else can be the test except the attitude leaders shows towards those who can't speak or send applications to South Block yet suffer immeasurably at the hands of humans.

The sense of fairness we find so dearest when it comes to humans should be extended to all living creatures. The prime minister showed interest to help animals and committed himself to help tiger conservation vigorously. We were happy. Till we got to the bottom of the truth. His men and office have done nothing and will hardly do anything except showing extraordinary interest in Huawei or the Indian Premier League [ Images ].

The story of our struggle and the prime minister's lethargic attitude coupled with a strange work culture in Ramesh's office has disillusioned hundreds of workers like us.

When I refer to the animals I mean those who are tortured and poached by humans. There is a national-level committee, a high-powered body, to take care of this aspect and it was considered so important and Constitutionally significant that the government thought it befitting to have it headed by the country's chief executive officer -- the prime minister.

It is called the National Board for Wildlife. The prime minister is the chairman. It has 45 members, including Ramesh. There are 15 non-official members. Four of the non-official members are also part of the NBWL's 12-member standing committee. It is an apex policy making and monitoring board which has statutory status.

Its mandate to ensure the safety and protection of India's wildlife and to effect changes. Since it is headed by the one who is responsible to lead the country's governance, it is but natural to expect that this kind of a government agency would be working brilliantly under the eyes and supervision of the paraphernalia the country's public provides to the prime minister making its decisions effective and precise. But that has not happened.

The paradigm of conservation has drastically changed from pre-Independence to date. The reasons for tiger deaths in the country are beginning to show. Their presence is something majestic and powerful, but who cares?

Concerned over the increasing incidents of unnatural deaths of tigers in various reserves in the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to personally take up the matter with the concerned state governments. He chaired the NBWL's 5th meeting on March 18.

A proposal for a separate lion conservation project and the idea of a separate cadre for wildlife veterinary officers, among other topics, were discussed. Among others, Indian Council for Cultural Relations President Karan Singh and T K A Nair, the principal secretary to the prime minister, attended the meeting. The meeting discussed population control of spotted deer, delisting of corals from schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the accidental deaths of wild elephants when they are hit by trains passing through national parks and sanctuaries.

The meeting was also due to consider convening of a park managers' congress, instituting awards for the best managed protected areas and restriction of central funding to protected areas directly under the wildlife wing and managed by trained officers.

It is shockingly sad to know, the information I received through RTI that in the last seven years the NBWL has met only five times. It is more shocking that till now no records -- minutes they call it -- of the deliberations held in all such meetings have been properly prepared and authenticated.

That means so far whatever was deliberated at the last five meetings has not been even put in the files as approved and done. The follow-up can begin only when the records of the last meetings have been approved. Nothing has been done so far. The board has 15 independent members who say that a sub-committee formed to look into the issue of tiger conservation has not actually been formed.

The NBWL is failing the nation as the minutes of meetings are being erroneously recorded awaiting official approval. This is confirmed by the principal information officer in his response to my letter. The prime minister has agreed to lend weight of his office for monitoring state governments, but to what avail and effectiveness?

What we are seeing is a species slipping through our fingers because of insensitiveness and carelessness of our bureaucrats. Their attitude is appalling and tragic.

India only has 1,000 tigers left, despite strenuous efforts to protect an animal that in the country is a symbol of national pride. More than 100,000 tigers prowled India's forests 100 years ago, but decades of hunting and habitat encroachment meant that by the 1970s the number had been drastically reduced.

India has failed miserably in protecting tigers in the wild. The animal that is a symbol for many cultures and religions is on the verge of extinction.

When I wanted to inspect the files pertaining the last meetings, the government officers refused and put me under great stress. It was after a lot of hurdles that I could come to see the officers at the ministry of environment in New Delhi [ Images ]. It is not as easy for the common citizen who lives at a distance from the national capital to come to the political centre of the nation and find his or her way to the great jungle of babudom. When I reached Paryavaran Bhawan, where the ministry is situated, many interesting experiences awaited me.

I found staff in the central ministry haywire, some gossiping, some sleeping on their tables, right in the middle of the office, with legs stretched. Some were smoking in the office.

I waited for 40 minutes as the principal information officer (deputy inspector general, wildlife) was not reachable. His phone kept ringing as the number dialed by the receptionist was not updated. The information on the public information officers was not mentioned/written as directed under the RTI Act.

When I finally traced and met the DIG, I requested him for more details. He was shocked at my disclosures about his staff, felt hesitant to share information, but at my unrelenting reference to the RTI Act he gave up and promised to allow me inspection of files containing NBWL deliberations meetings at a later appointment. But this too, which should have been a smooth procedure, could happen after I gave him a short lesson on the RTI and urged sincerity towards his job.

There are 37 project tiger reserves in the country and 663 protected areas. But what purpose are they serving?

Despite 20 years of international conservation efforts, the ground has been lost to save the tiger because of the government's inattentive attitude. All sub-species of tigers are declared critically endangered species by wildlife organisations and the United Nations.

Of the eight original sub-species of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 60 years, an average of one every 20 years. The Bali tiger became extinct in the 1930s. The Caspian tiger was forced into extinction in the 1970s. And the Javan tiger followed in the 1980s.

The number of tigers in the 1900s -- over 100,000 -- dropped to 4,000 in the 1970s. Today, they are a critically endangered species with the total of all the wild populations of the five remaining subspecies (Bengal tigers, Indo-Chinese tigers, Siberian tigers, South China tigers, and Sumatran tigers) to be roughly estimated anything between 4,600 and 7,700.

The statistics are fudged, the information is falsely recorded, inquiries are withheld and culprit officers are promoted (the Panna reservation case -- out of 40 tigers six years before, we have none today).

Just a lot of rhetoric and no action. With this kind of governance, which extends to all parties and shades, can we hope to conserve even the last of the tigers?

According to the Wildlife Protection Act, the maximum sentence for poaching is seven years imprisonment along with a fine. I have not come across any case where the accused has been given the maximum sentence. We have a miserable system. There is no governance to speak of. Bureaucratic indifference is the norm.

Poachers have emptied two of India's 37 protected tiger reserves. In India, isolated populations now occupy just seven per cent of the territory they enjoyed a century ago as a result of inadequately implementing conservation policies and mismanaging funds. While the tiger as a wild species will most likely not go extinct within the next half-century, its current trajectory is catastrophic.

If this trend continues, the current range will shrink even further, and wild populations will disappear from many more places, or dwindle to the point of ecological extinction. None other than due to a combination of increased poaching, habitat destruction, the attitude of the babus and poor conservation efforts by governments.

I will make sure Madhya Pradesh [ Images ] remains a tiger state.

Big B of politics and Big B Amitabh Bachchan

Narendra Modi has announced that Big B India’s greatest film star Amitabh Bachchan has volunteered to work to revive tourism in Gujarat.

Mr Amitabh Bachchan was in Ahmedabad today for special screening of his film ‘Paa’ at City Pulse multiplex in the outskirts of capital town Gandhinagar.

Wetting my appetite.

Niagara Falls has often been called "the world’s most famous address and indeed it is.

It took us almost 10 hours to reach the American Pilgrimage .loll. We were delayed by the part of Obama’s stimulus package as lots of jobs are created in recession . We could see work in progress on the highways. Nonetheless we thoroughly enjoyed our expedition crossing towns and countryside. We crossed City of Buffalo best known for the bills, Sabres and chicken wings and off course historic architecture and bustling theatre district. It is the second most populous city in the state of New York.Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River . Not to miss the Mittals steel factory a part of the Mittals empire. President William McKinley was shot here. We stopped at the Lake theme park resort which has amphitheatre showcasing today’s biggest names in music. I wanted to visit the cultural and the intellectual center of the Chautauqua and Ellicotville which was not easy as was out of way but also visited the Ford and Chevrolet plants.

The food cooked by my sister was delicious and we faced no issues at the front. My niece Hiba just enjoyed my company and the two year old Monster Mustufa my nephew was tied to his car seat. When bushed the song of film main hu na were treated as lullaby for him. It poured cats and dogs on the way but didn’t beat our spirits.

You have to see it to believe it! We all were there for breathtaking sights and sound of the majestic Niagra falls. Niagra falls state park is Americas oldest park established in 1885 and designed by a great landscape architect, Fredric Law Olmsted perhaps better known for designing New York City’s Central Park. Olmsted believed that parks should be places of natural beauty, where “the masses could be renewed.” This philosophy was applied throughout Niagara Falls State Park, with an entire network of footpaths through wooded areas and along the banks of the Niagara River .Trust me Its ONLY at this falls where we can get up-close and personal with the falls. It’s a fitting tribute to the man who believed that Niagara Falls belongs to all of us.
We reached in the afternoon and made ourselves comfy for the day and night ahead of us. The hotel was 20 minutes drive from the Niagra falls. Soon our adventure trip began. Parked the car and reached the Niagra Information center. My sister and brother in law were well informed as visited years back. So… the adventure began right with an elevator ride 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge. Then, clad in a souvenir rain poncho and sandals, we went to the wooden walkways to the Hurricane Deck, less than 20 feet from the torrents of Bridal Veil Falls. This walkway is removed every November and reassembled each spring so it won’t be damaged by winter weather. Cave of the Winds was an ultimate experience. Have never faced the pounding waters. It was a almost like facing a 5 degree hurricane as informed We were mere feet away from the thundering waters. It was a rocking experience. The Maid of the mist boat tour of the American and the Canadian falls was thirty minutes ride but a lifetime experience. It was spectacular. The boat took us right down to the base of the falls. It took us so close to the waterfall that we gasped for air, we drenched in the falls water but one thing I dI couldn’t stop capturing the moments which came out quite decent as expected as the boat was rocking throughout in the choppy waters.

Although the most widespread and extraordinary views of the American Falls can be seen from the deck of the park’s Observation Tower. Extending out over the Niagara Gorge, the Tower allows you to look directly out into the cascading waters of the American Falls or down into the raging torrents below. Four elevators provide access to the base of the gorge and the boarding site of the Maid of the Mist boat ride. Trust me these firangs knows adventure. We came back awestruck. Imagine 3,160 tons of water flowing over the falls every second. This accounts for 75,750 gallons of water per second over the American and Bridal Veil Falls and 681,750 gallons per second over the Horseshoe Falls.

Next day we planned moving in a tour bus which could take us to the topmost of the falls. On the way we were informed that native Americans living in the Niagara region were most likely the first people to behold the power of Niagara Falls. The first European to document the area was a French priest, Father Louis Hennepin. During a 1678 expedition, he was overwhelmed by the size and significance of Niagara Falls. When he returned to France, Hennepin published an account of his travels in "A New Discovery". The book brought Niagara Falls to the attention of the western world for the first time and inspired further exploration of the region. The development of the rail system in the 1800s opened Niagara Falls to throngs of visitors and made it a prime destination for travelers from all over the world. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte’s young brother, Jerome, honeymooned with this American bride at the falls. He is sometimes credited with starting this tradition.

By this time were got access to the cave Goat island which was dramatic as we had to go through the cave of the winds, t op of the falls restaurants , three sister island, terrapin point, luna island and the rapids! This was the place where world’s first large-scale hydroelectric generating station opened in 1895. However, the plant used the direct current (DC) system, which could only transmit electricity 100 yards. Then, in 1896, the famous electrical engineer Nikola Tesla proved that he could transmit electric from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, New York, using his new alternating current induction motor. This was the first use of the AC system of electricity that is used around the world today. The current Niagara Gorge Discovery Center is located above the site of the Schoellkopf Power Station, from which electricity was first sold as a commodity.

The ultimate was never forgetting Illuminating experience witnessed by me produced by the massive spotlight beamed across the gorge onto the falls, the beams were sent across the side of the falls which is Canada.its was mind boggling.trust me the lights competed with all the lights of the Broadway.it was spectular…

Now I wonder why for generations, the majestic beauty and humbling power of Niagara Falls State Park has fostered a sense of awe and wonder. Through the years, countless people have enjoyed the sparkling scenery of the falls, making the Niagara Falls vacation spot a favorite.. rushing torrents, spectacular scenery and one-of-a-kind attractions while letting your excitement flow as freely as the waters. I want to visit once more but now I would like to watch it from Canada.. across the bridge.

Where are the tigers?

CNN-IBN Focus: What can be done to protect tigers
CNN-IBN Focus: What can be done to protect tigersCNN-IBNPublished on Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 23:29, Updated on Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 23:47 in India sectionThe special focus on CNN-IBN on Thursday was India's disappearing tigers. Tigers have gone extinct at the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. In fact, they went extinct years ago but it took the government nearly four years time to admit it. What is going wrong and what is the way forward? To answer the big question: Where are the tigers in India, CNN-IBN spoke to MoS, Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh.CNN-IBN: What action do you propose to take to set right what happened in Panna?Jairam Ramesh: I am waiting for the report of the SIT. I have been assured by my colleagues in the NTCA that we will have the report of this task force by the end of the month and we will fix responsibility on why this happened. And accountability must be fixed, who is responsible? Obviously there are poachers, poachers can't successfully operate without some inside information. There is an insider job here. So we will look at this. I will talk to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh is the number one state in tiger population in India and it's sad that tigers have gone extinct in a tiger sanctuary like Panna - where there were six to seven tigers to begin with. Well there are different numbers floating number. Whatever it is, a tiger sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh not having tigers is a cause for great concern after all it is the epicenter of tiger population.CNN-IBN: How do we ensure that we have a modern enforcement system in place to make sure poaching does not occur in national parks?Jairam Ramesh: Well we can't control the demand but we can control the supply. I can't control the demand for aphrodisiacs which apparently are based on the ability of the poachers to supply parts of the tiger's anatomy, but what we can control is the supply and beef up the security in the Project Tiger area. That is very important. I think we should bring modern electronic sensor based technology for monitoring. The Government of India has a proposal for a special police force, but I don't entirely subscribe to the idea of creating a separate battalion of police people to maintain security in the Project Tiger areas. I would rather involve the local communities. For example I was in Corbett recently and I interacted with the 'Vana Gujjars' who I believe will be far more effective protectors of the Corbett area than policemen being transplanted from somewhere else.CNN-IBN: 1000 projects have been cleared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest and not one has been rejected? How will your Ministry ensure that infrastructure projects don't come up in tiger reserves?Jairam Ramesh: I don't think you can say that we should have roads in forest areas or we can't under any circumstances allow roads. We have got to find a balance. I, for example, on the trench Kahna issue have asked for an alternative alignment to be studied. I think in many of the proposals that come to me for clearance, like for example for divergence of forest areas, people don't come with any alternative scenarios.CNN-IBN: To end with sir, what is the way forward now?Jairam Ramesh: I think the time has come to look at the project tiger in its larger eco-context. Project Tiger today accounts for 6 per cent of India's forest area so its not tiger but its forest, the ecosystem, the watersheds. If I were to rename Project Tiger I would call it Project Eco-system. I know its far more colorful to call it Project Tiger, but I think the mistake we have made made perhaps in retrospect is to think of Project Tiger as only tiger. The tiger symbolises the forest just like the snow leopards symbolises the mountains, or the cheetah once upon a time symbolised the grasslands.http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cnnibn-focus-what-can-be-done-to-protect-tigers/95172-3.html.
No tigers in MP’s Panna means Gir keeps lions’ share, says Gujarat
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/No-tigers-in-MP-s-Panna-means-Gir-keeps-lions--share--says-Gujarat/476408.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=9098
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Its-official-Panna-reserve-has-no-tiger/articleshow/4653794.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Earth/Flora--Fauna/Cong-demands-probe-in-to-vanishing-tigers/articleshow/4653350.cms.
National highway poses new threat to tiger reserve
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/India/10322182.html

Save Tiger campaign in Bhopal

Van Vihar Bhopal and Deaths

Sheru who died today IRA

Day before yesterday three-year old tigress died at Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal. She was “Era” .The big cat was brought to the park in 2006 from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve when it was just five-month old.Yesterday itself the PCF had declared to constitute a committee to probe the lapses in death of the striped beauty.

Last year white tigress Kiku died in June due to paralytic attach and old age. She was 16 year old. Her hind legs were weak ever since she was brought from the Delhi zoo in 1995. Till June last year total of seven big cats, including two white tigers, two tigress, two tigers and a lion, had died in the national park since October 2006.This year 5 animals have died. The park has lost 23 big cats in the last five years .(Lions, tigers, panthers) .A tiger cub brought to the park for treatment died on April 15.

Van Vihar National Park,National park cum zoo is spreaded in 445 hectares.

Today a panther Sheru died in the afternoon. It’s strange what’s happening at Van Vihar Bhopal. will somebody answer ? And how many will raise their voice?

Madhya Pradesh Tourism goes to charity

Madhya Pradesh Tourism goes to the charity.

Loll.. that what I think right now…after reading in a newspaper about the adoption of 10 SOS Children by the Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation in Bhopal.

MP tourism has taken responsibility of education, health, clothes, and other daily basic needs of all the ten children living in the house No 16 under the family home sponsorship programme.

Last month it was in news for wrong reasons. Madhya Pradesh is among few states which failed to utilize funds provided by the Ministry of Tourism. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) pulled up the ministry for releasing funds for various projects without monitoring their timely implementation.

What is interesting is the fact that the State Tourism department not only failed to utilize the much-needed funds but in some cases also failed to submit utilization certificate. This is when the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Department is headed by so-called tourism expert Ashwani Lohani and Secretary of the department is one of the powerfully bureaucrats of the State.

The ministry of tourism released Rs 1,500 crores from 2002-2007 to state governments for implementation of various projects relating to destination development and tourist circuits but did not monitor utilisation of these funds in an effective manner to ensure timely implementation of the projects by the state governments, the report said.

India Today in April reported the losses MP and Chattisgarh Tourism department is incurring loss --- monetarily and in terms of visitors inflow . Corruption is at large , consultants without experience and fake degrees are being appointed , officers who have retired are given another chance to destroy the tourism of the state.

Will somebody wake up ??

Bhopal Carnival begins with chaos

I was not at all thrilled when Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) released the calendar of the activities for the week long Bhopal Carnival. The carnival is to be organized by them for the first time in the history of Bhopal.

The timings, the activities and the events looked as if no planning had been done. It looked half hearted planning. The activities in the event do not represent Bhopal’s culture nor had a zing to evoke the response the inhabitants. The calendar looked completely mixed-up.

The aim and intention of organizing a week-long Bhopal Carnival between April 19 and 26 is to promote tourism and develop the State capital as a major tourist hub. Absolutely fine but the calendar completely lacks vision. Except that of batole bazzi which Bhopal is famous for?
No activity in the seven day looks enchanting. There is nothing which is promoting culture, tradition, music & dance , art and theatre, cuisine , place, destination, picnic spots, heritage & handicraft, The objective of the Bhopal Carnival does not match with the activities at all as they don’t showcase the vibrant culture and milieu of the city.

Although one thing they tried is uniting couple of department’s like Culture department, Nagar Nigam and Bhopal development authority to make the event grand.

As a person who has been in the trade for almost a decade I saw it as a waste of Rs 50 lakhs. Straight down the drain. In this amount a national event could have been created and also history.

Let’s see how the carnival comes up. Although the first programme organized under the banner of the Department of Culture was extremely pitiable in every sphere.

The artiste they choose was Roop Kumar Rathod. No doubt an excellent singer but the organizers failed to attract more than 200 odd people. The Chairman Tourism & Mayor looked baffled on the stage.

The sound system was pathetic. From the anchor to Roop Kumar Rathod in the whole show they kept adjusting the sound monitor. It looked utterly disgusting. The department showed their standard. The bankruptcy of ideas by the culture department of MP was shown by calling the artiste instead of artistes of Madhya Pradesh. Least realizing the event was to promote tourism and showcase the best of Bhopal.

The event was missing on plenty of things.

Poor choice of the venue.
No publicity was done.
No invitations were sent.
No proper backdrop /or stage design was erected.
Lack of arrangement in terms of light, sound and decoration.
No vision for an event in terms of artistes and musical night.

Let’s see aage ……