Eco News October December 2011 vol.17 3 _October_December_2011_vol.17_3.pdf · 3 Eco News, Vol. 17,...

1Eco News, Vol. 17, No. 3 October - December 2011

Eco News, Vol. 17, No. 3 0ctober - December 20112

Nanditha KrishnaEditor

ContentsWildlife Reserves and Corridors in Chennai City ..................................................................................3Our food choices and climate change ..................................................................................................7Udaiyarappan Sacred Grove at Kilbhuvanagiri .................................................................................. 10Marsh Wetlands of the Nilgiris ........................................................................................................... 12Jojoba Plant ........................................................................................................................................15Climate Change and Adaptation .........................................................................................................17C.P.R. Environmetal Education Centre Award for Environmental Education ........................................20

Climate Change is the latest buzzwordand the “Third World” is benefitting.

African nations use it to trade carbon creditsand make money. Developing nations in Asiaand South America blame the West – U. S. A.and Europe – and continue to pollute.

There is also a strong and believable caseagainst climate change – that it is a DevelopedWorld’s ploy to keep back the DevelopingNations.

What is lost in all this is the damage we aredoing to the environment. CO2 does pollutethe atmosphere. As does Methane, fromIndia’s growing cattle population. Not tomention other pollutants in the air – SOX, NOXand SPM.

The right to clean air is a birthrightguaranteed by our Constitution – and wehave willingly given it up for factories, vehiclesand so on. Without Oxygen in our lungs, whatsort of life do we lead?

We need to change our lifestyles if we want tobreathe clean air. Reduce the number ofvehicles by insisting on car pooling. Get rid ofobsolete CO2 producing technologies. Changeour food choices. It is possible to release lesspollutants in the air if we try.

October is Deepavali time – and also time toabuse our much-abused lungs further.Crackers are made with highly toxic chemicals– sulphur and phosphorus – which, when burnt,release toxins in the air, not to mention CO2and unpleasant noise.

School children are taught the ill-effects ofthese toxins. NGOs and Pollution ControlBoards carry out campaigns. Yet, year after

year, the pollution goes on and the noisedecibel increases. Dogs run away from homeout of fear and are lost forever. The onlybeneficiaries are doctors – any GeneralPractitioner will tell you that Deepavali isthe busiest time of the year – and the FireDepartment, which is kept on its toes.

Deepavali means a row of lights. When Ramareturned to Ayodhya, the people celebratedand the houses on the streets were decoratedwith rows of deepams or diyas, tiny mud lampsfilled with oil and a lighted wick. Crackerswere introduced more recently in the Britishperiod by enterprising merchants whoimported gunpowder and found a good item tosell.

In West Bengal and Bangladesh, thousandsof turtles are sacrificed to Kali duringDeepavali. Turtles are protected under theWildlife Act and some species come underSchedule I. Yet, the authorities turn a blindeye. Now, what do turtles have to do withDeepavali? Unfortunately, there is a thrivingturtle hunting industry, and eating turtlemeat has become a Deepavali ritual createdby these men.

Deepavali celebrates the killing of Naraka(Naraka Chaturdashi) and the return ofRama to Ayodhya. Anything else is market-driven.

Pity the children of Sivakasi who work longhours for a pittance, losing their childhood, withno protection against accidents and no glovesto protect their tiny hands. This is for ourentertainment and pleasure. Is it worth it?


Wildlife Reserves and Corridors inChennai CityProf. P.J. Sanjeeva Raj*

Ancient Chennapattinam was an

integral part of the vast Tropical Dry

Evergreen Forest (Scrub-Jungle) of the

Coromandel Coast. Mylapore, perhaps one

of the oldest parts of Chennai was so

echoing with the peacock calls those days,

that the Portuguese named it as Meliapore,

meaning the ‘town of peacock screams’,

and they were inspired even to have the

peacock on the emblems in the local

churches that they constructed. The

Britisher Gilbert Rodericks bought the

Guindy Park area and called it as the

‘Guindy Lodge’, using it until 1817, as a

private hunting ground, perhaps for the

hare and the wildfowl like the partridge

and the doves.

Scrub-Jungles

Chennai is the only city in India which is

fortunate to have a national park

(Guindy National Park) right in its

midst, and hence urban wildlife like the

Chital (Spotted Deer), Slender Loris

(Pic. – 1), Palm Civet (Toddy Cat),

Star-Tortoise and Snakes straying into

the city should be no wonder. The

scrub-jungle of the Guindy National Park

(GNP) and the contiguous campus of the

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) are

remnants of the original Evergreen Forest,

ecologically fragmented by urbanization.

Today, the Blackbuck is indeed a flagship

species of these reserves.

The other remnant of this fragmented

scrub-jungle is the campus of the Madras

Christian College (MCC) in Tambaram

(where I lived for 40 years). Wildlife in both

these pockets is identical, but it is richer,

more diverse, and ever-changing on the

MCC scrub, all because of its broad and

dense corridor in the south, with the

Vandalur Reserve Forest. Characteristic

biodiversity of the scrub like rare

Hammerhead worms, House centipedes,

Sun spiders, Giant forest scorpions, Whip

scorpions, Tail-less whip scorpions,

Chameleons, Monitor lizards, 18 species

of snakes, Star-tortoises, Pangolins,

Honey badgers, Slender Loris, Bonnet

Macaques, Civet cats (Pic.– 2), Palm Civets

(Toddy Cats), Hedgehogs, occasional

Hyaena, Leopard Cat and even Leopard

* Consultant ecologist, [email protected]


are some of the wildlife thrills on the

MCC Campus, as well as on the adjacent

Indian Air Force (IAF) Campus. The latest

colonisers of the MCC-Scrub are the

Chital (Spotted Deer), since 1982 and

the Peafowls, since 2005. The Koels and

Peacocks (Pic. – 3) calling melodiously at

dawn, the Nightjars screeching at dusk

and the Jackals howling all through the

night, on the MCC Campus chill you in

your bed, as if you are sleeping in a wildlife

sanctuary !

The thickly vegetated campuses of the

Theosophical Society (TS) and of the

Kalakshethra Colony on the east coast in

Chennai are excellently developed and

managed habitats, onto which the arboreal

(tree-dwelling) wildlife like the Bonnet

Macaque, Slender Loris, Palm Civet (Toddy

Cat), Flying Fox, Vine Snake, Bronzeback

Tree Snake, all scrub birds and butterflies,

from the GNP-IIT Reserves migrate,

along the corridor of the thickly vegetated

canopy across the urban Adyar.

Nanmangalam scrub in the south is

another small wildlife reserve, particularly

for birds, but the rocky cliffs and caverns

of the granite quarries provide a unique

breeding niche for the rare Great

Horned Owl (Pic.-4). Similarly, the high-

rise buildings in Chennai today are

attracting Rock Pigeons. Chennai in

general, is a city of bewildering small

wildlife, but protected in the magnificient

Crocodile Bank, Vandalur Zoo, Sea-Turtle

Hatcheries, Snake Park and the Children’s

Corner etc., bringing the public closer to

wildlife. Similarly private Apiaries,

Butterfly Farms, Aquaria, Aviaries and

Animal Husbandry Farms would enable us

not only to appreciate but also to conserve

vulnerable species.

Waterways

Waterways are natural or habitual

corridors for wildlife migration. The

Cooum and the Adyar Rivers in Chennai

are ancient, although their interlinking

Buckingham Canal is as recent as 1877.

Chennai is unique in having a grid of

waterways, opening into the Bay of

Bengal, which contributes to the rich

and diverse aquatic biodiversity. The

1933-36 foundation survey of the

brackish-water fauna of the Adyar

Estuary showed about 140 species of

aquatic fauna, including 55 species of

fish, 5 species of rare Sea Anemones,

three of which were new to science in

1936 were also discovered, but do they

still exist in the Adyar Estuary?

Cooum, said to be the ‘Thames of Madras’

is so increasingly getting polluted that

even any River Restoration Project may

not be able to restore it to the level of the

Thames of London. A 1982-83 study

showed heavy pollution by sewage,

organic wastes and even by heavy metals

like lead and zinc etc. in the river. Having

two estuaries co-existing within a city is

another rare feature for Chennai, but

their mouth-openings into the sea must

be permanently kept open, in order to

be more productive as well as more

pleasant.


Pic. - 3. peacock, after sheddingtail feathers,

Photo by T.Murugavel

Pic. - 4. Great Horned OwlPhoto by T. Murugavel

Pic. - 2. Civet CatPhoto by A. Lakshmikantan

Pic. - 1. Slender Loris

Photo by A. Lakshmikantan


The Buckingham Canal (East Coast Canal)

is the best example of a water grid and

water corridor in India, since it incredibly

links four major rivers, 14 smaller

rivulets, two large lagoons and several

backwaters, on the Coromandel Coast, and

disperses their biodiversity as well as

their pollutants. Although the 737 km long

Buckingham Canal was dug during 1801

to 1882, yet it was only in 1877 that the

seven km long ‘Junction Canal’ linking the

Cooum with the Adyar River was dug, so

that all these waterways are rendered

navigable and brackish. A 5-foot Salt

Water Crocodile which intruded into the

Buckingham Canal, near Mylapore, in

June 1997, was unfortunately killed by

the panicked hut-dwellers on the canal

banks. In December 2006, a 4-foot

Marsh Crocodile (Mugger) that strayed

into a house in Peerkankaranai, near

Tambaram, was however successfully

rescued and rehabilitated by the Forest

Department. People need to be educated

to contact the wildlife rescue and

rehabilitation centres in Chennai

calling the Forest Range Officer at 2220

0335, on such occasions. Satellite

imageries of the Greater Chennai will

reveal the connectivity’s of the vegetated

patches and waterways, serving as

wildlife reserves and corridors in

Chennai. Along the corridor of the

waterways, jackals migrate at night,

foraging for shore-crabs and scavenging

for carcasses, if any.

The Pallikaranai Marsh in the midst of

the Chennai city is another wildlife

reserve, but it is rather a closed aquatic

ecosystem, isolated, without any inlet or

outlet waterways, so that there is no

exchange of flora and fauna and the

consequent enrichment of its biodiversity

reserve. However, the water lilies in the

Palliakaranai Marsh as well as in the

Madhavaram Jheel are the breeding

sites for the rare and beautiful birds,

jacanas. Even from a drying-up private

pond like the Mermaid Pond, in the campus

of the YWCA in Chennai, an incredible

number of 287 Pond Terrapins were

rescued in March 2004.

Of a different category altogether of water

corridors are the underground sewage

and storm water drainages which are

not designed to harbour any wildlife, but

if anything like cockroaches, rats and

bandicoots creep into them, they may be

categorized as ‘vermin’, under the

Schedule-V, of the Wildlife Protection Act.

It is strange that some parts of the

Chennai city may get the Sewage Worms,

Blood Worms and even tiny Snail-Leeches,

through their drinking water taps,

perhaps through contamination from

some Hyacinth – or algal-infested tanks.


Our food choices and climate changeShashikala Iyer

Introduction

Our food choices are posing a serious

threat to the environment. The animal

agriculture industry is one of the main

causes of climate change. This article

describes how vegetarianism can help in

combating climate change.

Most of us blame automobiles and

industries for global warming, but animal

agriculture contributes even more to

global warming. According to the United

Nations, the livestock sector generates

more greenhouse gases directly than

all transport modes combined. “Livestock

are one of the most significant

contributors to today’s most serious

environmental problems” says HenningSteinfeld, Chief of Livestock Informationand Policy Branch, FAO. Thus, urgentaction is required to find a solution tothe situation of growing ‘animalfarming’ for food. The increase in animalbased food choices paves way for moreanimal suffering. Livestock farmingcontributes 18% of Green house gases tothe environment which includes 9% ofhuman induced Carbon-di-oxide fromfossil fuels used in slaughter houses, 35%of methane from the digestive system ofthe ruminants and 65% of human -inducedNitrous oxide from manure.

Role of Developing Countries inClimate Change

Developing countries like India have abigger role to play in combating climate

Edward O. Wilson, the Harvard champion

of the Biodiversity Concept, coined the term

‘Biophilia’ as early as in 1979, recognizing

the ‘innate (instinctive) affinity of humans

to all other living beings’, which could be a

reciprocal affinity too, as we see in dogs,

cats, squirrels, house sparrows, rock

pigeons and painted storks etc., craving for

the proximity to human habitats, in order

to live ‘synanthropically’ with humans. It

boils down ultimately to not only a mutual

affinity but also, a mutual compassion

(symbiosis) needed to co-inhabit and

sustain life on this planet.


change than the developed countries.

India is one of the major animal agriculture

dependent countries in the world. It is thus

a major contributor to global warming.

With increased prosperity, people have

started consuming more meat and dairy

products every year. In India between

1980 and 2005, meat consumption

increased by nearly 40% and milk

consumption increased by almost 70%.

According to the FAO, global meat

production is projected to double from 229

million tons in 1999-2001 to 465 million

tons in 2050. Nearly 67.5 billion land

animals were raised for consumption

globally in 2008. This has resulted in a

steep growth of global livestock which is

harming our environment substantially.

Some facts about Animal Industry

The industrialization of farm animal

production has deteriorated the water

quality, air quality, human health as well

as animal welfare. It also uses valuable

water and energy resources as well as

grain that could be better used for human

Consumption. Livestock multiplication

for meat, egg and milk production needs

to be restricted. Exploring possibilities

of reducing the number of animals raised

for food will directly reduce the emission

of green house gases into the atmosphere.

The ancient practice of mixed farming

where crops and animals shared a

symbiotic relation (plants provided

fodder to animals and animals in turn

supplied manure to the crops) has shifted

more recently to factory farms where

thousands of animals are cramped into

small cages in unhygienic and inhuman

conditions. Some facts about animal

agriculture industry-

❖ Non-traditional form of raising animals

for meat, dairy and eggs produce more

greenhouse gases than all forms of

transportation combined.

❖ Deforestation to produce animal feed

and feed manure to the cropland and

dumping of pollutants in our water

bodies has resulted in more pollution

than all other human activities

combined.

❖ Meat based diet requires 10-20 times

more land than plant based diet.

❖ 97% of soy meal and over 60% of corn

and barley crop are fed to cattle, pigs,

chickens and other animals used in

agriculture.

❖ Animal agriculture-related releases

from cultivated soils total 28 million

metric tons of CO2 annually.

❖ Fossil fuel use in animal agriculture is

estimated to result in 90 million tons

of CO2 every year.


A Vegan Lifestyle

The priority today is to regulate the

animal farming industry and to adopt

vegetarianism which will reduce the

emission of green house gases, especially

methane. By 2050, methane induced

warming could be halted if tight methane

emission controls are implemented from

2000–2050. In contrast, equivalent

controls on CO2 would only eliminate about

40% of CO2’s warming effect in the same

time period.

Climate change poses significant

threats to sensitive wildlife species and

vulnerable human populations in low-lying

nations over the next 25 years. Based on

its potency and lifetime, a reduction in

methane emissions is more likely to

mitigate those impacts in this short time

frame than equivalent per-capita

reductions in CO2 alone.

Conclusion

It is extremely important that any policy

change at the national or international

levels or any behavioural change in food

choices that we adopt as individuals in

order to lessen climate change should

include a plan to reduce methane

emissions. There is a need to create

awareness especially among the media,

teachers and mothers who are responsible

for the food pattern of any family. It is

imperative to understand the benefits of

becoming vegetarian. In the initial stages

of food choices, it may be difficult to stop

all animal derivative food. Instead we may

advocate a slow conversion towards

vegetarianism/veganism. The volunteer/

educator should be a role model in

advocating food choices; it should be

practiced before preaching to others.

Youth is our future; to teach them is to

teach our future.

We need to educate the youth that by

being a vegetarian/vegan, we can

contribute to make this earth a better

place to live in. A vegan by choice

contributes not only to animal welfare but

also supports the earth in mitigating

climate change. Let us all follow-

“No meat= Less heat” for the future of our

earth.

Thus, it needs lot of efforts from developing

as well as developed countries to

contribute to the betterment of the

environment and our planet. All nations

must prevent further intensification of

their animal agriculture systems and

support farmers practicing more

humane and sustainable forms of

agriculture.


Udaiyarappan Sacred Grove atKilbhuvanagiriM. Amirthalingam

A small grove with an area of 1.1 hectares

is situated at Kilbhuvanagiri village in

Cuddalore district of Tamilnadu,

dedicated to the deity Udaiyarappan, on

the state highway between Cuddalore

and Chidambaram. According to the

priest, the original area of the grove was

10 acres; however the present area of

the grove is only 2.47 acres. This grove is

situated a kilometre away from the

village. There is also a small hamlet

consisting of over 1600 households with a

population of over 10,000 people.

An irrigation canal along the western side

of the grove is the major water source.

Once, this village was ruled by King

Bhuvanendran and that is how this

village got the name “Bhuvangiri”.

Folk tale

The history of this grove may be traced back

to more than 200 years. It is believed to

be a memorial grove, dedicated to

Udaiyarappan, a folk hero. A sculpture of

Udaiyarappan along with his wife was

found on a granite slab here. According to

the legend, udaiyarappan came from

Ariyalur to this grove for hunting and

resided permanently in this sacred grove.

Udaiyarappan is the main deity and

Aiyanar, Pavadairayan, Veeran, Petchi,

Moochi and Saptha Kanniga are the

subordinate deities of this sacred grove.

There is no temple dedicated to the main

deity as an oracle did not give permission

to construct the temple. Traditionally, the

priest of the temple belongs to the Vanniyar

community and performs all poojas.

Every Friday, the local people offer

coconut, banana, rose water, curd,

turmeric, sandal powder and sacrifice a

goat or fowl. The annual festival is

celebrated in the month of Thai (January

Keezh Bhuvanagiri Udayarappan


15 to February 15). During the festival,

people visit the temple premises and cook

pongal (a mixture of rice, jaggery, moon

dhal, ghee, cashew nuts, dry grapes and

milk) and perform special poojas. The

weaving community places bundles of

yarn at the deity’s feet to get the

blessings of wealth and for prosperity

during the comming year.

It is kuladeyvam (lineage god) for the

local residents or for those who have

migrated from this village and settled

somewhere else (émigrés). Every year

during the festival time they return to the

temple and perform the annual festival and

certain life cycle rituals. The groves are

also a backdrop for rituals such as the

ear-piercing and tonsure ceremony for

children, and the presentation of

wedding invitations, both of which are

key opportunities to express gratitude to

the god.

Vegetation cover

The vegetation cover of this grove

includes trees, shrubs and climbers.

There are about 55 species belonging to

31 families found in the grove. Major

plant species include Abrus precatorius,

Caratia pedata, Coccinia indica, Aerva

lanata, Andrographis paniculata, Atalantia

monophylla, Azadirachta indica, Borassus

flabellifer, Capparis sepiaria, C. zeylanica,

Cassia fistula, Cissus quadrangularis,

Coccinia grandis, Cocculus hirsutus, Creteva

adensonii, Flacourtia indica, Glycosmis

mauritiana, Hemidemus indicus, Jasminum

auriculatum, Lannea coromandelica,

Lepisanthes tetraphylla, Pyrenacantha

volubilis, Strebulus asper, Tamarindus

indica and Tinospora cordifolia.

Threats

In Keezhbuvanagiri, the area of the

grove has been reduced from 10 acres to

2.7acres (1.1ha). This is due to major

human impact on the groves such as

clearing for threshing-yards and expansion

of agricultural fields. A large portion of the

eastern part has suffered from the impact

of human activities, mainly by the brick

industry, since the soil is suited for

brick-making.

References

1. Praveen Kumar Cyril, K., “Plant

biodiversity and biocultural traditions

of four sacred groves of composite

south Arcot district of Tamilnadu”,

M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to the

Pondicherry University, 1999.

2. Ramanujam, M.P. and Praveen Kumar

Cyril, K., “Woody species diversity of

four sacred groves in the Pondicherry

region of South India”, Biodiversity

and Conservation, Vol. 12, No.2, Pp.

289 – 299, 2003.


Marsh-Wetlands of the NilgirisM. Kumravelu

From scrub jungle, grasslands and dry

deciduous forests, valleys and hills

traversed by rivers, rivulets, streams,

natural water catchments amidst high

hills, the Nilgiris with one of the oldest rock

patterns in the country is encompassed

by four divisions based on its natural

formation. The Nilgiri Plateau, jungle strips,

western slopes with steep rocky

portions and lower land in the foothills

make up the four natural divisions.

Ecological and hydrological wealth

The climatic conditions of the Nilgiris are

broadly classified under the latitudinal

and longitudinal positions which are

relatively associated with the Arabian Sea.

The north- east and south-west monsoons

and the high frost seasons during

December, January and February

influence the vegetative growth. Further,

the varied elevation and climatic factors

in the region support different types of

vegetative cover. On the upper plateau of

the Nilgiris, Sholas and Grasslands are

the predominant vegetative types. Western

slopes including O’valley make up moist

evergreen forests. The eastern slopes are

occupied by dry deciduous forests and the

Thengumarahada plains account for the

spreading of scrub jungle cover.

The Nilgiris, which form a major part of

the Western Ghats have a very well

developed hydrological system. The upper

plateau of the Nilgiris gets more than

3500 mm rain from the south-west and

the north–east monsoons. Contrary to this,

the Segur plateau is a rain shadow zone

which gets less than 400 mm rain. Many

streams and rivers originating from

these hills are supported by the potential

surplus of rain in the Nilgiris.Swamp


The innumerable rivulets and streams

which originate and flow down in all the

four directions take care of the water

needs of the plains and parts located in

the foot hills of the Nilgiris and play a

pivotal role in keeping the hydrology of

the plains in a prosperous state. The valleys

adjacent to the Sholas and Grasslands

are the major micro-catchment zones

where the marshy lands which are

otherwise known as swamps have water

holding and releasing capability.

Marshlands are wetland areas that

remain wet round the year. They have the

capacity of storing large quantities of

water. The marsh wetlands support high

floral and faunal diversity.

The marshland

! Helps control floods by holding

water for a longer span of time

! Support the food chain and feed

wildlife down-stream

! Provide a habitat for many

amphibians, reptiles, birds, fishes

and crabs.

! Most of the plants in this area control

the pollutants and sediments and

discharge clean water

The entire marshy valley is important for

sustaining water supply to the major

rivers a round the year.

The valleys are called halla in Kannada

and badaga and pallam in Tamil. Some of

the important valleys which are swampy

include the Sandynullah which enriches

the Segur plateau, Naranghalla, the

Orange valley which enriches the Moyar

river and the adjacent forests. The Kundha

and Billithala halla are the major

tributaries of the Bhavani river.

Innumerable tributaries from O’Valley

support the Mudumalai forest zone, all of

which indicates how the wetlands, though

apparently inconspicuous, sustain life

and wildlife and play a major role in

keeping the hills well irrigated.

Cultural linkages of marsh land in the

Nilgiris

Various forms of nature are closely linked

with all the indigenous communities in the

Nilgiris, such as the Todas, Kotas, Irulas,

Kurumbas, Paniyas and Badagas which

are have religious, ethical and commercial

linkages. They are profoundly conscious

of the nature and its wealth. Because of

this, the impact of their population on

ecology is minimal. They also inclined to

increase the biodiversity of the territories

in which they live. This helps them to

follow a sustainable and traditional life

style.

The Toda tribe is basically a pastoral

community. They depend for their

livelihood mainly on grasslands and


hillocks. They worship hillocks as the

places where their ancestral spirits

dwell. Further, they get grass and cane for

constructing their temples and huts only

from the marshlands. Therefore, they

consider the marshland as a great and

sacred life supporting natural resource.

The Kota tribe is skilled in pottery and

iron smithy and depend on the marsh land

for clay soil to make pottery items and iron

moulds. The Irula and Kurumba tribes use

the marshland as a hunting ground. They

depend on the marshland for grass to

construct their huts. The Paniya tribe

collects crabs and herbs from the

marshland for curing minor ailments.

The Badaga community strongly

believes that the marsh lands are the only

source of water for their agricultural

activities. These tribes, who have been

living here since time immemorial and

with their traditional knowledge of the

ecology of the region have always striven

to protect the marsh lands and keep them

free from degradation and encroachment.

Threats to the marshland

Like other natural systems, the marshland

is also facing innumerable threats. Those

lands which have been degraded due to

human interference are also considered

as grasslands. Marshlands in the Nilgiris

were submerged due to the construction

of dams for hydro-electrical power

during the mid 20th century. A large

portion of marshland was taken over for

agricultural activities because of its

highly nutrient soil. On the upper plateau,

the marsh lands were converted for

vegetable cultivation and for cash crops

such as tea. In the western parts towards

the Wayanad plateau, most of the

marshlands have been encroached for

banana cultivation. Recently, people have

started introducing tea in the marshy

lands.

Considering the importance of the

marshlands, which are truly a life

supporting system and a gift from nature

to mankind, effective steps should be

taken to conserve them for the survival of

mankind and other living beings so that

future generations can enjoy them.

References

1. Francis, W., “Madras District

Gazetteers, The Nilgiris”, Government

Press, 1908.

2. Hockings Paul, “Blue Mountains

– The Ethnography and Biogeography

of a South Indian Region”, Oxford

University Press, Delhi, 1989.

3. “Compendium of Lead Papers &

Abstracts”, Central Soil & Water

Conservation Reasearch & Training

Institute, Research Centre, Ooty, The

Nilgiris, 2008


Jojoba PlantG. Sukanya

Common Name: Jojoba

Latin Name : Simmondsia chinensis

Family : Simmondsiaceae

Other Names : goat nut, deer nut,

pignut, wild hazel,

quinine nut, coffee

berry and gray box

bush

The jojoba plant is found in desert and

semi desert areas. Jojoba is a woody

evergreen shrub or small multi-stemmed

tree that typically grows to 1–2 m tall, with

a broad, dense crown. Jojoba leaves have

an aerodynamic shape, flaunting a spiral

effect, which brings wind-borne pollen

from the male flower to the female flower.

The plant develops one or a few long tap

roots (up to 40 ft) that can supply water

and minerals from far below the soil

surface. Jojoba is usually dioecious (male

and female flowers are borne on separate

plants). Female flowers are small, pale

green and mostly found single or in clusters

at the nodes. Male flowers are yellow,

larger, and occur in clusters. The

pollination occurs via wind or insects. The

female plants produce seed from flowers

pollinated by the male plants. Pollination

usually occurs during the months of

February and March and during August

and September. The jojoba plant can

survive in a harsh desert environment and

the utilization of marginal land that will

not support more conventional agricultural

crops could become a major asset to the

global agricultural economy as it is a

renewable energy source of unique high

quality oil.

Jojoba seed contains a light-gold colored

liquid wax ester which contains alpha,

delta, and gamma tocopherols, all forms

of vitamin E. The extracted oil is relatively

pure, non-toxic, biodegradable, and

resistant to rancidity. Jojoba oil has a high


boiling as well as freezing point. Jojoba

oil has been found useful an alternate

fuel oil. Jojoba oil and its derivatives

have diversified uses in cosmetics,

pharmaceuticals, lubricants, food and

confectioneries, electrical insulators,

foam control agents, plasticizers, fire

retardants, the leather industry and

transformer oil. The derived oil from

these seeds is similar to those of the

body fat obtained from the sperm whale,

so environmentalists are actually

relieved that the killing of sperm whales

has come down marginally due to the

availability of jojoba oil. For years, the

sperm whale was hunted for its oil, used

as a lubricant by heavy industries. If

scientists had not found a substitute for

the oil, the sperm whale would have

become extinct by now.

In India, almost 600-700 hectares of

land is under jojoba cultivation. The

majority of the cultivation (approximately

85-90 %) is done in Rajasthan,

approximately 100 hectares in Gujarat

and 50 hectares in Maharashtra. Although

Rajasthan is perfectly suitable as the

climatic conditions favour cultivation, there

is good potential for jojoba cultivation in

Punjab, Haryana Orissa, Tamil Nadu,

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka also.

Jojoba oil is unique in nature. No other

plant is known to produce oil like jojobas.

In India jojoba oil is used mostly for

cosmetics and skin care .This oil is an

ingredient used in lip care, eye care, body/

neck care, shampoos, conditioners,

products, hair oil, anti-ageing and sun

care products. It is also used in the

pharmaceutical field. It is used in certain

medicines.

Jojoba oil is of great commercial

importance. Its produce has potential

export value and India has not fully

utilized its available land for its cultivation.

Jojoba oil shows a lot of promise as an

alternative source of fuel. It releases a lot

of energy when it burns. The driving

force to find such a fuel source stems

from the need to find an alternative fuel to

petroleum. Under such circumstances,

jojoba cultivation is yet untapped as an

alternative resource for the Bio- Diesel

industry of the future.


Climate Change and AdaptationFowmitha Banu

Over the years there is an increasing

usage of lignite, coal and petroleum

products for energy purposes. All these

products have caused more emission of

Carbon-di- oxide (CO2), Carbon monoxide

(CO), Methane (CH4), Nitrogen –di-oxide

(NO2) gases which have the capacity to

absorb the heat radiation from the sun

and resulting into an increased

temperature in the earth’s atmosphere.

However, these gases are called Green

House Gases (GHG’s). Consequently, there

is a disturbance in the usual weather

pattern which leads to changes in the

climate of the region. This is called

Climate Change. Increase in average

global temperature; melting of glaciers

and ice caps; sea level rise; Ocean

temperature and Ocean acidity; changes

in global pattern of precipitation, winds,

ocean currents and scale of storm winds

are the major impact of climate change.

Several studies level have been done on

climate change. One of the important

reports on climate change is 4th

assessment of Inter Governmental

Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), 2007.

According to this report, global warming is

due to the man made emission of green

house gases that too mostly CO2. The

IPCC Report gives detailed projections

for the 21st century. It shows that global

warming will continue and accelerate and

estimates that the earth can warm upto

3° C by 2100. Predictions by 2100 range

from a minimum of 1.8° C to as much as

4° C rise in global average temperatures.

This alarming trend is due to urbanization

and industrialization, both man-made

activities. The changes have directly

affected social, economic, political and

personal nel conditions, and the lives

and livelihoods of human beings,

especially in developing countries like

India.

Impacts of Climate change

Climate change will have wide-ranging

effects on the environment and related


sectors including water resources,

agriculture and food security, human

health, terrestrial ecosystems and

biodiversity and coastal zones. Changes

in rainfall pattern lead to scarcity of

water and unexpected flood in many

countries. Melting of glaciers can cause

flooding, soil erosion and population

migration pressure in low lying deltas.

Temperature rises will cause shifts in

crop growing seasons, which affects the

food security. The changes also lead to the

increase in infectious diseases such as

malaria and dengue fever and putting

more people at risk of diseases.

Temperature increases will severely

increase rates of extinction for many

species and habitats. For example, coral

reefs, boreal forests, and mountain

habitats. The mean sea level increases

cause greater risk of storm surge,

inundation, saline intrusion,

contamination of aquifers and wave

damage to coastlines.

Need for adaptation

The big question before the entire human

race is what the ways and means to

fight climate change. As suggested by

scientists, adaptation is the best technique

to ameliorate the impacts of climate

change. Adaptation means ability to

adjust to the new situation or to alter

oneself to for new conditions. The

UNFCCC defines adaptation as “the

process through which societies make

themselves better able to cope with an

uncertain future. Adapting to climate

change entails taking the right

measures to reduce the negative effects

of climate change by making the

appropriate adjustment”. Adaptation

will not reduce the frequency or

magnitude of climate change. But it

will protect society and environment

from the consequences of climate change.

Some of the adaptation measures are:

Water resources – protecting ground water

resources, rain water harvesting, recycling

of water, desalination, improvement in the

conservation of water catchment areas.

Agriculture and food security - Dam

construction for irrigation, soil fertility

maintenance, changes in planting and


harvesting times, practice to different

cultivation, development of tolerant/

resistance crops.

Human health - Development of health

management reforms, improvement in

environmental quality, changes in urban

and housing design and living conditions

and changes in life style.

Terrestrial ecosystem -Improvement of

management system including control

of deforestation, reforestation and

afforestation, creation of parks/reserves,

protected areas and biodiversity corridors,

promoting agro-forestry, maintenance of

seed banks, identification of vulnerable

species and protection measures.

Marine ecosystems- Integrated coastal

zone management, development of

legislation for coastal protection, building

sea walls and beach enforcement.

By 2050, more than 200 million people

may be forced from their native lands by

rising sea levels, floods and droughts,

with many more potentially facing early

deaths from malnutrition and heat

stress. Some of the adverse impacts are

already being experienced by present

society, while other adverse impacts

are imminent, each individual and

government should contribute to get ride

off of the impasse. It would be appropriate

to conclude with the words of Charles

Darwin,

“It is not the strongest of the species

that survives… nor the most intelligent

that survives. It is the one that is the

most adaptable to change.”

Eco News is printed and published by Dr. Nanditha Krishna on behalf of C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre

at The C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, 1, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai - 600 018.

Editor : Dr. Nanditha Krishna Production : M. Amirthalingam

Where the details about the writer(s) are not given, it means that he/she works in CPREECThe views expressed by the writers do not necessarily reflect the views of the

C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre


C.P.R. Environmental Education CentreAward for Environmental Education


(CPREEC) received the Indira Gandhi

Paryavaran Puraskar for the year 1996

from the Ministry of Environment and

Forests, Government of India, on

September 19, 2000. The award included

a silver lotus trophy, a citation, and a

cash prize of Rupees one lakh.

Using the cash award as the corpus,

the Board of Governors of the C. P. R.

Environmental Education Centre

has instituted an annual C. P. R.

Environmental Education Centre Award

for Environmental Education. The

annual award is given to a school teacher,

who has made a difference to his / her

local environment through education

preferably from a rural area. The award

consists of a silver plaque, a citation and

a cash prize.

The winner of this year’s awardee,

Mr. B.V. Gundappa, Assistant Master,

Government Pre-University College,

Nagavalli, Tumkur, Karnataka is


dedicated to the cause of Environmental

Education through both by formal and

non-formal methods for the past

twenty five years. He has been an

active teacher of biology, taking his

students to forests and bird sanctuaries

for nature walks and to create

environmental awareness among the

general public.

In Nagavalli, a remote village of

Tumkur district, Mr. B.V. Gundappa

has identified the rare Slender Loris

and has been instrumental in declaring

the area as a protected area in 2008

for the animal. He has formed youth

and student groups for the conservation

of rare animals and plants in Tumkur

district. National Green Corps (NGC)

schools in the district were approached

for further expanding the conservation

activities.

He has rehabilitated thousands of

poisonous and non-poisonous snakes

from urban areas in their natural

habitats. On emergency call from

schools, houses and agricultural fields,

Mr. Gundappa has gone and rescued

poisonous snakes and rehabilitated

them in the nearby forested areas like

Namadha Chilume, Devarayana Durga

forest ranges.

He is also one of the key conservators of

the Tumkur Amanikere tank by

forming pressure groups to press for

conservation of the lake. Mr. Gundappa

is instrumental in impressing the

Biodiversity Management Committee

members of many panchayats about the

necessity of biodiversity conservation at

the village level.

He was instrumental in developing the

methodology for the preparation of

People’s Biodiversity Registers. He has

also worked on a manual on school

biodiversity registers. In 2001,

Mr. Gundappa worked on the biodiversity

survey of Tumkur district along

with many ecologists of Centre for

Ecological Sciences, Bangalore.

Prof. Yashpal, former Chairman of

University Grants Commission (UGC)

appreciated the efforts of Mr. Gundappa

in educating the youths of Karnataka.


ECONEWS welcomes articles and news items from its readers.

Please send them to

The Editor


1, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai – 600 018, India.

Phone : 91- 44- 24337023 / 24346526 Fax : 91-44-24320756

www.cpreec.org / www.cpreecenvis.nic.in

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Mr. Gundappa has authored 10 books on

popular science and environment in

Kannada and has co-authored books on

medicinal plants, agricultural eco-system

and fresh water fishes in Kannada. He

is also a wildlife photographer and has

documented many amphibians of

peninsular India.

Mr. Gundappa has delivered hundreds of

popular science lectures in educational

institutions in Karnataka. In recognition

of his tireless service to the cause of

environment, the Government of

Karnataka has awarded the Best NGC

Eco Club of Tumkur district to his

institution in 2008. With all his expertise

and experience, Mr. Gundappa has been

invited as resource person, facilitator,

committee member, at many fora.

C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre’s

Award for Environmental Education

for the year 2011 is awarded to Mr.

B.V. Gundappa in recognition of his

contribution to the use of environmental

education and awareness among the

students and the local community of

Nagavalli in Tumkur district to protect

water resources and wildlife.


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C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre is a Centre of Excellence of the Ministry

of Environment & Forests, Government of India, established jointly by the Ministry

and the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation.

The Centre has been set up to increase consciousness and knowledge about the

environment and the major environmental problems facing the country today. It

has been conducting a variety of programmes to spread awareness and interest among

the public, including, teachers, students, voluntary workers, educators, farmers,

women and youth, on all aspects of the environment and ecology, with the purpose

of promoting conservation of nature and natural resources.

Eco News is printed and published by Dr. Nanditha Krishna on behalf of

C.PC.PC.PC.PC.P.R. Environmental Education Centre.R. Environmental Education Centre.R. Environmental Education Centre.R. Environmental Education Centre.R. Environmental Education Centre

at The C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, 1, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai - 600 018.

Editor : DrDrDrDrDr. Nanditha Krishna. Nanditha Krishna. Nanditha Krishna. Nanditha Krishna. Nanditha Krishna

Production : M. Amirthalingam: M. Amirthalingam: M. Amirthalingam: M. Amirthalingam: M. Amirthalingam

Where the details about the writer(s) are not given, it means that he/she works in CPREECWhere the details about the writer(s) are not given, it means that he/she works in CPREECWhere the details about the writer(s) are not given, it means that he/she works in CPREECWhere the details about the writer(s) are not given, it means that he/she works in CPREECWhere the details about the writer(s) are not given, it means that he/she works in CPREEC

The views expressed by the writers do not necessarily reflect the views of either

C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre or the Editor

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