(IN): Hold fire! Turtles are coming

[Guest guest]

Link:

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20080411200027 & Page=Q & Title=ORISS\

A & Topic=0

 

*Hold fire! Turtles are coming*

Saturday April 12 2008 06:21 IST

 

BHUBANESWAR: It's already second week of April and Gahirmatha, the largest

rookery of Olive Ridley turtles, has not witnessed mass nesting yet.

 

An anxious Wildlife Wing of Orissa Government, apprehending that test-fire

of Agni last month might have had a bearing on this, is set to request

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to put off the next

test.

 

On March 23, the premier defence organisation test-fired Agni I, a

short-range ballistic missile, from Wheeler's Island, off the Orissa coast,

while the next one is scheduled during April last week, tentatively on April

27.

 

This seems to have left the Wildlife Wing of the State worried as sporadic

nesting of the sea turtles has only been reported so far. 'We are writing to

DRDO to hold the next test-fire of Agni for sometime because we anticipate

nesting anytime. Another experiment so soon is likely to disturb the Olive

Ridleys,' Chief Wildlife Warden of the State B.K. Patnaik told.

 

Last year, Gahirmatha, a part of Bhitarkanika National Park, witnessed mass

nesting during March though the number of turtles that arrived was low. This

year, it has taken longer and barely 500 Olive Ridleys have come for

nesting. Plus, there is the DRDO experiment.

 

The Government has an agreement with DRDO which stipulates certain measures

to help protect the turtles and facilitate nesting.

 

As per the understanding, the Chief Wildlife Warden said the DRDO should

refrain from test-firing at least during this critical period.

 

'We had written to them about this but the DRDO went ahead with the

experiment of Agni-I last month. Now they are apparently planning another

one but we've not been intimated yet.'

 

--

United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com