Nalanda Conference Centre

The most important feature of a conflict of interest, is it can compromise your ability to act impartially and honestly, as a journalist.

A mere perception of conflict is enough to undermine the trust of the reader, viewer or listener, in the integrity of your work.

Best way to deal with conflict of interest is to avoid it entirely.

The next best way is to disclose it - to your supervisor, or if material, to your audience.

If you or your relative owns shares in a company that you are covering, or in the industry you follow, it can create a perception of bias and self-interest.

News organisation often require journalists to dispose off their holdings in the companies or industries they cover.

ETHICS HANDBOOK FOR JOURNALISTS
Thomson Reuters Foundation

eviction of hominid colony & reclamation of wilderness

We have not even constructed 10% of our acquired territory.

There is no law that limits our built-up area to 10%.

We have restrained ourselves.

Out of our concern for the environment, we have opted to build, just a little.

Buildings occupy  a mere 7% of our acquisition.

We plan  to cap it off at 10%.

godman jaggi to Thanthi TV.

shameless tradings of elephant terra?

When i bought this forest clearing, it was believed to have been under sugarcane and turmeric cultivation for a few decades.

If you want i can show you documents from the  Environment Ministry of the Federal government, World Wildlife Fund and the State government to validate our presence here.

- godman jaggi to Thanthi TV.
.

stone and sculpted trees!

Questioner: I am not talking pointedly about just your foundation.
But reality is, when i traveled here from the Coimbatore city, I had to drive through forests and woodlands.

But when i reached your campus, I was alarmed.

It is all stone, and sculpted trees - quite an urban jungle, it is all becoming.

godman jaggi: Why this entire country was just forests.
And don't you see our exotic buildings are complemented by green landscaping?
What are you complaining about?

- Thanthi TV talk show

8 acres + 6 acres =14 acres? 150?

"When i came here to this forest clearing - zamin -  there were only 3 trees.

And one tree was supine.

Now i have planted about 22,000."

-  godman jaggi to Thanthi TV

signage and separation - buffer zones

"Main reason why elephants come to rural and agricultural lands in search of water and food is, their original water sources have been closed down," said K K Karunanidhi one of the petitioners.

"There should be physical and visible separation with signage across ghats and plains of elephant habitat and buffer zones, so that anyone can detect an encroachment," says R Senthilkumar, another petitioner.

- Sushmita Mukherjee, July 12, 2016 - indiatimes

challenges to elephant territory

"One of the biggest challenges is that elephant territory is usually along buffer zones of wildlife reserves.

Elephants need to move constantly between feeding grounds and water source.

With rapid encroachment of buffer zones, we increase instances of elephant irk.

We need to understand that elephants are not predators.
They will not kill humans unless they feel threatened.
They may respond in aggression," says Dr. Dipankar Ghose Director of species at WWF - India.,

- Sushmita Mukherjee, July 12, 2016 - indiatimes

Habitat = Corridor ?

"We have not got any notice from Forest Department or Revenue Department. 

Because the department knows that we have not encroached on an elephant corridor. 

This is a fact."

- godman Jaggi to Thanthi TV.

Encroachment of traditional habitat

Increased construction near the ranges and mindless urbanization is leading to higher instances of human-animal conflict here.

Umesh Marudachalam, a wildlife activist says, 

'There are acres of land encroached to build universities and homes and elephants are forced out of their traditional habitats. And increased conflicts between man and animal lead to unnecessary deaths on bth sides."  

- Daily Thanthi

sealing notice issued

The foundation resubmitted the proposal.

During inspection by officials in October, it was found that the construction had already begun.

And building plan was not tallying with the actual.

The foundation was directed to resubmit the plan as per construction made at site, along with No Objection Certificate from the Forest Department, Public Works Department and others.

The construction was not stopped.
'Stop work' notice was issued on November 2011.
Subsequently sealing notice was issued on December 24, 2012.

The New Indian Express,  December 18, 2013.

5000 litres /day - without permission

Like a soft-drink company, this group has blocked a jungle stream that flows by the Thanikandi village.
And has built a bridge.

And everyday, without permission, 5000 litres of water is drawn out from an adjacently dug well, for use in the encroached human settlements.

And jaggi's empire, puffs and swells by unchecked violations and cooperation of people in positions of power.

Elephants of the Boluvampatti  block-2 reserve forest are continuously disturbed by activities in these encroachments. 

- Nakkeeran, August 22-24, 2016.

followers of this group

Former and present day ministers are devotees and followers of this group.

It's tentacles twirl even in the Prime Minister's Office.  

Beginning with the ruled, ruling and salivating polity, bureaucrats, industrialists and media barons are strands of it's throbbing web.

The halwa they churn from their high places, makes it impossible for the district administration and forest administrators to be effective and credible in their professional life.

 - Nakkeeran,  
August 22-24. 2016,  Vol.29 No.43

Buffer Zones

"Machhili was lying behind the bushes in the national park's buffer zone, at Ama Ghati.

She had stopped eating since August 11, and had lost a lot of weight.

We heard a faint roar and then she was gone," said wildlife filmmaker Nalla Muthu, who had

documented the tigress's life for close to 10 years. And was there to film the end.

Times Of India
August 19,  2016.

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

Unlike tiger reserves that are notified under Wildlife Protection Act 1972, elephant reserves are notified under an executive order of the government and therefore lack legal status and the safeguards that go with it.

M D Madhusudan of Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore observes, " This is a peculiar situation. The elephant, as a species, receives the highest protection our laws can offer, but the land over which it ranges, does not have a similar level of protection."

Jumbo Conflict,  D T E, February 2014. 

clear violation of laws

"Forest land continues to be illegally used by ashrams at Andhari Khola at Anantpur reserve forest.
And alsoat Ganesh Khola in Aswakhola reserve forest in Dhenkanal district.

These are prime elephant habitats.

And elephants are now disturbed by religious ceremonies and influx of crowds." said Biswajit Mohanty, a renowned environmentalist.

In Matharagadi Reserve Forest, an ashram known as Nirbana Khola has sprung up.
About 2 acres of forest land has been encroached by felling trees and levelling of land.
Concrete building has been built on forest land.
Mr. Mohanty charged that these are clear violations of forest laws.

The Hindu, Bhubaneshwar

being heard in courts

Two important cases relating to human-elephant conflict are being heard in courts.

First is the decade-old Sigur elephant corridor case, filed in 2008.

State and federal governments responded by setting up committees to examine the merits of the litigantion's argument for retreival of forest land, while agreeing that the area indeed was an elephant corridor.

Tamil Nadu government in 2013 had dragged the Isha Foundation to court over alleged violations in constructions of buildings, without getting requisite clearances. Government argued that the buildings in question, were on forest land, meant for elephant movement.

The foundation denied all charges in court.
Case is being heard in Chennai High Court.
( The Isha Foundation did not respond to calls and an e mail on the case.)

Economic Times, July 17, 2016

Kattaiyan killed?

The elephant had strayed into Madukkarai.in search of food, damaging crops, destroying homes in it's hunger. And killing a forest department official who tried to drive it back into the forest.

Local people named the elephant, 'Kattaiyam', the stocky one.
Forest department chased and captured and sedated the animal; and they named the operation as
'Madukkarai Maharaj'.

The captured animal died a day after.
Post-mortem reports leaked to the press showed the cause of death as  fractured skull.

"We thought that the department would transport it to another forest zone and let it free. But it seems that their intention was to tame it into a Kumki," say the villagers.

- Economic Times, July 17, 2016

buy private lands for the elephant corridor

He is worried over construction of resorts in the name of ‘eco-tourism’ and also educational institutions on the fringes of the Nilgiris Biosphere consisting of Coimbatore, Sathyamgnalam and the Nilgiris.

“These constructions would hit wildlife activities and disturb the elephant corridor thus making the animals restless”.

He is happy that Tamil Nadu Government is the first in the country to have allotted funds to buy private land for the elephant corridor. “But this should be done immediately”.

The Hindu, March 3, 2008

shrinking wildlife habitat

Coimbatore: A 31-year-old farmer was trampled to death by an elephant near Sirumugai, about 45 kms from Coimbatore, police said on Tuesday.

Kanakaraj was last night riding a motorcycle when he noticed the elephant coming from opposite direction. Fearing for life, he dropped his two-wheeler and attempted to run for safety, they said. However, the elephant chased him and trampled him to death, police said.

Mid day, 26 April 2016

forest department under scanner

Tribal rights activists and scholar C R Bijoy wants the forest department also under the scanner. 
He argues that "large-scale clearance of natural forests initially by forest department to plant silver oaks, eucalyptus, teak and acacia also contributed to the situation apart from invasion by weeds like parthenium and lantana". 
The ban by forest department on harvesting bamboo by tribals led to their natural death as those people had ensured regeneration in the past. 

Big estates have cleared forests and these all have led to the depletion of fodder for elephants. 

The forest department's use of tamarind, jaggery, salt etc to attract elephants for tourists and later by resorts also resulted in a situation where elephants raid houses in search of these, says Bijoy.

Call of the wild, Times Of India

relocation of squatters / institutes from buffer zones

Activists advocate declaring more areas as forest to ensure their protection and prevent developmental activities. “The persistent conservation efforts has helped increase wild elephant population from only about 20 till a few years ago to about 30-40 elephants in Madukkarai alone. However, the forest cover remains the same,” pointed out wildlife activist Umesh Marudhachalam.

According to a senior forest official, the revenue department should strictly implement the standing order on maintaining buffer zones. “No construction activities should come up on the forest boundaries. If it is done properly, the animals will return to the forest after failing to find food or water on the boundaries. However, the local panchayat authorities have been giving permission without understanding the impact of man-animal conflict,” he said.

squatters on Jumbo corridor, The New Indian Express

No action taken

Forest officials, who were present at the monthly farmers’ grievance redressal meeting at the Collectorate here on Friday, had a tough time as they had to face serious charges levelled against them.

Farmer Zakhir Hussein of Vadakarai drew Collector M. Karunakaran’s attention to the ongoing illegal constructions inside the reserve forest area in the Western Ghats beyond Adavinainar dam in Mekkarai and how they obstructed flow of water into the reservoir and irrigation tanks. 

“When we raised this issue in the February-26 meeting, the Collector directed forest and revenue officials to jointly inspect the illegal constructions and take appropriate action. However, no action has been taken,” he said.

- THE HINDU

Law breakers offer to set up Law School

Human Resource Development minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that,  the land is not being allocated to Isha foundation for setting up a meditation and yoga centre,

"When Isha Foundation had expressed its willingness to set up three institutes - Leadership Academy, International School and Law School - we welcomed the proposal.  

Benefits accruing to the state from such institutions are carefully evaluated before allocating the land,” he said.

- The New Indian Express / April 24, 2015

400 forest land

Communist Party of India has launched an agitation  against Andhra Pradesh government's decision to grant 400 acres of forest land to the foundation of Jaggi Vasudeva.

Participating in a protest dharna, state CPI Secretary Ramakrishna questioned the grant.

-HANS INDIA

habitual offences?

Jaggi Vasudev, accompanied by state Human Resources Development Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao visited the forest land near Mulapadu on Tuesday along with state officials.

 The Congress' state unit has already opposed the move. 

" How can the government give away forest land - quite close to the new capital - to Isha Foundation?',  asked  Malladi Vishnu, former MLA from Vijayawada.

 - Deccan Herald / 18th April 2015

Helpless farmers, hapless elephants!

Both environmentalists and government authorities confirm that there are at least 24 institutions that have come up in the foothills of the western ghats in Coimbatore district  - encroaching on traditional migratory paths of wild elephants.

All educational institutions have been built on land that has patta. And elephants wandering on the nearby hillside is a common sight.

Activists are planning to write to the concerned boards of education asking them to de-recognise the institutions for violating rules.

Committees headed by Madhav Gadgil and K Kasturirangan had warned against the misuse of elephant corridors for non-forest purposes.

A narrow corridor connects Sathyamangalam forest with the silent valley in Kerala.
This is a traditional migratory path for elephants.

Human -wildlife conflicts have become more acute in this region in the last 15 years.

Tales of gruesome deaths of helpless farmers and hapless elephants are becoming normal stories.

Nearly 100 people have died in elephant attacks here, in last 15 years.

However, religious and political bodies still violate rules, to reap huge profits at minimal investment.

Ironically, violators like Jaggi Vasudev pose as environmentalists and distribute lakhs of tree saplings on World Environment Day.

People shake and dole heady cocktails of spirituality, secularism laced with environmental advocacy, that can divert public attention, from the real dangers they themselves pose, to the western ghats.

- Nisha Ponthathil / Tehelka / 27 June 2015.

Wild elephant habitat

67 years ofl Subbathal of Mutthattu Vayal was trampled to death by a wild elephant at the foothills of Poondi Vellingiri Andavar Temple in the early hours of Friday.

Villagers who heard her screams, rushed - only to see the elephant trample her to death.

Forest Department has posted watchers in the area to monitor the elephant's movement.

- The Hindu, August 24, 2013 / Coimbatore.

reserve forest violations

Chennai:  At least 77 buildings of several lakh square feet have been constructed - without any permission or approval - at the foot hills of Velliangiri mountain ranges, the Tamil Nadu government has informed the High Court.
 
# Not obtained concurrence of  Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning, as required by the Tamil Nadu gov't Panchayat Rules 1997.

 # Not obtained clearance from Hill Area Conservation Authority.

 # Already constructed 62 building blocks that are in use. Another 15 are under construction - without valid approval from competent authority.

 # Has submitted proposals for 12 blocks of more than 4 lakh square feet. The proposal showed 50 buildings as 'existing structures'.

 # Locking sealing, stop work and demolition notice were issued on December 24, 2012. Work however was not stopped, the counter conceded.

- A Subramani / TNN / Dec. 17, 2013 /  07:54PM IST  Times Of India