News
Andhra Pradesh: A close call for wildlife!
December 31, 2008, 12:10AM MT
By Sharon St. Joan
Development project cancelled!
Development project cancelled!
By Sharon St. Joan, Best Friends Network
On November 8, 2008, the Andhra Pradesh government officially cancelled plans for a giant development project that would have devastated the coastal areas of the Indian state.
The online site Exchange 4 Projects reported on November 10 (http://www.exchange4projects.com/MISC/reality-strikes-andhra-cancels-coastal-corridor-project) that the Coastal Corridor project would not take place.
The Coastal Corridor, as planned, would have destroyed a huge swathe of land running along 974 kilometers (605 miles) of coastline. The project would have uprooted entire villages and would have displaced 20 million people. It would also have eliminated wild bird reserves that are the winter habitat for painted storks and other migrating birds, some coming every year from as far away as Russia and East Asia.
The already polluted waters of the Bay of Bengal would have been subjected to industrial run-off on a far greater scale than is already the case. Just last winter hundreds of dead, endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles, killed by pollution, washed up on the shores. Pradeep Nath, President of the Visakha SPCA, in Andhra Pradesh, was one of those called in to investigate the cause of these deaths.
Sea turtles saved from even worse pollution
Since its beginnings 12 years ago, the Vishaka SPCA has spent countless hours protecting nesting endangered sea turtles from the dual threats of poaching and development.
It was concluded that the sea turtles found dead last winter were most likely the victims of heavy pollution from the industry located on the coast.
Sea turtles live for 300 to 500 years. On their annual migration they return to nest on the shores of the Bay of Bengal from November to March. The coastal corridor, as planned, would have run nearly the entire length of Andhra Pradesh from Nellore in the south up to Srikakulam in the north, multiplying the industrial damage to the shorelines.
Parts of the plan provided for developing petroleum, chemical and petrochemical resources in some of the most sensitive wildlife areas. Unfortunately, the plan to allow some of these industrial developments has not been overturned--and may still go through--although the corridor plan itself has been cancelled.
Lively protests won the day!
Pradeep Nath of the Visakha SPCA is prepared to take up the fight again if the threat looms anew to destroy the coastal land. For the time being, the many protests and demonstrations on the part of human rights advocates opposing the damage to the villages have carried the day, and the threat of future development seems to have lessened, at least for now.
Padeep Nath writes, "The fishermen did the most, and this was taken up by the opposition politicians, who were able to get attention. We did our part too on behalf of the wildlife. We continue to watch the situation, and if necessary, we'll take further action.
"Though the corridor has not been totally shelved, it is being strongly opposed, and the feeling is now that it will not happen. It may be replaced with another kind of project…we have to wait and see.
"But for now this is not happening, and we are happy about this!"
The extent of the destruction averted
The corridor project was to have taken up around five million acres, would have created 100,000 jobs, and would have brought in several hundred million dollars in investments. Expansive new railways and roadways were to be created for the transportation of the industrial products created.
However the cost would have meant the loss or relocation of their homes to millions of poor villagers, as well as the destruction of a 600 mile long natural stretch of beach and wildlife habitat, replacing it with what in one form or another would have become a toxic wasteland.
While attending the Asia for Animals Conference, Pradeep Nath during conversations I had with him, had expressed his concerns over the environmental impact of the planned huge industrial project.
Thanks to all of you who wrote letters against this project when we first reported it on international Friends in September. Thanks for your part in overturning this plan!
The wellbeing of the wildlife and the villagers, who share the same strip of land, has won out. Thanks to the Andhra Pradesh government for withdrawing this project!
What you can do
To read the original story about this issue, as it appeared on International Friends in September, please go to
http://network.bestfriends.org/international/news/28711.html
Top photo: © Arindom Chowdhury / Dreamstime.com / Painted Stork
Second photo: © Tatiana Morozova / Dreamstime.com / a sea turtle off the coast of Bali