Resolution regarding the location of the
'India-Based Neutrino Observatory'
September, 2009
1.
We, the undersigned scientists, environmentalists and socially
concerned individuals applaud India's significant scientific
achievements and fully support the role that India plays in conducting
cutting edge scientific research. 2.
However, we have serious concerns related to the location of the
proposed Indian Neutrino Observatory. We firmly believe that locating
the observatory on this site, which is in the buffer zone of the
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, poses a
serious threat to the flora and fauna of this fragile ecosystem. Based
on various discussions we have resolved to highlight the unsuitability
of the current chosen site. •
There is global consensus that the biggest crisis in the world today is
the environment. Large scale destruction and degradation and loss of
biodiversity happening all over the world, which is directly affecting
us human beings as eco system services are breaking down. Water is
becoming more and more scarce, climate change and global warming are
being witnessed all around. Hence protecting our forests and wildlife
should be of the highest priority.
• The proposed site is within the
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – the first Biosphere Reserve in India and of
global importance. As per the United Nations guidelines, research
initiatives that feed conservation are welcome. But the INO research
has no bearing on conservation.
• Though the INO proponents claim a
country wide site search was conducted, no corresponding reports
documenting their efforts are available. All available documents
suggest only two sites have been considered, both in ecologically
sensitive zones.
• The tunnel portal is less than one kilometre from
the boundary of the Mudumalai Critical Tiger Habitat, and inside the
proposed Buffer Zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. As per the Supreme
Court Order [W.P- (C)460 of 2006 dated 04/12/2006] and the Ministry of
Environment and Forest [circular no. L-1101/7/2004-IA II(I)], any
project within 10 kilometres require special consideration by the
National Board for Wildlife.
• The region – the Sigur Plateau –
provides the only vital link between Mudumalai/Bandipur/Nagarhole Tiger
Reserves and Sathyamangalam/Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple
Sanctuary/Bannergatta National Park. It is a vital corridor, especially
for elephants and other large mammals.
• The INO project proposes to
tunnel into the Glenmorgan mountain, once home to the Endangered
Nilgiri Tahr. The habitat is still healthy, and a reintroduction
programme is being considered as it has the potential to support
200-300 tahr.
• The project involves tunnelling to the tune of
2,25,000 cubic metres or 630,000 tons of debris. Irrespective of
whether it is stored on-site or moved out in trucks (approx. 78,700
truckloads), this will have a negative impact on the flora and fauna of
the region.
• The construction material to be brought to the site is
approximately 147,000 tons (18,000 truckloads). This is via 35
kilometres of roads through both the Mudumalai and Bandipur Tiger
Reserves, and will cause a lot of disturbance to the region.
•
History has shown that every development project has led to an
explosion of the local population. The Sigur plateau is already over
burdened, and cannot handle any more strain. Even if handled well,
investing a large sum of 900 crores in the region is undoubtedly going
to cause massive development.
• The requirement of 342,000 litres of
water and 3 mega watts of electricity a day, though claimed to be
insignificant by the INO team, should indeed be considered, given it is
a region with low rainfall and forms part of the watershed for the
Bhavani river and the Cauvery basin.
• The region is home to 15
threatened species (as per the Environmental Impact Assessment by the
Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History), and no
assessment has been done on the impact of the project on these species.
•
We find it ironic that local communities are being displaced or their
access to resources curtailed both within the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
as well as for maintaining the integrity of the wildlife corridor on
the Sigur plateau, while at the same time areas that are supposed to
then be ‘inviolate’ are being opened up for such projects.
• Last
and most important is the Environmental Impact Assessment of the
project. It has been reviewed by experts, and exposed as being a weak
document that does not in anyway assess the damage that is likely to be
caused to the region. The authors themselves admit it is based on
'secondary sources' and 'guesstimate'. It does not in anyway measure
what damage is going to be caused to the region. It is essential that
the project is not allowed to come up in the said region without a more
thorough and comprehensive assessment of the environment impact. 3.
We understand that some reputed environmental scientists consider that
the damage that is caused can be mitigated if a sizeable percentage of
the INO budget is fed into conservation. We do not agree with this
reasoning, especially when a thorough assessment of the damage has not
been completed. Further, damage caused to one ecosystem cannot be
undone or
compensated by conserving another ecosystem, especially
given that India already has such little area left under some form of
‘natural’ cover.
Hence
it is resolved that based on presently available data, the India-based
Neutrino Observatory should not be allowed to come up in the Singara
area of the Nilgiris. Signed:
Life Member: Nilgiri Wildlife and Environmental Association,
Member: Tamilnadu Wildlife Board,
Member: Mudumalai Tiger Conservation Foundation.
Ex-Dean, Wildlife Institute of India,
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group,
Member: IUCN Cat Specialist Group,
Member: IUCN Mountain Ungulate (Caprinae) Specialist Group,
Member: IUCN Bear Specialist Group,
Member: Mudumalai Tiger Conservation Foundation.
Co-Chair: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group,
Member: IUCN Asian Wildcattle Specialist Group,
WWF Asian Elephant and Rhino Program.
Kalpavriksh.
Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India,
Member: National Board for Wildlife,
Member: IUCN Cat Specialist Group.
Editor, Sanctuary Magazine.
Member: IUCN Cat Specialist Group.
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Vice President, Nilgiri Wildlife and Environmental Association.
Executive Director, Elephant Care International,
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Managing Trustee, Biodiversity & Elephant ConservationTrust, Sri Lanka,
Editor, Gajah - the journal of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group,
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
ECOS, Pondicherry.
Professor, University of Missouri,
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Nature Conservation Foundation,
Mysore.
Conservation Biologist
Dilmah Conservation Trust, Sri Lanka
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Chair AZA Elephant Taxon Advisory Group and Species Survival Plan.
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Bangalore, India.
Landscape Ecologist,
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Dean, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University.
Bangalore, India.
Steering Committee, IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group
Madras Crocodile Bank.
Wildlife Film Maker and Conservationist.
Keystone Foundation,
Kotagiri.
Research Officer,
Asian Elephant Research and Conservation Centre,
(AERCC- A division of the Asian Nature Conservation Foundation – ANCF),
Member: IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
Ramanujan Fellow,
Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Unit,
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research ,
Member: IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
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