Is that a rock or a man on Mars?

Elephant killings blamed on Orissa mining

Elephants in Orissa face extinction if they continue to die or be killed at the current rate, according to official and unofficial counts.

Spreading mining activity in the region is blamed for man's conflict with the elephant.

At least 60 elephants have been killed in the past two years, official estimates say - and unofficial reports say 200 elephants died during the same time.

Reports also point out nine elephants died in November.

Iron ore and manganese mining has destroyed the forests where the elephants used to roam freely forcing them into farmers lands.

"It is after all this mining that elephants have started to come here to our fields," said a villager.

The RFO in Keonjhar says, "we are understaffed". "Fifty percent vacancy, there is not enough equipment and roads are bad," he added.

Human casualties

Villagers are also being killed in the man-elephant fight for survival. In the last six years 62 people have died and 75 others were injured.

Over 1500 houses have been destroyed, and 3000 acres of crops damaged, as a result over 4000 families have been affected.

The forest department blames the situation on mining activity in the area.

"We try to do our job but the fact is this increase in mining has really destroyed and disturbed traditional elephant habitats," Suresh Mohanty, the PCCF in Orissa said.

But the minister for mining has denied any responsibility.

"That is not our problem," said Padhmanabhan Behera, the Steel and Mines Minister of Orissa when he was asked about measures taken to deal with the situation.

"That is not our job it is up to the forest department to control any problems with elephants and wildlife," he said.

Chief minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik has promised to look into the situation, but he is also about to grant two more massive mining contracts in the region, which is likely to mean an even sharper increase in elephant killings.

NDTV website dated 16.11.2006

Tribals against elephant safari zone

Newindpress.com
January 24 2008

PARVATIPURAM: In protest against the proposed ‘Elephant Safari Zone’ in the forests of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, several tribal action groups and welfare associations, led by CPM leaders, staged a dharna at ITDA Office here on Wednesday.

The agitators also gheroed the AP ST Legislative Committee members, who were here to review the ITDA activities, stating that the project would deprive a large number of tribals of their livelihood.

Taking note of the seriousness of the issue, Legislative Committee chairman and S.Kota MLA K Ravi Babu ensured that the government would go ahead with the project only with the people’s consent and added that the Safari zone was proposed to put a lid on the jumbo menace.

For more on saving elephants please visit "http://elephantsindia.blogspot.com"

Temperature rising...!

During the past 5 days... it was not like winter, and that too at the end of January.

Take a look at the temperature chart of past 5 days... it's rising above 31°C.
Month Hi: 31.8°C (25/1/08)
Month Lo: 19.0°C (20/1/08)

Even the humidity is also on the higher side.

Weather art

Weather is all around us all the time. It can affect our mood and how things around us look. Think how different the view from your window can look on a sunny summer's day and on a cloudy wet winter's day.

Make your own weather symbols

Many of you will have seen weather symbols on TV weather forecasts. Try designing some of your own.

Draw a picture

Paint or draw a picture of your school, garden or other interesting view. Colour the picture in to show the scene in different types of weather. Think about how different colours can be used, bright yellow and oranges for sunny, dark greys for cloudy and blue for wet. Also think about how this makes you feel. Does the sun make you happy, do cloud and rain make you sad? This can create an atmosphere to your painting, and change how people feel when they look at your art.

Weather colouring

Below are some weather pictures for you to print out and colour in. Ask an adult to help you to print it out. You can then colour in your picture.

More info at this site...http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/education/primary/students/art.html

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