July 2011

VANA PREMI

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Vol .12

JULY - 2011

No. 7

JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION45 RETIRED FOREST OFFICERS OF ANDHRA PRADESH

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Vol : 12 July 2011 No. 7

Editor : Qamar Mohd. Khan

The Association of Retired Forest Officers, Andhra Pradesh(Regd. No. 557/1990) President : Sri. S.D. Mukherji, I.F.S. (Retd.) Tel : 23551065, 9885236493 Vice President : Sri. Krishna Bhoopal Rao, I.F.S. (Retd.) Tel : 23743774, 9866307808 Secretary : Sri K. Santokh Singh, I.F.S. (Retd.) Tel : 27962929, 9848808101 Jt. Secretary : Sri. P. Upender Reddy, Dy. C.F.(Retd.) Cum Treasurer Tel. 23342582, 9848754778

Associate Editor : Sardar Navratan Singh

Contents
1. Editorial ..................... QMK 2 4 2. letters to the Editor...... 3. A Visit to Himachal Pradesh (Lure of the Himalayas - III) ,............................M. Kamal Naidu 5 4. A Changed Role for Foresters ............................. S.D. Mukharji 15 5. Sharma in the Hell .... J.V.Sharma 13 6. Invitation..............Secretary 22 7. Father's Letter to son .................................... Kamal Naidu 23 8. Birth Day Greetings . S.S.S. 25 9. Death Relief in case of death, of AIS Pensioners, in receipt of Service Pension-Orders Issued. 26 10. Cocodile Fight .......... K.B.R. Reddy 27 11. A Story So Familiar ... ........................Ganesh Shenoy.MD 28 12. Moon Watchers' Paradise .................................... Shiva Kumar 31 13. Laughter The Best Medicine 33 14. News and Notes ....... 34 15. Bandipur Mishap ...... P.S.Reddy 37 16. The Episode of Common Lagur ...........................V.Sathaseela Babu 40 17. Forest Departments Urged To Keep Pace With Changes ..Dr. S.M.A.Aslam and V. Smabasivam 41 18. Obituary ................... 44

Excutive committee members

1. Sri C. Subba Rao, I.F.S. (Retd.), 9848018796 2. 3. Sri M. Padmanabha Reddy, I.F.S. (Retd.), 9849269105 4. Sri J.V. Subba Rao, 9848486146 5. Sri A. V. Govinda Rajulu, 9440764611

Editoriral Board
1. President : Ex-Officio President of Assn. 2. Editor : Qamar Mohd. Khan Tel : 40121132, 9849233624
e-mail : qamar_asima@yahoo.com

3. Associate Editor : : 4. Member : 5. Convenor :

Sardar Navratan Singh, Tel : 23340585 A.H. Qureshi, IFS (Retd.) Ex-officio Secy.of Assn

TARIFF RATES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS Back side of front and last cover page (Colour) for one year ...................................... Rs. 20,000/Outer Cover half (Colour) for one year ........... Rs. 15,000/Inner Center Spread (Colour) for one year .... Rs. 20,000/Inner full page (B&W) for one year .............. Rs. 15,000/Inner half page (B&W) for one year .............. Rs. 10,000/Inner full page One Time (B&W) ....................... Rs. 2000/Inner half page One Time (B&W) ...................... Rs. 1500/-

Totla pages
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EDITORIAL
South west Monsoon:- The south west monsoon season in our country runs from June to September. The monsoon acts as a lifeline for India's farm-dependent economy, which is also the world's leading producer and consumer of several key commodities such as sugarcane, grains, and oilseeds. Indias Meteorological Department reported that this-years South West Monsoon will be beginning just on time and will be normal this year too, raising hopes of higher farm output that could help the government tame high food prices. In their second forecast in the last week of june they have said that this year there will be deficite of rainfall. Generally south west monsoon reaches Andaman around 24th of May. Monsoon would reach in the southern state of Kerala around June 1st, but this year monsoon has reached Kerala three days in advance. Rain generated by the Southwest Monsoon is critical to life on the Indian Subcontinent as it supplies most of the regions fresh water; Indias agricultural sector is highly dependent upon the rain that falls during south west monsoon. If crops do not receive the appropriate amount of water during this season, there can be food shortages and significant economic impacts. The rain water from the Monsoon also helps to provide power to the nation through hydroelectric projects. Monsoon rain is eagerly anticipated for these reasons, but 2 The southwest monsoon reaches the coast of the southern state of Kerala around June 1. It usually arrives in Andhra Pradesh on 7th of June which is known as Mrigasira karti, on which day the fish medicine is given in Hyderabad free of cost by Bathini brothers for asthma, and people not only from our country but also from outside the country, come to take this fish medicine for the treatment of asthma. Mumbai receives monsoon approximately on 10th of June, reaches Delhi by the end of June, and covers the rest of India by mid-July. Every year, the date also for the cooling it brings. The time before of the Monsoon is the hottest in our country. Recent days, for example, have seen the temperature soar above 43 degrees Celsius in many locations like Adilabad, Nizamabad Warangal districts and few other places of Andhra Pradesh during last week of May. The southwest monsoon is attracted to India by a low pressure area that's caused by the extreme heat of the Thar Desert and adjoining areas, during summer. Moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean come to fill up the void, but because they can't pass through Western Ghats and then the Himalayan region, they're forced to rise. The gain in altitude of the clouds results in a drop in temperature, bringing about rain in our country.

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of the monsoon's arrival is the subject of much speculation. Unfortunately many cities of our nation, experience floods at the start of the monsoon and during heavy downpours. This is due to drains being unable to cope with the volume of water, often because of rubbish (mainly used polythene bags) that has built up over the summer and hasnt been properly cleared. This we have seen in Vijayawada last year. Its important to note that some regions receive more rain than others during the monsoon. Out of India's major cities, Mumbai receives the most rain, followed by Kolkata (Calcutta). The eastern Himalayan region, around Darjeeling and Shillong, is one of the wettest areas, during the monsoon. This is because the monsoon picks up additional moisture from the Bay of Bengal as it heads towards the Himalayan range. As far as major cities are concerned, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad receive comparatively less rain. Chennai doesnt receive much rain during the southwest monsoon, as the south of India (parts of the states of Tamil Nadu Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,) gets most of its rainfall from the northeast monsoon, from October to December. The rain there can be very intense during this time. Areas that receive the least rain include the desert state of Rajasthan, the Deccan Plateau on the eastern side of the

Western Ghats mountain range (rain shadow area), and Ladakh in far north India. South west monsoon is also very important from Foresters point of view because during this season we take up planting activities in the larger part of the country and in the first week of July every year throughout the nation we observe Vana Mahotsava, which was started in the year 1950, by Sri K. M. Munshi the then Union Minister for Agriculture & food, to create an awareness in the minds of the public for the conservation of Forests and planting of trees though at that time the population was only one fourth of todays population and there were sufficient areas under Forests, but he was having foresight and started Vana Mahotsava to save forests and all of us. Monsoon and winter season is also the growing period of all the plants during which period the plants put on the biomass and grow. Let us hope this years monsoon will be normal, will not cause floods anywhere in the country and produce maximum food grains, which will bring joys not only to our farmers who is our Anna data, but to all of us and will bring prosperity to the nation. Let us also hope that the normal monsoon will also allow our forest to grow, to serve the man kind absorbing carbon dioxide released by us during exhalation. QMK

Remember you are born to live. Dont live because you are born! Dont go the way life takes you. Take life the way you go!!
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

1.Dear sir, Thank you for sending the E- Vana Premi of June. I congratulate Mr R. Rajamani for his brave attempt to revisit Connollys Plot long after his retirement and venturing to see Silent Valley. May he be fit enough to carry out more of such visits. Hope all is well. Zachariah P K, IFS (Retd.) 2. Dear Qamar Mohd. Khan, I hope you might have seen in the paper that the Government of India wanted to bring Bamboos under MFP, items so as to help the farmers. Dr S.M.A Aslam IFS (Retd) has inked his thoughts and asked me to send it for publication in Vana Premi. He is the senior most among the retired officers in Tamilnadu. (DOB.01-03-1923). I served under him. He is noted for his honesty and is only officer staying in the rented house. I yet to come across an officer of his calibre till my retirement. He wanted my name to be included in this article since I did little work but I wanted his name to be printed. With warm regards V.Sambasivam IFS (Retd) 3.Dear Editor, Many thanks for contributions, collections, and publishing very interesting and very awesome articles in monthly journal Vana Premi of May 2011. Roll of honour, of late shri M. Venkataramana Forest watcher, legal notes of DFO Eluru District Judge, W. Godavari Eluru and others, touching obituary to late Mr T. Ramakrishna and some of the worth reading articles are commendable and the letters to the editor column of the same month the observations made by shri P. S.Reddy is an eye opener and needs urgent action to do away the torturing acts on the animals and find out humane ways to feed the lions at the park. I also take this opportunity to furnish the details as asked. Yours sincerely N. Gopal Poojari 4. Dear Editor, It is very interesting to note that a non-forester wrote the article Two dreams come true with contents of useful reading even to the pensioners of the Forest Department. Mr K. K .Nair might have been too happy to meet Mr Rajamani. He was Collector Adilabad when I was WPO Adilabad and DFO Jannaram Saw Mill. Yours sincerely G.S. Ganga Khetkar 5. Dear Sir, I have been regularly getting Vana Premi published by the Association of Retired Forest Officers of A.P. The journal provides lot of relevant information and an opportunity for sharing experiences of past which would be of lot of values to the new generation of foresters. The articles are very informative and they serve the purpose for which the Association is constituted. I would request you to please send me a copy of the memorandum of Associations by-laws and any other relevant document which may be helpful for us in Gujarat to form an Association of Retired Forest Officers Thanking you and with regards R.K.Sama, IFS (Retd)

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A VISIT TO HIMACHAL PRADESH

(LURE OF THE HIMALAYAS III)
M. Kamal Naidu, IFS Retd.
This tour of the Himalayas is in great contrast to the one in Uttaranchal Pradesh, which besides the grandeur of the hill, the valleys, the snow peaks and their serenity was living in mythology, and the great legends in reality. This visit to the Himalayas is more related to man, and his conquests of nature, and the destructions of the wilderness and the sublime, with a rolling history from the days of the Mahabharata to the British departure, though the grandeur peeks out of the moments to show the grandeur of the Himalayas. Day 1: We started out early in the morning of the 10th may 1976 from Dehra Dun by cars for the long drawn out Himachal Pradesh tour. As we left the noisy town, we saw the open fields and colorful flowers tossing their heads beckoning us for hospitality in abundance far from the maddening crowds. Soon we started climbing the Siwaliks to the midst of the gentle chirpine forests, with sal trees intermittently spread among them, constituting a part of Rajaji Sanctuary, abounding in elephants. It was very pleasant and cool. We passed through the Mohand Tunnel, the highest point on the road. Thereafter we began descending very rapidly through the mixed forests to the plains covered with khair, tamarix (Tamarix aphylla), weeds and fields. We soon passed through Saharanpur, famed for the traditional wood carving of tables, stools, partitions, etc. Here everyone from a child 5 is busy chiseling away, the chisel being his play toy, creating beautiful floral designs, unique in their own way. Leaving Saharanpur, we headed for Panipat, where the three historic battles were fought for establishing different reigns over North India as the supreme ruler, starting from Babar and Akbar in the sixteenth century. There was nothing so worthy to remember these battles and battle grounds at Panipat, so we proceeded on towards Kurukshetra along the Delhi-Chandigar National Highway. On this Highway the Harayana Forest Dept. with less than 5% forest area, developed an impressive Eucalyptus road-side plantation, a success, worthy of emulation. We passed via Karnal, a place mentioned in the Mahabharata named after Karna, which got its latter importance because of the defeat of the Moghul Emperor Mohammad Shah by Nadir Shah of Persia in 1739, when he took away the famous Peacock Throne from Delhi. This place is now famed for its Veterinary University and its popular dairy. We soon reached the Kurukshetra tank, which attracts millions of pilgrims during the eclipse, whose water is said to be very purifying. We Indian greatly need it. We then headed to the famed battlefield in all eagerness, where the Pandava-Kaurava war took place, and the famous

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Bhagwadgita was expounded to Arjuna by the greatest of great psychiatrists Sri Krishna. Now a University commemorates the place very befittingly, and at the site of Battle a beautiful Birla structure in marble of the chariot with Krishna driving it and about to deliver the message to Arjuna seated dejectedly, and a museum depicting scenes from the Mahabharata. Leaving Kurukshetra, the journey was very green, well shaded and comfortable; we did not feel the oncoming summer heat. The Haryana forest dept. is very proud about this contribution. Interestingly to give semblance of scientific approach to forestry, they have applied a coppice with standards system of management for the road side plantations, like in traditional forestry, to be true to the salt of their profession. At the ending of this long row of sentinels, which saved us from the otherwise surrounding drabness, we reached Chandighar, a very beautiful well planned city, the capital of both Haryana and Punjab. I quote the architect Le Corbusier approach to designing Chandighar:to fulfill four basic functions as living, working, circulation, and care of the body and spirit He . conceived the city as a unified entity like a living organism with the administrative building forming the head, the city center the heart, cultural institutions the intellect, and the roads as the circulatory system . At Chandighar we had a boat ride in a pedaling boat in the man-made Sukna lake, saw the rose garden which was claimed to be the biggest in 6

Asia with a collection exceeding a thousand varieties, and the very impressive university. Not forgetting the purpose of the trip, we visited the catchment area of the lake to see the afforestation and to study the economic returns to the villages around, consequent to protecting the lake from siltation, which was reduced to almost zero. While at the move we proceeded on to Pinjore Garden, a terraced Moghul creation of Aurangzeb period, with its series of fountains and waterfalls, and balanced mirror image gardens. However the most impressive aspect of the visit which takes the cake is the Nek Chand Rock Garden which was a series of interconnected rocky grottoes, walkways and water features with several animal and human figures standing like silent sentinels. This was the outcome of Nek Chand, an unassuming inspector of PWD who collected discarded broken ceramics, electrical wires and sockets, plastic bangles, etc. to create the fantasy. It was simply fascinating to hear him speak about the creations, and their chance find by the higher authorities, who encouraged him to continue with his hobby into tasteful imaginary creations to utilize and convert waste that arose in building Chandighar. We halted at the fabulous, spacious and convenient Yatri Nivas. (For Photographs please see last cover page) Day 2: We left Chandighar for Nangal early next morning via Anandpur Saheb, one of the holiest Sikh shrines for over 300 years, with Naina Devi Hills giving it the backdrop. This is the birth place of the Khalsa (Sikh Brotherhood) movement of

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self-dignity, where the Gurdwara Kesgarh Saheb, the largest gurdwara commemorates the occasion. Here we had a most excellent darshan, thanks to the ACF Mr. Samundri, a sardar, who was my former trainee at the Refresher Course, to fulfill his Guru Dakshina. As a consequence, a deep yellowish-orange Saropa taken from the holy place was put on my head, with a blessing that it will bring me happiness. I believed it, and kept it with great reverence in our steel cupboard back at home. This darshan was followed by a simple and tasty lunch at the langar, where we were all treated as equal, and served with lots of love and goodwill. Here I wish to elaborate the blessing of the Saropa. My wife had lost her gold necklace almost a year back, before getting the Saropa, and it was not found despite a detailed search in the cupboard, even after emptying it, and tilting it, and shaking it. A few days after my return back home with the Saropa, my wife opened the cupboard to show the Saropa to an elderly Sikh friend of mine, Lo! There was the necklace concealed in the Saropa. What do I say? A miracle, and a grant of the blessing for happiness. Reaching Nangal, we proceeded to see the famous Bhakra Nangal Dam, the highest in the world, one of the creations of Nehrus pride project of modern India. Its power houses are gigantic, the tunnels within were long, broad and cool like in a large AC room. The machinery was gigantic, and the power generated enormous, with Srisailam only a midget as compared to it. 7

Thereafter we saw the salvaging of the timber floated down the river Sutlej from the higher mountain catchment, in the sprawling boom in Govindsagar Dam, from where it was transported by aerial ropeways to the central depot near Bilaspur. We left the depot to see the massive fertilizer factory using electricity for the chemical reactions to make urea and Ammonium sulphate for agricultural use and halted. Day 3: Leaving Nangal we made a bee-line to Amritsar via Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. At Hoshiarpur there was a brief introduction to the trainees in Chirpine management and tapping for extraction of resin for industrial use. We thereafter saw a lot of works pertaining to Cho training, as these regions were devastated due to heavy deforestation of the Siwaliks by graziers and head loaders, resulting in heavy erosion and siltations, whence almost three-four times of the cultivated lands became unfit for cultivation. Now due to forestry and soil conservation works on the hills and gully training works of Cho much of the lost lands are back into cultivation. These were very encouraging achievements. We reached Jalandhar, said to have been an ancient Hindu Kingdom, which survived the onslaught and ransacking by Mohammad of Ghazni almost 1000 years ago, later to become an important Moghul city, being at the major cross roads. It has become famous for sports goods, so we saw one of the most modern factories to study the utilization of wood in sports

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industry, particularly in hockey and cricket, and thence proceeded onwards to Amritsar, short for Amrit Sarovar meaning Pool of Nectar referring to the sacred tank around the Golden Temple. While en route to Amritsar, some 40 km away from Jalandar we digressed towards Rajasthan desert to see some highly successful sand dune desert afforestation works, by an impressive brick-planting technique evolved using clay bricks. We also saw irrigated mulberry plantations raised for the sports industry, with water from the Bhakra canals to compensate for the lost Changamanga Plantations gone to Pakistan. The brick planting was very simple, but had been very effective. The bricks were prepared with a mixture of an equal proportion of clay, sand, and dung 12-14 long, and 6-8 inches square at either end, with a deep hole at one end, for sowing seed or planting a seedling in it. The seedlings were established in these bricks in nursery. At the appropriate time these bricks are soaked in water and planted out on the sand dunes, and straw spread around them to prevent the initial blowing away of sand. At times, even if the sand gets blown away, the bricks sink down, till the roots emerging from the brick spreads into the surrounding soil, and establishes itself. Soon the dunes are gradually stabilized by obstructing the wind velocity by the plants. We saw some stabilized dunes to appreciate the earlier efforts. After this very interesting study we made a bee-line to Amritsar. At Amritsar we were once again received by ACF 8

Mr. Samundri at the University Guest House. It was then that we realized the modest Samundri was the son of the Vice Chancellor, and had an illustrious background. He introduced us to his father, a commanding figure befitting his lineage and status. After a sumptuous lunch, and a short rest, we proceeded to the famed Golden Temple, an exceptional beautiful and peaceful creation. The site for the original temple was granted by Akbar, the Moghul Emperor, but it was subsequently destroyed. It was repaired in 1764 and the roof was got gilded in copper by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1802, and so came to be called thereafter as the Golden Temple. The two-storied marble temple is known as Hari Mandir or Darbar Sahib is surrounded by Amrit Sarovar to be reached over by a bridge called as the Gurus Bridge. The marbled structures architecture is a blending of the Hindu and Muslim styles, decorated with colored marble inlay of flowers and animals like in the Taj Mahal. The dome of the temple now covered with pure gold befitting the name with very generous donations, represents an inverted lotus turning back to the earth, symbolizing the concern of the great Guru with the problems of the world. Here the original copy of Guru Granth Saheb is kept under a pink shroud, thus is the most sacred shrine of the Sikhs. Later we saw the museum, and other confidential materials and pictures in Samundri Hall, thanks to the highly influential ACF, we were privileged. After the Golden Temple we proceeded to the most eagerly looked forward site, the Jallianwala

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Bagh commemorating the spot where over 2000 Indians were killed and wounded, when shot indiscriminately by Gen. Dyer, consequent to protests against the Rowlatt Act of 1919. The park had the totally enclosed wall riddled with bullets kept as it was left after the firing, and the well inside where 120 bodies were recovered when people jumped in to escape the aimless firing. The Martyrs Gallery exhibits many details and photographs of the event. It was most gruesome even when we visited. Time did not permit a visit to the Wagah Border to see the ferocious closing gate ceremony at sunset, which was said to be a thrilling, synchronized, arrogant marching display by both sides Indian and Pakistanis. We went back to the Golden Temple for having the simple food of chappatis and dhal at Guru-ka-Langar, sitting on the mat, and washing our plates after the meal. It was a great experience in simplicity and humility, a practical demonstration of true brotherhood. Day 4: Early next morning we left for Pathankot, the important cross road and gateway to Jammu and Kashmir and the Kangra Valley, and further beyond to the beauteous Himachal Pradesh, formed as a small state in 1948 out of many feudal villages, now expanded to its present shape in 1966 with the hilly regions of Punjab. Himachal Pradesh is dominated by mountains which rise steeply from Punjab and Haryana plains, with their associated rivers and valleys--Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, and the Yamuna. This state of our destined visit is formed of several culturally distinct regions, isolated by mountain 9

ridges like the Chamba-Ravi valley, Kangra valley, Kulu valley, Parvati valley and the Spiti-Sutlej valley. We did not venture into the Chamba Valley, though considered as the most beautiful valley of Himachal bordering Kashmir, separated by the snowcapped Pir Panjal ranges to the north and Dhouladhar ranges to the south, separating it from Kangra Valley. We moved on to Kangra, which was once the capital of the princely Kangra state, extending from Pathankot to Mandi, flanked on the north by the Dhouladhar ranges and the Siwaliks in the south, was noted for the Kangra School of miniature painting, elaborately embroidered costumes and wood carving. It was famous for Bajreshwari Devi temple known for its great riches, such that was regularly invaded to loot its wealth, including by Mohammad of Ghazni in 1010 AD and Tughlaq in 1360 AD. Up above the valley, perched on the high windswept ridge is the ancient fort of Nagarkot, which was destroyed in the famous 1905 earthquake. Here I am always reminded of my own probation days, when we were at the fort, when a strong hail storm blew us all around, and we had to clasp on the chirpine trees for our safety. Ultimately when we reached at our camp site, it was all in a pell-mell state with our tents uprooted, camp cots blown about, and our beddings, our tour journals, etc. all soaked. It was soon sunny after the storm, however the chirpine management went to dogs for that day, and we had to dry our clothing, and re-fix the tents more firmly, and relax for the day with a good

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compensation of a special badakhana by the then local DFO. These and many more memories come flashing frequently to the mind, whenever I read my old daily noting, and see the good old fading photographs of friends, places and interesting episodes of the probationer, and teaching at the academy days. Day 5: Camping at Kangra, we visited Dharamsala and Mcleodgunj, which became noted the world over because of Dalai Lama settling here, on being exiled in Tibet with the Chinese occupation. A flourishing Tibetan culture has been establish here, and became the dominating feature. Here despite several visits, we could not meet Dalai Lama, though we saw the big statue of the beautiful, awe inspiring Buddha in the great prayer and meditation hall. Thereafter we visited Jwalamukhi (goddess of light) temple, where in descending into a tiny square chamber, saw several ignited flames, sustained by the oozing natural gas emanating from the crevices of the earths interior, some small and one big one. These flames are now mostly canalized, and the main flame is regarded as a manifestation of the goddess. This temple is of great sacred importance for pilgrims, because of it being a natural phenomenon. The place has a golden dome and a spire, which are believed to be the legacies of Moghul Emperor Akbar and Maharaj Ranjit Singh. Day 6: Leaving Kangra the next day we headed for Mandi in Kulu valley, via Palampur and Baijnath. Palampur is a beautiful little town with remnant tea plantations, which resembles 19th 10

century England country-side. Baijnath temple is sacred to Shiva in his incarnation as Vaidyanath (Lord of Physicians). I do not know how many of the physicians are aware of this fact; I am sure we would have had a horde of good physicians in the country had even 50% of them been blessed here. The Lord of this temple is considered as one of the 12 Jyotilingas (Linga of light). The beauty of the temple is greatly enhanced by the Dhouladhar Ranges in the background. Leaving the place, passing through Jogindernagar, we reached Mandi, an important cross road town in Himachal Pradesh. Mandi got its name being the traditional granary of the area, for the wheat from all around comes here for further marketing and distribution. Here after an early lunch we left for Kulu, after crossing the river Beas at Pandoh, where a dam was being built to divert the water to Sutlej valley through a huge tunnel in the separating mountain range on the other side. This work was gigantic, as compared to what I had believed to be stupendous on seeing the diversion of the Krishna waters through a tunnel at Srisailam dam in 1965-66, while construction of the coffer dam was on, to lay the foundation stone of Srisailam dam, at a great depth below bed level, between the two coffer dams. Leaving Pandoh, we traveled besides the roaring Beas, with ferocious rapids, down below of the steep slope, which was dreadful to look down, it was frightening. This road was curvaceous, narrow, and yet to be totally black topped. It was scary, especially when told that it takes a

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minimum monthly toll of a vehicle, mostly being a bus, and rarely a car. Looking up on the inner side of the slope was beyond possibility, as it was a steep wall cut into the steep mountain side, with several tunnels and half tunnels spanning the length. On the opposite side, the steep bank of the river was very green, with stately trees precariously holding on to there positions, with very grim chance of any competitors replacing them, being mostly chirpine, which is a frost, drought and fire hardy species; but the only solace to us was that life around us was basically green. While traveling slowly between Pandoh and Bhunter, with hearts in our mouth, we were suddenly glad to open out into the narrow long Kulu valley at Bhunter. Kulu valley starting at 1200m was broad and beautiful, surrounded by lofty snow clad, and snowcapped mountains in all directions. Bhunter was no big town, but surprisingly had a small airstrip where from small aero planes operated, linking to Chandigar. It had never reported an accident, probably by playing safe of not operating whenever the weather was bad, or there was semblance of it being bad. Kulu valley gradually grew wider towards Kulu. We crossed the airport, and proceeded towards Manikaran along Parvati river; a tributary of Beas arising from the Parvati Valley, along a very winding, steep, rising and dropping, most gradually rising narrow road. Manikaran at almost 2000m is famous for its hot springs. Its name means jewel from the ear in Sanskrit. According to local legend a gigantic 11

snake took away the ear-ring from goddess Parvati while she was bathing here, and spewed it out along with a hot spring from its nose. The place is revered by both the Hindus and Sikhs. The hot spring was sufficiently hot to cook rice, which is given as prasad. People believed bathing in its water, a little below in the river was good for health. I did not find the place of any great significance besides its grandeur, the hot spring, and its religious significance. We got back to Bhunter, and proceeded towards Kulu, the district headquarters. Here after garram choy and snacks at the FRH, arranged by the DFO moved on to Manali. Once we entered the Kulu valley, the road was pleasant, and no longer threatening, and the traffic not dangerous, especially beyond Kulu to Manali. We ascended the gently rising, winding, narrowing valley to reach Manali at 2000m at the northern end of the valley, traveling from chirpine to the deodar zone. Manali was truly the home of the golden apples. We stayed put at the Forest rest house located at the huge deodar plantation at the entrance to the town, rather than the one at the top of the valley, though very luxurious, being cut off from the crowds below. This deodar plantation had been the traditional camping ground of the probationers, and all other forest trainees to Manali camp for ages, including to our batch. However this place keeps haunting me of the great tragedy of Ranjit Das, a very promising probationer, who lost his life on one my earlier visit. We walked into town for our late dinner,

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and saw the beautiful, peach faced Kulu girls performing their traditional folk dance, celebrating the brilliant soft cool Buddha Purnima night. Day 7: Early next morning we started early at 5.30 AM for Rohtang pass. We went up by our cars to Koti FRH at 9000ft. This rest house looks out to the surrounding snow covered region, and into the Manali area down below. It was in this narrow Beas valley, way back in 1963 as a probationer, we were shown the early aerial picture of the narrow beginning of the Beas, between steep narrow slopes. In the picture we were shown four dark spots, evenly spaced in the depth, and asked to identify as to what it could be. We as probationer went wild with our presumptions and assumption, only to be negatived. We were told that it was the wheel base of an upturned jeep of the DFO, who went missing and lost around 1959, and his traces found only after the picture taken in 1961-62 was deciphered by the Indian Photo Interpretation Centre. We saw the fir nursery at the FRH, and the plantings of 4-5 year old seedlings, being a very slow growing species in the small blanks further up, and beyond the FRH amidst fir, spruce and oaks. After breakfast we drove up to another 4km towards Rohtang, as much as the cars could go, and then trekked up with dark glasses, borrowed on hire at Manali, including gloves to protect ourselves from snow blinding, and the intense chilly surroundings. We passed through the road cut between massive blocks of ice by the tractor like snow dredger, 12

shearing and puffing off the cut snowflakes down the valley slope. This was a thrilling sight, and great fun to be showered by the flakes from the dredger, and to make snow-balls of the flakes and fling at each other. My wife and son enjoyed the experience, having been her last pleasurable event. While moving up, having a lot of fun, we found ourselves at Rohtang at 13,000ft, around 12.00 noon. We played around at Rohtang for a while, saw the artificial igloo constructed recently, and the several yak, the main animal of the region, grazing on whatever little coarse grass flushed out with the on setting summer. Here we were informed that the road beyond Rohtang went towards the Lahaul and Spiti valleys, which were said to be part of the largest district of Himachal, bounded by Ladakh to the north, and Tibet to the east, a High Altitude Cold Desert, where nothing grows. This inspired Rudyard Kipling to utter: Surely the gods live here; this is no place for men . With barely an hour stay, we descended back. Coming back was an easy task; all the strain of the morning was relieved. We just glided down the snowy slopes back to the cars, and drove back. Before reaching back at Manali, we halted for a while to study the techniques of mountaineering, and the several equipment used in mountaineering at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. This was followed by a refreshing hot bath at the sulphur springs at Vashisht Kund, besides the Institute. This spring was said to have been initiated by Sage Vashisht Muni, who had a temple dedicated to Rama. We

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were completely refreshed, washed of any skin diseases harbored by any of us, for a relaxed evening under the green wood trees, ready for a sweat sound slumber. Day 8: Next day we visited the famed orchards, had a good treat of them, and reached the Dungri Hidamba Temple. It was a 4-storied wooden structure in the midst of ancient deodar trees. These trees remained preserved thanks to the sanctity of the place built around the temple, dedicated to goddess Hidamba around 1550 AD. My wife took a picture of herself stretching out her hands against the biggest deodar, and yet had a few inches to go at either end. The temple structure has intricate carvings of dancing, and characters from Hindu mythological stories, and is further decorated by horns of animals sacrificed. Luckily for us the festival was on in May, and we saw a lot of animal sacrifices to the goddess. We visited the famed Naggar Castle on the other bank of the Beas, which was once the capital of Kulu, some 1500 years before. It became more important in recent years because of the Roerich Gallery, of the famed Russian painter, husband of the equally famed yester-years cine actress Devika Rani. Interesting they have a house on the outskirts of Bangalore, where they had a plantation of the Lavender Bursera trees, whose scions were got and planted in our Forest Research Station, near Saroornagar (I hope it exists. I had last seen them as CF, R & D in 1982). Here the trainees had seen a large deodar tree struck by lightning, and the burnt scar caused by 13

the lightning which had traveled down the tree with great excitement. With this we completed the trip at Manali, after paying homage to Ranjit Das at the site we had cremated him. Day 9: Leaving Manali, we made a long slow haul to Sundernagar, enroute to Simla for the night. Here at Sundarnagar, far from being all that sundar, a diversion point to go to Simla. It got its importance because of the very brisk activity going on to link the River Sutlej with the River Beas, to save the water ear-marked to India as per the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan. Its main objective was to utilize the water ear-marked to India to generate more electricity, and irrigate vaster areas extending into Rajasthan desert along the border to Pakistan, rather than see the water flow off unused into Indus in Pakistan, and the Arabian sea. Day 10: Leaving Sundarnagar we arrived at Simla via Tattapani, and Naldehra. This latter place boasts for its oldest and highest golf course in the world at 2050m. it was a great retreat for the British to get away from the weary summer days of the plains. Simla was the capital of Punjab after Independence, but from 1966 has become the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It was the summer capital of the British since 1864 for its cool height and beauteous surrounds at 2200m altitude. It is most well-known for the Mall in the heart of the city starting from the ill famous Scandal Point, associated with the illicit encounter of the

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Maharaja of Patiala with the daughter of the British Commander-in-Chief. This episode resulted in his expulsion from Simla. To counter the expulsion the Maharaja built his own paradise at Chail as a summer capital for himself. This place prides itself with the worlds highest cricket ground at 2444m and became a great attraction. The other places of interest around Simla besides the study of the maintenance of the Municipal forests by the DFO Simla, with stringent management conservation stipulations are the Viceregal Lodge, now known as Rhastrapati Niwas, a six-story structure completed in 1888, which was the residence of the former British Viceroy Lord Dufferin, and now houses the Indian Institute of Advance Study. Simla boasts of having the second oldest Christ Church in north India built in 1846, after Ambala. Kufri at 2500m was another much talked about, but of no great significance, for by this time we had enough of the hills and mountain peaks, and were more eager to get back early. Day 11: Started our return journey towards Dehra Dun via Kanderghat, from where we took the diversion to have a quick see of Chail and it cricket pitch. We passed through Solan, which more famous than the Himachal Agriculture University was for the Solan Beer, which the trainees stocked the dicky tightly for latter use.

We reached down at Kasouli at 1850m, a charming village surrounded by pines for the night. I had a great interest to visit close by Sanawar since very long, a lonely picturesque town with the Lawrence School; a sister school of the namesake at Lovedale, in Nilgiris. I felt my school was a far more lovely structure, and in a better location. Day 12: Leaving Kasauli early next morning, we made a direct hit for Nahan, a historical town of the period around 1600 AD. My interest here was the presence of my batch-mate as the DFO, who hosted all of us a very luxurious sumptuous lunch. Leaving here we visited the largest fresh water natural lake Renuka, a growing center for water sports, being quite close to Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun. Locally it is famous for the week long Renuka Mela held every November to goddess Renukaji, when thousands of pilgrims flock here for bathing in the lake for their self-purification. After Renuka Lake we hit for Ponta Saheb on the border of now Uttaranchal. This place is the home to an impressive Gurudwara dedicated to the tenth Sikh Guru Govind Singh on the bank of the Yamuna River. We had our darshan, and saw the small museum housing his personal weapons, and reached back at Dehra Dun, after hitting the Chakrata Road and passing through Premnagar and IMA.

Always remember to forget the things that made you sad. But never forget to remember the things that made you glad.
14

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A CHANGED ROLE FOR FORESTERS

By S.D.Mukharji
National Forest policy1988, made the beginning of caring for the forest dependent communities by deciding their participation in the protection and development of forests. It recognized the symbiotic relations between the tribal people living in and around the forests and the forests. The policy recommended an integrated development of the tribal habitations around the forest areas. The policy was translated into action by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in the year 1990 by issuing guidelines on such participation through the introduction of joint forest management (JFM) programme for the development of degraded forests that ensured employment and sharing of usufruct by the participating communities. The issue of integrated development of the villages was ignored. The State forest departments, accustomed to blame the tribals and other forest dwellers for the poor health of the forests, were reluctant to adopt JFM. However, MoEF was keen on it and, therefore, made JFM obligatory for the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes for forest regeneration. Similarly, external aided projects made JFM obligatory for funding the forestry projects. States reeling under financial stress for their forestry programme were thus 15 compelled to adopt JFM. The pace of adoption was very slow but the pressure from the top compelled the forest officers to accept JFM. The quality of participation remained poor in most of the states as the forest officers were reluctant to share the decision making options and treated the participating community as wage earners. The only tangible outcome was breaking the barrier of communication between the forest officers and the forest dwellers. This resulted in less harassment to forest dwellers while collecting firewood and minor forest produce. The participation of the people in the development and protection of forests remained linked to the wage earning option provided through forestry works that assured livelihood. Wherever the continuity in wage employment was stopped the interest of the people also faded, leaving the forests to degenerate. Thus, it is clear that for continued support of the forest dwellers in the protection and development of forests it is necessary to ensure secure livelihood to the forest dependent communities. The policy of giving land to the forest dwellers, as is being done under the Forest Rights Act of 2006, is not the solution as it is encouraging further encouragement to

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occupation of forestlands and rapid destruction of forests by the people for further gain. The political parties are favoring such acts with the hope of garnering the votes of the forest dwellers by giving them land. No one is thinking of ecological disaster endangering wider population, including the forest dwellers that are imminent from such action. The importance of forests is well known and, lately, widely appreciated. However, equally, if not more, important is the livelihood of the people. There is need to find a win - win solution that can assure sustained and secured livelihood to the forest dwellers and better development and protection of our forests. This can be done by taking integrated development of all forest fringe villages, including the forest areas around the villages. The villages should be so developed that all aspects for a better livelihood- education, health, agriculture, PDS, communication, employment, MGNREGS, etc. are taken care. The development of forest fringe forests through JFM should be considered as one of the several avenues for employment. While the different government departments would be executing the works pertaining to their department, forest department should be given the responsibility of ensuring proper benefit from developmental works to the forest dwellers by frequent reviews with the communities and keeping the government informed, on a regular basis, of the 16

progress/ shortfalls in the various works taken for the integrated village development. This would ensure proper delivery of the benefits to the forest dwellers which is the biggest casualty in the present system. Once the forest dwellers understand the role played by the forest officers in giving them a better livelihood their cooperation for forest development would come without asking. The confidential reports of the forest officers must include their performance in this aspect. It is reiterated that forest officers will review the works only in the forest fringe villages where he is required to go for JFM programme and hold meetings to review forestry works. As regards the forests that are away from the villages, the forest department should declare all of them as protected forests where no felling, logging or plantation works will be allowed. Protecting such forests- for wildlife, biodiversity, nature reserves or whatever name it may be called -that would ensure complete protection from all biotic interference and encourage the growth of vegetation, soil conservation and water conservation will be the mandate of the department. As these forests would be away from the villages, its complete protection shall be the responsibility of the forest officers and they would be answerable for any degeneration of such forests.

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Fiction:

SHARMA IN THE HELL

By J. V. Sharma

The much feared hell is not the same as it had been for ages. It was ruled with an iron hand by Lord Yama without any fear or favour. He was the lone supreme judge to hear all the cases and award instant punishment strictly commensurate with the quantum and gravity of the sins committed by person on trial before him. He was the embodiment of justice and considered the greatest of the judges in all celestial and terrestrial regions created by God. His decision is never faulted nor disputed and always deemed to be fair and proper by even the High Command i.e. Collegium of Gods. In discharge of his duties, Yama was assisted by just one individual called Chitragupta, who was a Prosecutor General, one-man data base and Comptroller & Auditor General, all rolled into one. History has it that this team of Yama and Chitragupta never erred in performance of their duty. Accuracy on facts, promptness and unbiased implementation of punishment awarded are the hall mark of administration in the land of Yama. No favours are sought nor granted. Needless to say that only the sinner goes to hell to be punished for his/her misdeeds on earth. The sinner on arrival in hell is promptly produced before Yama. Chitragupta, who was more efficient than any conceivable present day computer, narrates the record of sins and the sentence is instantly pronounced by Lord Yama. There was no question of under-trials waiting for justice. This was how the hell functioned since times immemorial. It is not so any longer. N T Rama Raos entry into hell through the vernacular movie yama-gola heralded the change. Subsequently, many movies were made on this topic and resultantly more interaction between the Lord of Hell and the mortals on earth. The people on earth are so clever, resourceful and manipulative, Yama and his able assistant Chitragupta, are often found wanting of ideas to wriggle out of difficult situations they were placed in. Arrivals from India upset the life in hell to the maximum. The man, the shrewdest of animals, found too many chinks in the celestial system of administration and dispensation of justice. Trade unionism, service rules, rights, privileges, work to rule, dignity of labour etc are all often found tossing the administration in hell out of gear. Sinners balance sheet prepared by Chitragupta is no longer accepted routinely by the accused. Administrative delays made the dispensation of justice slow and as a result pendency increased and so also the number of under-trials. 17

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Cunning advocates who played havoc with the legal system on earth with their unethical courtcraft continued their chosen avocation even in the hell. Waiting to be punished and with nothing else to do, these elements started putting their expertise to maximum effect by vociferously invoking principles of natural justice, the law of evidence, criminal law and finally the doctrine of hundred sinners may go unpunished but not one innocent should be punished. Lord Yama with his proverbial weakness for justice and fair play could not brush these issues aside and thus became a prisoner of his own philosophy. In short, Lord Yama is in an unenviable position with his trusted aide Chitragupta being put to strict proof on facts often. After some years Whoever is born is destined to die one day. J V Sharma, the retired forest officer of Andhra Pradesh expired in 2012 at the age of eighty. Strictly speaking it is a non-event. Not many took notice of his death. His own family members took it in normal stride. The deceased did not bequeath any thing substantial to his wife or children. Not even the name if not wealth. The death would have passed off totally un-noticed but for a few strange reasons. One is that he had some good friends and wellwishers. These persons were so nice that they ensured rich tributes are paid to the departed soul at the General Body Meeting of the Association of Retired Forest Officers that followed immediately. Being sure that the recipient is nowhere around, speakers showered extravagant praise which the dead man would have liked to hear while alive. The second is of a different kind. While alive, he filed Public Interest Litigation in Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Forest Rights Act. Not stopping at this, he prevailed upon his innocent friends in other States to do the same. Until his death, he followed it up religiously expecting to hear the last word from the judiciary. Years passed but the Courts did not oblige him. About 14.44 lakh acres of forest land in AP was alienated by the Government to encroachers in his life time which caused him the greatest disappointment. He was heart-broken and owned moral responsibility like any other politician in power. It is customary for the ruling elite to be a part of every indiscretion in any act of fraud or mis-governance and get off the hook owning moral responsibility. It will be an overstatement to ascribe his death to the set back in court case but the people who knew him intimately vouch that the case was very close to his heart and he did not spare any effort to take it to its logical end. However, the friends who reposed confidence in him and followed his advice, felt ditched over his death and are unable to forget him. 18

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2020: Sharma has been an under-trial in hell for the last eight years. Pendency has been so heavy that his case did not come up before Lord Yama all these years. Thanks to the developments on earth and revolutionary improvements in communication facilities, life in hell became much easier. Hundreds of huge building complexes came up to accommodate the under-trials. Going by the principles of jurisprudence followed in India, one could not be called guilty until he is held so by Yama. The under-trial is therefore an honoured guest in hell entitled to all the comforts and facilities. Sharma is lodged in a well furnished air-conditioned cell with access to a library and reading room. Also in his company enjoying similar facilities are dreaded terrorists, scamsters, rapists and murderers, not to speak of persons of lesser sin. Lavish food of choice was served on time three times a day. Never in his eighty years of life on earth did Sharma enjoy the luxuries he is enjoying now. He was particularly elated to find himself in the illustrious company of YSR who was his immediate neighbour. Sharma has also other reasons to be happy. Many of the persons responsible for bringing in the FRA and were part of its implementation had also come to the hell. Many of the ministers, the legislators, the bureaucrats, the politicians and lesser mortals who abused the provisions of law are also in the hell. Sharma did not waste his time and documented the arrivals of all those persons who bent over backward to please their political masters by misusing the law. He took special care to include the names of revenue & forest officers who were very eager to crawl when only asked to bend. As the time passed, the list became long and long. But Sharma is not worried. He is shrewd enough to understand that it is Chitraguptas job to provide the evidence which is always treated as credible and un-impeachable by local law. He is also aware that one may commit a crime and yet escape punishment on earth but no sinner goes unpunished in hell however petty the sin may be. Inventory of crimes of each individual is scrupulously maintained by Chitragupta and none escaped his watchful eyes. All that Sharma is required to do is to wait for the right opportunity to unveil their misdeeds. Another five years passed. It is 2025.. Many more had arrived in hell. Sharmas list became longer. It included even the names of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Tribal Affairs, the leaders of the Left who were instrumental to bring in the said law. The list included the names of judges who did not act in time or acted wrongly. News spread in hell that a fellow under-trial by name Sharma is preparing a list of serious crimes against hundreds of under-trials which could entail brutal punishment for long periods. Chitraguptas charge 19

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sheet does not include these crimes on account of the duplicity practised by Government of India in precept and practice over environment. All those who displayed unusual enthusiasm in destroying the forests on earth in the name of FRA are now worried for the price they will be required to pay. Soon he became a much sought-after man. People started approaching him for deletion of their names but Sharma remained unmoved. One day, Sharmas case was called. Chitragupta read out Sharmas account of sins which were the usual human lapses. Sharma readily confessed. He was eager to put the culprits of FRA in dock but Chitragupta made it clear that procedures of jurisprudence in hell do not permit an accused in the case to malign persons who are not party to the said case. When the Lord of Hell was about to pronounce the sentence, a civil society activist rose up and complained that Sharma had caused immense suffering & hardship to lakhs of the poor, down-trodden, backward and illiterate tribal population & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers by filing a PIL against FRA. Sharma was further accused of preventing the Government of the day from vesting forest rights on the claimants eligible under law. Chitragupta affirmed the charges. Asked to explain, Sharma while accepting the charges levelled against him on facts, stated that it was an essential part of a crusade in a much larger context of public welfare. He pleaded that the legislation in question was not a genuine effort to ameliorate the suffering of tribal population but a deliberate exercise of populism to win cheap popularity and votes, a mischievous route to power. He made counter allegations against all those who were responsible for the legislation and its implementation and presented a list of culpable persons. He raised issues like environment, ecological balance, global warming, climate change etc which were uncommon in hell which were not controverted. Yama was in dilemma. He was not prepared to allow any person go un-punished in the face of allegations and counter allegations. He thought it would be appropriate to hear the entire case and pass final orders as piece-meal trial may not bring out full facts. He ordered a full-fledged common trial accordingly. The combined trial of FRA case went on for weeks. Arguments took longer time than evidence. As every action is recorded in Chitraguptas record, the verification of any allegation was simple and instantaneous. The allegations and counter-allegations were basically true on facts. Yama has therefore to hear the arguments in detail to determine which party had better justification to act as they did. As for Sharma, he was alone and he had himself to argue his case. For all others, an army of lawyers was there to help. These lawyers have personal stake in the case because they happened to be the accused here for breach of professional ethics for defending the indefensible on earth for lure of fat remuneration instead of going by truth and conscience. 20

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After prolonged arguments for considerable time, Lord Yama pronounced his judgment. He believed that Sharma had indeed, as confessed by Sharma himself, created obstacles in the implementation of FRA which may have caused hardship to the genuine claimants by approaching the Courts. But he saw stronger justification in Sharmas arguments that the law is bad, irrational, arbitrary, unconstitutional and also illegal mainly for the reasons: 1. that the eligibility criteria to be a tribal are not scientific; 2. that the evolutionary processes cannot be reckoned as justifiable reasons to categorise population; 3. that any law made for a section of population has to be treated as bad and irrational if it fails to meet the stated objectives and if it hurts the target group by depleting their habitat and resource base; 4. that the environment is of universal concern and its destruction will bring miseries to population in general. Forest being an essential component of environment, its alienation and destruction may set off environmental catastrophe which will not spare the target group either. The interests of the population in general cannot be compromised to favour a section of the population particularly when they too form part of the sufferers. 5. that the eligibility criteria to be a Traditional Forest Dweller is not rational and scientific; 6. that the fixation of ceiling of 4 hectares per claimant is unscientific and arbitrary; 7. that the law does not only deplete the forest resource but also causes severe honeycombing making proper management of remaining forests difficult or even impossible; 8. that the law does not provide for adequate safeguards for protection of forests; 9. that the law seeks to vest ownership rights over the forest land to those who illegally occupied it prior to 13.12.2005. It is illegal and arbitrary; 10. that the law is essentially bad and unconstitutional as it condones a crime and rewards the offender; 11. that the law is a serious infraction of the doctrine of Rule of Law; 12. that the law is discriminatory in that a law abiding citizen who did not resort to illegal act of encroachment is deprived of the benefit that accrues to a law-breaker; 13. that the law though stated to be in addition to and not in derogation of any other law in force, it violates the existing laws and the cardinal principles of jurisprudence of the country; 14. that the law ties down the poor tribal to unprofitable and un-remunerative avocation of farming driving them to eternal poverty; 15. that the law is not foolproof providing scope for its misuse; AND 16. that the law is made to meet selfish ends of populism. 21

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Lord Yama is particularly impressed with Sharmas argument that the law would cause immense harm and hardship to coming generations due to environmental degradation and that this generation has no right whatsoever to tamper with natural assets meant for posterity. He held all the persons named by Sharma guilty of crimes listed against them. The punishment awarded is that the convicts be lodged en masse without any privacy in huge isolated cement concrete halls devoid of ventilation, erected in dry, desolate and arid patch of land with not a blade of grass to be seen. The water for drinking and washing will be the same from Vaitharani River which is known for its filth. The sentence will last till the land alienated under FRA is totally re-clothed with tree growth. Sharma has also been sentenced but keeping his efforts to save the forests in view, he will remain in hell availing the facilities of an under-trial but will be required to watch the suffering of the other convicts for one hour a day. The fate of the FRA on earth is still not known. New arrivals from India have no idea of the case. Sharma petitioned Yama to grant him parole to visit some good forest patches he knew in Adilabad District, Bhadrachalam South and adjoining areas in Eastern Ghats. Yama has powers to take people to hell but cannot send people back to earth, even for a short stay. However, he is sympathetic to Sharmas request and is corresponding with Collegium of Gods for one time relaxation of the rule. As for Sharma, he does not want to come to earth permanently and he says hell is better.

INVITATION
The Association of Retired Forest Officers, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad Congratulates the following Forest Officers, who are retiring from service on attaining the age of superannuation on the dates mentioned against their names and cordially invites them to join the Association of Retired Forest Officers to keep in touch with their old colleagues and to keep themselves occupied.

For further details they may contact the following Sri. K. Santokh Singh, Secretary Mobile Number. 9848808101 Sri. P. Upender Reddy, Jt.Secretary Mobile Number.9848754778 Name of Officer (SFS) Date of Retirement Sri N.Vishnu Murthy Sri A.Vijaykumar Sri G.V.Subba Reddy Sri K.Dinakar Prakash Sri P.Udaysankar 31-07-2011 31-07-2011 31-07-2011 31-07-2011 31-07-2011 22 -Secretary

Sri P.R.Pramodhkumar 31-07-2011

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FATHERS LETTER TO SON

By Kamal Naidu Lecturer, Indian Forest Academy, Dehra Dun, UP Camp Nilambur, Kerala: My dear Shrinath,
How are you Mr. Subbu. I am doing fine. I got a letter from Baby Aunty that you are studying well and got good marks in your exam except in Sanskrit. Does not matter, you can improve by studying little more. Keep reading your Telugu now and then so as not to forget. Be sincere and attentive in class, do all your work regularly and you will definitely do well in class as you are intelligent and clever boy. Remember you got yourself a seat at Hyderabad Public School with your own hard work, otherwise the principal wanted to put you in th class. So keep it up. Now I am at Nilambur and will be reaching Hyderabad on 11th morning. I am enclosing a letter for Mr. Venkayya, your house tutor to give you permission for coming home on 11th evening and return back on 13th. Another for your class teacher to, help you in your difficulty. Please give them to your teachers. Coming to my tour, do you remember Nilambur, the forest rest house in the middle of the forest, our trainees stayed on the hilltop, and you used to visit them. Kerala where you get little houses, mostly with tiled or thatched roofs, surrounded 23 by coconut palms, banana trees, tapioca plants, scattered jack-fruit and cashew trees, paddy fields. The place is always very green, the roads winding and crowded with lots and lots of children. Here you find many rubber and teak plantations. You remember, we crossed a river on a narrow long boat, typically Kerala, and so the oldest teak plantation of very huge trees. At another place we saw elephants being trained. Seeing all these places once again, I keep remembering you because you were with me last time giving me company and asking me lot of questions about a lot of things. The people are mostly Muslims and Christians. Here there are a lot of mosques and churches. Hindus are few so very few temples. Because the people are mostly Muslims and Christians, they dont sell much meat; they have a lot of beef (cows meat) which we do not eat, though it is cheaper. Here the climate is warm and humid, so we are sweating. Imagine in Dehra Dun in this season it is so cold that they will be plenty of frost, we put on very warm clothing, sleep with thick quilts. Here I am bare bodied, dont even cover at night.

dated 5-12-1976

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As you studied in your geography, the closer we are to the equator the warmer it is. So Kerala being closer latitude to equator than Dehra Dun, it is warmer. Again Ooty which is closer latitude to equator as Kerala was almost as cold as Dehra Dun. Can you guess why? Because Ooty is at higher altitude (height) than, Kerala. Remember both in science and geography we studied, the higher you go the cooler it becomes, the deeper you go the warmer it becomes. You remember, you experienced all these in our tours to the hills---Kashmir, Kulu, Manali, Rohtang, Simla, Mussoorie, Badrinath, Kausani, Gwaldam, Raniket, Naini Tal, Darjeeling and Shillong and in the south Ooty and Coonoor. This time I wrote you of one hill station in south near Madurai---its name is Kodaikanal. Well Shrinath now you must have recollected all these places you have visited and the interesting things you saw at each of them like lakes, snow, coniferous trees, rivers, steep slopes, soil conservation works, etc. Well now let me know something about yourself, your school, your friends, your games, your mischief, your quarrels, etc. you can write these in letters after my visit to Hyderabad when I am away at Dehra Dun all alone missing you and mummy, Anna and aunty. You are just coming to an age when you are becoming interesting, learning new knowledge, many things which ever we never learned.

Yes one thing new as a boarder you must be learning so many new things which you failed to learn at home. You must be learning how one can do ones own work, how one can live in a group and adjust oneself to others, how one must look after ones own things and oneself. In fact I learnt many things as a boarder myself. Yours is the right age for learning those things,that is why I avoided putting you as boarder earlier. Again being in one of the best schools you get a lot of facilities of good food, good environment, good games and varied company. We must be very thankful to God for giving us all these which many more others do not have. Well then Bandu, Gundu, Subbu I think I have written you a lot; next we shall meet at home and discuss all your experiences. If possible at night we shall meet the probationers at the station and see them off from Secunderabad. Till then I shall conclude my letter with lots of love to you and Butchu anna. My good wishes to your teachers. Your loving dad

Sd/- M. Kamal naidu PS. Dont forget to hand over the letters to your teachers. Editors Note. This was a letter written by Mr. Kamal Naidu to his son Mr. Srinath on 5-12-1976 when he was a student of high school, which was preserved for 35 years by Mr. Srinath and sent it again to his father on 3rd Sunday of June (19-6-2011) the fathers day, as a gift to his father. 24

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Birth Day Greetings

We wish the following born on the dates mentioned

A very Happy Birth Day

S.No. Name of the member Sarva Sri 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. K.Buchiram Reddy M.Prasad Rao K.Madan Mohan N.Varaprasad Rao 07-07-1932 10-07-1947 10-07-1942 10-07-1948 M.Ramachandra Reddy 08-07-1925 D.O.B. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. G.Chandrasekhar Reddy 18-07-1965 Dr.K.Gopinatha Mohd.Ibrahim Rajesh Mittal Onkar Singh S.M.Selvaraj R.Sundara Vadan Ratnakar Jauhari Ajay Kumar Naik Hitesh Malhotra P.Adivappa A.V.Joseph 21-07-1963 22-07-1954 25-07-1955 27-07-1953 01-08-1953 01-08-1956 02-08-1970 03-08-1965 03-08-1952 03-08-1953 05-08-1956 D.O.B.

C.Ramakrishna Reddy 11-07-1931 M.Padmanabha Reddy 14-07-1941 M.K.Prasad B.Pratap Reddy K.Santokh Singh Dr.K.Kesava Reddy V.Parthsarathy Sarva Sri 14-07-1945 18-07-1928 21-07-1937 01-08-1935 02-08-1944 D.O.B.

S.No. Name of the S.F.S. Oficer Sarva Sri 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. G.V.Subba Reddy A.Vijay Kumar K.Dinakar Prakash P.Uday Sankar S.Ravishankar A.Sankaran P.R.Pramod Kumar Kum.T.Jyothi L.Ch.Tirupal Reddy

S.No. Name of the I.F.S. Oficer 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Prashanth Kumar Jha N.Pratheep Kumar Chandra B.Malasi Tejsingh Kardam Rahul Pandey D.Nalini Mohan Swargam Srinivas N.Shyam Prasad

06-07-1953 06-07-1953 09-07-1953 15-07-1953 16-07-1964 16-07-1956 22-07-1953 23-07-1975 01-08-1956

07-07-1959 07-07-1963 08-07-1957 10-07-1954 14-07-1974 15-07-1962 15-07-1962 16-07-1955 25

Ch.AV.D.Prasanna Kumar 10-07-1957

S.S.S.

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DEATH RELIEF IN CASE OF DEATH, OF AIS PENSIONERS, IN RECEIPT OF SERVICE PENSION-ORDERS ISSUED.
General Administration (SC. X) Department G.O.Ms. No. 566 Dated 28-10-1993 Read the following 1. G.O.Ms. No504, Fin. & Plg (Fin.Pen.I) Deptt. Dt. 1o-12-1976 2. Govt. Memo No. 312, /SW/81-1 GAD dt. 23-3-1991 3. G.O.Ms. No. 24, Fin. & Plg. (F. PSC) Deptt. Dt. 6-2-90 4. From the Secretary, AIS Pensioners Association, A.P., Hyd. Repn. dt. 4-2-1991 and 17-7-1993 ORDER: 1. In the Government orders read above, as amended from time to time, Government have introduced a scheme under welfare measures to the Retired Government Servants, according to which an amount of Rs. 1,000/- or an amount equal to one months pension whichever is more, is payable to the nearest relative of the pensioner or the person lawfully in possession of the body of the deceased Government Pensioner to meet the expenses on obsequies ceremony. 2. In the representation, the All India Services Pensioners Association has represented to extend the benefit of obsequies charges to their members on par with the State Government Pensioners. 3. After careful consideration, the Government have decided to extend the benefit of death relief to meet the expenses of obsequies ceremony in case of death of the All India Services Pensioners on par with State Government Pensioners. 4. The District Collector concerned, where the All India Services Pensioner settled down after retirement, shall arrange payment of the amount to the nearest relative of the pensioner or to the person lawfully in possession of the body of the pensioner, as far as possible on the same day of the death of the pensioner or on the next working day immediately following the day of the death of the pensioner. 5. The District Collector, Hyderabad shall arrange payment of the amount in respect of the All India Services Pensioners settled down in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad including Secunderabad Cantonment. 6. The nearest relative of the All India Services Pensioner or the person lawfully in Possession of the body shall furnish the certificate of death of the pensioner to the District Collector concerned before claiming the amount. 7. The expenditure under the scheme will be debited to 2071 Pension and other Retirement Benefits 01 Civil MH 101 Superannuation and Retirement Allowances SH (07) Assistance to the families of deceased Pensioners 210 Pensions. 8. This order shall have prospective effect and the old cases shall not be reopened. 9. This order issues with the concurrence of the Finance and Planning (FW.PENSION.I) Department vide their U.O. No. 38691/B/598/BG-A1/93-1 dt. 26-10-93 (BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR ANDHRA PRADESH) K. JAYA BHARATH REDDY, CHIEF SECRETARY, TO GOVERNMENT 26

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CROCODILE FIGHT
By K.B.R. Reddy
The astonishing spectacle of leopard- andcrocodile fight in a South African Game Reserve incredibly documented by Hal Brindley, the American Wildlife Photographer, (Vana Premi Vol.12 No. 3 of March 2011) inspired me to write this article. The story is from the ancient scripture: Srimad Bhagavatam and is popularly known as Gajendra Moksham. Gajendra is an elephant king roaming in the thick forests of Trikuta. He moves fearlessly in the forests with his large family. One day, it so happened that the elephant tusker Gajendra was attracted by a beautiful lake with clean water and he wanted to have a cool and playful bath and spend some time joyously. He got into the lake while his family of other elephants was watching him entering the lake. No sooner Gajendra moved into the water, than a crocodile held the foot of the elephant and would not release it. A fierce fight ensued. The elephant was confident that he would get out of the clutches of the crocodile with all his might. The other elephants were watching for their leader to come out of the lake. The crocodile drags the elephant into the water; while the tusker endeavours to pull himself out of crocodiles grip. The elephant was hopeful that he would win the fight and get out of the lake; but he got tired and regrets for not being able to 27 God the almighty who is the creator of the world; who knows the rise and fall; the Lord of all things; the one who has no beginning, no middle and no end; the embodiment of the self; I pray to that God to save me. I choose two of so many poems beautifully written by the poet Pothana and they are in my view the best of the lot. Gajendra, after using all his might loses hope and desperately thinks that God only can save him. And he recites the following prayer: pull himself out in spite of the help rendered by the other elephants. The other elephants realized that the crocodile is invincible in water and started leaving the place. As we think of, and pray God, that when we are in distress and trouble; so also the elephant, having lost his strength thought of praying to God to rescue him. This episode is described in Bhagavatham most beautifully and the prayers of Gajendra form the magnificent hymns in praise of Lord Vishnu, the omnipresent God. While the original text is in Sanskrit, the hymns are translated into many Indian languages. Gajendra Moksham by the ancient poet Bammera Pothana is a very interesting piece of Telugu literature comprising about 28 poems.

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Oh, God! I fought with crocodile for so long to the extent I could, I lost all my strength. I thought I will succeed in the fight against the crocodile. I lost the courage and the confidence. I am on the threshold of death. I may become unconscious. My body has become weak. It is impossible for me to fight any more against the crocodile. I know not anyone but your good Self. Please pardon me for any of my past misdeeds, Oh Lord! Pray come down, remove all the hassles and save me. Answering to the prayers of Gajendra, Lord Vishnu kills the crocodile and the elephant is freed and saved from the threshold of death. According to the legend, Crocodile in its previous birth was a Gandharva King by name Huhu who was cursed by a sage when his leg was pulled by Huhu in a lake. Huhu requested for mercy but the sage said he would get the relief by an action of Lord Vishnu. As a result of the curse Huhu was born as a crocodile. The elephant in his past life was a king called Indradyumna. He failed to treat the sage Agastya with respect when the sage visited the king. Enraged by the boorish behaviour of the king, the sage cursed him that he would be born as elephant in the next birth. Stories of the kind in puranas are symbolic significance of modern lifestyle and each story depicts a moral. There is another story of recent times involving crocodile fight. The place is called Lanja Madugu, 28

which when translated from telugu language reads as Pond of a whore. It is in River Godavari bordering between Adilabad and Karimnagar districts. The reason for the peculiar name is that a concubine and her paramour lived on either side of the pond. One of them used to swim through the pond, risking life, to reach the other during moonlit night. The meeting of the lovers was in the spirit of Tennysons poem on a Highwayman who promises to see his lover at any cost. A part of the poem reads: Wait for me by the moonlight; Watch for me by the moonlight; I shall come to thee by moonlight; Though hell should bar the way. The story of crocodile fight goes like this: A tiger from the adjoining forest goes into the pond for drinking water. As he entered the water his leg is caught by a crocodile and the fight goes on, for the whole night and the following day and night, for getting out of the grip of crocodile. People curiously watched the fight from the tree tops. On the next morning the villagers found both the animals dead. The story was narrated to me some years ago and its authenticity is not known. Suffice it to say that the Lanja Madugu is still a home for crocodiles and forms a part of Siwaram Wildlife Sanctuary with an area of 36.29 sq.km., declared in 1978. The area supports tiger, panther, Neelgai etc.

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A STORY SO FAMILIAR
By Ganesh Shenoy. MD Nephrology & Internal Medicine
She moved to Mumbai in 1994 to marry Ramesh Rathod, a wedding photographer. They lived in a small second-story shanty near the high rises. Income rapidly improved as Ramesh got busy at work. They added ice cream, chicken and mutton to their vegetarian diet. Kalpana Rathod developed a taste for crispy fried papadums; pickles preserved in oil; and gulab jamun. After the births of her sons, and as she ate more, she gradually gained weight. By the time the family bought their apartment in the Mumbai suburbs, Kalpana Rathod weighed 65 kilograms. She had gained 12 kilograms in 7 years. One night she began to experience extreme fatigue which progressed rapidly overnight. She was taken to the nearby hospital almost in a semi-comatose state where she was diagnosed with DIABETES. She was now in a coma. You have heard this word innumerable time. DIABETES MELLITUS. If you are fortunate enough not to have this problem, I am sure you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with this problem Diabetes (from Latin for Diabetes = Excessive urination) mellitus (honey sweet). The high Blood sugar spills into the urine which makes it sweet, Indians are especially susceptible to diabetes and complications such as heart disease and 29 stroke as soon as their living conditions improve. Most of our fore fathers spent their entire lives in villages, raising several children engaging in farm work and other laborious activities and were active and healthy into their 70s. As cities grew and become more attractive to the rural population the migration came at a heavy price. The sedentary Lifestyle coupled with high calorie diet seems to precipitate diabetes. The incidence and prevalence appears to be increasing especially in the Indian community across the world Diabetes is hitting Indias population at an average age of 42.5 years -about a decade earlier than it strikes people of European origin, Year Place Age 35-69 Prevalence Overseas 21% 22% 25% 20% 19%-30%** 29% 1977 Trinidad 1983 Fiji 1990 Singapore 1990 Mauritius 1991 England India 1985 Urban Karnataka 1992 1992 1991 45-64 Urban Madras 45-64 18% Rural Tamilnadu 45-64 3% London 40-69 4%

35 -64 25% 40-69 35-64 40-69

1985 South Africa 30

Prevalence in Europeans for comparison

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* Mc. Keigue, P M in Contemporary endocrinology. Insulin Resistence Edited by G.Reaven and A.laws @ Humana press inc. Totowa N.J. Although Awareness in the community is increasing, most people feel that they are unlikely to be diagnosed with this condition NOT ME! Have you checked recently? All it takes is a simple blood test: Fasting blood glucose of 125 or more. Or Haemoglobin A1 C of more than 6.5 NOBODY IN MY FAMILY HAD IT. Although genetics does play a role, it is not the only reason to develop diabetes. SO even if your parents did not have it, you could get it IT IS A DISEASE OF THE RICH AND AFFLUENT .Correction: It WAS the disease of the rich and affluent. It is now much more prevalent in the middle class than before. IF I DONT GET TESTED, THEN I DONT HAVE IT:Well.. you are now risking your heart, brain, kidney, eyes, limbs and nerves WELL, WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? THE FOLLOWING ARE THE SYMPTOMS. 1. Feels tired. 2. Frequent urination. 3. Sudden weight loss. 4. Wounds that wont heal 5. Feels always Hungary. 6. Blurry vision 7. Numb or tingling hand and feet. 8. Feels thirsty. 9. Sexual problem. 30

What if I dont get tested or treat it? Well here comes the real SCARY part. High blood sugars can lead to a severe acid build up resulting in coma and even death. You are prone for heart attacks. Your kidneys get slowly damaged and you could eventually land up on dialysis. You could suffer from a stroke and be paralysed. Your eyes could be affected from diabetes and if unchecked could lead to permanent blindness. You could lose a limb from gangrene WELL WHAT can I DO: Get yourself tested. It just takes a simple blood test. If you do have diabetes, try to achieve strict blood sugar control. This can be achieved but needs commitment on your part. Diet Taking your medications regularly Frequent checking of your blood sugars DOES THIS MEAN INSULIN AND NEEDLES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE? NO. Diabetes can nowadays be managed with pills that need to be taken once or twice a day. Only if these dont work, you may need Insulin DIET AND EXERCISE A healthy diet and regular exercise can control diabetes and may even help you get off many medications. Cholesterol control is also important. Seek information about your diet from the internet or dieticians:

Contd. on page no. 43

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MOON WATCHERS' PARADISE

By Shiva Kumar
We were on a packed plane to Kochi and most of the seats were filled with just married couples mooning and swooning over each other. We appeared to be the odd couple out! Our objective was to be high on tea and have several high tea parties in the cool salubrious environs of the Munnar hill ranges. Munnar has many a nickname. Some call it Honeymooner's Paradise, while others know it as Southern Spice; a few label it as Kashmir of Kerala but the actual name is Kannan Devan Hills, of which very few are aware. On the aircraft we heard somebody whisper Srinagar of the South but we preferred to call it the Moon Watchers' Paradise. Why? Please read on. The air was intoxicatingly fresh as we moved out of Kochi towards Munnar in a cab covering 120kms of picturesque roadside views. All along the way we breezed past numerous waterfalls. Romantic and captivating names of hotels, resorts, home stays, and cottages greeted us as we entered the tourist zone of Munnar. To name a few: West Wood River Side, Misty Mountains, Holiday Heaven, Falling Waters, Silver Tips, making it truly a Honeymooner's Paradise. Munnar means three rivers both in Tamil and Malayalam and is snugly situated at the confluence of three mountain streams 31 Muthirapuzha, Nallthanni and Kundala. Located in Idukki district of Kerala, Munnar was literally discovered and re-invented by the intrepid British explorers. They deftly turned it into, first a sprawling tea estate, and thereafter, a summer paradise. It was in the 19th Century after some trial and error methods they successfully landscaped the area with luxuriant tea, coffee and cardamom plantations amidst the pristine hills and lakes. It is now getting very popular for its bewitchingly moody weather that goes cool to cold within minutes and delightfully drizzles and drenches as it pleases. It was only in the year 2000 that Munnar was declared a tourist spot by the Kerala Government, a part of God's own country' campaign. Glistening dewdrops We had checked into one of the three star hotels located next to a gleaming stream and waited for dawn to smack us with warm welcome rays. The first night, we witnessed a beautiful moon coyly peeping from behind and illuminating the hills with silver light. The day greeted us with dewdrops glistening on the glass windows of our room. After a sumptuous breakfast in an exceptionally romantic setting, next to the stream with a backdrop of tall fragrant eucalyptus trees, we began our exploratory journey of Munnar. The crisp cool mountain

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breeze was soothing as we went up and down the hills just to get a feel of the manicured tea gardens sprawled left, right and centre. We picked up leaflets and a map from the nearby tourist office and chose to see the Top Station' first. This high viewing point was approximately 32 km from Munnar. We were constantly mesmerised by the beauty of this land of emerald greens with its rolling hills of teagardens bathed in mountain dew. The setting was stunning and invigorating like balm to our weary eyes used to the pollution of the big cities. Appropriately named, it took about one hour to reach the Top Station, walking and panting uphill after the car drive. Located on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu it offered captivating views of the Western Ghats at an altitude of 1700 meters. The panoramic view, clean mountain air, mist clad hills remained etched in our memory as we stood at this view point. It is also said that this is the best place to see the Neelkurinji plant when it blooms once in 12 years. Disappointingly we were not at the right year to witness the multiple blossoms of these beautiful purple-blue flowers. From here we travelled down to Mattupetty dam and lake. Boating is a popular activity here. For the ones, who are interested in trekking and bird watching, the forest in and around makes it an ideal location. Our young cab driver, Satish, insisted we take a leisurely walk along the lake side to experience serenity and solitude. So we walked into the thick forests catching glimpses of colourful birds. Close by was the extremely popular destination Echo Point'. Most of the 32

teenagers could not resist the temptation of shouting into the air and delighting at the multiple echoes ringing back at them. We filled the memory cards of our cameras with images of terraced tea gardens which make Munnar such a a charming hill station. Our subsequent stopover was at the rose garden where we walked through the myriad varieties of flora an absolute feast for the eyes. The hanging bridge Over the next two days we wandered right through the countryside of Munnar in search of old world charms and encountered hidden gems that have escaped the attention of many a traveller. The hanging bridge of 1942, very old piped waterways and a small but rock-solid century old Church touched a chord with its theology. It is said that these ancient entities survived the great flood that hit Munnar in 1924 and washed away much of the nascent town. We also saw the popular attractions of Munnar like the Tea Museum, spice gardens and even watched a keenly contested football match in this sleepy city. With memories of picture postcard pastures of Munnar, we returned to the city recharged. Hey, if you are a foodie do not forget to buy tea packets, samples of spices for your kitchen and the delectable homemade chocolates available in every other shop as sweet memories. This hill station is still not faded, jaded and not yet invaded, so make the best of it before it changes. Truthfully a great escape for city dwellers. (The author is a journalist at Delhi)

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LAUGHTER THE BEST MEDICINE

Police arrested a drunkard & asked: Where are you going? Man: I'm going to listen to lecture on ill effects of drinking. Cop: Who will lecture at midnight? Man: My wife! Law Professor: Which is the most important LAW of Finance for Starting a New Business? Student: Father-in-Law! Man: Is there any way for long life? Dr: Get married. Man: Will it help? Dr: No, but the thought of long life will never come to you. Beggar: Saab 12 Rupea do na coffee peeni hai. Man: Lekin coffee to 6 Rupea ki hai? Beggar: laikin, saab girlfriend bhi saath hai. Man: Bhikari hokar bhi girl friend banali. Beggar: Nain saab, girl friend ne Bhikari bana diya! Q: Why do women live longer than men? A: Shopping never causes heart attacks, but paying the bill does! Two men were talking. 1st: I got married since I was tired of eating out, cleaning the house, doing the laundry & wearing shabby clothes. 2nd: Amazing, I just got divorced for the same very reason. Why do only 10% of women make it to heaven? Because if they all went, it would be Hell! Why don't men like to drink coffee at work? It keeps them awake. Ek Bade mian, duble patle apni ek puraani sharwani pahne huwe ek Qabr pe baith kar cigarette pee rahay the. Qabristaan mein kuch ladkay khel rahai the. Ek ladkay nay bade mian ko dekh kar pucha, "Kyaa chicha, under garmee horahithi kya, baahar nikal kar baithain? 33

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NEWS AND NOTES

1.Mariposa Grove:- More than 200 giant sequoia trees draw visitors to Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park. The best known is the Grizzly Giant, whose estimated age, around 1,500 years, makes it one of the oldest living sequoias on Earth. The fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree, gutted in 1881 to make a drive-through tree for horsedrawn wagons, became a photogenic attraction for generations of automobile travelers. 2. Five healthy foods to eat at your workstation:- We've all heard it times and again that sitting all day long at the desk isn't really good for the health. Sadly, there aren't any feasible alternatives to this mode of working. While you can't just leave your job, you can surely do something which is beneficial for your health. Eating the right kind of fruits can help you overcome the negative effects of sitting like a robot all day.Here are five power foods you can enjoy while sitting at your desk. They can work wonders for your heart, blood pressure, and can even improve your memory and concentration. 1. Walnuts:- Some new researches have pointed out that walnuts have more (and better quality) antioxidants than almonds, peanuts, pistachios and many other nuts. All nuts have been found to improve lipids and can reduce the risk of heart diseases. Walnuts have also been found to enhance cognitive and motor function in animals with Alzheimer's. Experts recommend seven walnuts a day. 2. Cup of Green Tea:- Polyphenols, one of the major ingredients of green tea, is known to help repair the damaged DNA and stimulate the 34 immune system. Besides, research shows that green tea also helps in reducing the risk of cancers, including skin cancer and prostate cancer. 3. Popcorn:- If there ever was a list of healthy snacks, this is definitely going to be on the list. In fact, many say that popcorn is the healthiest snack available. It is 100 percent whole grain and is big on fiber and anti- oxidants. If you can air-pop your popcorn and add a minimal quantity of salt, you'd have the best popcorn, say experts. If your office has a microwave, just make sure you bring a pack of low sodium popcorn to work. 4. Dark Chocolate:- This, too, contains those powerful antioxidants called Polyphenols which combat the risk factors (like oxidation of LDL cholesterol) for heart diseases and also inhibit clotting. Studies have also indicated that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate daily can reduce blood pressure in people with mild hypertension. Caffeine, another active ingredient of dark chocolate, can give you that much-required kick and a boost in concentration levels. 5. Fruits:- Not only they help you conquer that false hunger they are also brimming with , nutrients which are needed to keep you going all day. You can choose between apples, bananas, mangoes, oranges, papayas etc. but make sure you carry some fruits to the office on a daily basis. 3. India male tiger plays doting dad to orphaned cubs: - Forest officials in northern India say a male tiger appears to be caring for

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two orphaned cubs in an extremely rare display of paternal feeling. The cubs lost their mother in February in the Ranthambore tiger reserve. Officials there say they believe the male tiger, named T25, is their father. Wildlife experts say cubs are usually raised by their mothers and male tigers often kill cubs they come across. Officials believe there is no recorded evidence of males behaving like this. Photographs taken by hidden cameras in the forest reserve in India's northern Rajasthan state have documented the tiger's behaviour. The most recent images show the male tiger walking just a metre behind one of the cubs, Ranthambore field director Rajesh Gupta told the BBC. The cubs, which are believed to be about eight months old now, were first seen on 29 January with their mother T5, a forest official in Ranthambore told the BBC. He said after the tigress died on 9 February, the cubs were being reared in the wild by forest department staff. The cubs are too young to make a kill on their own and are being provided with bait by forest staff. "During my visit to the park on Monday 30 May, I was standing on the top of a cliff and I saw one of the cubs down below eating the kill," Mr Gupta says. "It is seen in good health," he said. It appears as if the male tiger is allowing the cubs to eat their kill and not taking it for himself." Cubs as food "It's very unusual," UM Sahai, Rajasthan's Chief Wildlife Warden, told the BBC from the state capital, Jaipur. "Normally the tigress keeps an eye on the cubs while the father 35

is a visitor, who is seen off and on, especially when he comes to mate with the tigress," he said. Wildlife experts say that it is common for male tigers to never even set eyes upon the cubs they father - especially when the mother is not present and many male tigers will simply see cubs as food. Ranthambore, one of India's best known tiger parks, has about 40 tigers, including about a dozen cubs. According to the latest tiger census figures released in March, India has 1,706 of the big cats. The country had 100,000 tigers at the turn of the last century but there has been a serious decline in numbers since then. Experts say that 97% of tigers have been lost to poaching and shrinking habitats. 4. Wood used in Jagannaths chariot vanishing fast from Odishas jungles:- A month before the chariot festival of Jagannath in Odishas Puri town, newspapers in the state published a government advertisement: Donate phasi timber for chariot construction. It promised a felicitation certificate to anyone donating timber for making three gigantic chariots. The appeal soon made headlines. With thousands of devotees set to attend the festival on July 3, the state government sought help from different sources. Forest officials found it difficult to satisfy this annual need of timber in right size and quantity. A 12-year-old programme to create dedicated forests for the temples use will take another 30 years to supply timber. The temple authorities increasingly depend on individual donations.

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Jagannath Temple needs 1,135 logs of about 400 cubic metres to build three chariots every year. This involves felling of nearly 1,000 trees of 13 species (see Trees for chariot). Forests in Nayagarh and Khurda districts are the main source of timber for this. Under the State Chariot Festival Code the state government is legally bound to supply timber free to the temple. Used chariots are dismantled and the wood supplied as fuel to the temples kitchen that caters to 35,000-40,000 people every day. Finding the right size and quality of timber is turning out to be the toughest challenge, says a forest official of Nayagarh. Earlier, we could find enough phasi trees just a kilometre inside the forest. Now we spend months identifying them. Foresters say the stock of phasi trees, used to make the chariots wheels, is almost exhausted. Wheels are the most precious component of the chariot and use the toughest wood (phasi), says Bijay Mohapatra, the chief carpenter of Jagannath Temple. Religious beliefs do not allow use of any other timber. On the bank of the Mahanadi in Nayagarh, a community-protected forest still has phasi trees in large numbers. This forest patch is now being targeted for securing the trees, says Laxmidhar Balia, the convenor of Odisha Jungle Manch, a federation of communities involved in protecting forests in Odisha. In 2000, the state started the Jagannath Bana Prakalpa (Jagannath Forest Project) to create dedicated forests consisting of the 13 species. It has since spent Rs 65 lakh. According to P K Mohapatra, the chief administrator of Jagannath Temple, 4.5 million trees have been planted on 36

2,800 hectares in five districts. Government expects to harvest 0.9 million phasi, asan and dhaura trees annually from these forests. But the state of the project casts doubts over the future of timber supply. Except in Dasapalla district, the plantation is not in good shape. The project involved communities in protecting the planted trees, most of which would take 2530 years to mature; phasi takes 60-70 years. People in Ramgarh village of Baudh district say the government promised them two lift irrigation facilities as an incentive for protecting the forest. They did not keep the promise. We have withdrawn from protection, says a resident. In 2004-05, an official inquiry found rampant corruption in the project and very low survival rate of planted trees. Yet in April this year the state decided to spend another Rs 3.8 crore on creating phasi forests. The temples appetite for trees is not restricted to building chariots. It consumes 8.5 tonnes of wood a day as fuel; 25 tonnes during the 10-day chariot festival. Dismantled chariots provide enough fuel wood for nine months. For the rest three months the forest department supplies us, says a public relations officer of the temple. Sourcing fuel wood for the worlds largest community kitchen is leading to conflicts. In April this year the forest department was forced to stop harvesting a thick patch of casuarina plantation in Astaranga area of Puri after protests. Women of eight villages along the coast had revived the plantation as protection against cyclone. Jagannaths footprint is beginning to impinge on peoples resources.

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BANDIPUR MISHAP
By, P.S. Reddy
P.G diploma in wildlife management, 10 months course was commenced at FRI Dehradun in 1977. Accordingly for the first batch (11) states have deputed one officer of the cadre of ACF/ DCF for the (1977-78) batch. From Andhra Pradesh I happened to be deputed and had the opportunity of batch mate of IFS officers like Mr. Sukhdev(T.N), Mr. I. H.Khan(A&N), Mr. Sharath Singh(Manipur) and state officers Mr. In December 1977 we had under taken south India tour. We have travelled by train to Hyderabad and at Hyderabad we visited Nehru zoological park where late Mr.Pushp kumar took us round and had exchange of views about Our director Mr. N.R Nair was very dynamic, enthusiastic and with wide experience was heading the wild life wing in FRI Dehradun. It was learnt that he used to contribute articles of wild life interest to the illustrated weakly of India particularly about elephant migration. It was also learnt that he had visited several wild life sanctuaries in African continent. For the wild life wing field visits he has procured a new van and specially built 12 seats to accommodate 11 officer trainees and one for director. By the same van during our training period we have travelled to many neighbouring sanctuaries several times for field study. Even we have travelled in J&K, Dal lake, Dachigam, Pehalgam, Moughal garden and 37 wildlife management and its practical problems etc. Last day of Hyderabad camp I wanted to host a party to our colleagues. As I was staying at Vijaynagar colony (L.I.G.) quarters, with insufficient place I requested my brother Dr.C.S Reddy (civil surgeon OGH) to arrange at his Banjara hills residence which he readily accepted. During the dinner we had invited the director N.Z.P and the time spent with exchange of wild life experiences of all the colleagues was memorable, and it was the last party for Mr.N.R Nair in this world. My brothers family and children still remember Mr.Nair. Next day we have proceeded to Coimbatore via Chennai and Savarkar(Mah), Mr. Barua (Arunachal Pradesh) Mr. Surendran(Kerla), Mr. chowdary(orrisa), Mr. Jadev (Guj) Mr. Sharma(M.P)and Mr. Moudgil (Hariyana) respectively. Chesham-e-Shahi During our field visits to respective states the concerned officer trainee was hosting a dinner as a courtesy to the whole (1977-78) batch along with the director. The relationship between the director and the trainees was very cordial and we never felt the difference, used to mix up as colleagues.

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at S.F.R.C, where the principal has arranged three cars to proceed by road to Bandipur wild life sanctuary. After reaching Bandipur we have settled down in the forest rest house, where we have met Mr. John Singh a Ph.D. scholar who was doing research on wild dogs from Madras University. He was perambulating the sanctuary day and night and collecting lot of field materials for his thesis. In the intermittent period he has collected several jaws of spotted deers killed by wild animals and prepared a key for knowing the exact age of the diseased spotted deer. Further collected lot of wild life photographs to ascertain the animal behaviour, social characters etc. Same evening at Bandipur camp Mr Nair

have flabbergasted Mr Nair. Incidentally he was carrying a camera with tele-lens facility and few shots were left unexposed, so it was decided before dispersing the next days program was finalized as follows. At about 5am Mr Nair and Mr.John singh both will take a round of the surrounding forest and expose the left over snaps of the camera and after breakfast we were to move to the next camp at Mudumalai wild life sanctuary. As decided in the previous night both of them have left at 5am to the forest on the opposite side of our rest house crossing the main road Mysore to Ooty. While proceeding they entered the tea stall on the road side and without milk they had a cup of tea and walked down. Hardly have they gone about a furlong inside the forest Mr John Singh sighted an elephant sitting in water pond at a distance. By that time the sunlight was just peeping through tall trees and sufficient enough for a good photograph. So Mr Nair took out the camera and pulled out the tele lens, it would be about a foot long and keeping one eye close on the lens he was slowly moving closer to the elephant for better and clear picture. Mr john singh was just following Mr Nair, cautioned him saying sir please do not go closer as the animal is scenting our presence, then Mr Nair snubbed him saying that I am an authority on elephant migration and I know the behaviour of elephants, if you are afraid you stay 38

proposed to split our 11 officers into two groups, one headed by Mr John Singh and another by local forest staff. Accordingly from about 7-10 pm we have gone round the sanctuary on foot and had the opportunity of watching different species of wild animals in the natural habitat, including a pack of wild dogs. On returning to the camp Mr Nair was so excited because of watching wild dogs pack on sambar kill ,subsequently which was deserted by them and the scavengers have taken over in the presence of the batch headed by Mr John singh. The photo graph collections of Mr.John Singh

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here with these words Mr Nair proceeded only few steps, he might have seen in the tele lens the elephant was moving towards him and for ascertaining moved the camera, meanwhile Mr John Singh shouted saying sir the elephant is about to chase please run and Mr John Singh himself came running to the rest house without chappals, gasping and showing by signal that Nair is no more. At that time the trainees just got up in the morning and were getting ready for shifting the camp to Mudumalai camp. On hearing the alarming news of Mr Nairs death we were in shock for a moment and after recovery we decided to rush to the scene of incident with police escort. On reaching the scene of incidence we have noticed Mr Nair lying flat on the ground with bleeding nose, the camera & watch were found scattered few feet away. Marks of hunters shoes were all around the small bush closely followed by the elephants foot marks. It appeared he tried in vain to climb a tree; probably the shoes have denied that opportunity .On confirming the pulse we were scared to stay longer and returned to camp. We made a lightening call to F .R.I Dehradun and narrated the mishap. On the advice we have awaited the arrival of C.C.F Karnataka, with police & ambulance. By about after-noon a team of doctors, police and C.C.F Karnataka have arrived along with an ambulance .Post mortem was carried out at the scene of accident. Meanwhile 39

the S.F.R.C. Principal, Coimbatore who was made in-charge has taken care of the trainees. In the same evening we have escorted in our three cars, the ambulance carrying Mr Nairs body by road to Trivandram, whole night we were driving via Calicut. In the medical college the body was embalmed. Next day morning we have reached Mr Nairs father in laws house who was learnt to be Kerala Electricity Chairman. President of F.R.I has arranged and dispatched Mrs Nair and their children to Trivandram by flight. She was not informed about the death of Mr Nair but might have informed about some minor accident met by the 1977-78 batch of trainees. On arrival at airport brother in law of Mr Nair received Mrs Nair and family and while driving home noticed, many cars including forest minister of Kerala which were parked in front of the residence. She grew suspicious and on entering the house and seeing the dead body of Mr Nair she became unconscious and was shifted to the hospital We were the only batch in the annals of F.R.I who have experienced the ghastly encounter and lost our director in such circumstances After return to F.R.I Directors post was in additional charge and we passed out after completing the course in the middle of March 1978.

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THE EPISODE OF COMMON LANGUR

By V.SANTHASEELA BABU
During the year 1976, I was working as Forest Range Officer, Bhakarapet Range of Chittoor East Division. Contract system was prevailing at that time and felling series and coupes were located in the Range. Chamala Reserved Forest was one such area where valuable timber and bamboo was existing and coupes were laid out in the R.F which was being worked by private contractors. Frequent inspections of the coupe areas and their surroundings were essential to curb the unethical activities of the contractors. One day I proceeded to Chamala R.F in a lorry for inspection of the coupes and was on my way back after completing the inspections. After travelling for some distance we noticed a person, with a Tiffin carrier in his hand, signaling to stop the lorry. There was a big tumor on his neck which was in the size of a coconut. Immediately after sighting him one of the staff through the back window of the lorry cabin said Sir, this guy is a habitual poacher and I suspect that he might be carrying some wild meat in his Tiffin carrier and so let us allow him to get in to our lorry I agreed . and the lorry was stopped. The person, after seeing the forest staff, became panicky and tried to flee but he was forcibly made to get in to the lorry. After he got in to the lorry his Tiffin carrier was checked and there was meat found in it. On enquiry he confessed that it is the meat of a Common Langur which he killed by arranging a snare. The meat of Common Langur locally known as Gandrangi Mamsam was much sought after for curing Asthma and it was in 40 good demand. He was taken in to our custody and was taken to Nagapatla Forest Rest House. His statement was recorded and he was arrested. A remand report was prepared and he was taken to Tirupati and was produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate along with the meat and the Magistrate remanded him to Judicial Custody and ordered for the disposal of the meat as it was perishable. As I had personal touch with the Magistrate, he called me in to his chambers and said What is this Mr. Babu, how can you prove that the meat is of a Langur if the accused contests the case tomorrow? He will say that he was carrying some goats meat or sheep meat. There is neither the skin of the animal nor any weapon or material supposed to have been utilized for killing the animal. Try to gather some proof in support of your case. Except the confession statement of the accused recorded by me I did not have any other proof to say that he was carrying the meat of the Langur. Then I took leave of the Magistrate and went to the Veterinary College at Tirupati and contacted the Professors there to find out whether they can come to my rescue in proving the case. They said if at all we have sample of another Langur meat and compare both specimens then only they could specifically say that this meat is Langurs meat. With this answer I got from the Professors I was very much disappointed and returned to Bhakarapet and disposed off the meat after observing the formalities. The charge

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sheet in this case was prepared and the case was filed in the Court after obtaining the prosecution orders from the Divisional Forest Officer, Chittoor East Division. Till such time the accused continued to be in the Judicial custody only as none came forward to get him out on bail. After filing the charge sheet I attended the Court on the date of adjournment. Accused copies of the Charge sheet and other records were being given to the accused on that day. While the Court Attender was handing over the copies to him, the Bench clerk casually asked the accused whether he admits the offence. Immediately the accused shot back saying Sir! Whether the Ranger has seen me while killing the Langur or while shooting it or while arranging a noose around its neck? How can I admit the offence? Immediately the Magistrate said O.K. you go through all the records given to you and tell the Court when asked. By saying this Magistrate adjourned the case for about a week for examination of the accused. For the next Adjournment I sent the concerned Forest Guard for attending the Court and I was attending to some urgent work at my headquarters. In the afternoon the Forest Guard came to Bhakarapet fully excited and informed that the accused admitted the offence contrary to our expectations and the Magistrate has posted the case after two days for delivering the judgment and he wanted me to come and meet him today before evening along with the book containing the Wildlife Protection Act. I was taken aback and immediately proceeded to Tirupati with the Act. When I met the Magistrate in his chambers in the evening he said Mr Babu! 41

It is good that the accused admitted the offence and relieved you from the burden of proving the case. I handed over the book containing the Wildlife Protection Act and came away. After two days the judgment in this case was pronounced and the accused was convicted to undergo an imprisonment for a term of six months. After about six months or so, I went to Talakona in my Range to attend Shiva Rathri festival in the temple of Lord Siddheswara where a jathara (Mela) takes place on that Holy occasion and thousands of pilgrims would attend the function. While I was entering the temple, suddenly a couple bowed down before me and touched my feet and I was shocked at their action and enquired as to who they were. The staff behind me said that he is the same person who was arrested and jailed for killing the Langur in Chamala Valley about six months back. Immediately the person who caught my feet along with his wife said Sir! I am highly thankful to you for sending me to Jail in that case. Because of going to Jail the tumor on my neck was operated and got removed and family planning operation was also conducted on me while I was undergoing my term of imprisonment and there has been a very good improvement in my health. If at all I had to get rid of the tumor on my own, I should have spent huge amount of money which I could not afford to and I would have lived with that tumor on my neck throughout my life. What you did on that day has come as a blessing in disguise for me . I said it is all the will of the God and I am only instrumental in this. I gave some money to his wife and sent them away. Thus the episode of the Common Langur has ended in a positive comportment.

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FOREST DEPARTMENTS URGED TO KEEP PACE WITH CHANGES

By Dr S.M.A.Aslam and V. Sambasivam
Presiding over the International day function of the Biological Diversity 2011 and the centenary celebration of Fischer Herbarium at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore on 22-05-2011, Dr C. Achalender Reddy, Secretary, National Biodiversity, Authority, spoke urging the forests departments of the country to keep pace with the changes. This advice is meaningful if the present day Foresters cares to delve into the past to imbibe knowledge of ecological principles which will provide a better balanced view. While expressing his dismay about the difficulties faced by the farmers despite Governments various generous welfare schemes, he felt that to date the transport of bamboos classified as Timber was proving to be a difficult task for the farmers. He thus suggested that bamboos may be classified under M.F.P. Bamboo is a generic nomenclature which includes a plethora of species. It spreads from the coastal areas and oceanic terrain up to the Himalayas. Bamboo is a dominant and intimate associate of the lofty forest trees. Rainfall however controls the species. Generally M.F.P items are specifically mentioned. Which species of bamboos should be brought under the list of M.F.P is not known. Considering the vital 42 In the past there was a lack of demand for bamboos. With the unlimited occurrence of bamboos in nature and the existing large number of species of timber trees in the forest, bamboo was consigned to be the poor mans timber and was being utilized from cradle to grave. With the stock of timber trees becoming depleted bamboo reasserted itself as the next best. It was found that bamboo pulp was rich in Alpha cellulose, good for the manufacture of paper. The only negative point to the continued supply of bamboos was the periodic gregarious flowering of the species. Even the bamboo culms could supply to industries only once in a 3 to 5 years cycle on a large scale. Pulp and paper manufacturing agencies approached the forest departments for the sale of bamboos. It was a importance of bamboos as an associate of forest tree species it is justified that Bamboos have been listed as Timber in the past. The classification of Forest Types based on the dominance of trees, shrubs and herbs was in the past a matter of utmost importance. The pioneering work done by Sir Harry C. Champion for the classification of forest types stands as a monumental accomplishment applauded by forest departments throughout the world.

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welcome feature. So the bamboos grown in government forests were leased out to the industries. The demand for paper was great and in order to feed the markets, incriminate felling of bamboos was resorted to. (Certain rules safeguarding the regeneration of bamboos by the forest department were flouted. The rich bamboo tracts became the victim of gregarious flowering.) In an attempt to regenerate bamboos, rest and recuperation of the depleted stock was ordered by the forest departments. The rest and recuperation have resulted in the resetting of bamboos in their original tracts. This has been achieved after a 5 year moratorium!

Fresh thinking about the exploitation of bamboos is a crying need of the day. It is now a new ploy this change of status of bamboos from the list of Timbers to that of M.F.P.! If the concept of bamboos considered as Timber by Sir Harry C. Champion, a world scientist of repute is not accepted as the ultimate in the classification of Forest Types. We may have to rue the day we choose to overlook it. We still have time to make the right choice. It is not too late. Let us caution our readers with the maxim LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

Contd From page No. 30

GET TESTED! EYES: For Diabetic retinopathy: This means a regular follow up with your eye doctor. HE will look into the back of your eyesretina. (This is not an exam to get your glasses, he will put drops in your eyes and the whole world will appear as if someone just made the sun 10 times brighter) Diabetic retinopathy: The red patches (arrows) are bleeding spots. These can be treated with Laser treatment KIDNEYS: For Diabetic Nephropathy: This is a simple urine test. If you have a lot of proteins leaking from your blood into your urine, you may have the start of early kidney disease. Kidney disease can be halted from progression by use of Medications called ACE inhibitors which are a category of blood pressure pills 43

NERVES For Diabetic Neuropathy: Get your nerves tested: The filament test is a simple test to check if your nerves have been affected. Diabetes can deaden your nerves and feelings and you could step on a broken glass and not even know about it. Some people feel a sensation of burning because of this condition. The resultant infection can lead to gangrene and amputation. HYPERTENSION: - Be more vigilant about blood pressure control. Avoid salt; avoid taking pain medications (like Advil) on regular basis and in large amounts Check Haemoglobin A1C:- This is a 3 month report card and gives precise information on your blood sugar control over the last quarter. It is a simple blood test that is checked every 3-6 months. Diabetes can now be diagnosed easily and most of its symptoms and complications can be controlled if diagnosed and acted upon early.

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G. SHANKER RAO, (04.07.1927 to 25.05.2011)

1. It is with a deep sense of sorrow we record the sad demise of Sri Gandavarapu Shanker Rao, popularly known as G. Shanker Rao, on 25.05.2011 at his youngest sons place in Bangalore after a brief illness. He complained of breathing trouble only the previous day and was promptly admitted into a hospital. He had a massive cardiac arrest at 11 AM and succumbed to it at 1 PM. The forest fraternity lost one of its most respected senior member in his demise. Sri Shanker Rao was born on 21.01.1927. He lost his father when he was barely three months old child. His maternal uncles, who were settled in Kuravi village of Mahaboobabad Taluq of Warangal District, took their widowed sister and her child under their protective wings. Though he learnt his alphabet at a makeshift Government Primary School at Kuravi, the eldest of his maternal uncles shifted to Hanamkonda to facilitate Shanker Raos education. He had his education up to Intermediate in Normal School (Lashkar Bazaar), Collegiate High School and Intermediate College in Warangal and later in Osmania University, Hyderabad, obtaining his B. Sc. degree in 1948. He was recruited as Forest Range Officer in the erstwhile Hyderabad State and underwent training in 1949-51 batch of Madras Forest College, Coimbatore. After passing out from Forest College, Shanker Rao worked as Range Officer in Working Plans Gulberga, Osmanabad, Hadgaon and Hingoli before reorganization of States and then at Yamanpally, Eturnagaram, Jannaram, Yellandu and Flying Squad. He was promoted as Assistant Conservator of Forests in 1965 and worked as DFO Flying Squad Warangal, Territorial & Saw Mill Divisions Jannaram, Kamareddy, Bellampally and Kagaznagar. Sri Shanker Rao was promoted to Indian Forest Service (IFS) in 1981 and worked as DFO Karimnagar (West) Division, Social Forestry, Guntur and as Geneticist Warangal before retiring from service on superannuation on 31.07.1985. He was a good hockey player and captained the Madras Forest College Team. His large stint in the branch of timber operations made him an authority in timber accounts. His affection, amiability and pleasant disposition made him a lovable person. He was loved and respected by his staff and superiors alike. He was an epitome of simplicity and efficiency. After retirement, he kept himself busy with social and community activities for a long time. He edited a vernacular journal from Hanamkonda for over a decade against odds and was a great motivator for several social events in Warangal. His wife predeceased him. He leaves behind four sons and a daughter, all well settled in life; six grandsons & five granddaughters and four great grandchildren besides a host of friends, relatives and admirers to mourn his death. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE IN HEAVEN JVS 2. Mr M.S. Nigwekar, from Maharashtra (1957-1959 batch of SFRC.): - Mr Nigwekar died on 21st January 2011 at Kolhapur, Maharashtra at the age of 77 due to cardiac arrest. He had served in Goa and he was very popular amongst his colleagues. May his noble soul rest peace 3. Mr Amar Singh Rathode from Madhya Pradesh (1959-1961 batch of SFRC.): - Mr Amar Singh Rathode from Khandura of Madhya Pradesh died on 07-04-2011 at Indore due to lung carcinoma detected at very advanced stage. He was a sports man. He is survived by his wife three sons and a daughter. In his death we lost a good friend. May his soul rest in peace. (Contributed by Mr Suresh Deshpande from Nashik)

OBITUARY

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