Defenceless turtles no match for might of Indian Navy

The way things have been moving, it’s argued, the threatened turtles may soon have to make way for the Navy to complete its prestigious maritime museum near R K Beach – the bone of contention at the moment. The Navy plans to ground a non-functional submarine on the beach for the purpose.

For Pradeep Kumar Nath, president of Visakha Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, however, the nightmare has just begun. While shifting the turtles’ nests from the beach to another area – Nath says this was essential for their very survival – he as well as two other members of the forum were recently booked under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act by the state authorities.

Incidentally, Nath was slapped with a chargesheet soon after his forum initiated court proceedings against the Navy.

Nath says he saw the construction work on the beach taking off on February 25 this year. Since then, he has been moving from pillar to post to "do my bit for the turtles. Thousands of them will be die if the museum comes up." So far, the efforts have brought only grief to the forum whose success story in saving the turtles in Vishakhapatnam – from a mere four a few years ago, their number has shot up to several hundred now – is too well known in and outside Andhra Pradesh.

In a written reply to queries put by The Indian Express, the Navy’s spokesperson Rajiv Chandoke said that it was unlikely marine life would like to nest itself in this area. (It was from here, however, that forest department had caught Nath’s men while "lifting" the turtles’ nest).

Chandoke further says that "the project is proceeding only after we obtained all environmental clearance. Indian Navy is extremely conscious of the need for environmental protection and will adhere to the conservation laws to the last word." If the Navy is to be believed, "the museum will promote awareness about maritime matters among the local population."

Pradeep Kumar Nath differs vehemently. He says he even met the Vice-Admiral but his pleas went unheard.

Strangely enough, Nath points out to The Indian Express, Navy happened to be one of the participants in a seminar held some time ago by the Wildlife Institute of India for the protection of sea turtles in this region. In the seminar, he says, "my statistics about the threat to turtles was supported by the Chief Wildlife Warden of Hyderabad who was also present there."

Nath refutes the Navy contention that there are no turtles nests in the disputed area. During a joint inspection of the site conducted on April 3, he says, "Forest Range Officer Sitapathi Rao, Deputy Range Officer Samrat and two forest guards were shown the nests near the site of the construction."

After this meeting, says Nath, he asked the forest officials to shift the two turtles’ nests which they had spotted there. Instead, the latter asked Nath to have them shifted. "And while we were doing it, the same forest department came hurtling down at us. Now we have been charged with damaging the nests," he held.

Olive Ridley Turtles, one of the most threatened species, come to nest at Vishakhapatnam from as far away as the Gulf of Mexico 20,000 kilometres away. Points out Nath: "These are the only sea turtles who live on fish. As such, they are a guiding light to the fishermen who put their nets accordingly. Being voracious eaters of star fish, a poisonous fish, they also play a significant role in the oceanic life cycle."

Last year alone, over 40,000 adult Ridley Turtles had died on the coasts of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, he adds.