It sounds unbelievable but true the Orissa government allocated just Rs1,000 in its budget earlier this year for conserving the Olive Ridley turtle, an endangered species. It is said that the allocation itself is in response to long-pending demands from the state’s wildlife department and various non-governmental organisations such as Greenpeace. Last year, some 6.93 lakh female turtles came ashore on the various beaches of Orissa to lay their eggs in the sand.
Asking about the comment the officials said that funds from other sources are available to help this endangered species. Deputy conservator of forest, Dillip Swain informed that they arrange and divert money from different sources to carry out programmes for turtle conservation. The Centre too sends grants to protect the reptiles. Putting the figures together, officials say they have about Rs35 lakh to help the turtles.
Wildlife activists want the government to put in more resources and effort. Sanjiv Gopal, oceans campaign manager, Greenpeace India, condemn that the budgetary allocation of Rs1,000 only shows the level of importance the government attaches to the endangered turtles. He told that the government should allocate Rs70 lakh to save the turtles. Meanwhile, the turtle eggs have begun to hatch at the three major nesting grounds at Gahirmatha, the Devi river mouth in Puri district, and the Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district.
Those that survive often fall prey to human activities, such as fishing trawlers. Though the state government has banned all types of fishing by trawlers within 20 km from the seashore near the nesting sites from November 1 to May 31, many trawlers disobey this law.
