FISHERMEN UNITE AGAINST TURTLE SANCTUARY IN NORTHERN INDIA

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 3:22

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS BBC

Fishermen unite against turtle sanctuary in northern India.

Fishermen in Varanasi city of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh question the very existence of a Turtle sanctuary on River Ganges and say that the sanctuary negatively impacts river Ganges.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

SHOWS:

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JANUARY 30, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. FISHERMEN CONGREGATION IN PROCESS

2. A FISHERMAN SPEAKING

3. FISHERMEN SITTING

4. FISHERMEN

5. A FISHERMAN SPEAKING

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) VINOD KUMAR SAHANI, LEADER OF FISHERMEN COMMUNITY GROUP 'MAA GANGA NISHAD RAJ SEVA SAMITHI', VARANASI, SAYING: "Because of this Turtle Sanctuary, the width of River Ganges is reducing and the fishermen are suffering most. There have been restrictions put on fishing. Steamers of different government bodies including Forest department are on operation in the Ganges water. They are getting licenses to bring their steamers on the water although motor boats have been banned since 2002. The government does not understand the fact that river Ganges is negatively affected due to the sanctuary. Silt deposits will ruin River Ganges."

7. BANKS OF RIVER GANGES

8. BOAT ON RIVER GANGES

9. A PADDLE SWIFTS THROUGH THE WATER

10. A FISHERMAN ROWING HIS BOAT

11. RIVER GANGES

12. BOAT WADING THROUGH THE WATER

13. A PADDLE CUTS THROUGH THE WATER SURFACE

14. RIVER BANK

15. SILT DEPOSITS ON THE BANKS

16. HORSES ON THE RIVER BANK

17. SILT DEPOSITS

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SHYAM KUMAR PANDEY, A PRIEST AT THE VARANASI BANKS, SAYING: "The truth about the turtle sanctuary is that there are no turtles here in the first place. The sanctuary is in place for more than ten years; the biggest negative impact of the sanctuary has been that the beauty of Ganges banks is getting badly affected. The sand deposit on the banks is increasing day by day. There are no turtles at all in the waters. I am a regular visitor of the Ganges and there is not even one turtle. The beauty is also being affected of the banks along with width of the river stream is also reducing. My request will be that the forest department should come and seriously look into the turtles' presence in the waters."

19. HUGE SILT DEPOSITS ON THE BANKS OF RIVER GANGES

STORY: Fishermen in Varanasi city of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh highlighted the issue of how a Turtle sanctuary negatively impacts River Ganges at a fishermen congregation on Sunday (January 30).

The fishermen claim that there are no turtles present in the River; instead the sanctuary has led to huge silt deposits on the banks which is constantly reducing the width of the River.

"Because of this Turtle Sanctuary, the width of River Ganges is reducing and the fishermen are suffering most. There have been restrictions put on fishing. Steamers of different government bodies including Forest department are on operation in the Ganges water. They are getting licenses to bring their steamers on the water although motor boats have been banned since 2002. The government does not understand the fact that river Ganges is negatively affected due to the sanctuary. Silt deposits will ruin River Ganges," said Vinod Kumar Sahani, leader of Fishermen community group, 'Maa Ganga Nishad Raj Seva Samithi, Varanasi'.

The community now intends to file a Right to Information complaint against the Forest Department questioning the very existence of the turtle sanctuary.

Shyam Kumar Pandey, a priest at the Varanasi banks, supported the fisher community's plea adding that the officials of Forest Department should survey the area as presence of turtles in the river is questionable.

"The truth about the turtle sanctuary is that there are no turtles here in the first place. The sanctuary is in place for more than ten years; the biggest negative impact of the sanctuary has been that the beauty of Ganges banks is getting badly affected. The sand deposit on the banks is increasing day by day. There are no turtles at all in the waters. I am a regular visitor of the Ganges and there is not even one turtle. The beauty is also being affected of the banks along with width of the river stream is also reducing. My request will be that the forest department should come and seriously look into the turtles' presence in the waters," said Pandey.

The turtle sanctuary in River Ganges was declared in 1989 under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, in a seven-km stretch of the River stretch in Varanasi.