UDAIPUR,November 21 (TIWN): In the year 1998 MataBari Temple Advisory Committee decided to construct cemented embarkments on the banks of the Kalyan Sagar and since then so many environmentalists advised the temple advisory committee to bulldoze the cemented embarkments in order to save the rare species N-Nigricans turtles only found in the Kalyan Sagar of MataBari. But every time the temple authorities denied the suggestion given by the environmentalists and turtle experts.

And as a resulted of such unscientific planning of the advisory committee the rare species N-Nigricans turtles are now almost on the verge of extinction. Another turtle died in Kalyan Sagar on Friday morning and naturally like the others the dead body of the turtle was handed over to the authorities of Sipahijala Wild Life Natural Sanctuary.

      With this death the number of turtles died only in the year 2014 reached 8 but how ruthlessly the MataBari Temple Authorities, comprising MLA Madhab Saha as Chairman and DM Gomati Sonal Goel (by virtue of post) the Sevait , failed to respond to the suggestions given by the environmentalists, turtle experts and even by State Pollution Control Board . Whenever, any death of turtle occurs, administration as well as temple advisory committee show some urgency but that is with a purpose of beffoling the common people and the tourists and devotees to whom N-Nigricans turtles are as attractive as the Mata Tripurasundari temple . Again on Friday morning some people found a dead turtle floating on the water of Kalyan Sagar in the North-Eastern corner of the lake. Immediately administration was informed and after this the dead body of the turtle had been sent to Sipahijala Wild Life Sanctuary.

       On Friday night TIWN had a telephone chat with the Chief Wild Life Warden, PCCF A K Gupta who said," I have just got the news of the turtle's death from TRIPURAINFOWAY.com. But as of now I am not aware of the reasons behind the death as the postmortem report is yet to come out. For me it wont be possible to make any comment without getting the postmortem report." Meanwhile, Manager of MataBari temple Milan Debnath told TIWN," This year eight turtles already died. The postmortem report report of only one turtle reached so far. The report indicated that lack of suitable habitat and shortage of enough food resulted in the death of turtles." Thus, from the list mortem report itself it is clear that the turtles are now being compelled to live in most unhygienic condition. Moreover, the report also indicates that the authorities are not even careful about supplying adequate food to these rare species turtles.

        It is to be mentioned here that during his tenure as DFO Gomati Arun Kumar showed interests in turtles and it was due to his initiatives some steps were taken to protect these turtles. It was DFO Gomati Arun Kumar, who personally requested environmentalists and turtle experts to come and give their observatory reports as to how these turtles can be saved. Accordingly Dr Peter Praschag Director of Turtle Island from Austria(N-Nigricans turtle expert), US Environmentalists cum turtles experts Shannon DiRuzzo, Nancy Vaughan and Indian Environmentalist Rupali Ghosh visited MataBari in the month of June and had spent three days at Udaipur to observe the condtion of the turtles in Kalyan Sagar. The team of experts held meeting with the district administration and with in fifteen days of their visit submitted their reports to the state govt suggesting some immediate steps to be taken . But till date the district administration has not made any attempt as per their suggestions. One of the experts( on condition that the identity won't be revealed) informed TIWN," This indicates our observation was correct. We suggested to give enough food to the turtles. The quantity of food given to these turtles seemed to remind of a famine like situation where the food items are less but the consumers are quite large in numbers. Actually, these N-Nigricans turtles can't live with safety where fishes are existing. We have suggested the administration to shift the fishes to a near by pond. But it seems that our suggestions have been neglected. This is matting season and male dominating turtles will try to snatch as much food as possible but the female turtles are in need of adequate food. The problem is that the little bit of food given to these turtles are not at all sufficient and most of the times fishes in the lake consume these food leaving nothing for the turtles to eat. "  

      Even in the month of June the foreigh experts were shocked yo see the very little quantity of food given to the turtles. At that time the then DFO Gomati Arun Kumar was advised to look after the matter. Unfortunately within two months Arun Kumar was transferred from Gomati District and since then the turtles have none to look after them. Today's death of turtle categorically showed that the authorities conduct meeting in the name of saving the turtles. But out come of such meeting is simply zero. Only on 17th November a high level meeting was held to review the present condition of turtles and fishes in MataBari Kalyan Sagar and to find a way out to prevent future death. The meeting was attended by Science & Technology Minister Bijita Nath, DM Gomati Sonal Goel , SDM Udaipur Ajit Debnath, Sabhadhipati of Gonati Zila Parishad Suniti Saha,Chairman of Udaipur Municipal Council Manika Das, State Pollution Control Board Chairman Amitabha Debroy, former Chairman Mihir Deb and Environmentalist Prof Jyoti Prakash. And after that meeting Prof Jyoti Prakash told TIWN," Every time after deaths of turtles and fishes  such meetings are conducted. But none seems to learnt basics from these meetings. Unless the water of the lake is returned back into its earlier state, these rare species of turtles can only exist for a few days. The cemented embarkments of Kalyan Sagar must be bull dozzef on all banks; not only the areas near the hatcheries. Unless we pay attention to this, nothing will happen by arranging these meetings."