Two Appeals

Appeal from Salim Ali Foundation

Dear Readers,

Many of you might be aware of a Hydro-Electric Project that is scheduled to come up in the Athirappilly region. The Athirappilly - Vazhachal area in the southern Western Ghats of Kerala hosts a unique ecosystem of evergreen, riverine forests intermingled with Myristica swamps.

This ecosystem supports a large number of endemic, rare, threatened and endangered species of plants and animals. As science is still discovering many new species from the area, a hydro-electric project threatens to wipe out these forests.

The Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samithi (CPSS) has been at the forefront of much of the protests and activities against the dam with limited resources. The Sálim Ali Foundation has recently joined hands with them to help the cause.

We have recently made a website www.salimalifoundation.org, where we have attempted to collate information on the dam, the loss foreseen, the procedural flaws in the proposal, and activities scheduled with the help of CPSS.

We are planning a meeting of researchers who have worked in this region to collate all information available to make a strong case against the dam.

While many individuals and groups in the affected region have been campaigning against this dam, including organizing a 90 day satyagraha by the local people, the problem seems to be little known to people outside this region.

We are hence planning a series of meetings to increase public awareness regarding the same.
We are also hoping to raise some funds for such activities.

Support the Salim Ali Foundation

Wear a Salim Ali Foundation T shirt today!

The wildlife of Athirappilly - Vazhachal region will be grateful to you!

We are currently selling two t-shirts. The money you spend on buying a T shirt will go to save the wildlife of the Athirappilly - Vazhachal region.

The t-shirts showcase some wonderful art work done by leading wildlife artist Maya Ramaswamy. The diversity of birds and animals depicted in the art panels reflects their varied roles in the landscape, and typifies the complex and fragile ecosystem that is under threat by this dam today.

The 'Spectacular Birds' T-shirt

This is a mosaic of special birds- Malabar Pied Hornbill, Ceylon Frogmouth, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Black Baza, Crimson-backed Sunbird and Malabar Trogon that are found in the forests surrounding the proposed dam site.

The 'Cryptic Creatures' T-shirt

This is a lovely mosaic of some beautiful animals that live in this habitat.

The Malabar civet, Travancore flying squirrel, Nilgiri marten, slender loris, and the endangered cane turtle were once found in large numbers in the Athirappilly - Vazhachal area.

Today, their habitats are threatened and many of these animals are now on the list of critically endangered animals.

Please do visit our site today at www.salimalifoundation.org/to be done.html

There's loads of work to be done.

We would be very grateful to you for your support.

Sincerely

Dr V.S. Vijayan
Chairman,
Salim Ali Foundation

source: email communication from Bharath Sundaram, bharath@atree.org

Help Save Millions of Animals!

Millions of Animals to be Used to for Chemical Testing in Europe

A new European Chemical Testing Policy called REACH has now been finalised by the European Union.Under these proposals chemicals of every imaginable kind -from those used in industrial processes to the ingredients of consumer products - will be tested on millions of animals from mice to fish to dogs, causing untold suffering. Still worse, because of this reliance on outdated animal techniques, reliable and relevant information will not beprovided and our safety will not be assured.

If you believe that REACH should make more use of Alternative Testing to test 100,000 Chemicals that have been in general use since 1985 then please take action now. If you are a European citizen please contact your local papers and own MP asking them to promote the development of humane non-animal test methods under the REACH legislation,which is the best hope we have for sparing animals the misery of a testing laboratory.

A sample letter can be found at the BUAV (British Union forthe Abolition of Vivisection) website http://www.buav.org%20(select/ Campaigns and Chemical Testing and then get active by writing to the local press).

For all Non-European members, you can still help.

Please tell all your colleagues and friends in the UK and Europe about REACH. Write to your own local papers to try and inform others about what is going on in Europe.

More information on REACH can be obtained from

http://www.europarl.europa.eu. (search on REACH)http://www.euractiv.com/en/environment/chemicals-policy-review-reach/article-117452

Everyone can help and you can make a difference.

Thank You

Tony Gallett