Daily Archives: November 18, 2014

Goldsberry’s children back at Iravikulam

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature, World Opinion
From left, Goldsberry's children Margaret, Alison and Joanne with family. Inset on top: J.C. Goldsberry
From left, Goldsberry’s children Margaret, Alison and Joanne with family. Inset on top: J.C. Goldsberry

Munnar:

Iravikulam national park has managed to preserve its natural beauty even as the face of Munnar has changed rapidly. Margaret, Joanne and Alison could not hide their glee at that. The three are the children of J.C. Goldsberry, the British planter who worked hard to make Iravikulam a national park. Goldsberry, a nature lover stayed in Munnar for 29 years, and left the place in December 1976.

Iravikulam was earlier part of a tea plantation. The forest department took over the place in 1972 after the Wildlife Act came into force. Goldsberry, who was the company manager at that time, started efforts to make it a national park when it became clear that the company would lose its lands following the enactment of the Land Reforms Act in the state.

It was declared a national park in 1975, and Goldsberry came to be known as its father. Although tea shrubs were planted till Pettimudi in Munnar, Goldsberry had taken care to keep Iravikulam’s beauty intact by avoiding plantations at the 8,841 feet high Anamudi and its surroundings. He never rode his bike over the grasslands as he believed that would disturb the wild animals.

Goldsberry died at the age of 87 in England in 2007. His wife Elizabeth had died in 1997.

The eight-member group that visited Munnar, comprised Goldsberry’s daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren. They were here to see the national park that Goldsberry had helped make, and to share their childhood experiences. Margaret, Joanne and Alison are the fourth generation descendants of J.C.Abbot who came to Munnar in 1918 as a planter. Margaret’s husband Hamish Aldridge had also worked here as an assistant manager.

The group was given a warm welcome by Kannan Devan tea company and the Highrange Wildlife and Environmental Preservation Association (HRWEA). The tribal people from Lakkam and Kundala settlements also interacted with the group at the function held at KDH club.

National park

Iravikulam National Park extends between Vaguvarai and Nayamakkad tea estates on the Munnar-Marayoor route. Visitors are not allowed into the 92 square kilometer park, but the forest department has made arrangements to view the Nilgiri Tahrs at Rajamalai. Ninety-five percent of Iravikulam national park is grasslands and the rest are chola forests.

source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / OnManorama / Home> News> Kerala / by Manorama Correspondent / Sunday – November 16th, 2014

Aluva to get British-aided urban master plan soon

Green Initiatives & Environment, World Opinion

Will reduce impact of unplanned development

An urban master plan for Aluva municipality will be drawn up by March next with British aid.

The document will be prepared with the support of a British agency, Atkins. The British government will meet the expenses for preparing the document, Bharat Joshi, British Deputy High Commission, Chennai, said.

The civic representatives of Aluva and experts from various sectors had convened a two-day workshop at Kochi to finalise priority areas. The workshop was part of a project supported by the British High Commission to help Aluva minimise climate risks.

The Aluva project will address “long-term climate impacts and minimise short-term impacts of unplanned development, with an urban design framework. It will combine local city knowledge and international expertise to establish a framework to guide growth in an integrated manner to respond to the challenges of urbanisation, climate risks and impact on existing and future local communities,” according to the organisers.

Besides, the Aluva Municipal chairman M.T. Jacob and councillor Jebi Mather, Gregory Briffa, First Secretary, British High Commission, New Delhi and Roger Savage, director, Atkins, UK, were also present. Civic issues related to waste management, “uncontrolled development, general pollution, transportation and connectivity, inadequate water drainage system and the need to improve public spaces” were discussed. Deliberations on mitigating pollution of Periyar were also held.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by  K.S. Sudhi / Kochi – November 14th, 2014