The once lush forests of Coorg are on the verge of disappearing due to a water crisis. But a small group's crusade to arrest this abuse may just save the forest, finds Madhuri Velegar K


THE Save Animals Initiative (SAI) Sanctuary tucked away in a village in Coorg, near the Nilgiri mountains, reminds you of a picture postcard. Tall, flowering trees with huge canopies, an orchard of banana and jackfruit trees, a sparkling river with butterflies, birds, turtles, deer and elephants are all part of this stunning forest. It's a natural sanctuary now maintained by conservationists Pamela and Anil Malhotra, their friend Tara Chander and a group of professionals who came in as trustees from all over the world to do their bit for the environment.

Anil, an alumnus of Doon School and the London School of Economics, had dabbled in a bunch of businesses including film distribution and starting a restaurant in Boston, before he settled in Coorg. An environment enthusiast while overseas, he worked with Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, Nature Conservancy, etc. His wife, Pamela, a doctor and consultant for Johnson & Johnson, and Tara, a school principal from Hawaii, have spent the last 10 years on the conservation project for the forests near Coorg.

Says Anil, "Depletion of water resources due to deforestation is a serious issue. The United Nations named 2003, 'the year of clean water' and 2004, 'the year of fresh water'. Clearly, water resources are heading for a serious crisis, unless we take action to prevent it."

"The entire project is estimated to cost approximately Rs 2 crores," reveals Pamela, "but even if we get sponsors for a few of the projects that will help conserve our forests, and save our water bodies, we need to act on them now. We've put in our personal savings, almost Rs one crore with the help of trustees, to begin the SAI sanctuary, but more funding is required if the forests near Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai are to be saved. These are some of UN-declared 25 hot zones of biodiversity in the world. River otters, barking deer and the Bengal tiger are some of the species that are struggling to survive here. Expansion of the sanctuary is critical to save what we are left with. It's our only chance for survival."

Save Our Planet
The SAI Sanctuary team's initiatives include:
• Acquiring private forest land and preserving it.
• Paying landowners in South India to protect and maintain trees on their land.
• Planting 1,00,000 trees on private land and in the national forests like the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Mumbai or Nargarhole, Karnataka. These projects also provide employment for hundreds of poor tribals.
• Constructing small cottages for labourers and tribals.
• Creating ponds to provide drinking water for wildlife, especially for elephants.
• Planting food islands for the animals, so they don't have to seek food in the villages or on private lands, destroying crops or endangering human lives in the process.
• Construction of greenhouses to grow medicinal plants, educating tribals and villagers about them. Providing veterinary services.

What You Can Do?
If you want to help the SAI sanctuary, contact Anil or Pamela at
SAI Santuary Trust,
Theralu Village and Post,
South Kodagu District,
Karnataka
Tel: 08274 425022 and Fax: 08274 425021

Any donations to the trust are tax deductable under section 80 G of the Income Tax Act
To volunteer in a sanctuary close to your city, contact:
Ecomantra Nature Awareness and Travel
Gala No.119, 5A,
Mittal Industrial Estate, Sakinaka,
Andheri East, Mumbai
Samrakshan Trust
Arpan Sharma
E-314, Anandlok,
Mayur Vihar Phase I
New Delhi
Tel.: 011 2279 5088 Fax: 011 2275 1907
Email: arpan@samrakshan.org
Web site: www.samrakshan.org
Nature's Beckon,
Ward No1, Datta Bari,
Dhubri - 783301, Assam.
Tel: 03662 - 031067.