Six endangered turtles found dead in Karwar, Honnavar beaches
Karwar: The plastic menace continues to threaten aquatic creatures, as an alarming increase in sea turtle deaths has been reported along Karnataka's coast. Over the past month, the carcasses of five critically endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (ORST) and one green turtle have been found washed ashore at Honnavar and Karwar. This year alone, Uttara Kannada district has reported at least 24 turtle deaths.
The remains of a green turtle and an ORST were found on the shores of Honnavar and highly decomposed ORST carcasses were seen on Karwar beach last week, as reported by Deccan Herald. Additionally, a hawksbill sea turtle carcass was reported in Karwar two months ago.
Forest department officials and marine experts have struggled to determine the exact causes of these deaths due to the high decomposition. However, previous postmortem reports have indicated that common causes of turtle deaths include ingestion of plastic or gunny bags, injuries from deep-sea fishing boat propellers, entanglement in fishing nets, and pulmonary infections.
Ravishankar, Karwar Deputy Conservator of Forests, noted that nearly all of the 24 turtle deaths this year, except for six reported this month, were caused by external factors, as reported by DH. To address the issue, the forest department is conducting workshops and reorientation programs for fishermen on how to handle and release turtles caught in nets. Ravishankar pointed out that while turtles are not consumed in this region, their chances of survival are significantly reduced if injured turtles are released back into the sea.
According to data from ReefWatch Marine Conservation, as cited by DH, approximately 90 percent of turtle deaths reported in Uttar Kannada district are attributed to human interventions and habitat destruction. Dr Manohar Nagre, a marine veterinarian with ReefWatch organsiation, highlighted issues such as net entanglements, plastic ingestion, blunt-force trauma, and pulmonary infections as major contributors to turtle mortality.
The beaches of Karwar and Honnavar are known for their significant numbers of ORST nesting sites. Female turtles typically arrive at these beaches every year between December and May to lay their eggs.
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
