J. Vinodh, a home guard in Kadapakkam on East Coast Road, has been assisting the police in patrolling the areas and checking vehicles during weekends. Now, he has learnt to collect eggs laid by Olive Ridley turtles and translocate them properly.

Mr. Vinodh was one of the 75 people who underwent training in protecting and conserving marine resources on Saturday. A total of 17 home guards, 20 forest watchers, six panchayat presidents and 31 sea turtle protection force volunteers underwent the training on Saturday.

Jebastian Emmnuel, a forest watcher who completed the training, will now take care of the coastal stretch between Napier Bridge and Lighthouse. He says: “Earlier, I did not know that when the weather is hot, adequate cover is needed around the spot where the eggs are translocated. I learnt this during the training.”

Forest department sources said a total of 15 field staff, including the wildlife headquarters range officer, underwent the training. The department has proposed to post five persons along the Marina stretch, and another five along the Besant Nagar stretch and along the east coast up to Mahabalipuram. These watchers will help local marine life conservationists to relocate the eggs, rescue stranded turtles along the coast and count dead Olive Ridley turtles.

Supraja Dharini of TREE Foundation said the training was scheduled just before the commencement of the nesting season of Olive Ridleys along the Chennai coast. The training focussed on the integrated sea turtle conservation programme, which is imparted in association with the wildlife wing of the State forest department, she said. Protocols, interaction and exchange of information on sea turtle monitoring and conservation methodologies were part of the training, she added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by P. Oppili / Chennai – December 21st, 2014