Another wild animal faces extinction
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 19 — Much to the dismay of nature lovers, ''chiru'', the rare Tibetan antelope found in the Tibetan plateau across the Himalayas, is facing extinction as 20,000 of these poor animals are being killed by poachers annually for obtaining fine quality wool used for making the luxurious ''shahtoosh'' or ring shawls known for their warmth and light weight.

''Shahtoosh'' shawls, synonymous with royal grace and prestige, are made by highly skilled weavers in Kashmir from the wool from the underfleece of "chiru", listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection Act) since 1972 as a protected animal. But the fact was that the population of the endangered Tibetan antelope had been declining rapidly in the region as it was being killed in big numbers for its costly wool, said a report prepared by the TRAFFIC-India, a programme division of the World Wide Fund for Nature India (WWF India) engaged in monitoring trade and utilisation of wild plants and animals.

According to the report, citing an official Chinese analysis, nearly 20,000 antelopes of an estimated total population of 50,000 to 70,000, are being killed by poachers every year, thus leading the animal species towards extinction. The analysis has been based on confiscated pelts, wool and discarded carcasses in the region.

Another factor, which is responsible for dwindling population of the antelope, is frequent disturbance and interruption of original migratory routes and reproduction by the poaching activity, the report says, adding that unabated sale of ''shahtoosh'' shawls manufactured in Jammu and Kashmir, despite the animal having been listed in Schedule II of the J&K Wildlife (Protection) Act making the manufacture and trade of ''shahtoosh'' as illegal, is another reason of poaching.

So much so that despite an international ban on the commercial trade and of sale of "shahtoosh" by the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) shawls made of it are freely available in Delhi shops and emporia, including the government-owned Central Cottage Industries Emporium, and also surface in other winters markets in the Capital occasionally. The seizure of wool of the animal has been a routine affair in India, but raids have failed to deter poachers and others indulging in the trade.

Huge quantities of wool ranging from 100 to 400 kg were seized during 1993-94 and till date more that 350 shawls have been seized in India. China has confiscated 190 furs, 189 shawls, 1,600 ''chiru' skins, 548 heads, 18 vehicles, 2,000 rounds of ammunition and rifles and apprehended 66 poachers in April and May this year, but still the trade is thriving in the region, the report, calling for a greater focus on the problem, says.

TRAFFIC-India feels that the "shahtoosh" shawl industry has been endangering ''chiru'' in the wild for its high demand, which is evident from the increasing consumption of the wool. "While in the early 19th century the annual consumption of 'asal toosh' did not exceed 540 kg (equivalent to the wool drawn from 3,600 animals at the rate of 150 gm per animal), the current annual consumption is about 3,000 kg (equivalent to the wool obtained from some 20,000 animals, rendering the species clearly unsustainable, the report says.

TRAFFIC-India has also contested the traders' viewpoint that "shahtoosh" is procured from ''ibex'', a goat called "chiru", and the common belief that the wool used to make shawls is shed wool collected off bushes. "None of the opinions has any base," says the report, adding that the animal is being killed for wool. It also feels concerned that though the Ministry of Environment and Forests has written to the J&K Chief Minister to ban the trade of "shahtoosh" by protecting the animal under Schedule 1 of the J&K Wildlife (Protection) Act, nothing has been done in this direction so far.

Slump in real estate prices continues
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 19 — Last month when just three of the 25 shop-cum-office (SCO) sites located in the Sector 9 market could be auctioned by the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, signs of the continuing slump in the property prices were ominous. Even booths in the same market could be bought in an auction for prices that were ''considerably low'' for that sector.

A boom that had fuelled the real estate market between 1993 and 1996 is nowhere to be seen. And now a revival is also not seen in the immediate future, predict old-timers in the trade. The decline started as the ''high price'' bubble burst when shaky governments were at the Centre.

Today prices, say sources in the real estate sector, are one of the lowest since militancy ended in Punjab. After culling information from various sources one good thing has emerged: no financiers or property dealers are buying property with an eye to make a fast buck by selling it off within a few months at a higher premium. This had been common practice in the past. Be it residential or commercial property, the buyer today is genuine and a rare deal is for speculative purposes, points out Mr Amarjit Singh Sethi, patron-in-chief of the Property Consultants Association, Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali. Leading real estate agents point to several factors behind the continuing slump in the city.

Even rents of commercial property are falling as companies are cutting costs and opting for cheaper alternatives. Some are known to have deputed their liaison persons who operate from homes. Others are known to use a room in the house of a manager-level person to run the operations.

Rent of bigger residential properties is nowhere near what it was three years ago. Interestingly, the sale of small property — a phrase commonly used for 14 marla, 10 marla, eight marla and five marla houses or CHB flats — has also slipped from the boom times. This segment is one that is less affected by such slumps. And this aspect shows how Punjab farmers, who were known to be keen investors in small residential property, have not been investing now, says Mr Sethi.

Mr Bhupinder Singh Kohli, a property dealer, says the various government projects are lying pending due to the resource crunch. Such projects bring in new companies and their staff that leads to an increase in rent of commercial as well as residential properties. The decline, in Mr Kohli’s opinion, is a worldwide trend.

Mr Sethi opines that the non-resident Indian (NRI) is not investing in property. The general feeling is that the US dollar is appreciating much faster against the rupee than the rise in property prices. Sources say the situation is so bad that a leading Indian company bought a showroom in Sector 8 in an auction at Rs 2.83 crore. Four years since then and now the adjacent showroom has been sold at Rs 1crore less.

Similarly, a four-kanal (2000 sq yds) house in Sector 5 was going for Rs 2.25 crore and the seller held back the property. Now no one is offering more than Rs 1.70 crore, says a dealer while protecting the identity of his client.

Property dealers say the introduction of the permanent account number (PAN) card of the Income Tax Department for buying the real estate has forced the financiers out of the business. But this has not affected the genuine buyer who is buying property for personal needs. As per the law the PAN number or a declaration under form 60 is mandatory even when buying property.

The boom may not be evident for some more time and seemingly, advises Mr Sethi, this is the best time to buy property and the worst if someone is looking for more money.