Tonka beach gets its first Olive Ridley turtle nest this season

However, local fishermen and private port officials continue to fight overlaying of asphalt road at the proposed site at Kasarkod Tonka.

Hubballi: Amidst the ongoing tussle between the local fishermen and labourers employed by the Honnavar Port Private Ltd (HPPL), for the laying of an asphalted road at Kasarkod Tonka in Uttara Kannada district's Honnavar, a female Olive Ridley Sea Turtle silently crawled on to the sandy beaches and laid her eggs on Tuesday night.

This is the first female turtle to lay her eggs at Tonka beach this season. Forest Department’s Honnavar Range has recorded 10 nesting sites at Pavinakurve and Halidupur beaches so far. The nesting season for the sea turtle spans from December to March.

The officials also allayed the fears of locals that the eggs might have been damaged following unseasonal rains that lashed the region a fortnight ago. Honnavar Range Forest Officer Vikram R N said all the 10 nests are safe as we have taken extra precautions by covering the nests with plastic sheets.

The nesting site at Kasarkod Tonka has become a bone of contention between the local fishermen and the HPPL.

A private port is being proposed at Kasarkod Tonka on the estuaries of the Sharavathi River. HPPL has received all the permission from the State and Central authorities and has also received conditional approvals from the Karnataka High Court and National Green Tribunal for laying a 2.1 km long asphalt road connecting the port area with National Highway 66.

However, local fishermen are opposing the work on port claiming it would not only affect their livelihood but also adversely impact the fragile ecosystem at the beach.

In the last 10 days, the local fishermen and the labourers deployed by the HPPL have clashed twice and cases have been booked against both the parties. Fishermen are charging that the port officials have deployed rowdy-sheeters to evacuate the fishermen's families.

HPPL Executive Director Raghavendra Reddy has been claiming that locals are creating hurdles for the development works by "planting the turtle eggs" at the port area. “We have video records to prove that locals have been placing the turtle eggs at the site. We have given this evidence to concerned forest officials,” he said.

However, Vikram said on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday the female turtle naturally came to the shores of Kasarkod tonka and laid its eggs. “There is no foul play. We have recorded the turtle movements at the beach,” he said.

HPPL Executive Director Raghavendra Reddy said despite getting all the clearances and approval from the government agencies and courts they have been made to run from pillar to post to execute their work.

Reddy said his company would be forced to demand huge compensation at the arbitrary if the State government fails to implement the project.