Tree Felling and Bush Clearance in Kallang

(A letter sent to National Parks Board in Singapore)

16.11.2011

Dear Sir/Madam

I have observed that too many trees are being cleared when they seem healthy. This is around the Upper Boon Keng Area. And this morning the bushes lining the canal are all cleared. They are the natural habitats of many birds and creatures, and provide important nutrients to them as well.  I am a witness of the different species in this area, which are dwindling, as I walk through this area every day.

Please see more comments in this blog.

http://www.gaiadiscovery.com/mallika-gaiadiscovery-blogs/let-trees-stand.html

I would like a response from NParks on this matter.

Please stop felling trees and clearing bushes indiscriminately. They may be be indispensable to humans, but they certainly aren't to the birds and bees.

You can also have an idea of the pollution in this home video of mine.

http://youtu.be/Aju8c49hF64


Regards



Mallika NAGURAN (Ms)
Publisher & Managing Director, Gaia Publications



Animal Rights Demonstration Refused in Singapore

17.8.2010

Dear Mr Ng Joo Hee

Commissioner of Police, Singapore Police Force

I refer to the incident involving the arrest of Mr Edward Basse representing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA in Bedok, Singapore in June 2010. The incident was reported in several media such as The Straits Times and Asian Correspondent, please see:  http://us.asiancorrespondent.com/breakingnews/singapore-squashes-peta-chicken-pro.htm

Can the Singapore Police Force please clarify its rationale for not issuing the necessary permit to PETA to carry out its activity in public awareness? According to The Straits Times, PETA had prior to the date of planned demonstration submitted an application to the Singapore Police Force, but it was rejected. According to Asian Correspondent news report, "Basse had planned to don a chicken costume and hold signs saying "KFC: Stop Chicken Cruelty" to protest the treatment of chickens on farms and slaughterhouses." PETA decided to carry on with its mission of public information in spite of its inability to obtain a permit from the Singapore Police Force, which led to Mr Basse's forced removal from the scene through police arrest. 

The people of Singapore who in part, unfortunately, constitute gullible youths and media-charmed children deserve to be informed of unethical practices of commercial organisations, even if the method of awareness is the staging of public speaking or demonstrations at strategic, populous locations. This is to enable consumers and citizens including me - a Singapore citizen - to make an informed choice of our purchases and actions.

A copy of this letter and its reply will be posted on Gaia Discovery. 

Thank you.

Yours truly

Mallika NAGURAN (Ms) 

Managing Editor, Gaia Discovery 

Disallow Long Net Fishing in Singapore Rivers, Canals

(This letter was published in Today newspaper's website in Singapore)

2 April 2010

Dear Editor,

Of late hobby fishing has taken off along the Kallang canal. The methods include rod and line, small and long nets. The long nets can stretch across the width of the canal, up to 40m.

The long nets are getting more popular as they haul in larger quantities of fish at a quicker time. However, these nets are a hazard to the cleaner boats (see photos taken near Block 14 Upper Boon Keng Road this morning) as it jams the propeller. As rubbish of all sizes flow down the river, they are trapped by these nets making them hard and risky to pull out by the cleaners. The nets also trap other marine animals such as turtles and iguana, plus other fish species including juveniles. Fishing has contributed to greater pollution; more styrofoam, plastic bags and bottles are strewn into the river once the hobby has been served. Birds, including migratory ones, depend on the fishes for food. With pollution all round, the marine ecosystems and wildlife are being threatened.

The authorities should step in to curb this problem, and ban long net fishing altogether. I had written to the NEA three years ago complaining about the lack of rubbish bins along the canal, and repeated the problem to officers in person appealing for more bins (including recycle bins), but I have yet to see any improvement. Monitoring against littering is also needed. Perhaps our Permanent Resident Voluntary Constables can offer their valuable services to this matter.

Thank you.

Best regards


Mallika Naguran
Managing Editor, Gaia Discovery


Responsible Tourism Growth Needed in Singapore

(This letter to The Straits Times was not published)

6 March 2010

Dear Editor

I refer to a Prime News article in The Straits Times on 6 March 2010.  Singapore hopes to receive 17 million visitors by year 2015 and the government is gearing up the tourism industry to overcome the challenges involved in meeting this target. This, according to Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Education S. Iswaran, refers to not just investments in hardware infrastructure but also transformation and adaptation to "emerging competitive challenges".

Tourism industry globally contributes to economic growth but not without harm to the environment. Tourism's share of global warming has been said to be 12.5 percent, of which aviation alone contributes 5 percent. It has been forecast that carbon emissions from tourism will grow by 162 percent in the period 2005-2035. The tourism industry should thus play a responsible role in reducing its carbon footprint by considering environmentally-friendly processes, systems and solutions.  Areas that can be looked into include office administration, event management, travel and transportation, food and catering, efficiencies in water, waste and energy, and the offer of carbon offset schemes.

Information on various aspects of sustainable tourism, education, training and certification can be found on websites such as The International Ecotourism Society (http://www.ecotourism.org), Green Globe or Earth Check (www.earthcheck.org), and Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (http://www.crctourism.com.au).

For Asian models of sustainable hospitality operations and to participate in a recognition programme, hoteliers can refer to the not-for-profit WildAsia's Responsible Tourism Award (www.wildasia.org).


Thank you.

Best regards

Mallika Naguran
Managing Editor, Gaia Discovery

Three Oil & Gas Board of Directors in Singapore's National Environment Agency

 17 February 2010

Mr Andrew Tan, CEO, National Environment Agency

I am writing to enquire about the National Environment Agency of Singapore's (NEA) criteria in its selection of advisors that serve as Board Directors.

I note that there are two Shell personnel: Mr Warren Fernandez, Regional Director, Communication Strategy, Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Shell Eastern Petroleum Ptd Ltd and Dr Philip Choi, President, Shell International Eastern Trading Company. Another Board Director is from the oil & gas industry as well, Mr Daniel Ee Hock Huat, Chairman, Gas Supply Pte Ltd.

The other eight members, including the Chairman and yourself, come from sectors that represent investment, business consultancy, health, trade, transport, government and employability.  Board Members representing fossil-fuel powered energy companies and trade constitute nearly 30% of the collective voice and decision-making in NEA, Singapore's statutory board with regulatory powers and jurisdiction on the many aspects of the environment - land, sea and sky.

There are no specialists in clean energy or renewable energy serving on the Board, and there seems to be a gap where reputable environmentalists, ecologists and scientists can play a bigger role.

It leaves open the question as to whether the interests of Singapore in its drive towards greater environmental sustainability are adequately represented, not just in terms of meeting its ambitious targets set out in the the Sustainable Development Blueprint but setting a whole new direction altogether as we head towards unprecedented environmental challenges in global warming and adverse climate change while tackling local issues. The real challenge is adaptation towards what is to come, beyond mitigation.

I look forward to your reply. 

Thank you.

Best regards

Mallika Naguran

Managing Editor, Gaia Discovery

Managing Director, Gaia Discovery Eco Solutions

Mobile: +65 9663 7289 Skype: malgaia 15 Upper Boon Keng Road #15-1067 Singapore 380015

Gaia Discovery environmental web publication reaches out to readers from 150 countries monthly. www.gaiadiscovery.com 

Gaia Discovery Eco Solutions helps businesses go green. www.gaiadiscovery.com/eco-solutions

ps. A copy of this correspondence will be posted on Gaia Discovery.  http://www.gaiadiscovery.com/letters

Update on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 03:24PM by Gaia Discovery

(The response to the letter above was received on 20 Feb 2010.)

Dear Ms Naguran

     We refer to your email of 17 Feb 2010.

     NEA  Board  Members are appointed by the Minister for the Environment
     and  Water Resources (MEWR), in consultation with the Board Chairman.
     The  composition  of  NEA  Board  Members is reviewed periodically to
     ensure  a  good representation of members with professional expertise
     from various relevant industries as well as the public sector.

     The  current  panel of Board Members were appointed on two-year terms
     to  provide views and guidance to NEA, drawing on their expertise and
     experience  in areas such as health, finance, transportation, energy,
     social  science  and  public  administration. Mr Warren Fernandez was
     with  the Straits Times at the point of his appointment.  He left the
     Straits  Times  to  join  Shell  to  take  up a public communications
     portfolio during his 2-year term.

     Besides the Board, NEA also consults and works closely with a variety
     of  stakeholders,  organisations  and  industry  associations.  These
     include   the   Singapore  Environment  Council;  Sustainable  Energy
     Association of Singapore; Waste Management & Recycling Association of
     Singapore;  Singapore  Packaging Agreement Governing Board; Singapore
     Pest   Management   Association;  Singapore  Hotels  Association  and
     Singapore  Chemical  Industry  Council,  to  name  just  a few.  More
     recently,  NEA  has  also engaged the media through a resource panel.
     This  approach has served us well in getting a balanced mix of views.

     We thank you for your interest in NEA.

     Regards

     Bashir Ahmad
     Board Secretary


Bashir Ahmad. Deputy Director. Policy Department . National Environment
Agency . DID +65 6731 9105 . Fax +65 67319 922