Sikkim alerts tour operators to bio-pirates - US and UK nationals collect seeds of plants without permission, says forest department

Nirmal Mangar, TT, Gangtok, Jan. 11: The Sikkim tourism department has issued an advisory to all tourism stakeholders, alerting them to two foreign nationals who are allegedly involved in bio-piracy.

The alert issued by the joint director of the tourism department, M.K. Pradhan, on January 9, attaches a letter written to it by the principal chief conservator of forest-cum- secretary of Sikkim, Thomas Chandy.

The letter by Chandy names T.D. Atkinson from the United Kingdom, who is into apparent online sale of seeds of various plants collected from different areas of Sikkim, including protected areas and reserve forests, without permission. The letter also names Jhon Mood from Hawai, US, who is expected to visit the north eastern states, including Sikkim, to collect rare and endemic plants for genetic works without approval from the Government of India.

Forest department sources said Atkinson and Mood were working independently and there was no link between them.

When The Telegraph checked the website (http://www.rhodogroup-rhs.org) run by Atkinson, the names of some rhododendron species such as Decaisnea fargesii, Deutzia stamine and Elsholtzia flava were found listed in the seeds up for sale. The website mentions the names of locations in Sikkim like Lachen, Lachung and Namchi and others forested areas from where the seeds had been procured. Atkinson runs a company namely- Rhododendron, Camellia and Magnolia group from the UK.

"We have come to know from intelligence sources that Atkinson has been selling seeds collected from Sikkim forests. According to the Sikkim Biodiversity Act, such activity is illegal. We have been informed that Atkinson may enter Sikkim again. Collection of any form of forest product, flora or fauna, without government permission is a blatant violation of the existing laws of the state and the country and constitutes bio-piracy. Such infringements can be punishable by a prison term up to five years," said the forest secretary.

Chandy's letter doesn't say if Mood has already visited Sikkim and just states he might come to the state for collecting rare and endemic plants for genetic works.

According to the previous records of tourism department at Melli and Rangpo, Akinson travelled to Sikkim in 2012 and 2013. "We cannot rule out that the man has taken the help from local people. There are people who collect wild flowers and insects, specially butterflies, and sell them to tourists," said a senior forest department officer.

Chandy, in his letter, also said the current practice of issuing permits to tour operators by the tourism department for entry of visitors to the protected areas of the state without obtaining prior permission from the forest department needed to be changed.

"The present system whereby the tourism department issues permit first and then the operators approach the Forest Department for issue of permission to visit Sikkim forests do not seem feasible to check bio-piracy" the letter reads.