Role of ASHA and ANM

One of the key components of the National Rural Health Mission is to provide every village in the country with a trained female community health activist  'ASHA'  or Accredited Social Health Activist. Selected from the village itself and accountable to it, the ASHA will be trained to work as an interface between the community and the public health system. Following are the key components of ASHA: 

• ASHA must primarily be a woman resident of the village  married/ widowed/ divorced, preferably in the age group of 25 to 45 years.
• She should be a literate woman with formal education up to class eight. This may be relaxed only if no suitable person with this qualification is available.
• ASHA will be chosen through a rigorous process of selection involving various community groups, self-help groups, Anganwadi Institutions, the Block Nodal officer, District Nodal officer, the village Health Committee and the Gram Sabha.
• Capacity building of ASHA is being seen as a continuous process. ASHA will have to undergo series of training episodes to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and confidence for performing her spelled out roles.
• The ASHAs will receive performance-based incentives for promoting universal immunization, referral and escort services for Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) and other healthcare programmes, and construction of household toilets.
• Empowered with knowledge and a drug-kit to deliver first-contact healthcare, every ASHA is expected to be a fountainhead of community participation in public health programmes in her village.
• ASHA will be the first port of call for any health related demands of deprived sections of the population, especially women and children, who find it difficult to access health services.
• ASHA will be a health activist in the community who will create awareness on health and its social determinants and mobilise the community towards local health planning and increased utilisation and accountability of the existing health services.
• She would be a promoter of good health practices and will also provide a minimum package of curative care as appropriate and feasible for that level and make timely referrals.
• ASHA will provide information to the community on determinants  of health such as nutrition, basic sanitation & hygienic practices, healthy living and working conditions, information on existing health services and the need for timely utilisation of health & family welfare services.
• She will counsel women on birth preparedness, importance of safe delivery, breast-feeding and complementary feeding, immunization, contraception and prevention of common infections including Reproductive Tract Infection/Sexually Transmitted Infections (RTIs/STIs) and care of the young child.
• ASHA will mobilise the community and facilitate them in accessing health and health related services available at the Anganwadi/sub-centre/primary health centers, such as immunisation, Ante Natal Check-up (ANC), Post Natal Check-up supplementary nutrition, sanitation and other services being provided by the government.
• She will act as a depot older for essential provisions being made available to all habitations like Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORS), Iron Folic Acid Tablet(IFA), chloroquine, Disposable Delivery Kits (DDK), Oral Pills & Condoms, etc.
• At the village level it is recognised that ASHA cannot function without adequate institutional support. Women's committees (like self-help groups or women's health committees), village Health & Sanitation Committee of the Gram Panchayat, peripheral health workers especially ANMs and Anganwadi workers, and the trainers of ASHA and in-service periodic training would be a major source of support to ASHA.

Support Mechanism for ASHA 

• The Government of India has set up an ASHA Mentoring Group comprising of leading NGOs and well known experts on community health. Similar mentoring groups at the State/District/Block levels could be set up by the States to provide guidance and advise on matter relating to selection, training and support for ASHA.
• As ASHA will be in the village on a permanent basis, she should be selected carefully through the process laid down in the first set of ASHA guidelines. 
• The guidelines already issued on ASHA envisage a total period of 23 days training in five episodes. 
• Now, that ASHAs have been selected, the next step would be to familiarize her with the health status of the villagers and facilitate her adoption to the village conditions. 
• The Gram Panchayat will be involved in supporting ASHAs in her work. 
• A village health register is maintained by the AWW which is not always complete.
• All State Governments are presently organizing monthly Health and Nutrition day in every village (Anganwadi centers) with the help of AWW/ANM. ASHA along with AWW should mobilize women, children and vulnerable population for the monthly health day activities like immunization, careful assessment of nutritional status of pregnant/lactating women, newborn & children, ANC/PNC and other health check-ups of women and children, taking weight of babies and pregnant women etc. and all range of other health activities. 
• ASHA would be required to interact with SHG Groups, if available in the villages, along with AWW, so that a work force of women will be available in all the villages. 
• ANM should have a monthly meeting with the ASHAs stationed (5-6 ASHAs) in the villages of her work area at the Anganwadi Centre during the monthly Health and Nutrition Day to assess the quality of their work and provide them guidance.
• The Medical Officer In-charge of the PHC will hold a monthly meeting which would be attended by ANM and ASHAs, LHVs and Block Facilitator. 
• A meeting of ASHA could be organized on the day monthly meetings are organized at the PHC level to avoid unnecessary travel expenditure and wastage of time.
• In addition to monthly meetings at PHC, periodic retraining of ASHAs may be held for two days once in every alternate month where interactive sessions will be held to help then to refresh and upgrade their knowledge and skills, as provided for in the original guidelines for ASHA.
• At the block level, the BMO will be in overall charge of ASHA related activities.
• Officials in the ICDS should be fully involved in ASHAs activities and their support should be provided for at every level i.e. PHCs, CHCs, District Society etc. 
• Periodic surveys are envisaged under NHM in every village to assess the improvement brought about by ASHA and other interventions. 
• The District Health Mission in its meetings will specially assess the progress of selection of ASHAs, their training and orientation, usefulness to the villages etc. 
• The success of NHM to great extent depends on performance of ASHA and her linkage with functional health system. 
• The States may take appropriate steps to locally adopt these guidelines and make the ASHA scheme a complete success.

ROLE of  Auxilliary Nurse Midwives (ANM)

• Holding weekly / fortnightly meeting with ASHA to discuss the activities undertaken during the week/fortnight.
• Acting as a resource person, along with Anganwadi Worker (AWW), for the training of ASHA.
• Informing ASHA about date and time of the outreach session and also guiding her to bring the prospective beneficiaries to the outreach session.
• Participating and guiding in organising Health Days at Anganwadi Centre.
• Taking help of ASHA in updating eligible couples register of the village concerned.
• Utilising ASHA in motivating the pregnant women for coming to Sub-Centre for initial check-ups.
• ASHA helps ANMs in bringing married couples to Sub-Centres for adopting family planning.
• Guiding ASHA in motivating pregnant women for taking full course of iron folic acid (IFA) tablets and TT injections, etc.
• Orienting ASHA on the dose schedule and side affects of oral pills.
• Educating ASHA on danger signs of pregnancy and labour so that she can timely identify and help beneficiary in getting further treatment.
• Informing ASHA about date, time and place for initial and periodic training schedule. ANM would also ensure that during the training ASHA gets the compensation for performance and also TA/DA for attending the training.....

The NRHM  seeks to provide minimum two ANMs (against one at present) at each Sub-Centre, as one ANM at a sub-centre has not been found adequate to attend to the complete needs of maternal and child care in any village. The Government of India would support the second ANM for appointment on contract basis and apart from fulfilling the other criteria she must be a resident of a village falling under the jurisdiction of the Sub-Centre. The intention is to improve accountability at the local level..

The second ANM would not be transferred before completion of 10 years at the same Sub-Centre and would not be a substitute for Male Health Worker (MHW). An untied fund of Rs.10,000/- per Sub-Centre per annum is being provided by opening a joint account of the ANM and Sarpanch, to meet the emergency type expenditures and to ensure that lack of drugs and other consumables is not an issue.

Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)

The Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) one of the Flagship programme of Ministry of Rural Development is under implementation by the Department of Land Resources since 2009-10 after integrating three area development programmes namely 

• Desert Development Programme (DDP), 
• Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) and 
• Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP), 

for development of rainfed/ degraded land in the country.

Why IWMP:

Around 60% of cultivated area across India is rain-fed. Besides, these areas are also blighted by poverty, water scarcity, low productivity, malnutrition and prone to severe land degradation. The watershed development programme has been adopted as a tool to address problems of the rain-fed or degraded areas in the country.

What are the aims of IWMP ?

The main aims of IWMP are harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water; prevention of soil run-off; rain water harvesting and recharging of the ground water table; increasing the productivity of crops; introduction of multi-cropping and diverse agro-based activities; promoting sustainable livelihoods and increasing the household incomes. 

Key Points of IWMP:

• Launched in 2009-10 by the integration of various area development programmes of the Department of Land Resources, including the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), the Desert Development Programme (DDP) and the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP).
• The 12th Plan allocates the programme an additional Rs. 29,296 crore.
• Cost sharing ratio of Central Government : State Government = 90 : 10
• 9% of the project cost is earmarked for development of livelihoods for asset-less people
• 10% of the project cost is for productivity enhancement and development of micro-enterprises for small & marginal farmers.
• An average size of project under the IWMP is about 5,000 ha which is cluster of micro-watersheds.
• A portion of institution &capacity building (5% of the total project cost) has been provided to set up institutional mechanism at State, District, Project and Village levels and to build capacities of stakeholders.
• It also entails involvement of primary stakeholders in the form of grassroots community organisations.
• Integerated watershed development programme

What  benefits can be accrued from IWMP ?

The benefits that are expected to accrue under the IWMP include increase in availability of surface water & groundwater, changes in cropping pattern from one to two crops annually, increase in fodder availability and increase in milk yield, increase in agriculture productivity and increase in employment opportunities and household income.

What is the role of Gram Panchayat in IWMP ?

In the IWMP, Gram Panchayat has been effectively involved to perform important function at Village / Watershed level to keep transparency and peoples participations.  The main functions to be performed by GramPanchayat are :

To supervise , support and advise Watershed Committee (WC); Authenticate accounts / expenditure of WC and other institutions of Watershed Projects; Facilitate convergence of other programmes; Maintain asset register / watershed projects to retain it after the project; Provide office accommodation and other requirements to WC and  Allocate usufruct rights to deserving User Groups /Self Help Groups over the assets created. 

Expected Benefits of IWMP:

The benefits include increase in availability of surface water & groundwater, changes in cropping pattern from one to two crops annually, increase in fodder availability and increase in milk yield, increase in agriculture

What are Flagship Programmes:

Flagship programmes derive their origin from the term flagship which is the main or most important ship of a country’s navy and is symbolic of the main thrust of the nation’s developmental policy. Major Flagship programmes of the Government of India are:

Bharat Nirman: The objective of the Bharat Nirman Programme is to give top priority to rural infrastructure by setting time-bound goals under various schemes to develop rural housing, rural roads, irrigation, rural drinking water and rural electrification. The Programme imposes a responsibility on sub-national governments to create these facilities in a transparent and accountable manner.

National Rural Health Mission: The main aim of NRHM is to provide accessible, affordable, accountable, effective, and reliable primary health care, especially to poor and vulnerable sections of the population. The programme sets standards for rural health care and provides financial resources from the Union Government to meet these standards.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme: The Act was notified on 7 September 2005 and is aimed at providing livelihood security through employment for the rural poor.

Sarva Siksha Abhigyan: This programme was started with the objective of providing elementary education for all children in the age group of 6–14 years by 2010.

Mid-day meal Scheme: The MDM Scheme launched in 1995 aims to give a boost to universalization of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention, and attendance and simultaneously impacting upon nutritional status of students in primary classes.

Differences between Articles 358 and 359

Art 358

While proclamation of emergency declaring that security of India or any part of the territory of India is threatened due to war or external aggression, is in operation, the state shall not be limited by art 19. In other words, govt may make laws that transgress upon the freedoms given under art 19 during such emergency. However, such a law will cease to have effect as soon as emergency ends. Further, every such law or very executive action that transgresses upon freedoms granted by art 19 must recite that it is in relation to the emergency otherwise, it cannot be immune from art 19.

It also says that any acts done or omitted to be done under this provision cannot be challenged in the courts after the end of emergency. 

In the case of M M Pathak vs Union of India AIR 1978, SC held that the rights rights granted by 14 to 19 are not suspended during emergency but only their operation is suspended. This means that as soon as emergency is over, rights transgressed by a law will revive and can be enforced. In this case, a settlement that was reached before emergency between LIC and its employees was rendered ineffective by a law during emergency. After emergency was over, SC held that the previous settlement will revive. This is because the emergency law only suspended the operation of the existing laws. It cannot completely wash away the liabilities that preexisted the emergency.

Art 359

This article provides additional power to the president while proclamation of emergency is in operation, using which the president can, by an order, declare that the right to move any court for the enforcement of rights conferred by part III except art 20 and 21, shall be suspended for the period the proclamation is in operation of a shorter period as mentioned in the order. Further, every such law or every executive action recite that it is in relation to the emergency.

In the case of Makhan Singh vs State of Punjab AIR 1964, SC distinguished between art 358 and 359 as shown below:

Art 83(2) While the proclamation is in operation, the president may extend the normal life of the Lok Sabha by one year each time up to a period not ex

ceeding beyond 6 months after proclamation ceases to expire.

Emergency Provisions in Indian Constitution

Black law’s dictionary defines emergency “as a failure of social system to deliver reasonable conditions of life”. The term emergency may be defined as “circumstances arising suddenly that calls for immediate action by the public authorities under the powers especially granted to them”. Dr. B.R Ambedkar claimed that the Indian Federation was unique as during the times of emergency it could convert itself into an entirely unitary system. In India, the emergency provisions are such that the constitution itself enables the federal government acquire the strength of unitary government whenever the situation demands. During such urgent needs all the pacific methods should be exhausted and emergency should also be the last weapon to use as it affects India’s federal feature of government.

There are three types of emergencies under the Indian Constitution namely-

· National Emergency

· Failure of constitutional machinery in states

· Financial Emergency

National Emergency

Article 352 of the Indian Constitution talks about the national emergency. National emergency is imposed whereby there is a grave threat to the security of India or any of its territory due to war, external aggression or armed rebellion. Such emergency shall be imposed by the president on the basis of written request by the council of ministers headed by the Prime Minister. When they are satisfied that they are satisfied that there is an eminent danger thereof.

Every proclamation is required to be laid before each House of Parliament, it will cease to operate after one month from the date of its issue unless in the meantime it is approved by the parliament, the proclamation may continue for a period of 6 months unless revoked by the president. For further continuance of emergency the resolution has to be passed by either house of parliament by a majority of not less than two-third members of the houses.

During the times of such emergency the executive, legislative and financial power rests with the centre whereas the state legislature is not suspended. The union government under Art.250 of the constitution gets the power to legislate in regards to subjects enumerated in the state list. Except Art20 and 21 all the fundamental rights are suspended. Under Art.359 the president may suspend the right to move to the courts for enforcement of fundamental rights during the time of emergency.

National emergency has been imposed thrice in the country- in 1962 at time of Chinese aggression, in 1971 during the indo-pak war, in 1975 on the grounds of internal disturbances.

Art 352 says that if the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security of India or any part of India is threatened due to outside aggression or armed rebellion, he may make a proclamation to that effect regarding whole of India or a part thereof.

However, sub clause 3 says that President can make such a proclamation only upon the written advise of the Union Cabinet.  Such a proclamation must be placed before each house of the parliament and must be approved by each house with in one month otherwise the proclamation will expire.

An explanation to art 352 says that it is not necessary that external aggression or armed rebellion has actually happened to proclaim emergency. It can be proclaimed even if there is a possibility of such thing happening. 

In the case of Minerva Mills vs Union of India AIR 1980, SC held that there is no bar to judicial review of the validity of the proclamation of emergency issued by the president under 352(1). However, court's power is limited only to examining whether the limitations conferred by the constitution have been observed or not. It can check if the satisfaction of the president is valid or not. If the satisfaction is based on mala fide or absurd or irrelevant grounds, it is no satisfaction at all.

Prior to 44th amendment, duration of emergency was two months initially and then after approval by the houses, it would continue indefinitely until ended by another proclamation. However after 44th amendment, the period is reduced to 1 month and then 6 months after approval.

Failure Of Constitutional Machinery In State

Article 356 talks about the failure of constitutional machinery in state also known as the President’s rule. If the president on Governor’s report or otherwise is satisfied that the situation has arisen that the government can’t be carried in accordance with the constitutional provisions then, he may issue State emergency.

President can declare emergency either by the report of Governor or he himself is satisfied that the situation is such that the emergency has to be imposed. But at times, President may declare emergency when a report is not received from the governor. This was done by President Venkataraman in 1991 in the state of Tamil Nadu even though he didn’t receive a report from the governor.

After the 42th Amendment of the constitution the state emergency was made immune from judicial review. But later in the 44th Amendment the legality of President’s rule could be challenged

The proclamation relating to state emergency shall be laid before each House of Parliament unless both Houses approve it, the emergency shall cease to have effect after the expiry of a period of two months. Further the duration of proclamation can be extended to 6 months each time by both Houses of Parliament passing resolution approving its continuance. Beyond the period of an year the proclamation can only be continued if the Election Commission certifies that it is not possible to hold election in the state or that territory. The consequences of state emergency are- 

• The president assumes all the executive power of the state himself. The state administration runs by him or any person appointed by him generally the Governor.
• During such proclamation, the state assembly is either dissolved or suspended. But the MLA’s do not lose their membership of the Assembly.
• Parliament makes laws regarding the state list. The parliament only passes the budget for the state.
• The High court of the state functions independently.
• President also proclaims ordinances in the state.

During the state emergency the Union government has absolute control over the state except the judiciary. 

If one looks at the past instances of state emergency in the country, three common grounds emerge that have been invoked under Art.356- breakdown of law and order, political instability, corruption and maladministration. 

In Rameshwar Prasad V. UOI (Bihar Assembly Dissolution Case) it was held that the presidential proclamation dissolving state assembly in Bihar under Art.356 was unconstitutional on extraneous and irrelevant ground. The court said that the state governor misled the centre in recommending dissolution of state assembly.

In the historic case of S.R Bommai V. UOI, a full bench of the Karnataka High court produced different opinion about the imposition of the President’s rule in Karnataka, while in other states the court held that it was in violation of the constitution and would have restored the original position.

S. R. Bommai v. Union of India

1. The SC laid down certain guidelines so as to prevent the misuse of Art-356 of the constitution.
2. The majority enjoyed by the Council of Ministers shall be tested on the floor of the House.
3. Centre should give a warning to the state and a time period of one week to reply.
4. The court cannot question the advice tendered by the CoMs to the President but it can question the material behind the satisfaction of the President. Hence, Judicial Review will involve three questions only: a. Is there any material behind the proclamation, b. Is the material relevant. c. Was there any mala fide use of power.
5. If there is improper use of A356 then the court will provide remedy.
6. Under Article 356(3) it is the limitation on the powers of the President. Hence, the president shall not take any irreversible action until the proclamation is approved by the Parliament i.e. he shall not dissolve the assembly.
7. Art-356 is justified only when there is a breakdown of constitutional machinery and not administrative machinery
8. Art-356 shall be used sparingly by the centre, otherwise it is likely to destroy the constitutional structure between the centre and the states. Even Dr. Ambedkar envisaged it to remain a 'dead letter' in the constitution.

Financial Emergency

The president under Article 360 of the constitution has the power to declare financial emergency if he is satisfied that the financial stability or the credit of India or any part of its territory is threatened. It has to be laid before both the Houses of Parliament and ceases to operate at the expiration of two months unless meanwhile approved by the resolution of Houses.

During the operation of financial emergency, the executive authority of the union extends to the giving of directions to any state to observe certain specified canons or financial propriety and such other directions that the President may find necessary. The directions may include reduction of salaries or allowance of those serving a state, of all those in connection with the affairs of union including judges of high court and Supreme Court. There has been no occasion of financial emergency in India.

Effects of Proclamation of emergency 

The following are the effects arising out of proclamation of emergency in art 352.

Art 353

• executive power of the Union shall extend to giving directions to any state.
• parliament will get power to make laws on subjects that are not in Union list.
• if the emergency is declared only a part of the count, the powers in 1 and 2 shall extend to any other part if that is also threatened.

Art 354

• Provisions of art 268 to 279, which are related to taxation, can be subjected to exceptions as deem fit by the president. Every law such made shall be laid before each house of the parliament.
• Art 355 says that it is the duty of the Union to protect States against external aggression.

Art 358

While proclamation of emergency declaring that security of India or any part of the territory of India is threatened due to war or external aggression, is in operation, the state shall not be limited by art 19. In other words, govt may make laws that transgress upon the freedoms given under art 19 during such emergency. However, such a law will cease to have effect as soon as emergency ends. Further, every such law or very executive action that transgresses upon freedoms granted by art 19 must recite that it is in relation to the emergency otherwise, it cannot be immune from art 19.

It also says that any acts done or omitted to be done under this provision cannot be challenged in the courts after the end of emergency. 

In the case of M M Pathak vs Union of India AIR 1978, SC held that the rights rights granted by 14 to 19 are not suspended during emergency but only their operation is suspended. This means that as soon as emergency is over, rights transgressed by a law will revive and can be enforced. In this case, a settlement that was reached before emergency between LIC and its employees was rendered ineffective by a law during emergency. After emergency was over, SC held that the previous settlement will revive. This is because the emergency law only suspended the operation of the existing laws. It cannot completely wash away the liabilities that preexisted the emergency.

Art 359

This article provides additional power to the president while proclamation of emergency is in operation, using which the president can, by an order, declare that the right to move any court for the enforcement of rights conferred by part III except art 20 and 21, shall be suspended for the period the proclamation is in operation of a shorter period as mentioned in the order. Further, every such law or every executive action recite that it is in relation to the emergency.

Distinction Between Articles 358 and 359

The differences between Articles 358 and 359 can be summarised as follows:

1. Article 358 is confined to Fundamental Rights under Article 19 only whereas Article 359 extends to all those Fundamental Rights whose enforcement is suspended by the Presidential Order.
2. Article 358 automatically suspends the fundamental rights under Article 19 as soon as the emergency is declared. On the other hand, Article 359 does not automatically suspend any Fundamental Right. It only empowers the president to suspend the enforcement of the specified Fundamental Rights.
3. Article 358 operates only in case of External Emergency (that is, when the emergency is declared on the grounds of war or external aggression) and not in the case of Internal Emergency (i.e., when the Emergency is declared on the ground of armed rebellion). Article 359, on the other hand, operates in case of both External Emergency as well as Internal Emergency.
4. Article 358 suspends Fundamental Rights under Article 19 for the entire duration of Emergency while Article 359 suspends the enforcement of Fundamental Rights for a period specified by the president which may either be the entire duration of Emergency or a shorter period.
5. Article 358 extends to the entire country whereas Article 359 may extend to the entire country or a part of it.
6. Article 358 suspends Article 19 completely while Article 359 does not empower the suspension of the enforcement of Articles 20 and 21.
7. Article 358 enables the State to make any law or take any executive action inconsistent with Fundamental Rights under Article 19 while Article 359 enables the State to make any law or take any executive action inconsistent with those Fundamental Rights whose enforcement is suspended by the Presidential Order.

There is also a similarity between Article 358 and Article 359. Both provide immunity from challenge to only those laws which are related with the Emergency and not other laws. Also, the executive action taken only under such a law is protected by both.

Olive ridley Turtle

Efforts to conserve Olive Ridley Turtles:

• Wildlife authorities have launched a massive exercise to conserve Olive Ridley turtles in the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS).
• An unprecedented number of over 10,500 eggs of the turtles have been collected since early March. They are being conserved in the rookeries set up within the KWS limits.
• 139 artificial nests have been arranged in the three rookeries set up at Sangameswaram, lighthouse area, and Jinkapalem of Nagayalanka mandal as part of the in situ conservation method.
• The incubation period ranges from 45 to 60 days
• Members of the Yanadi tribe are directly involved in the conservation bid. They have been given the task of collecting the eggs on the beach and maintaining the rookeries.

Threats: 

• Approximately 1 hatchling survives to reach adulthood for every 1000 hatchlings that enter the sea waters. 
• Olive-ridleys face serious threats across their migratory route, habitat and nesting beaches, due to human activities such as turtle unfriendly fishing practices, development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, and tourist centres. 
• these turtles and their products is banned under CITES Appendix I, still extensively poached for their meat, shell and leather, and their eggs, 
• Accidental killing of adult turtles through entanglement in trawl nets and gill nets due to uncontrolled fishing 
• To reduce accidental killing in India, the Orissa government has made it mandatory for trawls to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), a net specially designed with an exit cover which allows the turtles to escape while retaining the catch. However, this has been strongly opposed by the fishing communities as they believe TEDs result in loss of considerable amount of the catch along with the turtle. 

All About Olive Ridley Turtles

1. The Olive ridley turtles (also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle) are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. 
2. These turtles, along with their cousin the Kemps ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs. 
3. Though found in abundance, their numbers have been declining over the past few years. Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) several Olive Ridley turtles lay eggs during this time of the year along the Visakhapatnam coast, considered a sporadic nesting zone.
4. Growing to about 2 feet in length, and 50 kg in weight, the Olive ridley gets its name from its olive colored carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded. 
5. Olive Ridley Turtles take 25 to 30 years to reach adulthood but the survival rate of the young ones is abysmally low.
6. They are carnivores, and feed mainly on jellyfish, shrimp, snails, crabs, molluscs and a variety of fish and their eggs. 
7. Interestingly, females return to the very same beach from where they first hatched, to lay their eggs. During this phenomenal nesting, up to 600,000 and more females emerge from the waters, over a period of five to seven days, to lay eggs. 
8. They lay their eggs in conical nests about one and a half feet deep which they laboriously dig with their hind flippers. 
9. The coast of Orissa in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley, followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica. 
10. After about 45-65 days, the eggs begin to hatch, and these beaches are swamped with crawling Olive-ridley turtle babies, making their first trek towards the vast ocean. 
11. During this trek they are exposed to predators like jackals, birds, hyenas, fiddler crabs, and feral dogs lurking around, waiting to feed on them. 
12. WWF-India, along with the fishermen community, has been involved in protecting the Olive ridley rookery at the mass nesting site at Rushikulaya, in Orissa, by fencing off the nesting area and patrolling it till hatching and ensuring a safe passage for the hatchlings to the sea. 

NTPC, forest dept sign MoU to protect Olive Ridley turtles

• The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has joined hands with the state forest department to protect the endangered species along the nine districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• NTPC Shimhadri handed over a cheque for Rs 1 crore to the forest department for carrying out the conservation works in AP for the current financial year.
• As part of the conservation programme that will be spread over five years, NTPC will contribute Rs 4.6 crore under which inventory mapping of breeding sites of Olive Ridleys along with identification of nesting and breeding habits along the shore line will be undertaken.
• The conservation programme will also develop guidelines to safeguard and minimise turtle mortality apart from developing the local and national cooperative and taking collaborative action for turtle conservation. The conservation project envisages involving local communities, NGOs, forest department and other stakeholders in protection and conservation of in-situ and ex-situ of nests thus providing livelihood, construction and repairing of hatcheries, awareness campaigns and knowledge sharing in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts.

Central government schemes for women and girls