Mumbai:February 24, 2005: In the wake of recent reports that wildlife is in trouble once more in India, a group of empowered citizens have come together to find ways to add their strength to that of the wildlife and nature conservation movement in India.

The enclosed statement of concern, signed by Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Merrill Lynch, S. Ramadorai, Managing Director,TCS , Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Enterprises Ltd, Romesh Sobti, CEO, ABN Amro, , Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries Ltd., and Naina Lal Kidwai, Vice Chairman and MD, HSBC Securities was officially released today.

The corporate leaders have decided to lend their strength to the nature conservation movement and said they would work collectively towards the task of winning national consensus for wildlife conservation and that they would be approaching all like-minded corporates and industry associations including CII, ASSOCHAM, FICCI, AIMA etc. to be a part of and add their strengths to this initiative.

Speaking to the press about their concerns Mr. Hemendra Kothari and Mr S. Ramadorai on behalf of the group announced that they do not intend to replace existing efforts either by government, or NGOs, but rather to support the work of credible organizations and individuals working to combat environmental problems. They also promised to liaise with government and semi-government institutions to implement environmental and forest laws.

In their individual and official capacities, to different degrees, each of the signatories to the statement have started working towards the objective of securing our natural heritage and have placed their views on the subject as below:

India is a world leader on the nature conservation front and this is a tribute to the farsightedness of our people and our leaders.

However recent reports in the media about poaching gangs impacting the Tiger population in Sariska and Ranthambore only underscores the constant threat the magnificent cat faces for survival. The Situation in other sanctuaries is equally worrying and gives us reason to be concerned. Flagship species including the Great Indian Bustards, elephants and even some sharks are in danger of extinction.

According to recent estimates the trade in illegal wildlife products is next only to narcotics and arms smuggling and is worth some US$12 billion a year. India, as home to some of the most charismatic animals on the planet, is now a major source market for this trade. Most of the demand for wildlife products comes from outside the country - unfortunately, it is our wildlife heritage that is plundered to supply this external demand.

Project Tiger, which has just completed three decades of existence, has justifiably been recognized as one of the worlds most successful conservation projects. The tiger and elephant are vital constituents of India's 'brand equity'. The tiger is a symbol of our biodiversity. If it is allowed to vanish, this will spell disaster for a host of other fauna and flora. Vital water catchments will be lost, affecting the lives of millions who depend on natural resources for their very survival.

Protecting wildlife is not merely a matter of emotion or aesthetics. Wild habitats hold the key to India's water security, soil health and thus agriculture. A destabilized environment will eventually destabilize our economy itself.

We support the Honorable Prime Minister and Chief Ministers of various states in the vital task of protecting our natural heritage and we as corporates pledge to supplement and support government's wildlife conservation efforts.

We recognize that corals, mangroves, forests, rivers, grasslands, wetlands and mountains are the components of our natural treasury. We owe it to our children to prevent their natural heritage from coming to any harm.

Together we can and will save the wildlife of India.

While we aspire for India to become a strong economic power in the world at the same time we must protect and preserve all that is precious to the human spirit, including wild nature which has inspired our cultures, religions and civilization, said Mr. Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Merrill Lynch Ltd. and founder of the Wildlife Conservation Trust.

"Protecting wildlife habitats like forests and jungles ensures that our lakes and rivers will flow all year round. TCS employees are currently engaged in a learning exercise that we hope will help them turn into green warriors for natural India," said S. Ramadorai, Managing Director, Tata Consultancy Services,

"Animals like the tiger enhance India's brand equity overseas. Furthermore, saving the tiger amounts to saving our forests, thus our precious water resources." said Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Enterprises Ltd.

Protecting the environment amounts to protecting our long-term economic foundations," said Mr. Romesh Sobti, CEO ABN Amro India

'I truly believe that our wild spaces are crucial to national development and today's corporates are much more socially responsible and will be able to make a lasting difference to nature conservation," said Naina Lal Kidwai, Vice Chairman and MD, HSBC Securities