Interestingly, the finance department says it released the money on December 17 but wildlife wing says it has not received it. S P Kanade, joint secretary (finance), told TOI Rs 7.90 crore have been released from Mumbai under four schemes. However, until Tuesday night, money had not arrived in budgetdistribution system (BDS), the official channel to distribute funds. It seems even word of senior minister Dr Kadam is not kept.
On Tuesday, when the issue was taken up with Dr Kadam, he expressed surprise. "I'm learning from you that funds have not been released yet. Daily I meet top officials but none has apprised me of it. If they don't tell me about the problem how can I solve it? I will take up the issue with officials concerned on Wednesday," Dr Kadam told TOI.
Conservationists flayed rigid approach of the finance and planning department in releasing money. "Funds are delayed every year for one or the other reason. It has become a chronic problem. At a time when tigers are falling prey to poachers due to lack of protection, not releasing money for wildlife is criminal," they said.
Information sought under the RTI revealed that the wildlife wing had proposed Rs 13.35 crore for three tiger reserves Tadoba, Pench and Melghat & 31 sanctuaries and national parks under the CSS. Of this, Rs 10.80 crore has been sanctioned. The Centre has already released its share of Rs 6.76 crore towards first instalment by September 30. However, state government did not release the money.
Of its share of Rs 2.31 crore, the state released only Rs 1.02 crore on September 30. This amount too was released after much hassles and most of it went towardspayment of wages of forest workers engaged in protection work in parks. The workers were not paid for six months then. Now the situation is back to square one.
It is December and first instalment of CSS funds, which is 60% of the total sanctioned amount, has not been released. The managers of protected areas (PAs) are left with only three months to utilise the money. Unless utilisation certificate of 1st instalment is submitted, Centre does not release second instalment. Officials fear the PAs will go without the second instalment this financial year. It means less money for wildlife, which is already passing through grave crisis.
As there are no funds, number of workers has been curtailed hampering protection. Besides, crucial works like drawing fire lines, road repairs, cutting of grass, waterhole management have come to a grinding halt. In Pench Tiger Reserve, illegal fishing is rampant as patrolling boats are stranded for fuel. Many protection huts are unmanned as there is no money to pay wages.
The sanctioned amount includes Rs 4 crore for three tiger reserves including Rs 1.5 crore for TATR, Rs 1.70 crore for Melghat and Rs 80 lakh for Pench. Besides, Rs 2.75 crore has been sanctioned for sanctuaries and national parks. Forest officials said they had submitted all the information asked for in new format. "We also don't know why funds are held up?" they said.
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