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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Fishing mafia on the rise as Pench is hit by lack of funds - DNA

Mumbai: Security of the Pench Tiger Reserve is at risk. With no funds released in the last nine months, the forest authorities are in a tight situation regarding funds for patrolling logistics and payments of the forest labourers. Meanwhile, the incidents of illegal fishing and attacks on the forest guards have increased.

The authority has 50 guards with no arms and vehicles. "The Centre has not released a single paisa of the Rs1.8 crore annual fund since April 2009. We haven't been able to buy fuel for the patrolling vehicles, which are in a bad condition," said an official.

Meanwhile, the fishing mafia is raising its head again. Madhukar Dhoke (name changed), a forest guard, who was a part of the team which nabbed fishermen involved in illegal fishing a month ago, was forced to leave his house in the civil area for initiating action against the fishing mafia. Those involved in the theft attacked his house, forcing him to shift his family to the quarters in the jungle.

The plight of the security forces does not end here. The retaliation from the fishing mafias is so powerful that the SRP jawans, deployed to help forest guards, discontinued their services a year ago. Nearly 100 forest labourers, appointed on a contract basis to help the guards, have stopped working as their salaries have not been paid.

Sources said that illegal fishing worth Rs50,000 to Rs1 lakh is taking place every day. "The Supreme Court had banned fishing in the reserve in 2004 and abolished the fishing rights of the locals. The families were rehabilitated in the neighbouring villages. However, they keep returning to Totladoh dam for fishing," said an official.

According to Dr Mohan Jha, conservator of forest and in-charge of Pench Reserve, the delay in the release of funds has led to a rise in illegal activities. "The activities had almost stopped after October 2008. But they are rising again as the news of lack of funds and the lax security is spreading," he said.


http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_fishing-mafia-on-the-rise-as-pench-is-hit-by-lack-of-funds_1326914

Homesick tiger puts MP forest officials in fix - HT

It’s not another Tiger Woods joke. A homesick tiger has kept more than 100 forest officials in the woods for close to a month.

The big cat, brought to Madhya Pradesh’s Panna National Park from the Pench reserve 400 km away, does not like his new habitat, which includes two relocated tigresses.

And he seems to be heading back home.

Leaving wildlife scientists baffled, the tiger — tracked 24x7 through a radio collar — has crossed hills, fields, human habitations and rivers, and is now moving towards his home at Pench.

Tracking the reluctant migrant, Panna National Park field director R. Sriniwas Murthy has not gone home for four weeks. Also on the tiger’s trail are three veterinarians, five elephants and a truck to move elephants, besides local forest department officials.

The tiger was released in Panna on November 14.

He has been on the move since November 25.

On Monday, after crossing the Ken, Boarma and Sonar rivers, he was reported to be in the Nauradehi Sanctuary with only the Narmada separating him and his original home. On Wednesday, high frequency radio signals located him in Damoh district, midway between Pench and Panna.

Madhya Pradesh’s chief wildlife warden R.S. Negi said the phenomenon was difficult to fathom. “One can’t say whether the tiger knows he’s heading towards his original home,” said Negi.

The tiger has to be tranquillised and taken back to Panna but the dense foliage and tough terrain have prevented veterinarians from doing so.