Manpower crisis, poor infrastructure plaguing most NE tiger reserves'

Jul 29, 2011, 11.36pm IST
GUWAHATI: Except Kaziranga, majority of the tiger reserves in the northeast are suffering either from inadequate manpower or poor infrastructure.

The latest report on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves in India prominently highlighted that inadequate staff, no proper buffer zone, poor conservation, infrastructure and untimely release of funds as some of the weaknesses in many tiger reserves of the region.

Kaziranga has found place in the "very good" category along with 13 other tiger reserves across the country. Manas in Assam, Pakke in Arunachal Pradesh and Dampa in Mizoram were in the category of "good" along with eight other tiger reserves of the country in this category. Only Nameri in Assam and Namdapha in Arunachal were included in the "satisfactory" category along with four other tiger reserves of the country.

While Kaziranga has no such issues of inadequate manpower or poor infrastructure, the MEE has pointed out that Pakke, Namdapha, Nameri and Dampa suffers from shortage of field staff. Pakke suffers not only from inadequate frontline staff, but also from poor infrastructure and untimely release of funds. The MEE said the 500-MW power project adjacent to Pakke is likely to pose a threat to the tiger reserve whose strength lies in being free from human habitation and well protected by rivers on three sides.

Similarly for Dampa, the MEE said, only a handful of regular field staff (four foresters and seven forest guards) are manning the reserve. "Field protection and even office management is being done by temporary staff," the report said. .

For Namdapha and Nameri, it categorically pointed out that inadequate staff and poor infrastructure were the major shortcomings along with the problem of encroachment. In case of Nameri, "there is a severe shortage of field staff" and most of the existing field staff are in the age group of 40 to 48 years."

The MEE said while 84 families of Lisu tribe have settled in five villages within the core area of Namdapha, there was a manifold increase in encroachment and population in villages adjoining the forest lands of Nameri. Although Manas has been spared from inadequate manpower, MEE has noted that the tiger reserve still has to deal with poor infrastructure.

"Manas has 38 anti-poaching camps in the core area and none in the buffer. The camps are inadequately equipped in terms of arms and ammunition, living facilities for the staff and communication," said the report.

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