Rishikesh, Jan 11 (PTI) A woman was killed by a man-eater big cat in Corbett Tiger Reserve, the fourth such incident in the area since past two months, officials said.
The incident took place yesterday near Bulwa Nallah in Sunderkhal area when the woman had gone to fetch firewood, Jim Corbett National Park Deputy Director C K Kavidayal said.
The body with biting wounds on neck was today recovered by forest officials from the area, he said.
Forest officials believe that it is the same tiger which had killed three women during the past two months.
Chief Wildlife Warden Srikant Chandola had declared the tiger man-eater and issued orders to shoot it on December 30.
However, the animal has not been identified as yet.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Mansinghdeo suffers one last blow
NAGPUR: Before turning into a protected area for wildlife the newly-formed Mansinghdeo sanctuary adjoining Pench Tiger reserve suffered a final blow, ironically, from its owner itself. Large-scale tree felling and bamboo extraction across Block A and B of sanctuary compartments owned by Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (FDCM), a government company engaged in forestry and allied activities, days before its handing over to wildlife department has raised many eyebrows.
The huge ecological damage to the sanctuary was caused by the FDCM despite state government notifying the sanctuary on November 2, 2010. The FDCM officials say it was not felling but thinning under silviculture operations, approved by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) office at Bhopal.
On Saturday, during a visit to the 'Block A' compartments of sanctuary in Nagulwadi and Saleghat ranges of the FDCM, it was found that truckloads of bamboo and teak was extracted from two Nagulwadi compartments 697 and 698, and 12 Saleghat and Risala compartments viz. 624, 630, 642, 644, 625, 631, 643, 645, 657, 658, 659 and 660. Felling has also been done in nine Paoni compartments viz. 558, 559, 605, 592, 599, 600, 603, 604 and 606 in Block B of the sanctuary.
According to official sources, on July 19, 2010, FDCM had sought thinning permission from MoEF. On September 9, MoEF granted permission to the FDCM to fell trees in 19,900 hectares in the area owned by it. Similarly, nod was given to extract bamboo from 17,365 hectares. Of this, teak from 3,800 hectares and bamboo from 1,700 hectares were to be extracted from Nagpur Division comprising Nagulwadi, Saleghat, Paoni (all in Mansinghdeo), Hiwra, Umred and Kuhi ranges.
It should have, however, stopped felling on November 2 when Mansinghdeo became a protected area. FDCM is now hiding under a technicality. S G Tembhurnikar, incharge of the area and regional manager of FDCM, told TOI that although sanctuary notification was issued on November 2, it came to them only on December 20, i.e. 48 days after the notification.
"On December 20, when CCF (Territorial), Nagpur Circle, circulated a letter to stop felling owing to sanctuary notification, we stopped our operation being carried out as per approved management plan and MoEF permission," Tembhurnikar said. Mansinghdeo notification was widely reported in the media but FDCM officials took no cognizance of it.
"The only work you see now is of logging and removing branch wood. In fact, we took out only 25-30% of the crop when we learnt about the sanctuary notification. We are now transporting the material already felled. We are ready to hand over the area to wildlife wing any moment," Tembhurnikar said.
D C Pant, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Maharashtra, said: "When the notification was issued, I was on leave, but when I joined, I made it a point to convey to the officials concerned over phone about it. They should have followed the orders." He did not explain why it took 48 days for a paper to travel from one office to another in same city.
Pant further said a meeting has been called on January 15 to discuss modalities to take over the sanctuary. Felling of trees is not allowed after notification, but must have been done during transition period. "No one will breach the law. Yet, I will review the situation," he stated.
TOI found that in compartment no. 660, entire bamboo clusters were cut. As per norms, at least 4-5 shoots are left untouched in each cluster to help regeneration. The most vulnerable compartments were 660, 697 and 698, that share border with Pench National Park from the west side.
FDCM officials are sticking to their guns: "Thinning improves growth of the forests without breaking canopy. The soil has limited capacity to support moisture and food for trees. Hence, excess trees need to be removed to allow others to grow," FDCM officials said seeking anonymity.
On reports of similar felling in Nagpur Territorial Division area, N Rambabu, conservator of forests, said, "Mansinghdeo compartments have not been touched. Some 250 trees were felled with prior permission until January 5 in sanctuary's 10 km eco-sensitive zone. After the direction, felling of trees has been stopped."
The huge ecological damage to the sanctuary was caused by the FDCM despite state government notifying the sanctuary on November 2, 2010. The FDCM officials say it was not felling but thinning under silviculture operations, approved by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) office at Bhopal.
On Saturday, during a visit to the 'Block A' compartments of sanctuary in Nagulwadi and Saleghat ranges of the FDCM, it was found that truckloads of bamboo and teak was extracted from two Nagulwadi compartments 697 and 698, and 12 Saleghat and Risala compartments viz. 624, 630, 642, 644, 625, 631, 643, 645, 657, 658, 659 and 660. Felling has also been done in nine Paoni compartments viz. 558, 559, 605, 592, 599, 600, 603, 604 and 606 in Block B of the sanctuary.
According to official sources, on July 19, 2010, FDCM had sought thinning permission from MoEF. On September 9, MoEF granted permission to the FDCM to fell trees in 19,900 hectares in the area owned by it. Similarly, nod was given to extract bamboo from 17,365 hectares. Of this, teak from 3,800 hectares and bamboo from 1,700 hectares were to be extracted from Nagpur Division comprising Nagulwadi, Saleghat, Paoni (all in Mansinghdeo), Hiwra, Umred and Kuhi ranges.
It should have, however, stopped felling on November 2 when Mansinghdeo became a protected area. FDCM is now hiding under a technicality. S G Tembhurnikar, incharge of the area and regional manager of FDCM, told TOI that although sanctuary notification was issued on November 2, it came to them only on December 20, i.e. 48 days after the notification.
"On December 20, when CCF (Territorial), Nagpur Circle, circulated a letter to stop felling owing to sanctuary notification, we stopped our operation being carried out as per approved management plan and MoEF permission," Tembhurnikar said. Mansinghdeo notification was widely reported in the media but FDCM officials took no cognizance of it.
"The only work you see now is of logging and removing branch wood. In fact, we took out only 25-30% of the crop when we learnt about the sanctuary notification. We are now transporting the material already felled. We are ready to hand over the area to wildlife wing any moment," Tembhurnikar said.
D C Pant, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Maharashtra, said: "When the notification was issued, I was on leave, but when I joined, I made it a point to convey to the officials concerned over phone about it. They should have followed the orders." He did not explain why it took 48 days for a paper to travel from one office to another in same city.
Pant further said a meeting has been called on January 15 to discuss modalities to take over the sanctuary. Felling of trees is not allowed after notification, but must have been done during transition period. "No one will breach the law. Yet, I will review the situation," he stated.
TOI found that in compartment no. 660, entire bamboo clusters were cut. As per norms, at least 4-5 shoots are left untouched in each cluster to help regeneration. The most vulnerable compartments were 660, 697 and 698, that share border with Pench National Park from the west side.
FDCM officials are sticking to their guns: "Thinning improves growth of the forests without breaking canopy. The soil has limited capacity to support moisture and food for trees. Hence, excess trees need to be removed to allow others to grow," FDCM officials said seeking anonymity.
On reports of similar felling in Nagpur Territorial Division area, N Rambabu, conservator of forests, said, "Mansinghdeo compartments have not been touched. Some 250 trees were felled with prior permission until January 5 in sanctuary's 10 km eco-sensitive zone. After the direction, felling of trees has been stopped."
Another falls prey to tiger in Katranighat
BAHRAICH: A man was killed by a tiger near the Katarniaghat forest reserve on Tuesday. This is the third incident of human kill within a week. The body of the victim, identified as Duber, was recovered from the fields on the periphery of the forest reserve at 5.30 pm.
Duber, a resident of Durgagauri village, had left his house in the morning to collect wood. Family members said that he was missing ever since. Talking to TOI, divisional forest officer (DFO) RK Singh said that efforts were underway to identify the killer.
He, however, declined to confirm that Duber was killed by the same feline that had killed 60-year-old Saligram and 55-year old Jagmal. "As of now, we cannot confirm whether it is the same big cat or not. The bodies of two victims were recovered on January 6 and January 8 last," he said and added that forest department experts were still looking for the pugmarks of the tiger that killed Jagmal, the second victim.
Saligram was killed by a tigress. His body recovered from sugarcane field in Sadar beat of Katarniaghat was not eaten by the big cat. The pugmarks around the body were that of the tigress. On the other hand, Jagmal's body was recovered a day after from the dense part of Katarniaghat forest. Jagmal's right foot was missing and believed to be eaten by the wild animal. Forest officers did not confirm if the body was eaten by tiger or any other wild animal. The two bodies were recovered from spots about 12 kms apart from each other.
Duber, a resident of Durgagauri village, had left his house in the morning to collect wood. Family members said that he was missing ever since. Talking to TOI, divisional forest officer (DFO) RK Singh said that efforts were underway to identify the killer.
He, however, declined to confirm that Duber was killed by the same feline that had killed 60-year-old Saligram and 55-year old Jagmal. "As of now, we cannot confirm whether it is the same big cat or not. The bodies of two victims were recovered on January 6 and January 8 last," he said and added that forest department experts were still looking for the pugmarks of the tiger that killed Jagmal, the second victim.
Saligram was killed by a tigress. His body recovered from sugarcane field in Sadar beat of Katarniaghat was not eaten by the big cat. The pugmarks around the body were that of the tigress. On the other hand, Jagmal's body was recovered a day after from the dense part of Katarniaghat forest. Jagmal's right foot was missing and believed to be eaten by the wild animal. Forest officers did not confirm if the body was eaten by tiger or any other wild animal. The two bodies were recovered from spots about 12 kms apart from each other.
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