Despite tall claims on tiger conservation in the country and clamour for more funds by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the Planning Commission has decided to reduce the budget of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) by 25 per cent.
The sources in NTCA and tiger experts feel this is against the Government’s own policy of making core critical area of tiger reserves inviolate. Such drastic cut in allocation would greatly hamper the relocation of villages from the reserves.
The move has come at time when the country is expecting its tiger population to go up in the upcoming census count. Also, when India joined the International Tiger Forum comprising 13 nations, the member countries had decided to focus on protection of the tiger habitats, addressing poaching, illegal trade and providing the financial resources for this emergency plan.
Talking to The Pioneer, well-placed sources in NTCA said, a letter stating a mere allocation of `150 crore has been received for the 39 tiger reserves of the country for the next fiscal year. The authority, during its recent meeting with the members of the Planning Commission, had sought `1,100 crore against which it had even agreed on an allotment of about `700 crore, the sources informed. However, this drastic cut in the funds has caught NTCA high and dry.
The sources in the NTCA further pointed out that the Government in its seriousness to make the core/ critical areas of tiger reserves inviolate had even enhanced the relocation package to `10 lakh per family.
The requirement of `5,000 crore was worked out for the relocation process during the entire plan period. There are 762 villages with about 48,000 families inside core areas.
Even the budget of `196 crore for the current fiscal year is insufficient to meet this massive task and is just about enough to keep the management and ongoing activities of tiger reserves going. “Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had taken up the issue with the Planning Commission and we hoped to have sufficient funds to give relocation a fresh impetus,” said the sources.
Commenting on the grim scenario, conservationist and former director of Project Tiger PK Sen pointed out that the cut in allocation would further aggravate the prevailing crisis in the tiger reserves. “How can we hope to make the critical areas of the reserve inviolate with such a meager fund”? he questioned. It would hamper the implementation of the Government’s own policy decision, he regretted. The worst hit would be the already suffering relocation of the villagers, he lamented.
The Prime Minister had directed that the Centre should fund modernisation of Tiger Reserves management and had sought a State-specific strategy for such Central assistance, while suggesting other protection schemes.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tiger reserve tag for Kaziranga draws ire
JORHAT: Activists of a number of organizations staged a protest at the Bokakhat SDO's office on Monday, seeking removal of the tiger reserve tag from Kaziranga National Park as they feel it would not only restrict their movement but also affect business. The park was declared a tiger reserve in 2007.
The Kaziranga Resort Association, the Bokakhat unit of Aaasu, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and the Kaziranga Market Association took part in the protest spearheaded by the Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association. They have also sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmoham Singh and environment minister Jairam Ramesh seeking their intervention.
Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association president Punen Gogoi said, "We oppose the government's decision to make Kaziranga a tiger reserve in the greater interest of people living here. We have sought immediate intervention of the Prime Minister and enivironment minister."
He added, "Kaziranga is famous for the one-horn rhino and the government should take steps for its protection and conservation. We have welcomed the government's initiatives to conserve tigers through Project Tiger' scheme. But we never allowed them to turn the park into a tiger reserve as the restrictions that will follow will severely harm the tourism sector as well as business."
He said if Kaziranga becomes a tiger reserve, the national park will become a core tiger area and restrictions on jeep safaris, population eviction in adjacent areas and ban on private elephant safaris would be imposed. As a result, the tourism sector will be affected and thousands of people will lose employment.
"Our agitation will continue until our demands are fulfilled. The centre and the state government must revoke the decision immediately," he added.
The Union ministry of forest and environment had initiated a step to make Kaziranga a tiger reserve in 2007. Accordingly, the state forest department implemented a few projects at the national park. Kaziranga authorities have also imposed some restrictions on tourists and safaris. Besides, people have been directed to take NOCs in case of land purchase and sell.
The Kaziranga Resort Association, the Bokakhat unit of Aaasu, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and the Kaziranga Market Association took part in the protest spearheaded by the Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association. They have also sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmoham Singh and environment minister Jairam Ramesh seeking their intervention.
Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association president Punen Gogoi said, "We oppose the government's decision to make Kaziranga a tiger reserve in the greater interest of people living here. We have sought immediate intervention of the Prime Minister and enivironment minister."
He added, "Kaziranga is famous for the one-horn rhino and the government should take steps for its protection and conservation. We have welcomed the government's initiatives to conserve tigers through Project Tiger' scheme. But we never allowed them to turn the park into a tiger reserve as the restrictions that will follow will severely harm the tourism sector as well as business."
He said if Kaziranga becomes a tiger reserve, the national park will become a core tiger area and restrictions on jeep safaris, population eviction in adjacent areas and ban on private elephant safaris would be imposed. As a result, the tourism sector will be affected and thousands of people will lose employment.
"Our agitation will continue until our demands are fulfilled. The centre and the state government must revoke the decision immediately," he added.
The Union ministry of forest and environment had initiated a step to make Kaziranga a tiger reserve in 2007. Accordingly, the state forest department implemented a few projects at the national park. Kaziranga authorities have also imposed some restrictions on tourists and safaris. Besides, people have been directed to take NOCs in case of land purchase and sell.
Tiger stray into Madhya pradesh confirmed
JAIPUR: It is now official that the male tiger T-38 of Ranthambore has now found a new home at Kuno-Palpur sanctuary in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. The tiger was recently caught by a trap camera.
The big cat strayed out of the park some six months back and had been moving near the ravines of Chambal. Thereafter, the three-year -old male tiger strayed into Sheopur district of the neighbouring state after having spent a fortnight in the Shev Ki Chambal area along the Chambal river.
In October, pugmarks of the tiger was spotted near the Kuno-Palpur sanctuary which will play host to the proposed Cheetah Project in the country. Since then, forest officials of the sanctuary have been keeping a close watch on the big cat. Though the tiger may have gained entry into the sanctuary quite some time back but it was pictured recently.
"The tiger's pugmarks were noticed last month and recently it was captured on a camera," said Ashok Mishra, DFO, Kuno-Palpur.
Though a welcomed guest there, but it may become a point of no return for the tiger to Ranthambore. For not only is the sanctuary a better habitat than the overcrowded Ranthambore but with the number of males on the rise in Ranthambore it would have been a constant strive for the big cats here.
However, with no tigress present in the area, T-38 could move forward to the Madho National Park that has a few big cats, officials felt. The tiger arrived in Kuno Palpur travelling about 100 km from Ranthambore. The sanctuary is spread over an area of around 350 sq km.
Officials here termed it as a natural dispersal process catalysed by over-crowding at the Ranthambore reserve. Currently, about four tigers have dispersed from the reserve and while there is one each at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur and Kota, two big cats have crossed the Chambal river and made into Madhya Pradesh.
The big cat strayed out of the park some six months back and had been moving near the ravines of Chambal. Thereafter, the three-year -old male tiger strayed into Sheopur district of the neighbouring state after having spent a fortnight in the Shev Ki Chambal area along the Chambal river.
In October, pugmarks of the tiger was spotted near the Kuno-Palpur sanctuary which will play host to the proposed Cheetah Project in the country. Since then, forest officials of the sanctuary have been keeping a close watch on the big cat. Though the tiger may have gained entry into the sanctuary quite some time back but it was pictured recently.
"The tiger's pugmarks were noticed last month and recently it was captured on a camera," said Ashok Mishra, DFO, Kuno-Palpur.
Though a welcomed guest there, but it may become a point of no return for the tiger to Ranthambore. For not only is the sanctuary a better habitat than the overcrowded Ranthambore but with the number of males on the rise in Ranthambore it would have been a constant strive for the big cats here.
However, with no tigress present in the area, T-38 could move forward to the Madho National Park that has a few big cats, officials felt. The tiger arrived in Kuno Palpur travelling about 100 km from Ranthambore. The sanctuary is spread over an area of around 350 sq km.
Officials here termed it as a natural dispersal process catalysed by over-crowding at the Ranthambore reserve. Currently, about four tigers have dispersed from the reserve and while there is one each at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur and Kota, two big cats have crossed the Chambal river and made into Madhya Pradesh.
Tiger rescued from well, to be let off in the wild
Nagpur, Feb 7 (IANS) A tiger, which had fallen into a dry well near the Chameli forest area, was finally extricated Monday evening after a three-hour rescue operation, a wildlife official said.
The incident took place in an area about 40 km from here.
The tiger, a full grown adult around four years old, fell into the 40-feet-deep dry well, which was not protected by a wall, said Nitin Desai, Central India director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India.
'From preliminary information available, it was probably chasing some prey like deer or a wild boar and must have accidentally fallen into the well around dawn today. It spent around ten hours in the well without food or water,' Desai told IANS.
The animal's plight was detected almost five hours later when some tribals and forest officials heard its roar and alerted police and wildlife officials, who then mounted a rescue operation.
Animal experts and a veterinary doctor reached the place around noon with a cage and the rescue operation was taken up. It took over three and a half hours to take out the big cat from the well.
When it was brought up, the tribals and officials erupted into a roar of applause and cheers for the dazed animal which appeared weak and shaken.
An examination revealed that the creature had not sustained any fractures or injuries despite falling from such a height.
Forest officials planned to release it back into the wild later, Desai added.
He said it was surprising that a tiger had strayed into this area which has never reported a sighting in the past many years since it is not a thick forest region.
Though it would take time to confirm, Desai guessed that the tiger may have strayed from either the Bor Wildlife Reserve in Wardha or Pench Wildlife Reserve near Nagpur.
The incident took place in an area about 40 km from here.
The tiger, a full grown adult around four years old, fell into the 40-feet-deep dry well, which was not protected by a wall, said Nitin Desai, Central India director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India.
'From preliminary information available, it was probably chasing some prey like deer or a wild boar and must have accidentally fallen into the well around dawn today. It spent around ten hours in the well without food or water,' Desai told IANS.
The animal's plight was detected almost five hours later when some tribals and forest officials heard its roar and alerted police and wildlife officials, who then mounted a rescue operation.
Animal experts and a veterinary doctor reached the place around noon with a cage and the rescue operation was taken up. It took over three and a half hours to take out the big cat from the well.
When it was brought up, the tribals and officials erupted into a roar of applause and cheers for the dazed animal which appeared weak and shaken.
An examination revealed that the creature had not sustained any fractures or injuries despite falling from such a height.
Forest officials planned to release it back into the wild later, Desai added.
He said it was surprising that a tiger had strayed into this area which has never reported a sighting in the past many years since it is not a thick forest region.
Though it would take time to confirm, Desai guessed that the tiger may have strayed from either the Bor Wildlife Reserve in Wardha or Pench Wildlife Reserve near Nagpur.
Proof of tiger killing sambhar in Mhadei Paul Fernandes, TNN, Feb 8, 2011, 05.55am IST
PANAJI: World wide fund for nature (WWF) Goa has found some evidence of a sambhar being killed by a tiger in Satrem, within the limits of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary recently, while two buffaloes have been reported killed or injured last week in nearby Choraundem.
"We have submitted photographic evidence of the remains of the sambhar killed by a tiger a few weeks back at Satrem to forest dept," WWF (Goa) director Nitin Sawant told TOI on Monday. Tiger pug marks were also noticed by the side of the carcass, he added.
WWF conducted investigations at the site with the help of three volunteers, Kashinath Gaonkar, Trupti Jadhav and Anand and made a cast of the tiger pug marks for further study. "Only a tiger can kill a sambhar," Sawant said.
The WWF team traced the tiger pug marks trailing right up to the Surla river.
Speaker Pratapsingh Rane (a WWF trustee and Poriem MLA) asked for the Satrem evidence and it was submitted to him, Sawant said. "The habitat is rich with floral and faunal biodiversity and is ideal also as a tiger habitat," Sawant said.
Forest department officials said that they do not rely on evidence provided by others alone, but also carry out their own investigations. "We have also taken pug marks of a tiger near Anjunem dam about a fortnight back," deputy conservator of forest (wildlife and ecotourism, north) D N F Carvalho said.
Two incidents of killing of buffaloes by a tiger on February 3 and 5 have been reported in Choraundem. The village lies in the foothills of Chorla ghat on Goa's border and within the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, and a few miles away from Satrem.
Both buffaloes belong to Mano Phale, 67, who also lost one buffalo on February 4, 2009.
A forest department source said that movement of the big cats is being monitored.
"The people near the sanctuary have been asked not to let their animals in the sanctuary," Carvalho said.
As part of the wildlife census conducted last year, the forest department had plans to use the camera trap method for more clinching evidence of the tiger's presence in Goa's forests. "We are waiting for directions to employ this method from wildlife institute of India, Dehra Dun," Carvalho said.
Stating that use of camera trap method is a difficult task, he said WII guidelines would help in completing the phase two of the census.
The animal census which was conducted for ten days, including two-day training for participants prior to their entry in the field, is largely over. "Two days were set out for the count of big cats," sources said.
"We have submitted photographic evidence of the remains of the sambhar killed by a tiger a few weeks back at Satrem to forest dept," WWF (Goa) director Nitin Sawant told TOI on Monday. Tiger pug marks were also noticed by the side of the carcass, he added.
WWF conducted investigations at the site with the help of three volunteers, Kashinath Gaonkar, Trupti Jadhav and Anand and made a cast of the tiger pug marks for further study. "Only a tiger can kill a sambhar," Sawant said.
The WWF team traced the tiger pug marks trailing right up to the Surla river.
Speaker Pratapsingh Rane (a WWF trustee and Poriem MLA) asked for the Satrem evidence and it was submitted to him, Sawant said. "The habitat is rich with floral and faunal biodiversity and is ideal also as a tiger habitat," Sawant said.
Forest department officials said that they do not rely on evidence provided by others alone, but also carry out their own investigations. "We have also taken pug marks of a tiger near Anjunem dam about a fortnight back," deputy conservator of forest (wildlife and ecotourism, north) D N F Carvalho said.
Two incidents of killing of buffaloes by a tiger on February 3 and 5 have been reported in Choraundem. The village lies in the foothills of Chorla ghat on Goa's border and within the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, and a few miles away from Satrem.
Both buffaloes belong to Mano Phale, 67, who also lost one buffalo on February 4, 2009.
A forest department source said that movement of the big cats is being monitored.
"The people near the sanctuary have been asked not to let their animals in the sanctuary," Carvalho said.
As part of the wildlife census conducted last year, the forest department had plans to use the camera trap method for more clinching evidence of the tiger's presence in Goa's forests. "We are waiting for directions to employ this method from wildlife institute of India, Dehra Dun," Carvalho said.
Stating that use of camera trap method is a difficult task, he said WII guidelines would help in completing the phase two of the census.
The animal census which was conducted for ten days, including two-day training for participants prior to their entry in the field, is largely over. "Two days were set out for the count of big cats," sources said.
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