Tiger protection hit as staff engaged in recruitment process

TNN | Aug 30, 2011, 03.29AM IST

NAGPUR: Tiger and forest protection in Nagpur division is likely to take a beating with field staff from tiger-bearing areas being pushed for recruitment work.

A major drive to recruit 1,200 forest guards in 11 territorial circles in the state is under way. Out of this, 73 posts will be filled in the Nagpur division. A target of September 20 has been set to complete entire recruitment exercise.

To accomplish the Herculean task, over 100 field staffers including range forest officers (RFOs), forest guards and foresters have been summoned to the headquarters in city to sort out forms, verification and other works, said sources.

Staff from sensitive Bhiwapur, Umred, Kondhali, Hingna, Kalmeshwar, Kuhi, Deolapar and Paoni ranges has been pressed into service in city for recruitment work. All the above areas are not only sensitive but have identified population of tigers, with 15 tigers in the city division.

"If so many staffers are engaged in clerical work, what about tiger and forest protection," asked a section of wildlife conservationists.

On the contrary, deputy conservator of forests, PK Mahajan said employees are not being engaged in recruitment work at the cost of protection.

"Only educated staffers in other ranges are engaged in recruitment work. Till now over 12,000 forms have been received and sorting and verifying them is a tough task," said Mahajan. "It's true that team of RFOs have been made for speedy procedures," he added.

Tiger Reserves

Tiger Reserves
 
There are 40 tiger reserves in the country.  The details are at Annexure-I.
 
                        The Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Sanctuary has already been notified by the State as a Tiger Reserve, while ‘in-principle’ approval has been accorded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority for constituting the Kudremukh Tiger Reserve.
                        As reported by the State, there are 504 families residing in the Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Tiger Reserve, and 1339 families in the Kudremukh National Park.  The package for voluntary village relocation / rehabilitation from the core / critical tiger habitat has been enhanced to
Rs. 10 lakh / family in the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger.
            The funding support is provided to States based on their Annual Plan of Operation / Tiger Conservation Plan, which interalia includes provisions to reduce the dependency of fringe people on natural resources
 
Annexure-I
 
LIST OF TIGER RESERVES IN INDIA (STATE-WISE)
 
Sl. No.
Year of creation
Name of Tiger Reserve
State
1
1973-74
Bandipur
Karnataka
2
1973-74
Corbett
Uttarakhand
3
1973-74
Kanha
Madhya Pradesh
4
1973-74
Manas
Assam
5
1973-74
Melghat
Maharashtra
6
1973-74
Palamau
Jharkhand
7
1973-74
Ranthambore
Rajasthan
8
1973-74
Similipal
Orissa
9
1973-74
Sunderbans
West Bengal
10
1978-79
Periyar
Kerala
11
1978-79
Sariska
Rajasthan
12
1982-83
Buxa
West Bengal
13
1982-83
Indravati
Chhattisgarh
14
1982-83
Nagarjunsagar
Andhra Pradesh
15
1982-83
Namdapha
Arunachal Pradesh
16
1987-88
Dudhwa
Uttar Pradesh
17
1988-89
Kalakad-Mundanthurai
Tamil Nadu
18
1989-90
Valmiki
Bihar
19
1992-93
Pench
Madhya Pradesh
20
1993-94
Tadoba-Andheri
Maharashtra
21
1993-94
Bandhavgarh
Madhya Pradesh
22
1994-95
Panna
Madhya Pradesh
23
1994-95
Dampa
Mizoram
24
1998-99
Bhadra
Karnataka
25
1998-99
Pench
Maharashtra
26
1999-2000
Pakke
Arunachal Pradesh
27
1999-2000
Nameri
Assam
28
1999-2000
Satpura
Madhya Pradesh
29
2008-2009
Anamalai
Tamil Nadu 
30
2008-2009
Udanti-Sitanadi
Chattisgarh
31
2008-2009
Satkosia
Orissa
32
2008-2009
Kaziranga
Assam
33
2008-2009
Achanakmar
Chattisgarh
34
2008-2009
Dandeli-Anshi
Karnataka
35
2008-2009
Sanjay-Dubri
Madhya Pradesh
 

36
2008-2009
Mudumalai
Tamil Nadu
37
2008-2009
Nagarahole
Karnataka
38
2008-2009
Parambikulam
Kerala
39
2009-2010
Sahyadri
Maharashtra
40
2011-2012
Biligiri Ranganatha Temple
Karnataka
 
 
This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question by Shri Abdul Rahman in Lok Sabha today.