Little talk, no action at tiger cell meet

TNN | Feb 22, 2012, 05.41AM IST NAGPUR: The 12th regional tiger cell meeting held in the city after a gap of nine months on Tuesday turned out to be another ritual and ended without taking any significant decision. Looking at the spurt in wildlife crime in the region, it was expected that the meeting would take some concrete steps. Sources said most of the time was spent on reading the minutes of the last meeting by member-secretary and deputy conservator of forests P K Mahajan. Thereafter, the meeting ended in five minutes. Mahajan was not available for comments. The members did not discuss strategy to tackle issues like illegal fishing in Pench, poaching, pending wildlife crime cases, protection etc. The special IGP, who is the chairman of the cell, assured all help to the forest department. This assurance had been given by earlier officers too. "The meeting was mere a formality," said forest officials who attended. The NGOs too were not happy. "It is really pathetic," they said. The regional tiger cell comprises Bhandara, Gondia, Gadchiroli, Wardha, Nagpur and Chandrapur districts. The superintendents of police (SPs) of these district are members but not one attended. This was true for forest officials too. Even the MSEDCL officials, who can play key role in tackling poaching through electrocution, were missing. Barring field directors of Pench and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and chief conservator of forests (CCF) of vulnerable Chandrapur Circle, no senior officer was present. Divisional forest officer (DFO) for vigilance explained how the anti-poaching squad was active and booked several persons for selling parakeets. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Little-talk-no-action-at-tiger-cell-meet/articleshow/11985628.cms