To protect tiger reserves, govt may acquire private estates

R Vasundara, TNN | Mar 1, 2012, 06.36AM IST CHENNAI: The Union ministry of environment and forests is planning to strengthen its tiger conservation programme in the Western Ghats and reduce man-animal conflicts by acquiring private estates that border or are within tiger reserves in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The proposal, put up during a meeting of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife, includes acquisition of several estates in the Periyar Tiger Reserve area (in Thekkady, Kerala ) and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu). Twelve private estates in the KMTR, measuring about 1,500 hectares, have been identified for acquisition, said Tamil Nadu officials. "Most estates are part of the core reserve and need to be acquired to reduce disturbance caused by the movement of human beings and vehicles," an official said. "The plan is still in the paperwork stages and yet to obtain the state government's approval . The funding for acquiring the estates, however, will come from the Central government." It was proposed during the meeting to eventually acquire 23 estates in Tamil Nadu and thus block 18 routes into the Periyar reserve. "This will reduce disturbance in the Periyar reserve," proposed Dr A J T John Singh, a member of the National Board for Wildlife, at the meeting. "This landscape has the potential to support 100 adult tigers, provided the wild prey are protected." In order to strengthen the tiger conservation programme, the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has proposed to acquire several private estates that border or stand within tiger reserves in the southern range of the Western Ghats . This was suggested during a meeting of the standing committee for the National Board for Wildlife with specific referencetoK alakkad MundanthuraiTiger Reserve (KMTR)in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, and Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady, Kerala . In Tamil Nadu, the forest departmenthascomeup with a list of twelve estates that lie in the coreof theKMTR andtherefore must be acquired . Spanning over 895sqkm,the reserveisone of the densest tiger reserves . A part of the reserve lies in the Agasthiyar hills of the Western Ghats . "We are yetto receive approval from the state government," said an official . "Paperwork and preliminary estimates are still going on . Some of the estate owners, who have been informed of the proposal, are trying to negotiate alternatives . Once the state government agrees, it will be forwarded to the Union ministry . The MoEF will be funding the acquisition . This is a long term process involving a large budget . It could take morethan five yearstocomplete ." The twelve estates put together would add up to 15.16 sqkm or 1,516 hectares to the reserve and the acquisition is expected to cost more than Rs 165 crore . "The people are cooperative, but human and vehicle movement in the core area disturbs animal habitations, so they have to be acquired," he said . "We are also looking at increasing the buffer zone for the Anamalai Tiger reserve ." However, environmentalists portray a different picture . "Thereisdegradation of theforest area in KMTR as many of the people living in these estates gather fuel wood from the reserve," said M Soubadra Devy of Ashoka Trustfor Researchin Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). Soubadra spends several months in a year in the reserve for canopy research . "There is also some small time poaching of creatures like jungle fowl that goes on in this area ." The presence of temples in the reserve also increases the footfallsin the area . "During the Adi Ammavasya festival, this area receives a couple of lakh visitors," she said . At least three temples have landin the reserves,butofficials hope for a solution that does not involve acquisition .They do not anticipate trouble with the cardamom and tea estates. "Under the guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, we can acquire these areas." However,there are voices of dissent. "Thisestatehasbeen in our family for 60 years andwe attach much sentimental value to it," said Vasanthi Murugadasan, one of the proprietors of Kattlamalai estate. ' The estate is one of the largest in the core reserve that figures in the state's acquisition list. "Besides,we never harm the animals and always help forest officials during the census." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/To-protect-tiger-reserves-govt-may-acquire-private-estates/articleshow/12092155.cms