Centre prods states lethargic on conservation

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Centre prods states lethargic on conservation

New Delhi: The government seems to get all the flak for the tiger crisis but it's the states that have been lethargic on the issue, it seems.

The environment and forests ministry has sent off letters recommending quick action on six points pushing the tiger-bearing states to act. But the states are yet to get pro-active on these. In fact, some states have sent back routine replies saying the government is working at the issue, deflating the enthusiasm of the Centre, which was hoping that things would look up after the recent amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act strengthening tiger conservation.

The letter, sent in February, requested the states to undertake a special recruitment drive to fill up frontline field staff vacancies in tiger reserves. The environment ministry has requested that the states give preference to local forest dwelling people even if relaxation in the qualifications are required. The letter comes well before the monsoon period when experts believe poaching activity peaks. But the states are yet to fill up the vacancies.

The Tiger Task Force set up by the Prime Minister in the wake of the Sariska crisis had recommended that the frontline staff vacancies be immediately filled, preferably with people living close to the tiger reserves.

The environment ministry has also requested that the states deploy ex-army personnel as well as local people as workforce under the existing schemes continuing in the tiger reserves. The government wants states, which have tigers in their forests, to set up steering committees under the chairmanship of the chief minister, as mandated by the 2006 amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act. The purpose of the panels is to ensure the engagement of the state-level players.

The states are also expected to prepare a tiger conservation plan for each reserve and to notify the same afresh under the amended act. But sources said they are yet to demarcate and notified the buffer regions.

The demarcation of buffer boundaries is to help ensure tiger conservation outside the strict boundaries of the reserves and identify villages in the buffer zones that can be engaged in conservation activities.