Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM reviews Tiger Conservation Measures

The Prime Minister reviewed at a meeting yesterday, the recent Tiger conservation measures of the government and was briefed on follow-up measures to be considered to keep up the momentum in the national conservation movement.

The Government has put in place a more scientific methodology for counting leading to a more accurate projection of numbers as against the conventional pug mark method liable for double counting. The final report of the Tiger Census it was informed would be ready by October 2007. Further in an effort to revitalize Project Tiger the Government has created an autonomous National Tiger Conservation Authority with effective powers. The Government has also sanctioned the National Wild Life Crime Control Bureau aimed at strengthening anti- poaching activity.

The Prime Minister called for time bound action being taken to relocate 270 villages in the critical core areas in sanctuaries based on attractive packages offered to them. The Prime Minister also directed that states be requested fill vacancies of frontline staff urgently.

Other follow-up measures discussed include strengthening protection and anti poaching activity through a Tiger Protection Force of Local Residents and Ex-Servicemen. The efforts of the Wild Life Crime Control Bureau and the Forest departments of states can be augmented by local residents working under the supervision of ex-servicemen as a Tiger Protection Force in selected sanctuaries. It would be effective to develop a model where ex-servicemen train and create a tiger protection force using local, mostly tribal residents in nearby villages thereby providing them with income opportunities and create a bond between them and the park. This could be piloted in major tiger sanctuaries.

Another measure discussed is the creation of a Park Development Fund and Park Development Committee for each Park. A model for this already exists in Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The Park Development Fund will be managed by a Park Development Committee. The Park Development Committee could enlist local leadership and wild life activists. This body could direct suitable use of the Park Development Fund. The Minister of State for Forests Shri.Regupathy suggested that a Forest Modernization Fund be set up on the lines of the Police Modernization Fund.

It was felt that the Ministry of Environment and Forests should develop a career progression plan to attract good forest professionals into the wildlife sector.

Further it was felt that wild life sensitization should be made part of the education curriculum. There should be a planned exposure of children and youth to the tiger sanctuaries.