A Question of Survival for Kanha's Tigers

-
Lalit Shastri
(The Hindu (New Delhi), 30 Dec. 2006)
Poachers continue to pose a serious threat to the survival of tigers in Madhya Pradesh.
Two of them were arrested on December 19 and tiger skins were seized from them. A
gun was also recovered. They were active in the Hoshangbad forests and used Jabalpur as
a transit point.
Earlier this month, a tiger was rescued after tourists informed the staff of the Kanha
National Park that they spotted the animal in Mukki range with one of its claws caught in
a crude clamp. The forest personnel tranquillised the tiger and rescued it. Tribals from the
villages falling in the buffer zone along the Balaghat-Mandla border could have laid the
trap, officials said.
Besides the problem of poaching, the Park also faces immense biotic pressure. K. Nayak,
field director, Kanha Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu that there were 18 forest villages
inside the Park. Three villages were part of the habitat of the endangered Barasingha, a
rare species of deer found only in Kanha. The villages need to be relocated to reduce
biotic pressure on the habitats of the tiger and its prey.
Buffer zone
The Tiger Reserve is surrounded by a buffer zone of over 1,000 sq km. Comprising 150
villages, it stretches over two revenue districts, Mandla and Balaghat, and is not a
Protected Area.
Asked about the level of biotic pressure inside the Park, Mr. Nayak said villagers
continued to enter the core area for grazing their cattle and collecting fuel wood.
Staff sensitised
Admitting that a tiger had recently been caught in a poacher's trap inside the Park, he said
the forest staff had been sensitised and all efforts were being made to check the poachers.
The 2005 habitat assessment showed that the tiger population in the national parks and
sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh was 394 against the Census figure of 416 in 2004. There
are nine national parks in the State — Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Satpura,
Sanjay, Madhav, Vanvihar, and Fossil. Besides, there are 25 sanctuaries. The 2004
Census put the number of tigers at six in Rani Durgawati sanctuary (Damoh) and seven at
Palpur Kuno. However, last year's assessment showed there was not a single tiger in the
sanctuaries. The areas falling under them are contiguous with Ranthambore in Rajasthan.
Similarly, the boundaries of three districts of Chattisgarh Kavardha, and Rajnandgaon
also touch the forests of Madhya Pradesh. Hence, the tiger census projections have been questioned by experts.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Caste Conundrum: Let the Caste Census go Beyond Hindus

-
Image
  Lalit Shastri Lalit Shastri The demand for a caste-based census of the Hindu population in India has garnered significant attention and debate. This move by the Congress party and its allies has raised a crucial question: why restrict the caste census to Hindu communities alone? The intricate web of caste divisions extends beyond Hinduism, permeating other religions in the subcontinent as well. Therefore, it is imperative to contemplate a comprehensive caste census that encompasses all religious groups, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and also atheists. This article delves into the history and complexity of the caste system in South Asia more particularly in India, its presence in various religious communities, and why a holistic approach to the caste census is necessary. The Pervasive Caste System  To understand the need for an inclusive caste census, one must recognize that the caste system is deeply entrenched in the social fabric of the Asian sub-contin
Read more

India's Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and Section 45 of PMLA: A Critical Analysis

-
  Lalit Shastri   The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) stands as a law against financial malfeasance, yet its provisions, notably the definitions under Section 2 (u), Section 2 (y), Section 3 relating to Scheduled Offence like misuse of funds attracting Section 447 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Section 45 of PMLA , have stirred a maelstrom of debate regarding the delicate balance between justice and security.  Section 447, which even provides for a seven year jail term, can be imposed and prosecution proceedings initiated against someone who may not even be guilty merely on the subjective, biased or vindictive Inspection Report prepared by the Inspecting Officer of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.  The matter could be worst confounded if the proceedings under the Companies Act, 2013 are vitiated at the behest of vested interests to distort the findings and conclusion in the Inspection Report. Once a court takes cognizance of prosecution complaint under Secti
Read more

A Call for Peace, Inclusion, and Sustainability on my Birthday

-
Image
Lalit Shastri As a global society, we must strive for peaceful coexistence and embrace the spirit of inclusivity. Our shared future depends on our collective responsibility to protect the environment, preserve wildlife, and safeguard the delicate balance of our ecosystems, including our rivers and forests. It is time we shun violence, extremism, and division in all its forms, fostering unity over discord. We envision a socio-economic order where equity, transparency, and accountability reign, ensuring that skill and merit are valued over privilege, exploitation and denial of equal opportunity to all due to the quota or reservation system. Also, corruption has no place in a society where every individual is dedicated to the common good, working for the advancement of humanity and securing a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.  Together, we can build a world where compassion, justice with fairness, and progress guide our actions—creating a legacy that honors both t
Read more