Subject: Project Tiger starved of funds


>From the India News Network. 

Vivek
vtiwari@scdt.intel.com
Santa Clara, CA
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#12  Project Tiger starved of funds

                            Shyam Sundar Vattam
                              DH News Service
                             BANGALORE, Feb 22

   While nature lovers are concerned over the decline in the tiger
   population in the country, officials of the Karnataka Forest
   Department are facing shortage of funds to effectively implement
   various projects for conservation of tigers in the three national
   parks.

   The Centre launched ''Project Tiger``in 1972 when the tiger population
   in India declined to 2,000 due to large-scale poaching of the wild
   beast in forests. In Karnataka the project was first implemented in
   Bandipur National Park, which houses a sizeable chunk of the tiger
   population and later extended to Nagarhole National Park and
   Biligirirangana Temple Wildlife Sanctuary.

   Although, the tiger population has increased considerably in the
   State, thanks to the efforts of the State Forest Department, the funds
   allocated are not sufficient to launch new schemes. As a result many
   programmes aimed at increasing the tiger population are pending.

   According to an estimate, there were about 25,000-30,000 tigers in the
   country a few decades ago but the number has dwindled to about 3,000
   tigers at present, due to indiscriminate killing of tigers by
   poachers, especially in north-eastern states. Tiger products such as
   skin and teeth are in great demand in China.

   When the Project Tiger was launched in 1972 there were only 11 tigers
   in Bandipur National Park which rose to 26 in 1976, 39 in 1978, 43 in
   1980, 43 in 1981, 49 in 1982, 54 in 1983 and again declined to 50 in
   1989.

   However, the population again increased to 58 in 1992, 66 in 1993 and
   74 in 1995. Besides, there are also 12 and 53 tigers in BRT Wildlife
   Sanctuary and Nagarhole National Park respectively. Till today only
   one tiger has fallen prey to poachers in Bandipur National Park in
   1992.

   A senior forest officer told Deccan Herald that every year the Centre
   allotted Rs.60 lakh to 70 lakh of which 90 per cent of the money goes
   towards salaries of the staff. And only ten per cent of the money
   remained for strengthening communication network and building roads on
   forest`s border.

   He said 16 anti-poaching camps have been set up in Bandipur National
   Park to guard the vast area of forests. However, in spite of a tight
   vigil, poachers from neighbouring Kerala indulge in poaching of wild
   animals on Karnataka`s side and across the border.

   The department has submitted a proposal to the Union Government to
   release additional grants for strenghtening the vigil by constituting
   an adequate number of anti-poaching squads, providing sophisticated
   weapons and vehicles fitted with wireless sets to guard forests. But
   the proposal has not seen the light of day so far. Recently a sum of
   Rs.14 lakh earmarked for digging elephant-proof trenches on the
   fringes of forests was diverted to Project Tiger, due to lack of funds
   for the tiger project. ''When the government is not interested in the
   protection of flora and fauna, what can we do with a limited staff?``,
   he asks.

   He said another proposal seeking permission of the State Government to
   include about 500 acres of revenue land situated adjacent to the
   national park was pending with the government for a long time. If the
   government okays this proposal the area could be utilised as a buffer
   zone. Tigers need vast territory to freely roam around the forests and
   they hate intrusion of any new animal in their domain.