Conservation award for ex-Project Tiger chief
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THE HINDU ONLINE : October 19, 1996
http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/961019/03/03190005.html
Conservation award for ex-Project Tiger chief
Date: 19-10-1996 :: Pg: 14 :: Col: e
From Kalpana Sharma
MONTREAL, Oct. 18.
Despite the recent controversy surrounding India's Tiger conservation scheme
Project Tiger, it continues to be cited an important success story in world
environmental circles. In recognition of this, the Commission on National Parks
and Protected Areas (CNPPA) of the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature (IUCN), presented the Fred M. Packard International Parks Merit Award to
Mr. H. S. Panwar, former Director, Wildlife Institute of India Dehra Dun, and
of Project Tiger today. The ceremony took place at the World Conservation
Congress, in progress here.
The citation recognises Mr. Panwar's `outstanding contribution in protected
areas work in India over some 25 years.' It singles out his contribution in
raising the profile of the Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh, and commends
his `innovative management'. It states that under Mr. Panwar's direction,
Project Tiger became one of the world's leading conservation projects.
Mr. Panwar was unable to personally accept it as he is now involved in
assisting the Sri Lankan Department of National Parks in implementing projects
in protected areas. It is being financed by the Global Environment Facility
(GEF) of the World Bank.
In a message sent on the occasion, he said he wanted to acknowledge the work of
his colleagues, including the guards at Kanha, who had contributed to the
success of Project Tiger. He also said despite concerted global efforts in the
area of conservation, `the threats and pressures continue to grow, making it
difficult to sustain achieved conservations successes or to attain new ones.'
Apart from Mr. Panwar, the two other awardees are Mr. Abdullah Jang from
Pakistan who has contributed to the development of protected areas over the
last 35 years, and Mr. Perez Olindo from Kenya, a pioneer in the development of
Kenya's national parks.
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