Roar! More room for Palamau tigers

Call for conservation Ranchi, Aug. 1: Three hundred cheers for the majestic big cat! The state forest department has, finally, moved to raise a territory toast to the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) by honouring a 12-year-old central notification that recommended an additional 300sqkm room at the Palamau Tiger Reserve. Adhering to the notification, forest belts of Latehar and Ranchi West division will now be integrated into the reserve to ensure better conservation of its 11 striped denizens and management of their habitat. The exercise will stretch the total reserve area from the present 1,026sqkm to 1,326sqkm. Sarju, Manika, Kumandi and Netarhat Hills in Latehar and Mahuatand and its adjoining areas in Ranchi West will add to the reserve buffer zone. The transfer of forest areas from these two divisions is likely to be completed in a month’s time. DFO (core), Palamau Tiger Reserve, Premjit Anand said formalities with respective divisional officers had been completed and pockets of Latehar would be merged within 10 days flat. “The rest will happen gradually over a month,” he added. In 1997, the Centre had issued a notification to the erstwhile Bihar government to increase the area of the reserve, but the state forest department had been sitting on the directive since. The litany of excuses had ranged from manpower crunch to the designated areas (in Latehar) being Naxalite strongholds and thus inaccessible. However, the truth arguably is lackadaisical approach to a project that entails extra burden. Reserve director S.E.H. Kazmi refused to comment on why the exercise had been delayed for 12 years despite several hard-hitting reminders from the Centre. “When I assumed office a few months ago, I came to know of the notification and began working in that regard. I can’t say why others didn’t do it,” Kazmi, who took charge in April, said. He underscored that the important thing was that the ambitious proposal was finally taking shape. “It is a positive step towards tiger conservation. We will be able to extend funds and habitat management schemes like building enclosures (15-20sqkm on an average) to the extended areas. This, in turn, will ensure better monitoring of buffer zones and reduce man-animal conflict, particularly poaching,” he explained. DFO (buffer) A.K. Mishra, who is pursuing the proposal along with Anand, conceded that a few technical concerns had hindered the merger process earlier. “For instance, there were discrepancies between the central notification and the directives from principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) on areas to be included. So, Latehar division officials weren’t ready to part with some villages. But now, things are moving,” he said. Another senior official, requesting anonymity, said some department officials weren’t interested in the first place. “Increase in reserve area means more work in terms of patrolling, monitoring and habitat management. With 90 per cent posts of forest guards lying vacant, no one wanted to take the burden. They merely completed their tenure and went away,” he said. PCCF A.K. Singh admitted manpower crunch. “Now, we have prepared rules and regulations for recruitment of forest guards. Also, the proposal for a tiger foundation has been drafted a couple of months ago. It is waiting for the state government’s nod,” he said. Ironically, half of the existing reserve is beyond control because there are not enough guards while DFOs for buffer and core areas were appointed only some time ago. Most importantly, funds for conservation are delayed every year in the absence of a tiger foundation. No wonder, the big cat count has dropped from 17 to 11 in a decade. Under the Wildlife Protection Act, it is mandatory for all states with reserves to have a tiger foundation, which is an autonomous body to facilitate habitat management. Having a foundation will help the Palamau reserve get money from the Centre directly for conservation work.