Meera Bhardwaj:
The killing of five tigers in MM Hills, Karnataka- roll heads of the Karnataka Forest Department. But will this effectively protect tiger habitat and safeguard the state’s protected areas in the background of corrupt officials, political interference, vested interests and implementation of linear structures & pumped storage projects inside PA? Well, this remains a million-dollar question?
If P C Ray has been made the PCCF (Wildlife) Chief Wildlife Warden, Manoj Kumar has replaced Ray as the Principal Secretary to the government, Forest, Ecology & Environment. Added to this, the DCF of MM Hills Sanctuary, Chakrapani, ACF Gajanan Hegde have been sent on compulsory leave. But this is not enough as we need committed forest officers with integrity and vast field experience to manage either a sanctuary or tiger reserve.
FUNCTIONING OF WILDLIFE DIVISONS
The poisoning of a mother tigress and her four cubs has sent shock waves throughout the country and spurned the state government to take action but more needs to be done at the mid-level management of wildlife and forests. One cannot imagine how the carcass of these tigers could not be discovered for two days despite the crime site being so near a road.
The MM Hills tiger killings demonstrated the functioning or rather the non-functioning of the MM Hills Division right from the DCF to the frontline staff. If you don’t pay the patrolling staff (who are usually locals or from tribal communities) for action at the frontline, this is what happens.
NON-PAYMENT TO FRONTLINE STAFF
It is not just MM Hills but even frontline staff in other tiger reserves like Kali Tiger Reserve (which has a history of non-payment to its staff), BRT or other sanctuaries are either not paid or received highly delayed payments which affects the morale of the staff who are in the frontline and stand as sentinels in the protection of our carnivores, herbivores and forests and grasslands.
The pittance that is paid to the frontline staff in tiger reserves in this age is unbelievable.
If they are paid Rs 8000 or Rs 9000 per month which is not enough to meet their family needs – the state government should set up a committee to enhance not only their contractual payment but also compulsorily pay them more sets of uniforms and weapons in working condition and better facilities at the anti-poaching camps.
Most of the staff hired as forest watchers and forest guards belong to the tribal communities, scheduled castes and OBCs, so efforts should be made by the state govt to divert funds from the central funds given for SC/ST development.
FUNCTIONING OF APCs
I hope State Forest Minister makes a surprise visit to some functioning and non-functioning APCs in the major national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves of the State and gets an idea of the problems prevailing in terms of manpower, their quarters, health facilities, and funds.
Last but not the least, the state government should appoint only those forest officers who have worked in the field, gained enough experience and garnered more knowledge on the management of the tiger reserves, sanctuaries and national parks so that Karnataka does not witness such incidents again and again.
STOPPAGE OF POLITICAL INTERFERENCE
Apart from this, how many deaths and killings of wildlife remain hidden or undiscovered, only God knows. The need of the hour is to stop interference of MLAs and MPs in the day to day functioning of the Karnataka Forest Department.
There is urgent need to allow them to function independently in the best interests of Karnataka’s wildlife and wide-ranging forest habitat from evergreen, semi-evergreen, deciduous, dry rocky terrain to rainforests.
POLICE SUPPORT TO STOP WILDLIFE CRIME
Further, there is need for coordination between the Karnataka Forest Department and the state police department in the protection of the tiger habitats. There is need for setting up more check posts in the tiger reserves of the state and make it functional as the heinous incident at MM Hills clearly showed the lack of a check post at Palar.
This will in fact, not only stop the smuggling of arms, ammunition and of course, stop the movement of cattle to the MM Hills forests for illegal grazing as also poachers and timber smugglers from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka. If Tamil Nadu can stop cattle grazing in forests, why can’t Karnataka?
TIGER RESERVE STATUS FOR MM HILLS
Interference by a legislator during BJP’s rule before 2023 cost the MM Hills Sanctuary to be declared as a tiger reserve. For decades, there were efforts made to declare MM Hills by the Centre but somehow, this declaration as a tiger reserve fizzled out for some or the other reason. This matter should be taken up by the Karnataka Forest Department seriously so as to give maximum protection to the tigers of MM Hills.
The MM Hills Wildlife Division is a very important habitat for tigers and presently, it has a population of more than 35 tigers. Earlier, being the den of the forest brigand Veerappan, who killed many elephants and other wildlife population in this division, the state govt should take more and effective measures to stop criminal and poaching activities in MM Hills.
FOREST OFFICERS FUNCTIONING
It is imperative that forest officers should be allowed to function independently and further, they should not bow down to legislators or Parliamentarians as they are answerable to the people of this state and NOT these elected representatives who come and go every five years. Victimization of honest officers should stop and their frequent transfers should come to a complete halt and they should be given a tenure of at least three years.
Added to this, action should be taken by the state government against corrupt and inefficient forest officials who should not be posted in important tiger habitats and sanctuaries in Karnataka. In the last two years, although Forest, Ecology & Environment Minister Eshwar has taken decisions for protection and conservation of Protected Areas and Territorial areas, however, the implementation of these decisions is still pretty weak.
With Karnataka being home to a significant number of tiger reserves (5), sanctuaries (18) and national parks (5), it is imperative that CM Siddaramaiah and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre should draw up a green map for the state and take strict conservation action and measures with immediate effect.
This is not only to protect and conserve the remaining forests and its wildlife in the days to come but also to tackle the issue of global warming, climate change, water scarcity, droughts, floods, landslides, soil erosion and what not in the years to come.