GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
The shocking killings of five tigers in MM Hills now allows “selective cattle grazing” in Karnataka’s protected areas and forests. But there is a twist to this regulation – if, grazing of cattle from outside the state in the forest is being prohibited, grazing by forest dwellers and tribal communities from Karnataka will be allowed in protected areas and forests.
Now how will the forest officials identify the grazing animals and grazers and to which state they belong on a daily basis – is a million-dollar question? This regulation has opened a Pandora’s box as it allows and permits cattle grazing by local communities in sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves in the days to come.
Wildlife activists question the state government’s order of permitting cattle grazing by local communities in protected areas and say this may lead to new problems and compound the complicated issue of human-wildlife conflict in tiger reserves and national parks. The recent heinous incident in MM Hills Sanctuary has demonstrated this very clearly. If more than 30,000 cattle are grazing inside this sanctuary, what about other protected areas in Karnataka and what will be the consequences of freedom for cattle grazing by local communities?
REVENGE KILLINGS BY DEADLY PESTICIDE
With a mother tigress and her four tiger cubs being poisoned by use of a pesticide by grazers, the state government has decided to regulate cattle grazing in protected areas and further banning grazing by cattle from outside the state. The five tigers were killed in MM Hills when they fed on the poisoned dead cow which had been liberally sprayed with Carbofuran, a deadly pesticide.
Under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, forest dwellers and tribals are allowed to graze their cattle in the forest. However, only the grazing of cattle brought in thousands from neighbouring states (like it happened in MM Hills Sanctuary wherein cattle from Tamil Nadu were allowed to graze here) will be banned, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre has clarified.
NO REGULATION FOR GRAZING FOR LOCALS
“Locals need not worry,” Eshwar Khandre clarified in a media statement. The Forest Minister said that under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, there is no permission for encroachment by people and grazing of domestic animals in reserve forests, wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves. However, in some forest areas of the state, this practice has been going on for many years.”
“We need to create awareness among the people living on the edge of the forests, allowing them to have cows that give more milk and also encouraging them to grow green fodder on their Patta land. Thereby, cattle can gradually be not allowed from being kept for grazing in the forest,” Eshwar Khandre added.
IMPACT OF GRAZING ON WILDLIFE IN MM HILLS
According to the statistics of the state Animal Husbandry Department, there are about 33,000 cattle grazing within the limits of the MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. Due to the large-scale grazing activity by domestic in the forest limits, wildlife species such as elephants, Indian gaur, wild boars, deer, etc. have been impacted and are facing a shortage of fodder and water scarcity.
Apart from this, there is a risk of infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin, and anthrax spreading to the wildlife. In the background of this, it has been suggested to ban grazing of cattle in the forest as per the existing laws. However, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre clarified that exemption will be given to the local cattle and those who have rights under the Forest Rights Act.
AN ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM
In Chamarajanagar, the Karnataka Forest Department has already provided hybrid cows (that give more milk) to 10-15 farmers using the Corporate Social Responsibility funds.
The Forest Minister also added that such an alternative system will be provided to those people who are currently make their living by grazing their cattle in the forest. But efforts will gradually be made to persuade them not to graze their cattle, calves, buffaloes, goats and sheep in the forests and protected areas.
RISING HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
In the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court had delivered a verdict that cattle grazing will not be allowed in the forests of Tamil Nadu. In the aftermath of this verdict, thousands of cattle were being brought to Karnataka from the neighbouring state and allowed to graze in the state’s MM Hills Sanctuary which had led to the tragic five tiger killings.
Due to cattle grazing in the forest for months together, the forest pastures of MM Hills are being depleted, and vegetation is also being hindered. In addition, human-wildlife conflict too has been increasing. Since it had reached the point of poisoning wildlife wherein five tigers had died in MM Hills Sanctuary last month, all legal and regulatory measures had been taken to protect not only tigers but also other wildlife, the statement outlined.