On the occasion of National Wildlife Week being celebrated to commemorate the rich bio-diversity and natural heritage of our country, the State Wildlife Society in association with Vasundhara, an NGO on Wednesday organised a seminar here where the members expressed their deep concern on the sharply falling tiger population in the different forest covers of the country.
National Wildlife Week, which began on October 2, will conclude on October 8.
As a part of the programme, the members also screened Krishnendu Bose's documentary film Tiger: The Death Chronicles, the best award winning documentary in wildlife section of the CMS Vatabaran, 2007. The film has been shot in different tiger hotspots like Sariska, Panna, Buxa, to unravel nuts and bolts of the crisis. The documentary throws light on how States like Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Goa are trading their tigers and their forests for more economic revenue. The film also highlights the good works done in tiger reserves like Corbett, where people and tigers are protected.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Krisnendu Bose said, "Tiger is an icon or a window through which one can look at the entire conservation policy for wild animals in the country. The 63-minute documentary highlights three important aspects, what is really happening to the tiger population, the conflict between man and wild animal for habitations and how non-plan developments have threatened both the man and animal by way of damaging the ecosystems."
People for Animals (PFA) State secretary Jiban Pradip Das said "The State, known for its prosperous bio-diversity and diverse ecosystem, makes a unique place in the country, where bio-diversity has always been an integral part of the socio-cultural aspect of the locals. But alarmingly in recent days, its amazing wildlife and unique ecosystems are feeling the warm embrace of rapid climate change, the toxic taste of accumulating chemical pollution and mixed blessing of escalating development of its natural resources."
"Never before have had the wild animals and habitats faced the kind of threats they face nowadays. Ecological destruction due to lopsided developmental projects and organised poaching has threatened the existence of the species. Giving the situation the Government should come forward with a long term plan instead of temporary plan to check the depletion of natural resources of our State and help the shrinking wildlife species survive from the process of extinction," Pradip Das added.
