BHOPAL: A central empowered committee (CEC), which was constituted following a supreme court directive, has asked the Madhya Pradesh government to strengthen security arrangements at Bandhavgarh national park. The chief secretary was sent a report, prepared by committee chairman P V Jaikrishnan and the wildlife trust of India's Valmik Thapar, after a CEC tour of the area in the wake of complaints about several irregularities and poaching of six tigers and leopards.
The document said that 200 forest crimes were recorded at the park between April and december 2004 and included six incidents of poaching. Meanwhile, state chief conservator of forests (wildlife) R N Saksena said that the allegation regarding six carnivores being poached was ''not based'' on facts.
''The apex court's directive followed a complaint by one Manjeet Singh Ahluwalia but the poaching could not be proved. The report did point out that the park is the best in the country for conserving tigers and it is necessary to pay greater attention to Bandhavgarh,'' he said. Quoting the document, the official said that the CEC team felt Bandhavgarh was more conducive for tigers than even the desert state's Ranthambore national park and tourists were able to view the carnivores more easily here.
''The team chanced upon eight tigers, several wolves, Sambar Chital, Chinkara, barking deer and wild dogs within a span of just a couple of days,'' Mr Saksena added. However, the CEC officials took serious note of tourists' cigarette packs, empty plastic water bottles and dirty spots in the Tala area's Bhaitan jungle. The park managers were ''advised'' not to let such situations recur. It was directed that the toilet and canteen within Bhaitan be shifted out of the park's limits. The team also objected to logging of bamboo and some trees for widening Khitauli area's Damdama Munari road to 36 ft. Drains were bamboo clumps. The work was later halted but, surprisingly, the park managers had no clue of this activity. The CEC officials took exception to neglect of Magdi, Katwa and Khitauli areas by park managers. Tourists are not allowed in these zones.
