WAY back in 1982, Brijendra Singh arrested at gunpoint the entire top brass of the district administration while poaching in the heart of the Corbett National Park, of which he has been Honorary Wildlife Warden for more than three decades now. The Corbett Park has the highest tiger density in Asia. That Brijendra is an authority on wildlife conservation is beyond doubt, being member of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and one of the longest serving members of the National Board of Wildlife. He spoke to The Tribune on the challenges faced in tiger conservation.
The NTCA had termed Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand a hotspot of tiger poaching. What steps are needed to strength tiger conservation in Corbett?
Corbett is like a bank with open gates. There is lack of manpower; 50 per cent of its forest guard posts are vacant. The daily-wagers there also don’t get paid every month. Realisation must dawn upon the Uttarakhand Government to take urgent steps, as any poacher can hit Corbett, which is a national asset due to its thriving tiger population.
NGOs too have been raising the issue of the park’s vulnerability to poaching. They have blamed the Uttarakhand forest authorities for doing little to check poaching.
NGOs are certainly a help in furthering the cause of tiger conservation at Corbett, but then they should play a more of constructive role. Just accusing the Forest Department won’t do, and the NGOs must provide credible information.
Man-animal conflict is a big challenge for forest areas. What is the situation at Corbett?
Elephants could prove to be a serious challenge, as their population is rising steadily, and coming in conflict with habitations, particularly in Uttarakhand. The only solution lies in restoration of elephant corridors. In Uttarakhand, Corbett National Park and Rajaji National Park need to be linked. Also, proper trenching, raising walls and plant species that serve as food for the pachyderms are some of the steps needed to be undertaken. And all this must happen urgently.
Rehabilitation of forest-dwelling communities living inside tiger parks across the country has been a major issue.
These communities need to be rehabilitated urgently. In the case of Corbett, the issue of 191 Gujjar families living in Kalagarh division is yet to be resolved. A committee has been set up by the state government for the purpose, but rehabilitation seems to be nowhere in sight.
Resorts have come up in the close vicinity of Corbett. The issue has been raised time and again, even by the Union Environment and Forestry Ministry. But the number continues to grow.
These resorts are the result of a nexus between politicians and rich people. Successive governments in Uttarakhand have failed to check the mushrooming of these resorts, which are proving disastrous for wildlife. The government does not have a clear policy for land use, and rampant construction is going on all along the Kosi river.
What are the NTCA’s new initiatives on tiger conservation?
The NTCA plans to install high-tech surveillance systems in tiger reserves across the country, and a beginning has been made with Corbett, where camera towers have come up and are functional. These cameras are heat sensitive and provide information to the base station.
How are the tiger protection efforts doing in various states?
The NTCA is funded by the Central government. There are a total of 41 tiger reserves in the country, which are ultimately a state subject. Maharashtra had recently given shoot-at-sight orders for poachers, and the state is doing commendable work. Similarly, Assam and the southern states are also doing well.
The NTCA entrusts the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to conduct the tiger census every two years. How satisfied are you with the quality of this exercise?
The census has an important role in determining the numerical strength of tigers in the country. The WII with its camera traps has adopted the best possible technology for enumerating wild cats. They identify tigers by their stripes, which is like fingerprinting. No tiger can be counted twice, which makes it a foolproof mechanism for the census. Images of other important wildlife species have also been taken. Interestingly, even poachers have been captured on camera in certain cases.
There were at one time plans to include Amangarh tehsil in UP, adjacent to Corbett, in the national park.
Along with NTCA Chairman Rajesh Gopal, I plan to meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhikesh Yadav, who recently announced introducing a lion safari in the state. An area of 8 sq km of Amangarh tehsil, which was once part of Corbett, is now under the UP Forest Department. It has a good population of tigers.
