Lack of protection hurting tigers more

The Times of India , Friday, April 28, 2017
Correspondent : Vijay Pinjarkar
NAGPUR: Even as the forest department has managed to keep organized tiger poachers at bay by arresting them, lack of protection and monitoring in territorial forest areas is hurting tigers more than the poaching menace.

Territorial officials have failed to learn lessons despite a dozen serious incidents in the region in the last six months in which three tigers, two leopards, two sloth bears and three bisons among many herbivores have been electrocuted.

Though crores of rupees are being spent under various schemes by the forest department and NGOs to win over locals, rampant destruction of prey and predators by electrocution remains an issue. The MSEDCL, which needs to play a key role by booking offenders under the Electricity Act, is a mute spectator.

Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Shree Bhagwan said, "A proposal for channel fencing in the landscape has been sent to the government. Besides, we also plan to extend benefits under the Shayamaprasad Mukherjee Jan Van Vikas scheme."

WII scientist Bilal Habib, who collared Srinivas, said, "Collaring gives you scientific data about movement in corridors. There is need to do wildlife-oriented management in such areas."

Habib suggested to declare Umred-Karhandla a tiger reserve and extend its buffer till Brahmapuri and Bhandara. These areas need to be created as special wildlife division for better management inputs.

"The entire landscape is beaming with tigers. The day Srinivas died, a new male occupied the territory, which is not from Tadoba and neither Brahmapuri," he said.

Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), called for speedy crop damage compensation. Solar fencing with state government grants can be a solution, but again in the latest incident in Chichpalli (Chandrapur), two bisons were electrocuted with the help of solar fencing by flowing current from overhead electric line.

"The MSEDCL should book offenders for illegal power use. Punishment under both, Wildlife (Protection) Act and Electricity Act, will be a deterrent," said Desai.

However, wildlife spokesperson & DFO GK Vashishtha says crop damage compensation has been increased last year from minimum Rs 1,000 to maximum Rs 25,000.

Vashishtha said collaring has nothing to do with death of Srinivas. These farmers are not poachers, but what they have been doing is also not justified as at times accidentally a tiger gets hit in such traps. MSEDCL needs to play a key role.

"There is no better way than monitoring and enhancing patrolling in such corridor areas. There should be regular patrolling through 11 KV overhead electric lines going from forest areas. Movement of foresters can be a big deterrent to villagers," said wildlife biologist Aditya Joshi.

Wildlife conservationist PrafullaBhamburkar called for a monitoring protocol in tiger corridor areas. "Such illegal power usage is harmful to humans too and guilty should be heavily penalized and booked," Bhamburkar added.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/lack-of-protection-hurting-tigers-more/articleshow/58402358.cms
 


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