Locals to be given preference in tiger protection campaign

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) Local work force will be deployed for protection of the endangered tiger, with preference given to local forest dwelling people, the newly-constituted National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) today proposed.

The meeting of NTCA, held under the Chairmanship of Environment and Forests Minister A Raja, also decided to complete Phase-I analysis of the all India tiger estimation in the central region of the country by December 2006. The analysis work in other parts of the country would be completed by July 2007.

This was the first meeting of the authority since it was constituted on September 4 this year to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of tiger conservative initiatives.

In view of the paucity of frontline staff in many of the tiger reserves, the NTCA members favoured issuance of directives to states to launch a special recruitment drive for filling up the vacancies. Preference was to be given to local forest dwelling people, relaxing the prescribed qualifications for such posts if necessary, they decided.

The Authority set a time limit of October 2007 for the completion of the process.

The NTCA also proposed that the institutionalised monitoring of tiger reserves be undertaken regularly using the new protocol developed in the all India tiger estimation.

Besides Mr Raja, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and Forests Namo Narain Meena, who is also Vice-Chairman of 24-member NTCA, was also present in the meeting.

Of the 24 members, 18 representatives of the Authority are from various ministries.

During the meeting, the Authority deliberated on issues relating to tiger reserves including the general approach for the XIth Plan covering anti-poaching, infrastructure, man-animal conflict, co-existence in buffer, research, staff development, determination of inviolate spaces for wildlife and mainstreaming livelihood concerns.

The meeting also recommended setting up of a committee with NTCA experts, Ministry of Home Affairs (Internal Security), Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Chief Wildlife Wardens of the states concerned to suggest ways to clamp down on insurgency and naxalite problems in affected tiger reserves.

To strengthen the National Tiger Conservation Authority's infrastructure, it was proposed that a committee under the chairmanship of Prof Madhav Gadgil, an NTCA member, be set up to network with researchers for fostering field research and refining the parameters for independent monitoring.

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