PM asks for freeing tiger sanctuaries of human settlements

New Delhi, July 12 (UNI) Addressing concerns over recent reports of further fall in the number of tigers, the Prime Minister has asked the states to speed up relocation of 270 villages in and around wildlife sanctuaries and fill important vacancies of wildlife protection staff.

He was reviewing tiger conservation measures at a meeting here.

He was informed that the final report of the Tiger Census, which has been carried out using a more scietific methodology for counting, will come out in October.

The Census will give a more accurate projection of numbers as it was not based on the conventional pug mark method in which there were chances of double counting.

The Prime Minister said attractive packages should be given to the people being relocated out of the sanctuaries.

He also discussed measures including strengthening protection and anti-poaching activity through a Tiger Protection Force of Local residents and Ex-Servicemen.

The meeting discussed a model where ex-servicemen train and create a tiger protection force using local, mostly tribal residents in nearby villages thereby providing them with income opportunities and creating a bond between them and the park. This could be piloted in major tiger sanctuaries.

Another measure discussed was the creation of a Park Development Fund and Park Development Committee for each Park. A model for this already exists in Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

The Fund will be managed by a Park Development Committee, which could enlist local leadership and wild life activists. This body could direct suitable use of the Park Development Fund.

Minister of State for Forests Regupathy suggested that a Forest Modernisation Fund be set on the lines of the Police Modernisation Fund.

It was felt that the Ministry of Environment and Forests should develop a career progression plan to attract good forest professionals into the wildlife sector.

Among other suggestions that came up in the meeting, held yesterday, was making Wildlife sensitisation part of the education curriculum. There should be a planned exposure of children and youth to the tiger sanctuaries, it was felt.

UNI