PM asks states to strenghen tiger protection measures

New Delhi, Aug 03 (UNI) Prime Minster Manmohan Singh has asked states to urgently strengthen institutional arrangements in the tiger reserves and fill vacant posts of frontline staff of the Forest Department in wildlife sanctuaries.

The Prime Minister's directive has come in a letter to Chief Ministers he wrote after a review of the implementation of the Tiger Task Force Report.

He said a large number of frontline posts in the Department of Forests were lying vacant in several states, which might have happened on account of recruitment bans imposed at a time when State finances were under stress.

However, Dr Singh said, the situation had changed and urged the states to fill in the vacancies at the earliest.

The Prime Minister has urged Chief Ministers to create a 'development agency' in each tiger reserve for guidance in increasing local participation in tiger reserve management.

These agencies would be under the Field Directors involving local Panchayats and professional wild life experts. Enabling provisions for constituting such an institutional mechanism have been provided in the Wildlife Protection Amendment Act, 2006 and related guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

The Prime Minister has also asked the states to consider major parks/tiger reserves as autonomous profit centres.

He has suggested creation of a 'development fund' in each tiger reserve, which would be made eligible for tourism gate receipts, assistance from governments, funds from Compensatory Aforestation Fund Management and Planning Authorities.

UNI