Field visit: Prime Minister’s panel asks villagers to restore the pride of Sariska, tells them they can’t allow thieves to rob homes
11 July, 2005 The Indian Express
Aurangazeb's 17th-century fort, built to exile Dara Shikoh, stands firm in the rain atop a craggy hillock. But the jungle around this troubled patch of the Sariska tiger reserve is vanishing, the ancient Kankwari village and adjoining settlements boast 150-plus families—in just 10 years, the population has almost doubled and the tigers are gone.
It was this ‘‘degradation’’ that greeted the five-member task force—set up by the Prime Minister to study the tiger crisis—in Sariska today. The force, headed by environmentalist Sunita Narain, reached here this morning on the first leg of their Rajasthan trip, the last field visit before its term ends on July 19.
The force was set up after the story of Sariska’s missing tigers was first reported in The Sunday Express in January followed by a series of reports in The Indian Express from other tiger reserves in the country.
Today, the task force members asked the villagers to restore the pride of Sariska: ‘‘This is your home, you can’t allow thieves here’’. The ground staff was reminded their responsibility and assured some help: ‘‘Ideal conditions don’t exist and India is a poor country’’. In between, the panel gathered vital information to shape their report to be submitted to the PM later this month.
Their previous stop was at Kalighati chowki where the panel grilled the forest ground staff.
The villagers claimed they were ready to move out if and when they got a good deal. The forest staff listed their demotivating woes—lack of infrastructure and equipment, inhuman working hours, stagnation, etc.
‘‘We came here to see how the state government fixes responsibility for the disappearance of the tiger here, to learn from those mistakes so that they are never repeated and chalk out an action plan for the reserve’s future,’’ said Narain.
Panel members Narain, Valmik Thapar, H.S. Panwar and Madhav Gadgil were accompanied by Project Tiger director Rajesh Gopal, Rajasthan chief wildlife warden R N Mehrotra and Magsaysay winner Rajinder Singh. Tomorrow, the team rushes to Ranthambore.
At the end of the hectic day, Thapar said he spotted ‘‘signs of rampant degradation’’ that supports his call for ‘‘urgent relocation of villages’’.
11 July, 2005 The Indian Express
Aurangazeb's 17th-century fort, built to exile Dara Shikoh, stands firm in the rain atop a craggy hillock. But the jungle around this troubled patch of the Sariska tiger reserve is vanishing, the ancient Kankwari village and adjoining settlements boast 150-plus families—in just 10 years, the population has almost doubled and the tigers are gone.
It was this ‘‘degradation’’ that greeted the five-member task force—set up by the Prime Minister to study the tiger crisis—in Sariska today. The force, headed by environmentalist Sunita Narain, reached here this morning on the first leg of their Rajasthan trip, the last field visit before its term ends on July 19.
The force was set up after the story of Sariska’s missing tigers was first reported in The Sunday Express in January followed by a series of reports in The Indian Express from other tiger reserves in the country.
Today, the task force members asked the villagers to restore the pride of Sariska: ‘‘This is your home, you can’t allow thieves here’’. The ground staff was reminded their responsibility and assured some help: ‘‘Ideal conditions don’t exist and India is a poor country’’. In between, the panel gathered vital information to shape their report to be submitted to the PM later this month.
Their previous stop was at Kalighati chowki where the panel grilled the forest ground staff.
The villagers claimed they were ready to move out if and when they got a good deal. The forest staff listed their demotivating woes—lack of infrastructure and equipment, inhuman working hours, stagnation, etc.
‘‘We came here to see how the state government fixes responsibility for the disappearance of the tiger here, to learn from those mistakes so that they are never repeated and chalk out an action plan for the reserve’s future,’’ said Narain.
Panel members Narain, Valmik Thapar, H.S. Panwar and Madhav Gadgil were accompanied by Project Tiger director Rajesh Gopal, Rajasthan chief wildlife warden R N Mehrotra and Magsaysay winner Rajinder Singh. Tomorrow, the team rushes to Ranthambore.
At the end of the hectic day, Thapar said he spotted ‘‘signs of rampant degradation’’ that supports his call for ‘‘urgent relocation of villages’’.
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