Expert Interview Dr. Rajesh Gopal, former ADG(PT) and MS(NTCA)

 

1.      Please spell out your vision for tiger reserves management and tiger conservation. I would like you to spell out the vision of late PM Mrs. Indira Gandhi when she set up Project Tiger as a project that will protect habitat for prey base of the tiger too.

The vision document of NTCA/Project Tiger (Amrit Kaal Ka Tiger Vision: Tiger@2047) highlights the following:

 Vision: Securing Tigers for Posterity.

Goal: To maintain a viable and sustainable population of tiger in the wild based on carrying capacity of the habitat and to bring all potential tiger habitat under the coverage of Project Tiger.

Objective: To ensure maintenance of a viable population of tiger in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values and presence for all times, areas of biological diversity for benefit, education and awareness of the society.

Perspective:

·        Mascot of livelihood and sustainable development

·        Indicator of ecosystem well-being in sync with global sustainable development, biodiversity, and climate goals

·        Model for securing green investments: innovative green business models

·        Umbrella for wildlife and biodiversity conservation: Securing ecosystem services for perpetuity

This is in tune with the vision of Smt. Indira Gandhi, which is reflected in the task force report for launching Project Tiger:

 “to ensure maintenance of a viable population of tigers in India and to preserve, for all time, areas of biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people”

 Some of her famous quotes are:

“The tiger cannot be preserved in isolation. It is at the apex of a large and complex bio tote. Its habitat, threatened by human intrusion, commercial forestry and cattle grazing first be made inviolate”

“A massive campaign is necessary now to educate our people in the first principles of natural conservation. We must teach them, from their early school days to become planters and protectors of trees and took care for animals”.

2.      You are often referred to as the Architect of the current ecosystem where forest dwellers are relocated with a humane approach and a monetary package that aids their livelihood security post relocation from tiger terrain. How far has this become a reality?

The relocation is “voluntary” and very much humane. There are two options – cash and land plus rehabilitation. The entire process involves implementing the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 read with the Forest Dwellers Act. In most situations, such people have a sustainable livelihood security post at the new site with sectoral integration. Broadly, their living conditions have improved with less vulnerability to human-wildlife conflicts.

 3.      What then are the remaining loopholes in relocation package and its implementation?

I do not see any loophole. The cash package has undergone recent revision to step up the package from Rs.10 to 15 lakhs per beneficiary. Guidelines in the context from NTCA/Project Tiger are comprehensive, addressing post relocation issues as well.

 4.      What remains to be done in terms of administrative and legislative measures?

 We have adequate legal provisions and enabling policy regime.

 5.      There was a case of tribes in Arunachal Pradesh having hunted and consumed tiger meat for their food. Your comments please.

This calls for fostering awareness and the need to involve local communities in gainful stewardship.

6.      What is the wish-list for tiger conservationists?

A macro landscape scale approach vis-à-vis the tiger vision.

Adding scientific perspectives to conservation recommendations has succeeded to some extent protection of the tiger, its faunal spectrum (prey base) and its habitat. that was the vision of Project Tiger when it was launched. © Wildlife Institute of India  

7.      What about the eternal question of tribals in tiger terrain? The UNCBD too puts People before the Planet. How can this vectious issue be solved in the Indian context?

People are important and whatever we have now is because of their tolerance. That is why Project Tiger has an “exclusive” tiger agenda in the core, complemented by an equally aggressive “inclusive” people centric agenda in the peripheral buffer.

8.      Has poaching decreased?

Yes. Things have improved a lot because of state of the art monitoring protocols like M-STrIPES, besides security planning involving the use of modern technology to strengthen protection infrastructure and surveillance for intelligence based enforcement.

 9.      What about the case of TCM being fed by tigers / wildlife from India? What is the present scenario?

This continues to be a cause for concern. The phasing out of tiger farms needs to happen in a time bound manner as suggested by the CITES, besides implementing decision in the context taken by Parties.

The present scenario is relating to TCM is a cause for concern in South East Asia and China.

10. Does the increase in tiger reserves’ notification quantify / or amount to mitigation of Biodiversity loss in your opinion? Or the does it paint the picture of anthropocentric conflict because relocation of forest dwellers in the new tiger reserves pose a challenge to the political powers that be?

Tiger, albiet at the faunal pyramid needs habitat protection for its own survival and that of its gene pool. © Malini Shankar 

Of-course. Yes, the wild tiger is a surrogate indicator of biodiversity. Tiger bearing forests lock up lot of carbon, besides securing biodiversity to ensure sustained availability of ecosystem services. More tiger reserves are a great step for sustenance of biodiversity.

I see tigers as a multidimensional surrogate indicator doing good to people as well as biodiversity. Sustained biodiversity is crucial for our survival and people are appreciating this.

Malini Shankar