Workers in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve wait for their dues

Wildlife experts fear that the apathy of the state government towards the park can induce the workers to help poachers in lieu of money. “It is shocking that at a time when efforts are being made to save tigers in the country,the Uttar Pradesh government has not paid daily wage earners their dues. This will have negative consequences,” wildlife expert Belinda Wright said.

She recalled how in the absence of monetary support by the state,daily wagers had turned poachers in reserves like Valmiki and Corbett sanctuaries in Bihar and Uttarakhand respectively in the past.

Day-to-day work in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve — spread over 1,400 sq km and housing around 100 tigers — has almost come to a standstill. According to sources,the daily wagers are paid Rs 100 per day and their total salary bill for the last seven months stands at between Rs 60 to 70 lakh.

Two floods in August and October had already left the reserve in a bad shape. “The government should release the annual budget money by April of every financial year. But it rarely happens. As a result,most of the important tasks are either pending or not at all completed,” said Ashok Kumar,a conservationist from Wildlife Trust of India.

Daily wagers are employed as an aide to the forest guards to keep an eye on tigers as well any nefarious activities going on in the park. “Due to lack of attention,we will lose our precious tigers,” Kumar added.