Express Impact: After red flags raised over MP tiger deaths, wildlife dept admits officials were negligent, ‘lacked interest’

After the publication of the news report, the NTCA sought a clarification from the Wildlife Department.

Subharanjan Sen, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), the wrote to the NTCA on August 9, acknowledging that in “some cases, it was found that the NTCA Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and the guidelines issued by the Wildlife Headquarters were not fully adhered to following the death incidents of the tigers.”

He said the SIT found that a total of 34 tiger deaths occurred in BTR. Shahdol Forest Circle saw nine tiger deaths during the same period.

In a separate report dated August 9 and addressing the alleged negligence of former field directors of the tiger reserve, Sen wrote, “As per the investigation report, 30 of these deaths occurred during the tenure of the then-posted regional directors, and it was found that the officers did not follow the SOP set by the NTCA.”

The three field directors mentioned in the letter are Vincent Rahim, who served from August 5, 2019 to October 8, 2021, and under whose tenure nine tigers died; B S Anigeri, who served from October 8, 2021 to September 9, 2022, whose tenure also saw the deaths of nice tigers; and Rajiv Kumar Mishra, who served from September 9, 2022 to August 31, 2023, during which period 12 tigers died.

“This suggests that the officers concerned did not show interest in fulfilling their responsibilities. This act demonstrates negligence towards official duties…In this regard, it would be appropriate to obtain an explanation at the government level regarding the negligence of the officers mentioned in the above list during their tenure at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve,” Sen wrote.

Rajiv Kumar Mishra denied there were any lapses during his tenure. “I have not received any letter and have been retired for some time now. During my tenure, there were demands that were raised for better staff and equipment for the postmortem of dead tigers. Tigers were our No 1 priority, and there was no question of any lapse during my tenure,” he told The Indian Express.

B S Anigeri also flagged the issue of staff shortage and denied any lapses. “There were many issues of staff shortage and budget that were raised during my tenure. I did not see any case of lapses in procedures surrounding tiger deaths during my tenure.”

Vincent Rahim did not respond to calls and messages seeking his comment.

On the “unprecedented increase in the number of tigers in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve”, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) said “a natural explanation” could be the “internal fights”. He also said the lack of a regular field director was also a major reason “for the shortcomings in the smooth operation and management” of BTR.

“Based on the committee’s report, necessary action is being taken against the concerned government servants, and the implementation of the committee’s suggestions has been initiated… Incompetent officers/employees for tiger conservation and management are being transferred elsewhere. The field staff is also being trained for tiger conservation and management,” Sen said.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, who has filed a petition in court on tiger poaching incidents in the state, told The Indian Express: “We are now going to approach the High Court for a CBI investigation. The tigers’ deaths report was kept under wraps for months and action has now been taken on August 9 after media reports. The whole purpose of justice is defeated if action is not taken swiftly and errors rectified.”