Six months after PM Manmohan Singh asked Vasundhara Raje to spruce up conservation efforts to tackle the “worst ever tiger crisis” in Sariska and Ranthambhore, the Rajasthan CM has highlighted “the lack of effective surveillance of central enforcement authorities”.Referring to the findings of a joint investigation by Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), London, and Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) in Tibet and adjoining areas of China, the CM told the PM in a letter this week that ‘‘the sheer number of wildlife products in the markets of Tibet are testimony to the fact that they could not be from any one state or Protected Area of India.’’Calling for an in-depth probe, the CM wrote: ‘‘Evidently, rampant poaching has been taking place for some time all over the country. Thus, to single out any one state for this nationwide problem would be unfair. It is obvious that such largescale illicit trade cannot take place (without) a section of the Central enforcement authorities being totally indifferent or colluding with poachers and unscrupulous traders.’’Meanwhile, WPSI chief Belinda Wrights today formally presented the findings of the joint EIA-WPSI investigation. As The Indian Express has reported on September 6, despite the red alert sounded by the Environment and Forests ministry, the trade in tiger and other big cat skins has flourished in Tibet and the adjoining areas of China this year.‘‘Given the sheer scale and seriousness of the problem, we want the government to immediately take up the issue with China and establish a professional-led enforcement unit to target the wildlife criminals,’’ Wrights said.
