Task force suggests ways to improve conservation

The task force, which was set up by the MoEF under instructions from PM Manmohan Singh, has as its members H.S. Panwar, Prof Madhav Gadgil, Valmik Thapar and Samar Singh. Today, it went over the terms of reference and came to the conclusion that there are many problems facing tiger conservation in the country. ‘‘There is a serious problem with the way tiger conservation is handled. Institutions are not doing their jobs,’’ Samar Singh said. ‘‘At some stage there had been a failure on their part and in the implementation.’’

‘‘You can’t protect the tiger unless you have people to take care of them. A guard’s average age is 50 years. Serious institutional reforms are needed,’’ said Narain at a press conference. Some of the suggestions of the task force include providing incentives and better training to forest guards, a better forecasting system, and an early warning system for tiger reserves and sanctuaries.

‘‘It’s not going to be easy,’’ said Narain. The failure to detect the crisis in Sariska despite the fact that tigers had been disappearing from there for years points to the fact that there are weaknesses in the system, she added.

She also admitted that very little is known about poachers and their network. ‘‘Nobody knows how well-organised it (the poachers racket) is and where the items go. There are linkages with Tibet. But after that there is no trail,’’ she added.

The task force’s terms of reference include suggesting ways to strengthen tiger conservation in the country, to incentivise the local community and local forest staff in conservation of tigers, suggesting measures to improve the methodology of tiger census and methods of transparent professional audit of wildlife parks.