Report of the Tiger Task Force - PRS

■ JOINING THE DOTS TIGER TASK FORCE REPORTand much more complicated.The report makes clear that there are separate and equally urgent strategies as far as thetiger protection is concerned:a. We must make areas inviolate for tigers, as you and your colleagues have suggested.But the report only qualifies this, saying that making areas inviolate for tigers will requiremore than strong statements. For the first time, we have collected data on the numbers ofvillages that have been relocated from the reserves and how many remain to be relocated.The facts are devastating. Only 80 villages have been relocated from tiger reserves tilldate. There are roughly 1,500 villages that still exist within the reserves. Even the ones thatbeen relocated have often come back because relocation was shoddily done, or haveturned deeply antagonist to the tiger. This was clearly evident in Ranthambhore on ourvisit. This, I know, is a tiger reserve you know well.Therefore, this task force has, for the first time, put these facts on the table. It hasargued that there needs to be urgent, speedy and sensitive relocation of these families. Ithas also argued that the funds for relocation must be enhanced so that people can beresettled without exacerbating conservation problems.The Task Force has calculated that Rs 665 crore will be required for this relocation,using even the existing meagre budget norms. Please do note that till date the country hasspent Rs 14 crore on most relocation efforts and Rs 173 crore on Central assistance for tigerconservation in the past 30 years.b. The report has argued that if people continue to live within the protected reserves(after the process of relocation is complete and all cannot be relocated by any chance),then ways have to be found in which we can buy peace with communities. It is here thatwe have suggested that different methods can be used — from preferential shares intourism to collaborative management involving communities who will share benefits andso safeguard the tiger. The report states unequivocally that the current tension within theparks is leading to disastrous consequences for the tiger and conservation.2. You have quoted from the draft chapter on coexistence on the problems you haveconcerning the analysis on the directions issued by the Central Empowered Committee(CEC).I do realise that you are a member of CEC, and therefore, our analysis of the legal provisionsas against the interpretation of CEC is not easy for you to accept. I had, as promised, read allthe material on the CEC position and have incorporated it in the chapter. But I still find thatthe facts bring out a different position.The issue is if the 2003 amendment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which givespowers to disallow the collection of minor forest produce, grass and other subsistenceneeds of communities can be enforced without taking recourse to the safeguards alsoprovided in the same amendment, that make it incumbent on governments to providealternative fuel, fodder and other forest produce in these cases.The report argues:a. That the Ministry of Environment and Forests and CEC should have also ensured thatthe alternatives were provided, if the rights were expunged.b. That not doing so has meant that the anger of local communities against the protectedareas of India has intensified.3. The decision was to ask the prime minister to chair the steering committee not toleave it as an either/or option on revitalising the National Board for Wildlife.The idea to request the Prime Minister to chair the steering committee came from Mr182 Annexures