Report of the Tiger Task Force - PRS

TIGER TASK FORCE REPORT JOINING THE DOTS ■Recommendation: Training must be institutionalised so that each reserve has skilled andcommitted personnel.5. The other key determinant seems to be the presence and deployment of camps withinthe reserves. It is clear that the reserves that seem to have made the best use of their camps— by increasing their numbers and locating them in vulnerable areas — are the mostsuccessful. But having a camp is not enough; it is also important that the camp is used andthis requires the internal management systems of the reserve to be tight and effective.The other problem is that camps in many reserves lack basic facilities — of water orbuildings. Without this, it is difficult for the guards to be posted for longer durations,weakening protection. Therefore, this is clearly an area that needs investment. In Kanha,for instance, the Task Force found that an attempt had been made to provide solar energyfor charging the batteries of the wireless sets.Another issue that has been raised in meetings with the guards is the need for freerations, so that they can avoid a trip to the market, which is often too far. This smallexpense would save them time and boost their morale. The situation of the field staff,particularly guards, in tiger reserves and other protected areas needs to be considered interms of facilities for their families. Currently, this category of staff lives within thereserves in protection camps whereas their families live in the staff quarters of the reserveand lack basic facilities such as schools for their children.In other words, for effective management of the reserves, we need an able, capable andwell-equipped protection force. But getting this will require serious and substantivechanges in the way we invest in our natural and human capital.Recommendation: There is a need to invest in basic facilities for the frontline staff. Thetwo key facilities this Task Force strongly recommends are:a. Housing camps in neighbouring district towns, usually where the project headquarteris based, for families so that the education of their children can be secured;b. Free rations for guards living in the camps. This practice is followed by manyprotection forces and helps in their work.c. Each reserve must create a staff welfare fund out of the income from tourism, whichcan be used to supplement medical and other benefits for the staff.6. These incentives must come with responsibility. Currently, the special allowancewhich is paid to staff within tiger reserves is taken for granted, as it becomes part of thepay package. It does not lead necessarily to better performances.Recommendation: Even as there is investment in basic facilities and incentives, theremust be disincentives and rewards built into the system, based on independentmonitoring. For instance, the provision for free ration and special allowance must bewithdrawn in reserves that score low on the rating chart. This should be done withcomplete transparency so that it is not seen as political or discriminatory. In fact,this move will be a test for the independence and rigour of the independent assessmentas well.7. The issue of personnel in reserves needs a broader assessment as it concerns the stateof forest-related services across the country. The assessment of this Task Force is that thisservice is facing key challenges that need urgent redressal. Our concern is:a. The number of rangers being trained in the country is virtually down to zero. In otherwords, over the coming years, there will be fewer trained personnel available in thissector. There are 16,000 positions for rangers in the entire country. In 2003-2005, only30 rangers passed out of the only functional training school in Kurseong, West Bengal.The way ahead 49