Wildlife and Nature Conservation - Centre for Ecological Sciences

pyramid manifests itself at the cutting edge of conservation i.e. the forest guard/beatguard/ wildlife/ game guard level. This is so in territorial forest divisions as it is in PAs.While the number of officers has increased, the area/size of the forest/ wildlife guard beathas remained constant for the last sixty years or more, in the whole country. Furthermore,while recruitment of vacancies continues in the case of officers, those of these field staffremain unfulfilled due to financial constraints and the daily wagers who used tocomplement these field personnel, are also being mostly discontinued. The average age ofthe forest/wildlife guard is now over 40 years in most States and over 50 in some. Indecades gone by, a single guard could patrol alone. That is not possible anymore.Training in wildlife management is mostly not imparted to the subordinate staff either bytheir superiors, or in a training school.A further manifestation of the disregard and distrust of PAs and of the Wildlife Wings, isthat the Chief Wildlife Warden, usually a person next in seniority to the PCCFs, is oftennot fully in control of the PAs ostensibly under his charge, and has no control overwildlife conservation in the territorial divisions. The personnel of the PAs reportfrequently to the territorial DFOs, who are also their drawing and disbursing officers. Thecontrol of the buffer areas surrounding PAs, even major National Parks and TigerReserves, are still vested with territorial DFOs and not with officers, even of the rank ofConservators, in charge of the PAs concerned. This prevents the PA managers frominvolving the local people in eco-development activities and as buffers to the core areasof the PAs. MoEF had issued instructions that the Chief Wildlife Warden should make anentry in the CRs of Territorial DFOs as to the contribution made by them for natureconservation. Nowhere is this directive followed.Each PA should have a Management Plan, for not only for the PA itself, but also for thebuffer and it would cover tourism as well. Most PAs, including National Parks do nothave them or they are not updated.Certain duties enjoined upon the PA managers by the Wildlife Protection Act are still notbeing carried out in a number of PAs. Amongst them are cattle immunization (Section33-A), registration of arms (Section 34) and removal of encroachments (34-A), etc.Section 29 of the Act pertaining to the removal of forest produce for the improvementand better management of the PA, was being misused by the State Governments forcontinued exploitation of the PA under the garb of improvement and better management!As a result, this section was amended in 2002, and which now not only makes suchremoval more stringent and accountable, but also lays down that forest produce soaccrued shall be given to the local people for their bona fide use. However, in violation ofthe letter and spirit of this law, some State Governments still continue to exploit PAs. Theextraction of tendu leaves, sal seed and other forest produce is also banned now underlaw in Parks and Sanctuaries. Yet, some States still continue with the practice under someexcuse or the other. If the law enforcers themselves violate the law, how effectively canthey prevent others from doing so?9.8 Promoting Research and MonitoringKnowledge about a species, ecosystem and ecological processes is essential for bettermanagement of PAs and for better conservation of species, especially when most PAs arebecoming ‘islands’ in a sea of humanity. Basic research is required to know the carrying127