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(03) TRUPTI AMIN

(13) NIKITA JADHAV
(23) SAGAR KORDAY
(33) NEERJA MULAY
(43) SWATI RATHOD
(53) PRASHANT SEJWAL
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º Tigers are facing major population losses &
extinction. It is poached for its body parts to cater
to an illegal market.
º Another reason is habitat loss due to depletion of
forest cover interference of humans and
encroachment of forest land by people causing
fragmentation.
º At the turn of the century, there were almost
reportedly 40,000 tigers in India, but now only
around 4,000 remain in the wild.
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º Valmiki is the 18th Tiger Reserve of the country

and the second in Bihar.

º The core area of the Reserve was declared as

a National Park in 1989.
º Government of Bihar had notified 464.60 sq.
km. area as Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary in 1978.

º Later on, in 1990, an area of 419.18 sq. km.

was added to the Sanctuary. Thus, the Valmiki
Wildlife Sanctuary embraces a total area of
880.78 sq. km.
   
º Since the creation of the Tiger Reserve, not
much has been done in the field of
development.
º There has been some improvement in
infrastructure.
º In the present scenario, when there is no fund
for protection, development, anti-poaching,
payment of staff salaries etc., it is really very
difficult to manage the Reserve smoothly.
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º Government of India has cleared the scheme
of a patrolling squad of
B.M.P./Para-Military Force. Government of
Bihar has sanctioned and purchased arms and
ammunition. The Force would soon be
deployed.
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º Village Forest Protection Committees are
working effectively, particularly in Madanpur
and Harnatand forest ranges.
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º Eco-development activities were initiated in
the Reserve in 1997-98.

º Activities such as distribution of fruit-bearing

plants, installation of hand pumps,
construction of ponds, shed, irrigation channel
were undertaken.
º The response of the villagers has been
overwhelming.

º The inhabitants of some of the villages are

coming forward voluntarily to assist forest
staff in the protection of forest as well as in
developmental activities.
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º Eco-awareness programmes have been
organised. Awareness material is being
distributed.
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º Whole buffer area is under the control of the
management.

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º Of the 97 sanctioned posts of foresters and
forest guards, 45 posts are lying vacant.
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º Due to temporary sanction of the project
circle and divisions, annual sanction is
required every year. This hampers work in
the Reserve. Delays in clearance of the
scheme are a regular feature.
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º At present, the infrastructure is inadequate.
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º Grazing is alarmingly high in the Reserve but
less so in the core area.
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º Fire is rare in the core area. Buffer area is
highly sensitive to fire. The graziers are
responsible for most of the incidents of fire.
There is no reported case of natural fire.
Madanpur range is the most sensitive zone
because of its extensive grasslands and a
thickly populated village on the fringe of the
forests. Fires take place generally between
mid-February to June end.
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º Since Valmiki Tiger Reserve is contiguous with
both the international boundary and the inter-
state boundary, it is infested with hundreds of
armed dacoits.
º Till four years ago, the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in
Bihar used to boast of a substantial tiger
population. But in these years, their numbers
have dropped from 56 to 23, thanks to the
thriving poaching mafia on either side of the
Indo-Nepal border.
º On their part, the government authorities
seem to lack in both infrastructure and will to
deal with poachers and criminals and protect
the tigers.

º Authorities say it is difficult to keep a check on

the poaching mafia in the Valmiki forests as it
extends across the border to Nepal. But
poachers say local police and wildlife officials
are part of the racket.
º The Valmiki Tiger Reserve, which covers Susta,
was created in 1978 when the dispute was
already on.
º Today poachers are taking advantage of the
continuing dispute. Whenever Indian forest
guards go to the Susta area, residents tell them
they are trespassing into Nepal.
º The Sashastra Seema Bal, a paramilitary force
tasked to guard the India-Nepal border, has
checkposts in the Susta area, but the territorial
dispute limits its effectiveness too.
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IMPLIED SOLUTIONS:
º The possibility of duplication in tiger count is high
in at least two Indian tiger reserves Ͷ the Valmiki
tiger reserve of Bihar and Dudhawa tiger reserve
of Uttar Pradesh, which share boundaries with
forest areas of Nepal.

º In a bid to avoid duplication, India and Nepal have

decided to share camera trap data of tigers
collected during the census of big cats. The
countries inked a pact on the issue in a meeting
held recently in Delhi.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
º Declaration of Project Circle and Divisions.
º Deployment of sufficient funds for protection
and development.
º Deployment of paramilitary force.
º Employment opportunities for people in and
around the Reserve.
º Most reserves are short staffed and ill
equipped, hence basic equipments such as
binoculars, jeeps, jungle equipments and
necessary training should be provided.
º The habitat required for the survival of tigers
should be conserved by initiating projects for
reforestation, water conservation, alternative
agriculture & energy technologies that save
fragile habitat.
º Support & co-operation of the local people
must be gained without which the tigers have
no chance of survival.
º To save tigers its crucial to know their
numbers, where they live, & how much they
move in search of new territories & mates.
Hence new tracking & monitoring systems
must be installed & expert scientists must be
appointed to gather as much information as
possible.
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º Thus the project on Valmiki tiger reserves of
Bihar; refocuses on the need for restructuring
& reformulation of strategies.
º However its only through the collective
approach of the local people and authorities,
that a new and dynamic era on tiger
conservation will commence to save the tiger
and its habitat.