NAGPUR: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved
tiger conservation plan (TCP) of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in
Western Maharashtra. Of the 41 tigers reserves in India, STR has become
the first whose TCP has been approved.
A TCP is the road map for tiger reserves which ensures that forestry operations of regular forest divisions and those adjoining reserves are not incompatible with the needs of tiger conservation.
Of the four tiger reserves — Sahyadri, Melghat, Tadoba and Pench in Maharashtra — Sahyadri (741.22sqkm) was notified as a reserve on January 5, 2010. It was the last one to submit its TCP to NTCA in March 2013, but the first one to get the TCP approved. While TCPs for Pench and Tadoba were prepared in 2009, for Melghat it was done in 2010.
Talking to TOI, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director of Sahyadri, Mohan Karnat said the plan was sent in March this year. "We were asked by NTCA to comply with certain changes in the plan in August, which we did in September. The plan was finally approved on October 25. We now expect more grants to Sahyadri," said Karnat.
Karnat added that the tiger reserve has now got a road map. The TCP will be for a period of 10 years from 2013-23. The approved plan shall have a provision for midterm review after five years corresponding to appropriate alterations, if required.
On the delay about approval to TCPs of Tadoba, Melghat and Pench, TOI talked to respective field directors. CCF and field director of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) Virendra Tiwari informed TOI that when the plan was submitted in 2009, NTCA sent it back with nine-page queries.
"We complied with the queries by May-end this year and resent volume 1, 2 and 3 of the plan. Volume 4, which contained queries on ecotourism, was sent by June-end. Now we have again been told to submit the plan with all compliances by November 30," Tiwari said.
On the delay, Tiwari informed the plan was ready in 2009, but first meeting to discuss the plan was held in 2011. Since then, there were several changes including buffer notification, reorganization of TATR and rescheduling of posts among other changes.
In November last year, the Supreme Court had already asked states to submit TCPs for tiger reserves in six months. However, even after a year Tadoba, Melghat and Pench TCPs had not reached the NTCA.
Melghat CCF and field director DK Tyagi said the NTCA has sought some clarifications. "I have been asked to resubmit the plan in 15 days. As I have taken over recently, I will have to find out why the TCP was delayed," Tyagi said.
CCF and field director of Pench MS Reddy said the plan was first sent in 2011. It was revised in April 2013 after compliances. "We revised it by submitting ecotourism plan, buffer, and change in area, especially after notification of Mansinghdeo sanctuary in Pench buffer," said Reddy.
When contacted, Kishor Rithe, member of the NTCA committee on TCP, said, "It seems wildlife department is now itself becoming a hurdle in development of villages in the buffer. As TCP includes buffer and core area, it would affect grants for buffer villages."
What is TCP?
TCP aims at ecologically compatible land uses in the tiger reserves and areas linking it to another for addressing the livelihood concerns of locals, so as to provide dispersal habitats and corridors for spillover population of wild animals from the designated core areas. The 2006 amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 specifies that government shall, while preparing a TCP, ensure agricultural, livelihood, developmental and other interests of the people living in tiger-bearing forests or a reserve. For the first time, the 'core' and 'buffer' areas of a reserve have also been defined, the former being the critical, inviolate area, and latter being peripheral area to foster coexistence with local people for safeguarding the integrity of the core.
What is the status?
TATR
NTCA has set a fresh deadline of November 30, 2013 to resubmit the plan. The plan was delayed due to frequent changes like buffer, ecotourism plan and reorganization. It has to do latest changes, but it will be difficult.
Pench and MTR
According to sources, the Pench and Melghat TCPs are with the NTCA but officials are not aware where the plans are lying.
A TCP is the road map for tiger reserves which ensures that forestry operations of regular forest divisions and those adjoining reserves are not incompatible with the needs of tiger conservation.
Of the four tiger reserves — Sahyadri, Melghat, Tadoba and Pench in Maharashtra — Sahyadri (741.22sqkm) was notified as a reserve on January 5, 2010. It was the last one to submit its TCP to NTCA in March 2013, but the first one to get the TCP approved. While TCPs for Pench and Tadoba were prepared in 2009, for Melghat it was done in 2010.
Talking to TOI, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director of Sahyadri, Mohan Karnat said the plan was sent in March this year. "We were asked by NTCA to comply with certain changes in the plan in August, which we did in September. The plan was finally approved on October 25. We now expect more grants to Sahyadri," said Karnat.
Karnat added that the tiger reserve has now got a road map. The TCP will be for a period of 10 years from 2013-23. The approved plan shall have a provision for midterm review after five years corresponding to appropriate alterations, if required.
On the delay about approval to TCPs of Tadoba, Melghat and Pench, TOI talked to respective field directors. CCF and field director of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) Virendra Tiwari informed TOI that when the plan was submitted in 2009, NTCA sent it back with nine-page queries.
"We complied with the queries by May-end this year and resent volume 1, 2 and 3 of the plan. Volume 4, which contained queries on ecotourism, was sent by June-end. Now we have again been told to submit the plan with all compliances by November 30," Tiwari said.
On the delay, Tiwari informed the plan was ready in 2009, but first meeting to discuss the plan was held in 2011. Since then, there were several changes including buffer notification, reorganization of TATR and rescheduling of posts among other changes.
In November last year, the Supreme Court had already asked states to submit TCPs for tiger reserves in six months. However, even after a year Tadoba, Melghat and Pench TCPs had not reached the NTCA.
Melghat CCF and field director DK Tyagi said the NTCA has sought some clarifications. "I have been asked to resubmit the plan in 15 days. As I have taken over recently, I will have to find out why the TCP was delayed," Tyagi said.
CCF and field director of Pench MS Reddy said the plan was first sent in 2011. It was revised in April 2013 after compliances. "We revised it by submitting ecotourism plan, buffer, and change in area, especially after notification of Mansinghdeo sanctuary in Pench buffer," said Reddy.
When contacted, Kishor Rithe, member of the NTCA committee on TCP, said, "It seems wildlife department is now itself becoming a hurdle in development of villages in the buffer. As TCP includes buffer and core area, it would affect grants for buffer villages."
What is TCP?
TCP aims at ecologically compatible land uses in the tiger reserves and areas linking it to another for addressing the livelihood concerns of locals, so as to provide dispersal habitats and corridors for spillover population of wild animals from the designated core areas. The 2006 amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 specifies that government shall, while preparing a TCP, ensure agricultural, livelihood, developmental and other interests of the people living in tiger-bearing forests or a reserve. For the first time, the 'core' and 'buffer' areas of a reserve have also been defined, the former being the critical, inviolate area, and latter being peripheral area to foster coexistence with local people for safeguarding the integrity of the core.
What is the status?
TATR
NTCA has set a fresh deadline of November 30, 2013 to resubmit the plan. The plan was delayed due to frequent changes like buffer, ecotourism plan and reorganization. It has to do latest changes, but it will be difficult.
Pench and MTR
According to sources, the Pench and Melghat TCPs are with the NTCA but officials are not aware where the plans are lying.
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