Maharashtra: CAG raps govt on lapses in management of tiger reserves

The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India has rapped the state government for severe lapses in management of tiger reserves across the state. In its report for the year March 2018, CAG observed that apex level interventions for enabling policy decisions and implementation of major initiatives with regard to protection and conservation of tigers were ineffective.

Tiger Conservation Plans, which play a crucial role in the formulation of management strategy for 10 years, were non-existent in two tiger reserves while in remaining four tiger reserves the plans were delayed for 2.5 to 7 years.

CAG's scathing observations come close on the heels of state government's admissions in the state legislature that the state has lost 30 tigers in 22 months between January 2017 and October 2018. Majority of deaths were registered in Chandrapur, Wardha, Nagpur, and Gadchiroli.

Maharashtra has six tiger reserves, five national parks and 14 wildlife sanctuaries encompassing an area of 9,116.80 sq km.

CAG, in its report, which was tabled in the state legislature on the concluding day of the monsoon session on Tuesday, expressed displeasure over lack of compartment histories maintained in any of the tiger reserves. Compartment histories are important for providing inputs for formulation of Tiger Conservation Plan.

Further, CAG found that the state revenue and forest department did not disclose the resolve to secure inviolate space available for tiger habitats and these were being curtailed due to encroachment by human settlements and tourist facilities. These were further fragmented and crisscrossed by highways and railway lines. As a result, tigers have died due to electrocution and road accidents.

According to CAG, the support infrastructure, which is critical for the protection of tiger habitats, were quite inadequate. Unregulated tourism, particularly in Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve was a major cause of concern. Moreover, CAG observed that monitoring and internal control mechanism was also weak.

CAG has called for a focused strategy to ensure safe corridors and adequate eco-sensitive zones, timeliness and due diligence in preparation and implementation of Tiger Conservation Plan. Apart from this, CAG suggested that tiger reserves may be brought under unified control to facilitate a focused approach in tiger conservation and adequate infrastructure needs to be provided to field staff.