Dists rejig may hit flora, fauna

Effective wildlife management will be hit, sanctuaries may not get Central funds

Hyderabad: The reorganisation of districts in Telangana promises effective monitoring and implementation of welfare schemes but as far as the protection of flora and fauna in the State is concerned, the bifurcation of districts is only going to prove a death knell for the wildlife, say experts.

The Kawal Tiger Reserve now has been laterally and horizontally bisected and now falls in four districts namely Nirmal, Kumaram Bheem (Asifabad), Mancherial and Adilabad.

As per the national wildlife action plan and Supreme Court orders, all wildlife sanctuaries need to be under a unified command which means the activities of a sanctuary come under the wildlife management division under the supervision of chief wildlife warden.

The danger of not having a unified command could have grave consequences as the funds from Central-Sponsored Schemes (CSS) under Project Tiger and Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat (IDWH) may no longer be allotted.

Apart from the freeze in funds, effective wildlife management takes a hit, says Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society director Imran Siddiqui. He adds, “In the new scheme of things even the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO)’s powers have been diluted and officers are given more territorial divisions which means that an officer would be muddled with more human issues around the wildlife sanctuary than focus on wildlife protection.

An issue that worries wildlife experts is the allocation of large territorial divisions. Wildlife Humane Society International campaign manager C Samyukta says: “Field directors will have more than 50 per cent of territorial areas to monitor. Protection of wildlife in the core will be affected as majority of time would go in dealing with human issues around the core area.”

A DFO who is now demoted as a Forest Divisional Officer (FDO) says: “Earlier, we would report to Conservator of Forests and now a FDO is to report to the DFO. The morale of staff is at an all-time low. The key issue of wildlife protection has taken a back seat.”

In other States, the core areas are managed by DFOs and buffer areas by another DFO. Before reorganisation of districts, Kawal Tiger Reserve had two DFOs, now there are four and 7-8 FDOs. Imran says even the ranges are divided. “Field director of Amrabad Sanctuary has been given additional barren areas of Nalgonda district. How can he do justice to wildlife protection,” he asks?

The current division of sanctuaries on the criteria of administrative boundaries is against the spirit of national wildlife action plan and Supreme Court orders that ordain all wildlife sanctuaries to be under a unified command which mandates to be under the wildlife management division.

It is not just the wildlife sanctuaries that are affected but the changes post division of districts has had an impact on national parks in and around Hyderabad. Mruganayani Deer Park at Chilkur, Vanasthalipuram Deer Park and KBR Park which were under Conservator of National Parks, have been given to territorial district officers.

By TP Venu