This case has yet again alarmed us all on how we treat our animals. The news is pathetic but not surprising at all !
Many of you might have been witnesses to the hooliganism of a section of tourist operators that have been growing like a cancer in parks like Bandhavgarh. In February 2007 we were witness to such a case when a speeding vehicle of a 'well-known' resort-wala was about to run over a wild boar family while on the way to spot a Tiger that was sighted by another group of vehicles and was conveyed over cellphones. In addition to this a 'naturalist' representing another resort was found giving mock-calls to distract a Tiger cub from its mother for closer photo opportunities. We had lodged a complaint with park authorities to take necessary actions.
Tourism can never be harmful for wildlife but tourist-mafias are real threats. Setting up & enforcement of stringent laws to crub this expanding menace must be rolled out at any cost, before more damages are caused.
But who will bell the cat (read mafias) is a question even bigger!
MP minister's kin car hit Tigress in Bandhavgarh
In a new twist to the controversy over the death of a Tigress in Bandhavgarh Reserve, TOI learns the incident occurred after a vehicle hit the wild cat. Sources confirmed that the vehicle that hit the Tigress was allegedly owned by a resort run by PWD minister of MP, Nagendra Singh.
A close relative of the minister's son was in the vehicle when it inadvertently hit the Tigress. Park officials have detained three vehicles. A tourist had told TOI that the death happened due to a collision with a vehicle. Naresh Kadyan, master trainer of Animal Welfare Board of India and a representative of International Organisation for Animal Protection in India, has issued notice to the chief wildlife warden of MP under section 55 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
He has also demanded the sacking of the minister. Kadyan claims that it was Singh's son who was in the vehicle that dashed against the Tigress.
"Officials are trying to hush up the matter," he said from Delhi. "The minister's son and others have violated the law. Yet the police failed to lodge an FIR against them for violation of section 9, read with 51 of Wildlife Protection Act along with section 428-429 of IPC specifying criminal conspiracy against wild animals or any relevant legislations. The chief wildlife warden has failed to perform his duties."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/MP-ministers-kin-car-hit-tigress-in-Bandhavgarh/articleshow/5955969.cms
2 comments:
this is indeed a very sad news to have struck bandhavgarh...
good work with the article joydip sir and suchandra ma'am..i remember having a discussion with suchandra ma'am at sunderbans about eco-tourism and how it can be instrumental in conservation. We mutually agreed that eco-tourism is so far the only practical long-term solution. Hope the minister's kin gets sacked (though in India it seems rather unlikely!)..
I am just thinking - if it was not minister's kin than this news wouldnt have got much coverage? where were these news people when the car was wandering in the jungle without legal permission? - looks like they were also just waiting for a spicy news...."why to publish a news of wandering illegal car...why not to wait till it hits a tiger and then make it spicy and then publish it!" .....its a big scam with many players involved....Naresh Kadyan the master trainer....is seeking sacking of the minister....why he didnt report the illegal car earlier? even he should be sacked......now you see the complications?
like the saying goes...the maximum strength of any security is equal to the strength at its weakest point.
India is on top of the list when it comes to regulations for forest and animal conservations...but still such things are happening....what we need is more awareness campaigns (so people know what to report and whom to report to) and stricter law suit for such incidences.
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