Praveen Bhargav, Trustee – Wildlife First and former member -- National Board for Wildlife, says the government taking back deemed forests will affect the pristine Western Ghats. In conversation with TNIE, he explains the impact of the amendment to the Forest Conservation Act.
Why do we count tigers, why is it important?
The whole exercise of counting how many tigers you have is like an audit in a company. You should know whether the effort that you have invested in saving tigers or any other wildlife species is in the right direction.
Karnataka is home to 563 tigers, what do these numbers mean to us?
There are a few things with respect to numbers. We need to go beyond them. Numbers give us some indication as to whether we are doing well or not. I think Karnataka has done a reasonable job in terms of putting out tiger numbers and each animal’s unique identity.
What is camera trapping? What about the pugmark method?
The pugmark method of counting was a total count methodology used in the past, whereas camera trapping is based on sampling. It is an expensive method, but is used to estimate the density of tigers fairly accurately, provided sampling design is correct. From 2006, the sampling effort has gone up considerably.
How often should the census be done? Does it show tigers have sufficient space in our forests?
Earlier, the census was done every four years. Then it was done in 2020 and now in 2022. It is important to do it annually. Simple reason being there is a lot of population turnover. Cubs separate from their mothers when they are 18- 24 months. These transients try to form their own territory. There is conflict, injury and death. Looking at tiger numbers annually could be important. Ullas Karanth pioneered camera trapping in India. He faced a lot of opposition from the bureaucracy then. PK Sen, then Project Tiger director in 2004, said we need independent research and we need to move out of the pugmark assessment. That set the stage for the camera trap method.
Should only government agencies conduct census?
The system needs to recognise that there are outside specialists trained to do this, but with the department’s involvement. The study should be as independent as possible. The Wildlife Institute of India is not an independent agency, but funded by the Ministry of Environment. The more you question, the more science advances... that isn’t happening.
But why?
The frontline managers and staff have their own duties. They are highly pressed for time as there is a staff shortage. How can you expect a forest guard to be an expert in law enforcement, scientific method of counting tigers, doing social justice to tribal people, and so on and so forth. It is not possible.
But what about the data?
The entire data should be put on public domain as it is done with public money, so that it can be analysed. Karnataka has a lot of experts who will be happy to assist. There is nothing wrong in getting an independent assessment. Without a proper analytical framework, your numbers can go wrong.
What is camera trap?
Tigers are identified by stripes patterns. Both flanks of the tigers have different patterns. So, two cameras are needed and they are placed at strategic locations. Both the flanks are photographed when the tiger passes through them. Then each tiger is given a number.
How do these tiger numbers reflect on fost management on the ground?
Here time frames come into picture. If you say in Nagarhole, we have 140+ tigers and therefore the management in the last five years has been excellent, that would be an incorrect theory. Recovery and resurgence of tigers has taken a lot of effort. Initial efforts started as early as in the 1970s after the Wildlife Act was enacted. It took a very long time to consolidate these areas, notify them, move people out and create habitats conducive for tiger population. The results started appearing only after two decades. Based on those efforts, we have reached this stage. The real issue is now to go beyond numbers and consolidate tiger habitats.
Can humans and tigers coexist?
No. Tiger has lost more than 90% of its former range to human habitations. Any human habitation affects the tiger. India has reserved about 4-4.5% of its landscape for endangered species, including tigers. India should be able to reconcile its developmental aspirations and deliver social justice using 96% of its landscape for economic development and social justice.
What about tribal relocation programmes?
Bandipur does not have people. In Nagarhole, there are 6,000 people in 600-odd sqkm that is 10 persons per sqkm. The Amazonian model of harmonial coexistence cannot be replicated here. The only win-win solution is voluntary resettlement, which has derailed in Nagarhole. Three things are needed to resolve the issue -- willingness of people to move out, offering them a good incentive-driven package and land. There are many socio-economic facilities outside. Special teams of trained officials should be constituted to do this.
But what about the money?
It is a misconception that the forest department or the forestry sector is short of funds. There is a big chunk called Compensatory afforestation funds. Rs 48,000 crore was released in 2018- 19 by the Centre. It was distributed to states and Karnataka received Rs 1,300 crore. They can easily pull out Rs 300 crore for voluntary resettlement scheme. In Kali reserve, it is happening, but not in Nagarhole, MM Hills and Kudremukh.
How do you look at man-animal conflict?
This is a difficult issue. It can be reduced and managed to a large extent through a variety of things. A consolidation of habitats by removing inholdings will reduce some amount of conflict. Then we need to scientifically identify key parcels of land that may be acquired to ensure connectivity between larger habitats, so that animals can move. Corridors should be maintained wherever possible. There must also be serious curbs on land grabbing. The Revenue Department has granted crucial parts of wooded areas over the last 3-4 decades and much of the conflict is happening there.
What about civil works happening inside forests?
They need to stop. This is happening because excessive funds are being pumped into forests. A place like Nagarhole can be managed for all works, including tribal resettlement, in about Rs 10 crore. But it is getting over Rs 50 crore. National parks need not be managed only for tigers and elephants, but for all amphibians and reptiles. Endless creation of water holes also needs to stop. In places where animal population has reached beyond carrying capacity, there is a need for natural control. Wildlife parks should not be managed like manicured parks.
What is the role of activists in tribal relocation and voluntary resettlement?
They play an important role. People are generally suspicious that the government would short change them and they would be left out. You need to talk to them and understand their requirements. A lot of motivational efforts are required, which activists do. During resettlement they act as a bridge between the people and government. Post resettlement, they can handhold people. Activists play the role of watchdog to ensure that government schemes reach the people.
Any role of yours you can recollect.
The government had increased the package from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. We found that of the Rs 10 lakh package, 30% was the cash compensation. In the Rs 15 lakh package, the cash compensation was 15%, which was Rs 2.25 lakh. We approached then additional chief secretary Vijay Bhaskar, who said he had been cheated. He wondered why the package had been reduced.
We do not have data on the prey population....
Without prey density, you cannot have these kinds of tiger numbers. But it is always important to know those numbers. Just as we are curious and interested to know tiger numbers. We also cannot assume that all is okay. But counting prey is very difficult when compared to tigers.
Can you explain the deemed forest scenario, especially when government is talking of taking them back?
The Forest Act or the Forest Conservation Act does not have a definition of what is forest. On December 12, 1996, a Supreme Court judgment said that all areas which fall within dictionary meaning of forests, wooded areas, irrespective of whether notified or under private ownership, have to be treated as forests. So these areas were termed deemed forests. They are not reserved forests or village forests. These are crucial virgin forests even in the Western Ghats. These are intact areas. Because of this judgement, the Forest Act became applicable. If these virgin forested areas are released, it will cause havoc. They have sequestered a lot of carbon and even from climate change aspects these are important. They should not be granted. In fact, wherever there are old leased lands, the forest department should take them back as soon as the leases lapse. This is how you can consolidate the Western Ghats.
What about the amendment to Forest Conservation Act?
It is unfortunate that they are going ahead with these Acts. Scientific research has shown fragmentation or breaking down of large blocks of forests to smaller ones and creating new boundaries is the single biggest threat. The statement of objects of the FCA states that there is a need to conserve the forests to mitigate the effects of climate change. But there is no provision in the amendments to address this issue. The National Remote Sensing Agency data shows that a tremendous amount of fragmentation is already happening. The Wildlife Protection Act has around 60 Sections, Indian Forest Act 80-odd sections, Environment Act around 20 sections, but FCA has five sections, with 100-plus guidelines. Guidelines can be tweaked every other day, but not the Act.
Why did the government do this? Isn’t there a proper committee or people in the committees lack knowledge?
The parliamentary committee heard all the experts and said the bill was formulated keeping in mind all the opinions. In fact, the director-general did not address the issue of fragmentation at all.
Is there a conflict between conservation and development?
It is a wrong perception that development will get affected. The principle is that only site- specific projects must be allowed and forest land should not be diverted otherwise. For example, the Hubballi-Ankola railway project. The question is should there be a rail link between Hubballi and Ankola, and the answer is yes. Does it exist already? Yes. But should you start puncturing the Western Ghats every 10-15 km with these linear intrusions? The answer is no. There is a Konkan railway line from Hubballi to Madgaon. All that is required is a Y-Junction so that trains from Hubballi go north from the existing track or take this junction to Ankola or Mangaluru or other places down south.
Are committee or board members in these various committees competent? Are they meeting regularly?
The parliamentary committees do a very thorough job. They go into details and systematically approach the issue. But it is their prerogative to accept the suggestions of the experts. It is a robust system. The central government has legislative competence to enact a law on forest conservation. But forest land is a state subject.
How are forests governed? Is it different for different states or does it come under central legislation?
The land belongs to the state. But there is central legislation, the Indian Forest Act, under which forests and the Western Ghats have been notified. Under another central legislation, the Wildlife Protection
Act, some of the forests are notified as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
Central legislation applies uniformly to all states. Since states have the administrative control of these areas, it depends on them as to how they manage and implement the central laws.