Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), one of the most conducive habitats for the tiger, has never managed to live up to its potential. But, it has always been in the news, mostly for the wrong reasons.In the past, it was ravaged by Left Wing extremism, rampant poaching and there was a point of time when its tiger population was on the verge of collapse. For a 2,750 sq km tiger habitat, it has remained a low-intensity TR with lower tiger occupancy. The National Tiger Conservation Authority even recommended tiger supplementation so as to invigorate its gene pool.
Yet, the state government has somehow not woken up to the tremendous promise or even shown the sensitivity required to deal with conservation aspects of the unique ecosystem that the reserve harbours and nurtures. A tiger habitat the size of a district, the STR’s very bane is the bureaucratic approach to handling its issues. There is no accountability nor a focused plan or strategy to mitigate its problems. And thus, for decades and decades the same problems persist.
The recent poaching of an elephant and cover up efforts by forest staff is a telling tale of all that ails Odisha’s finest wildlife habitat and sole tiger holding national park. The recovery of a tiger skin, supposedly from a killing in the reserve, has only aggravated the matters. These would have been pushed under the carpet after the initial outrage and show of action, but for the Orissa High Court taking notice and monitoring the issues now.
Similipal desperately needs a change. To even think that it can be continued to be guarded as a fort is silly. But, STR faces its biggest challenge from the communities living in its fringe areas. That poachers entered Jenabil range, killed a tusker and retreated without so much as raising any suspicion earlier this month showed its inviolate core is far from secure.
Historically, tribals and local communities have had a not-so-friendly relationship with the forest department which has not changed over the years. If one cares to remember, the wildfire in 2020 became uncontrollable not just because the STR authorities were ill-equipped but also because they had very little support from the local communities.
It’s about time government shifted its focus - one way is to promote serious wildlife tourism which is next to nothing in Similipal. Economics coupled with sound regulation can drive conservation well. Kanha Tiger Reserve, one of India’s best in terms of conservation as well as tiger tourism, has prospered because the local community was made a partner and benefitted from the tiger habitat.
In Similipal, the tourism is run by the government with help of a limited number of eco-development clubs. Had there been a conscious effort to promote safari tourism, hundreds of families from the local communities would have become part of the economy and turned the first line of defence against poachers and hunters.
Private investment in tourism infrastructure and home-stays within a demarcated region and carefully regulated by the government would have boosted economic activities and helped the cause of conservation. It has been a time-tested model across Central Indian tiger landscape as well as in northern and southern states. Odisha, however, has not been open to such experiences, thanks to its bureaucracy which continues to be risk-averse and more importantly, unwilling to lose an inch of control.
Currently, all the failures have been blamed on field-staff while the senior officers who are equally responsible for their commission and omission have got away. They must be held accountable when the time comes. Not in Similipal alone. Also, the government will do well to identify officers who are trained in wildlife conservation and driven.It was the iconic Saroj Raj Choudhury, a pioneering figure in wildlife management of India who had led Similipal as its founder field director. His beloved “karma bhoomi” deserves to be taken care of.
Siba Mohanty
Resident Editor, Odisha
sibamohanty@newindianexpress.com