Controversies stall setting up ‘empowered wildlife committee’ in MP

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Madhya Pradesh’s forest department is vehemently resisting a plan to set up an ’empowered wildlife advisory committee’. A proposal to create such a body was recently sent to the state government by Delhi-based conservationist Valmik Thapar (who was recently appointed to the state’s wildlife advisory board).

The proposal has been rejected by the state’s chief wildlife warden, U. Prakasham, who said that such a committee was not needed. A section of conservationists had also opposed the proposal as they argue that such a committee would favour tourism over conservation.
Tourism has emerged as a major focus for the Kamal Nath-led state government, which hopes the sector can provide substantial employment and revenue.

In his proposal, Thapar wrote that he was suggesting such a committee-aimed at restructuring wildlife policies governing the use of forest areas-after a discussion with the chief minister, and that he would be willing to accept an assignment as vice-chairperson of the said committee.

Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh has been suggested for the post of chairperson, with other members drawn from the ranks of tourism experts, forest department officials (including the chief wildlife warden) and eminent wildlife scientists, such as Raghu Chundawat. The committee was expected to submit its first report in October.

The committee, which would report directly to the CM, would oversee all issues relating to wildlife protection. It would also be responsible for creating tourism initiatives inside protected areas, targeting annual revenues of Rs 100 crore, as well as the implementation of models that engage local communities living in buffer areas surrounding tiger reserves, targeting annual revenues of Rs 2,000 crore. The committee’s other responsibilities would include developing measures to reduce man-animal conflict and encouraging public-private partnerships for wildlife initiatives.

When this plan was forwarded by the chief minister’s office to the forest department for comments, it ran into immediate resistance. Sources say the chief wildlife warden believes this committee to be unnecessary for several reasons, including the fact that there are already two statutory bodies-the state wildlife board and the tiger steering committee-both established under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and both chaired by the chief minister, that look into these and other issues.

The forest department’s note on the proposal elaborates on these points-for instance, highlighting the fact that Thapar is already a member of the state wildlife board and could offer suggestions at that forum, and that subject matter experts could easily be nominated to the tiger steering committee. It also notes that the state already has an ecotourism development board, which regularly implements tourism initiatives. “There are already other committees that have the same mandate,” says Prakasham. “Moreover, there is no provision in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, for setting up such a committee.”

The primary reason for the opposition, according to sources, was the department’s resistance to a tourism-centric policy for wildlife conservation, even though the chief wildlife warden’s note on the proposal does not highlight tourism as the main grounds for opposition. This is somewhat understandable, given the chief minister’s focus on the sector.

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