Hyderabad: Tiger conservationists and Telangana forest department officials are worried over the fate of the state’s tigers following the central government's decision to cut down its funding to state governments under Project Tiger.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests recently informed the forest departments of all states that from next year on it will be providing 60 per cent of the funds, leaving the 40 per cent for the state government to organise. If the state government fails to do this, the tiger reserves will be starved of funds. The state is home to two tiger reserves -- Amrabad and Kawal -- which together have a population of 20-25 tigers. This year, the central government provided Rs 149.11 lakh for Kawal and Rs 107.51 lakh for Amrabad.
Imran Siddiqui of Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society(HyTiCoS) says, “Central funds formed the crux of conservation efforts in tiger reserves.
Making state government a stakeholder in it is a bad step. However, this could be helpful to the cause if Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments link the afforestation schemes of Telangana ku Haritha Haaram and Neeru-Chettu with tiger conservation, and if CAMPA funds are also put to use.”
Not just tigers, it seems the MoEF is not interested in conservation of wildlife at all. For years, the Centre has not provided funds under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat(IDWH) scheme.
An official of the forest department said, “We have been writing to the central government for three years seeking about Rs 40-50 lakh under the IDWH scheme for 12 protected areas in Telangana. There has been no response.”.
