The conservation of the wildlife by Nature Guides (RNGA)
Grazing .....
With
the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and Project Tiger placed the need for
conservation of India’s wildlife. Forests where animals used to graze were
closed to grazing, while national parks, protected areas and sanctuaries
emerged. Grazing areas for domestic animals shrank further and poor people who
were dependent on these lands were pushed further and further to the periphery.
So, the conflicts between livestock grazing and wildlife became so intense and
many conflicts between the state and pastoralists over grazing lands remain
unresolved even today.
In
the 1980s, Kailash Sankhala, first director of Project Tiger and Chief Wildlife
Warden of Rajasthan until 1985, wrote, 'Cattle grazing is the major problem
that Indian wildlife and the national parks and sanctuaries face today'
(Sankhala 1985: 58). The Indian Board for Wildlife, in its recommendations on
Wildlife Sanctuaries in 1965, wrote that 'as far as possible grazing of
domestic animals in sanctuaries should be prohibited' (Gee 1967: 339).
With the passing of each year, new development plans and programmes have updated, supposedly in answer to problems emerging from previous Plans. India’s population has grown, agriculture has expanded and encroached, common property resources have shrunk. Surprisingly, the livestock population has surged too. And the conflicts have grown.
With the passing of each year, new development plans and programmes have updated, supposedly in answer to problems emerging from previous Plans. India’s population has grown, agriculture has expanded and encroached, common property resources have shrunk. Surprisingly, the livestock population has surged too. And the conflicts have grown.
No doubt, the
grazing has always been a huge pressure on the park. From July to October is the most
problematic period since most of the cattle of nearby villages move into to
forest of the Reserve. The villagers persistently attempt to invade into the
core area, i.e. Ranthambore National Park. The grazing by cattle has adversely
affected regeneration.
Main problem starts
from the first fall of rains. Petty quarrels take place some time. This takes
serious from. Some time villagers beat staff and police men are called. Some
forest employees take round, police stations are set up but some inferior
villagers don’t care and are ready to fight. All nature guides live there and perform
duties carefully, according to the order
of forest department but
uneducated villagers attacks fear always keeps helpless Nature Guides under
tension. Nature Guides offer these services free of charge. Parks is not
opened these days. Mostly Nature Guides
have no other sources of income. Department does not give them any payment and security
policy. It is really department injustice to the Nature Guides (RNGA). Although their
duty is really very risky but they perform their duty sincerely but nobody has
admired their sincere and important services and offered them any reward of their service. It is our moral duty and
Governments duty to appreciate nature Guides unselfish services and reward them by giving safety policy and economic aid.
I really appreciate the role of the nature guides in the conservation of the wild life , well done,
thank you very much .
Best of luck .... Continue..............
Nature Guide, Shard Ranthambhore, President,RNGA
i am glad to read it, it is really good to share with us, thnx shard,
ReplyDeleteit is also good article. it is very hard to spend time during monsoon time. but you always do for conservation. thnx one again!
ReplyDeleteit is good to display the role of nature in the conservation of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. I think it is good information document for every body, Thnx
ReplyDelete