19 Feb Tiger Reserve: In Jeopardy?

Tiger Reserve: In Jeopardy?

(Indian Express)

(GS Paper III, Biodiversity)

Context:

• Recently, the Supreme Court put on hold the Uttarakhand Forest Department’s order which allowed private motor owners’ association to conduct buses in the inner area of the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve.
• The petitioner argued that this order was in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. It also compromised the safety, preservation, and conservation of our national animal tiger.

Tiger reserves in India:

• This is administrated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Threats for Tiger conservation:

• Poaching, growing urbanization, infrastructure penetration in forest areas(affecting wildlife), deterioration of the natural habitat through pollution, and climate change.

Conclusion:

• India has done well to protect tigers and increase the population through the establishment of different programs and institutions like TraMCA, Project tiger, Project snow leopards, NGT.
• Such govt. directives could undo the work of so many years and put us years back. It is welcoming to see the public and the judiciary waking up to this to let the good work continue.

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Ajit Satapathy