The park is home to a population of more than 80 tigers and is part of a globally-significant tiger belt that includes the Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka and the Mudumalai forest in Tamil Nadu. In its order, the state government has stated that it proposes to abolish the post of Field Director of the tiger reserve and place it under the control of the adjoining territorial circles. This means that the reserve will virtually cease to exist and the forest will be managed by officers from the territorial wing, as an additional responsibility, instead of having a dedicated Field Director whose main responsibility is the health of the park. Project Tiger has warned the Karnataka government that such a move would mean that the park would lose out on financial and technical expertise from the centre. Over six crores was given to the state during the previous plan.
The state government has blamed their decision on the central government's earlier directive, as per the Xth plan, that the salary of the Field Director will have to be paid by the state government and not the centre. But officials in the Ministry of Environment and Forests have dismissed this, pointing out that the salary component is very marginal compared to the amount given by the centre for the tiger reserve.
This tragedy marks the latest development in the trend of states adopting a stepmotherly attitude to forests and wildlife. Many state governments view Protected Areas as burdens foisted on them by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The announcement has shocked wildlifers and NGOs across the country. The possibility of Bandipur being gradually opened up to coup felling, bamboo and other resource extraction once it is brought under the control of the territorial wing of the forest department cannot be ruled out, and there are suspicions that this might be the motive of the state government.
Concerned readers should immediately write a letter asking that the Karnataka government fulfill its constitutional responsibility to protect wildlife. The amount required to meet the salary of the Field Director must be earmarked and Bandipur must remain under the Wildlife Division of the Karnataka Forest Department.
