February 21, 2001

REGRESSIVE DECISION BY MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT
ALLOWS KILLING OF WILDLIFE

After a hastily convenened Maharashtra State Wildlife Advisory Board Meeting, a decision was unilaterally taken by the Forest Minister, Mr. Swarup Singh Naik, to allow the killing of wild boar and nilgai suspected of damaging crops.

All NGO members of the board, including Mr. Debi Goenka of the Bombay Environment Action Group, Mr. Bittu Sahgal, Editor Sanctuary Magazine, Mr. Kothari and Mr. Punetha of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India and Mr. Kishore Rithe of the Amravati Conservation Society strongly opposed the decision.

They suggested instead that the Chief Wildlife Warden exercise his powers under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 to destroy specific animals only after establishing beyond doubt that they are the ones causing the damage. They also suggested, as far back as six months ago, that the Bombay Natureal History Society be commissioned by the Maharashtra State to undertake a field project to study the problem on location and come up with ecologically suitable options to reduce the intensity of the problem, which cannot possibly be eliminated totally.

Recognising that the issue was indeed a critical one for farmer who lost their valuable crops, sometimes in one night, the Wildlife Advisory Board Members approved and recommended to the State Government that crop compensation be paid to farmers, on the lines of cattle compensation paid for livestock killed by carnivores. However all such suggestions were brushed aside.

Significantly, the notice and agenda for the controversial item reached members only 48 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting (2.30 p.m. on February 21, 2001), which the Forest Minister stated was called "because we have promised our MLAs that we will issue favourable orders to allow the killing of animals that destroy the crops of poor farmers who are suffering."

Faced with stiff opposition from all the NGO members, Mr. B. Mazumdar, the Chief Wildlife Warden called the meeting to an abrupt close, stating: "A 1993 Gazette Notification empowers the State Government to take unilateral action, without consulting the Central Government." Shocked board members brought to the notice of the Minister and the Chief Wildlife Warden that the consequences of this ill-advised step would be the largescale slaughter of prey species, which would only aggravate the man-animal conflict as carnivores such as tigers, leopards, wolves and jackals deprived of food would turn to domestic livestock for survival.

At this, the Minister responded by saying: "We have already received several demands to allow the shooting of wolves. But we are only giving permission to shoot wildboar and nilgai."

The Forest Secretary, Mr. Nand Lal said" Farmers will have to take permission from Division Forest Officers before killing animals." However, Board members point out that the Forest Department is unable even to prevent routine poaching and it has no mechanisms to check teh abuse that is bound to follow this decision.

After the meeting the NGOs decided to take the matter to the public and to other groups interested in protecting the wildlife of the country. All options, including challenging the decision through the courts will be considered in the next few weeks.

According to Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Magazine: "Coming on the heels of wildlife debacles taking place around the nation, including elephant deaths in Corbett, tiger deaths in Andhra Pradesh and increased poaching around almost every protected forest, this decision is likely to spell the death knell for wildlife in the state of Maharasthra, unless wiser council prevails."

End.

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