Odisha Fails Tiger Clause

Odisha Fails Tiger Clause

In a big blow to Odisha’s plan to increase the population of big cats, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has suspended the tiger translocation program in the state. NTCA has also directed the state government to send Tigress Sundari back to Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh. At present, Sundari has been kept in an enclosure at Satkosia.

In a letter to the Odisha Chief Secretary, NTCA Deputy Inspector General Surendra Mehra stated that Tigress T-2 (Sundari) will be taken back to the Kanha tiger reserve immediately for re-wilding.

The directive came after the state forest department failed to protect the two tigers brought to Satkosia in 2018 from Kanha Tiger Reserve and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.

Tiger Trouble

Tiger T-1 named Mahavir was translocated from Kanha in Madhya Pradesh in 2018. But within a few months, it was found dead at Satkosia on November 11, 2018. The preliminary investigation indicated that poachers had killed the tiger.

Similarly, Tigress T-2 named Sundari was brought to Satkosia from Bandhavgarh tiger reserve in 2018 under the tiger translocation project. However, after protests by villagers over the big cat’s repeated straying into human habitats, the Satkosia authorities were forced to keep Sundari inside an enclosure.

Expressing dissatisfaction over Sundari’s captivity, the NTCA official wrote: “Tigress T-2, which was brought to Satkosia from Bandhavgarh tiger reserve, is being kept in an enclosure on the ground of being dangerous to human life without following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).”

Mehra suggested that serious efforts are needed to release the tigress in the wild as well as appropriately handle the tigress as per NTCA guidelines.

“The tigress cannot be allowed to be kept in a small enclosure for any longer time. Therefore, in the interest of tiger conservation, Tigress T-2 shall be withdrawn and brought to the Ghorela centre in Kanha tiger reserve, Madhya Pradesh with immediate effect for re-wilding and subsequent release to suitable habitat,” the letter said.

“The tiger translocation programme will remain suspended till the ground situation improves as per the NTCA guidelines and subsequent feasibility study by the tiger conservation authorities,” it added.

Mismanagement Charge

Mehra has accused the state forest department of failing to manage and monitor the two tigers properly as per the standard operating procedures and NTCA protocol. “Even repeated communications from NTCA were not taken seriously by the state forest department,” he wrote.

The NTCA official also alleged that state government of mismanagement of funds meant for tiger conservation in Odisha. “The funds provided under CSS-Project Tiger were diverted from specified items/activities without authorization from the Government of India. Further, even after substantial fund releases from the Government of India, the project has not shown any significant output,” the letter stated.