To ensure sharper focus on wildlife-related issues and the Forest Conservation Act, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the setting up of a separate department for wildlife and forests. This will be distinct from the one being mulled for environment.
"We are decentralising operations and are seeking Cabinet approval for the same. The department will not be a New Delhi-based set-up of bureaucrats. Rather, the objective is to strengthen field formation at the state level. So, three field officers will soon be posted in Nagpur, Kolkata and Bangalore," Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said while addressing a conference here today.
The decision to set up the Department for Forests and Wildlife, besides the Department of Environment, was taken at a meeting of the National Board for Wildlife chaired by the prime minister on Thursday.
"The Department of Environment will be science-oriented, while that of forests will focus on field formation and hiring more front-end staff at the forest-guard level for a five-year period. This will cost almost Rs 500 crore," said Ramesh.
The minister also said that Singh was concerned about the rising number of unnatural tiger deaths in various reserves across the country like Corbett and Panna and had agreed to "lend weight of his office for monitoring state governments, specifically Uttarakhand".
He noted that 11 tigers were killed during the first two months of 2010, while 66 were killed last year. He added that the normal mortality rate of tiger was 30 in a year, but more than 60 were killed in 2009, which was a cause for concern.
On the relocation front, the government has offered Rs 10 lakh to each family which voluntarily relocates outside any protected area, not just tiger reserves. Of the 80,000 families to be relocated from tiger reserves, only 3,000 have been relocated so far from 37 tiger reserves across the country. Around 77,000 families have to be relocated in the next seven years, for which Rs 8,000 crore will be needed. At present, the money available with the government is Rs 2,000-2,500 crore.
Ramesh emphasised on marine-based sanctuaries since wetlands were fast disappearing in the country.
Environmental clearances may be withdrawn in case of threat to biodiversity: Ramesh
Jairam Ramesh said in case of threats to biodiversity, water sources or wildlife, he could "reply retrospectively" and not notify a buffer. "Delay in notification is deliberate. There are immense pressures from coal mining and power projects. I will reply retrospectively in such a case. For the first time, the Supreme Court has gone against the Central Empowered Committee report and Vedanta, which has got only an in-principle approval, but is yet to get the final clearance."
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