Wildlife plan to include people in checking man-animal conflict

MATHUR SAID THE PLAN WAS APPROVED BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILDLIFE AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL

SEEK FUNDS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR

The environment ministry last week approved the third national wildlife action plan (2017-2031) that shifts the focus from management of protected areas to that of the landscape on the whole.

For the first time, the plan also calls to make people an intrinsic part of this process to check rising human-animal conflict.

Around 2,920 people were killed by tigers and elephants in eight year since 2009, a jump of over 30% since 2000. While the traditionalconflictzonesremain, recent years have seen a spurt in new hotspots such as Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh to Hazaribagh in Jharkhand to Palakkad in Kerala because of fragmentation of wildlife corridors and degradation of forests.

“The plan is a major conservation shift as we are calling spade a spade,” said Vinod B Mathur, director of Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India (WII), after whose presentation the plan was approved by environment minister Harsh Vardhan.

The third wildlife action plan — first (1983-2001) and second (2002-2017) — for the first time incorporates climate resilience and links it to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). It also underscores implementation of an endangered species recovery plan of wild animals in all ecosystems.

It will be launched during wildlife week in October. It recognises increase in human conflict with animals saying that rising population and spree of developmental projects has increased pressure on biotic resources in and around wildlife areas. It also identifies climate change as the biggest challenge for the wildlife zones in India covering 4.89% of India’s geographical area saying it would lead to higher forest fires, more insect and pathogen attack, increase in sea levels and impact on water bodies in forests.

It also covers the contentious recognition of forest rights saying “public support is no longer a matter of choice but an absolute necessity” in wildlife management

Mathur said the plan was approved at the last standing committee meeting of the National Board for Wildlife and the government will seek funds from the private sector.

“Implementing the action plan will be made part of the conditions in the forest and wildlife approval for projects,” an official said. India will be a 70-year old nationstate tomorrow. Who are our heroes? We’ve been taught about freedom fighters, statespersons, writers and thinkers who shaped India.

Yet, who would you call a hero in 2017? I acknowledge the role of the Indian soldier, but today, I’d like to salute India’s farmers.

Why would anyone want to call a farmer India’s hero on it’s 70th? Most obviously, because they have fed us substantially, or we ‘d spend even more forex importing pulses and the like.

Second, because without farmers, we would lose many indigenous types of Indian food and knowledge. How many types of rice and dal have you eaten? I can