(c) whether the Project Tiger which had been launched to protect the endangered species like the Tigers has failed to check the decreasing population of Tigers;
(d) if so, the reasons therefor; and
(e) if not, the details of achievements made by Project Tigers in protecting and
increasing the population of Tigers during the last three years?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS
(SHRI S. REGUPATHY)
(a) No Sir.
(b) Question does not arise.
(c) Project Tiger has put the endangered tiger on a course of recovery. Tiger
estimation figures relating to four States (Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra) as per the refined methodology indicate a decline in tiger population in
areas outside tiger reserves and protected areas. The achievements of Project Tiger
are given at Annexure-I.
ANNEXURE-I
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2243 ON
ACHIEVEMENTS OF PROJECT TIGER DUE FOR REPLY ON 29.08.2007.
The achievements of Project Tiger are as below:
(Impact related)
1) Project Tiger has saved the endangered tiger from extinction, and has put the
species on an assured path of recovery by improving the protection and status of its
habitat in designated tiger reserves.
2) The project coverage has been increased from 9 Tiger Reserves in 1973 to 28 Tiger
Reserves at present. Further, “in-principle†approval has been accorded for designating 8
more Protected Areas as Tiger Reserves, based on proposals received from States.
3) The “core-buffer†strategy of Project Tiger has provided scope for eliciting local
public support through site specific ecodevelopment in the buffer/fringe areas.
4) The project has contributed towards several intangible environmental benefits to
society, e.g. absorption of carbon dioxide, improvement of micro climate, rainfall and
river flow.
5) The project has generated considerable wages for the benefit of fringe dwelling
communities, who are deployed as local work force for protection and other labour
oriented works.
6) While conserving the flagship species (tiger), the project has saved several other
species of plants and animals from extinction.
7) The local communities are also benefiting from eco-tourism in tiger reserves apart
from ecodevelopmental inputs in fringe areas.
(Process related)
1) The Project Tiger has served as a role model for wildlife management planning,
habitat restoration, protection and ecodevelopment in our country.
2) States have been provided funding support for enhancing site-specific protection
through deployment of local work force, ex-army personnel.
3) The field staff working in Tiger Reserves have been provided project allowance as
an incentive for working in difficult conditions.
4) Independent monitoring of tiger reserves has been undertaken by a panel of experts,
based on the framework of the World Commission of Protected Areas of the International
Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The assessment reports
have been peer reviewed by the IUCN, which has commended the effort. The assessment
and the peer review have been placed in the Parliament.
5) The All India Estimation of tiger, copredators and prey animals has been refined
by Project Tiger (now the National Tiger Conservation Authority) in collaboration with
the Wildlife Institute of India, with a peer review mechanism comprising of independent
experts, both national and international. This has been approved by the Tiger Task Force
constituted by the National Board for Wildlife.
6) The tiger habitat of the country has been evaluated in the GIS (Geographical
Information System) domain at the Tehsil level.
7) The status and changes of forest cover within Tiger Reserves upto an outer surround
of 10 km. radius distance has been assessed in collaboration with the Forest Survey of
India, for facilitating restorative action.
8) The Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical Survey of India have been co-opted
for bringing out compendia on their faunistic and floristic surveys in Tiger Reserves.
9) Steps have been taken for implementing the urgent recommendations of the Tiger
Task Force which, interalia, include setting up of the ‘National Tiger Conservation
Authority’ and the ‘Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau’ (Wildlife
Crime Control Bureau).