New Delhi, June 1 The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) is yet to forward a probe report on reasons behind the spate of tiger deaths in barely three
months since November in Kaziranga sanctuary in Assam, which is holding up further action on the matter. "We are waiting for the report from the WCCB.
Further action in the matter will be based on the findings of the report," a senior official in Environment Ministry told. Concerned over the deaths, the ministry
had constituted a three-member team comprising wildlife expert R K Samal and two WCCB officials in March to probe possible involvement of organized gangs
in the killings. This was for the first time that the WCCB since its inception last year had been entrusted with such a sensitive task. However, sources said the file
containing the probe report is gathering dust with the Bureau even as the team returned by the end of March after gathering all details about deaths. Reacting
strongly to the delay in submitting the report, Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said it only indicates the
"apathy" of the officials regarding wildlife conservation. "Delay is uncalled for. The report needs to be submitted at the earliest to take corrective steps to prevent
further deaths in the national park," Gopal added. Meanwhile, Chief Conservator of Forest Dr Shashi Kumar, when contacted, refused to comment on the
recovery. Earlier, Dr Kumar had said that the investigation could not progress sans proper evidence on record. The forest department had said that they did not
have anything except the picture of tiger carcass to establish the poaching. Also, the department had come under scanner of the central authorities including the
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Supreme Court-empowered committee in the tiger killing case. NTCA had stated that Goa forest department
had not informed them about the poaching and infact the counterparts from neighbouring Karnataka wrote to the authority disclosing about the poaching.
months since November in Kaziranga sanctuary in Assam, which is holding up further action on the matter. "We are waiting for the report from the WCCB.
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| Photo courtesy : http://dudhwa.blogspot.in |
Further action in the matter will be based on the findings of the report," a senior official in Environment Ministry told. Concerned over the deaths, the ministry
had constituted a three-member team comprising wildlife expert R K Samal and two WCCB officials in March to probe possible involvement of organized gangs
in the killings. This was for the first time that the WCCB since its inception last year had been entrusted with such a sensitive task. However, sources said the file
containing the probe report is gathering dust with the Bureau even as the team returned by the end of March after gathering all details about deaths. Reacting
strongly to the delay in submitting the report, Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) said it only indicates the
"apathy" of the officials regarding wildlife conservation. "Delay is uncalled for. The report needs to be submitted at the earliest to take corrective steps to prevent
further deaths in the national park," Gopal added. Meanwhile, Chief Conservator of Forest Dr Shashi Kumar, when contacted, refused to comment on the
recovery. Earlier, Dr Kumar had said that the investigation could not progress sans proper evidence on record. The forest department had said that they did not
have anything except the picture of tiger carcass to establish the poaching. Also, the department had come under scanner of the central authorities including the
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Supreme Court-empowered committee in the tiger killing case. NTCA had stated that Goa forest department
had not informed them about the poaching and infact the counterparts from neighbouring Karnataka wrote to the authority disclosing about the poaching.
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