PAC flays Environment Ministry's silence on tiger protection

New Delhi: Environment Ministry's claim on protection of tigers
notwithstanding, a parliamentary committee has taken a dim view of its
"silence" on the matter.

In its report, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Chaired by senior
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, "deplored the failure" on the part of
the Ministry in "not outlining the follow-up action" taken by the
states to fill up the field staff in spite of the matter being
addressed at the level ofthe Prime Minister and the Environment
Minister.

"Worse, the Committee notes with distress that reply is conspicuously
silent about the tiger conservation plan prepared by the individual
states," said the report on conservation and protection of tigers in
tiger reserves tabled in the Lok Sabha.

The 22-member committee is of the considered view that mere issuance
of guidelines would not help protect the tigers from poachers unless
strict monitoring is done of the performance of staff detailed for
saving the tigers.

"The committee notes with regret that the Ministry has remained silent
with regard to pattern of training, duration of training, arms and
ammunition used during the training and experts engaged for imparting
training to the patrolling staff in the tiger reserves," the report
said.

The committee recommended that staff be adequatelytrained and well
equipped for ensuring effective patrolling so as to conserve the
tigers apart from controlling illegal wildlife trade.