| Nitin, less than ten minutes ago,
we saw four tigers in this forest that you call your home.
How is it that so few people know about Tadoba and the miracle
that you and your team have unfolded here?
They don't know about it because we prefer to work quietly
and our work at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is far
from done. Our team of rangers, foresters and guards are working
to a single purpose - to make this a place where tigers and
all the plants and animals that constitute their home are
secure forever.
You are a 'Bombay Boy'. You studied in St. Xavier's High
School, Vile Parle, graduated from Sathye College, did a diploma
in Foods, Drugs and Cosmetic Analysis and then a Marketing
and Sales Management course at Bhavan's College. That hardly
sounds like preparation for a wildlife career!
You forgot that I subsequently did my M.Sc. (Organic Chemistry)
from Bombay University! My maternal grandfather retired as
a Range Forest Officer in the '50s, having served in the erstwhile
Bombay State in the Dandeli-Haliyal-Supe Forests. The forest
is in my blood. I was destined to be a part of the Forest
Service, despite the distractions that multiple choices offered
in Mumbai.
Was there a particular catalyst that set you on the nature
trail?
Yes, I can still remember a WWF Nature Camp held in Mudumalai
in May 1982, where I met a man called Chandrakant Wakankar,
whose love for nature and incredible sensitivity opened up
a window to the world as I now know it. I have always been
a trekker and the Sahyadri's many forts also weaved their
magic on me. Incidentally, Ravi
Chellam was at the same camp in Mudumalai and he too switched
from a career in sales to wildlife! That was indeed a life-changing
experience for many of us.
Why the Indian Forest Service?
It's the one service directly responsible for our forests.
Any other option would have left me in an 'advisory' capacity.
I was selected for the State Forest Service in 1986 and was
trained at Coimbatore. While this was ongoing, I appeared
for the Indian Forest Service exam and was selected as part
of the '87 batch. It's not that I didn't try anything else.
Between October '85 and January '86, I did a short stint at
the WWF-Bombay office too!
And when did the tiger become your 'magnificent obsession'?
Actually every single wild creature has the power to move
me. I cannot even start to tell you how I felt when I saw
a newborn bear cub that its mother had delivered in the abandoned
forest resthouse at Kolsa! But one day stands out in my memory
as the one that welded me to the tiger forever - April 28,
2000. My people had been sending me information repeatedly
of the presence of a tigress with cubs at the Pandharpauni
waterhole in Tadoba. I had just acquired a video camera and
was keen to record their behaviour on film. But despite hours
of effort, I was unable to see the family together. It was
uncomfortable in the sweltering heat and the mercury, I knew,
would soon rise to above 45 degrees Celsius. That was when
I saw the cub come tentatively to the water, at 9.30 a.m.
I watched the young one for 45 minutes, wondering how the
mother could leave her infant unattended for so long, when
yet another cub turned up… and then another. There before
me were three cubs gambolling in the cool water. I do not
know whether it was the sight of the vulnerable cubs on their
own, or the relief I felt when their mother finally turned
up, but the sight of that family, secure and wild, changed
my life forever. Without really articulating it, I decided
that my life would be dedicated to the proposition that nothing,
no one, would be allowed to prevent tigers from living free.
Some people might say that this is no more than an eccentric
whim of a bleeding heart animal lover.
You are better equipped to deal with misguided people
who do not understand what the tiger represents! But I take
strength from the fact that I have an entire generation on
my side, as your 'Kids for Tigers' programme has demonstrated
so graphically. This new green force for conservation has
a power that was best demonstrated when thousands of children
and their parents came out on the streets of Chandrapur recently
to take part in our Tiger Bachao Jatra. At another
level, the recently concluded wild animal population estimation
conducted by Maharashtra suggests that Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari
and Pench Tiger Reserves, and to a lesser degree Nagzira and
its surrounds, present the tiger with its best chance of survival
in this Central Indian belt. Here, with suitable inputs and
collective effort, we can and will save the tiger.
Will politicians buy this?
Why not? I know some who are amongst our strongest supporters.
And it's not difficult to see why. The Tadoba forests constitute
the catchment for the Irai Dam, which supplies water to the
Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station, which in turn generates
2,340 MW of electricity that is consumed in distant Mumbai.
The dam also supplies water to the residents of Chandrapur
city and the tiger is thus directly fulfilling the promise
that you are communicating to millions of children - that
of a 'striped water god'.
Has anyone actually measured the financial contribution
of Tadoba in terms of the water security it offers Vidarbha?
No. But the reserve is the origin of the Andhari river,
whose waters feed the larger Vainganga, which in turn flows
into Andhra Pradesh to join the Godavari. The Irai dam is
the financial and survival backbone of Chandrapur town. Both
forest catchments sustain thousands of paddy cultivators,
brick makers and forest dwellers who weave bamboo mats and
collect tendu leaves and mahua flowers. The blessings and
gifts of the tigers of Tadoba-Andhari - water and food security
for millions - flow way beyond Vidarbha.
I hope you are right because I recently got a call from
a Vidarbha politician asking why we were trying to save Tadoba's
tigers, when they attack humans!
The man-animal conflict is a very real one and solutions
require more effort than we are devoting at the moment. The
root cause of the problem is the present trend of disturbing
wilderness areas. Forest officers are instructed to protect
wildlife, which we do and which is why wild animal populations
are rising in sanctuaries and national parks. Yet another
set of people are instructed to convert the same forest lands
for all kinds of 'development' projects. This results in shrinking
wildlife habitats and exaggerates man-animal conflict!
So what is the key problem that you face in protecting
Tadoba?
The tiger's forests are under siege from all sides. Contiguous
blocks of forests without human presence have become a rarity.
Most forest areas have assumed amoebic shapes with many linear
strips or projections. The length of forest boundaries, which
determines the human-animal interface - the conflict points
- have thus increased.
Is this a policy problem, or a policy implementation problem?
The National Wildlife Action Plan and the Conservation Strategy
2002, released recently by the Prime Minister, is clear and
unambiguous. Among other guidelines, it suggests that something
like five per cent of India's landmass be left inviolate and
a total of 10 per cent brought under the Protected Area network.
If we implement this policy, not only will we save our wildlife,
but we will have consolidated our water and food security
as well. This leaves 95 per cent of our landmass available
for human development needs. Man-animal problems will be contained,
not eliminated, by buffering nature from human conglomerations.
Any talk of man and animal living "in harmony" inside
our PAs is just that… "talk".
Do such problems ever have solutions?
One way is to encourage a reduced wildlife-human interface.
The TATR has as many as 53 villages in the immediate surrounds
(five kilometres) and six villages exist inside. Fortunately,
the latter are strongly petitioning to be shifted out. This
will benefit both humans and wildlife. Land (even to the landless)
has been arranged and money will be provided. The administration,
NGOs, social workers and supporters must work to ensure that
the shifted families are happy and secure in their new homes.
This still leaves the villages on the periphery.
Yes, but we will have more time and energy on hand to solve
the problems of the villages on the northwest boundary, which
is the most vulnerable.
What would such solutions entail?
All the unprotected forests outside our boundaries have been
destroyed. The people therefore turn to the reserve for their
forest-based needs. We hope to boost the pasture and fuelwood
capacity and give them gainful employment in the process.
What about tourism? Tadoba used to experience a nightmarish
situation with tourists some years ago.
The problem was solved by tough, pragmatic steps taken by
Mr. Shree Bhagwan, the Field Director of the Reserve since
February 1998. Polluting two-wheelers and three-wheelers and
noisy picnickers were stopped from entering. We then trained
25 tribal guides (each earns Rs. 8,000 per annum now), who
must accompany every tourist vehicle. Strict patrolling and
exemplary punishment led to the 'extinction' of plastic bags.
Visitors are now more disciplined and the forest has responded
by offering more and more meaningful wildlife sightings, including
tigers. Even the annual jatra in the month of Paush has become
a manageable affair by insisting on certain controls. We want
visitors, but not the kind of insensitive tourism that plagues
some of India's best known wildlife areas.
Bamboo extraction used to be a huge problem.
It was a problem, but bamboo is no longer taken out of the
PA, either for paper mills or any other use. Illegal extraction
is still a problem, mainly because of the disturbance caused,
fires started and the alibi offered to poachers to enter as
bamboo collectors. We are working on alternate livelihoods
for villagers as a viable long-term solution.
Are fires a major concern?
All Central Indian forests face this crisis in summer and
the sheer extent of bamboo in Tadoba-Andhari makes fire control
a tough job. Currently this is a joint responsibility of the
Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and the
reserve management. But we are hampered by a lack of resources
and manpower. You have to be in a forest fire to understand
just how dangerous and harsh the circumstances are. Motivating
men is almost as important as equipping them. Somehow we have
managed to prevent a holocaust thus far, but there is no room
for complacency.
Tell me more about why you lay so much hope on initiatives
like the 'Kids for Tigers' programme and the Chandrapur Tiger
Bachao Jatra you mentioned earlier?
In the last three years, I have seen many fine young naturalists
working under three different nature clubs. We had to bring
them together. I saw the 'Kids for Tigers' initiative as an
opportunity to launch the Tadoba-Andhari Conservation Society
(TACS), which combines all three groups. Organising a huge
event like 'Kids for Tigers' in Chandrapur not only brought
out the latent skills of youngsters, but also the tremendous
potential lying dormant in teachers. All it took was the investment
of modest resources and the establishment of a forum. The
event hit the headlines in Chandrapur! A local weekly spontaneously
published a special issue. A mock election was held and Mr.
Wagh Wachave (Tiger Saviour) won by a thumping majority.
Apart from 2,000 Chandrapur kids, 50 children from a school
bordering the reserve also participated. Our own staff feels
motivated and an entire city's imagination has been fired.
Do you believe that this kind of initiative can be institutionalised?
This is what our department is committed to doing. Though
such programmes have limitations when you consider the life
and death problems faced by tigers, we must pull out all stops.
The importance of wildlife conservation must reach people
through the unmatched, persuasive power of children.
There must have been some cynics too!
Of course! During the rally through Chandrapur's streets,
I overheard a remark: "Idhar log mar rahe hai aur inko
tiger bachaneki chinta hai!" (When people are dying,
there are some who are worried about saving tigers!). Such
remarks make the programme all the more important and our
resolve stronger. We would like 'Kids for Tigers' to be an
annual affair at Chandrapur, with mini-melas in villages all
around the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.
Well, whatever you are doing, it seems to be working!
There are so many tigresses with cubs in different parts of
your reserve.
That is true, but each time I see tiger cubs in Tadoba,
my joy is tinged with concern about them and the conflicts
that could arise if we do not protect the buffer areas.
How do you hope to achieve this objective?
Fortunately, the TATR has the Reserve Forests of the Chandrapur
Territorial Division on the southern and eastern side and
the Brahmapuri Division to the north and northeastern side.
These need the strictest possible protection. Our real problem
is in the northwestern side, which has a negligible buffer.
As of now, beyond the 625 sq. km. of the TATR, we have roughly
600 sq. km. of further contiguous forests that are used by
tigers. These extended forests and the corridors that connect
them must form part of a larger tiger reserve with unified
charge under a common Field Director. This would secure the
future of tigers in this crucial area.
Can you explain the importance of corridors?
Linear corridors extend to other forests beyond our current
boundary, providing connectivity and allowing genetic flow.
One such corridor connects the Sindewahi block to the Karwa-Seoni
areas. More investigations, including satellite imagery and
ground surveys are necessary to identify other corridors.
These forests are vital to the water security of the Chandrapur
and Gadchiroli districts.
What inputs do you need to further strengthen your excellent
team?
Our team was greatly benefited when TATR was brought under
the Project Tiger mantle in 1993-94 because we received project
allowances, improved staff quarters, mobility and wireless
communications. We still need to look after the family needs
of our staff better, arm them against poachers, enhance training,
hold exchange programmes with other tiger reserves and, of
course, we need to back our people to the hilt financially
and legally.
You have said that when children convince their parents
that Tadoba is the water bhandar of Vidarbha, the people
will themselves demand that these forests are protected.
Children's minds are open and unbiased. They perceive the
truth quicker than adults. Apart from anti-poaching and patrolling,
a key involvement of our rangers such as Vashisht, Tikhe and
Kamble is to improve the water regime of the TATR. We have
very harsh summers and we work to ensure that tigers and other
wildlife have cool, shady spots available to them. At one
time, we had to use tankers to artificially fill waterholes,
but these are slowly being phased out thanks to gully-plugs
using brushwood, boulders, earthen bunds, boulder-chain link
bunds (gabion structures) and van talavs or forest
ponds. We have seen that cost effective, labour intensive,
local resource-based structures work better than cement constructions.
These forests are a giant sponge that help recharge the groundwater
that feeds millions of wells. If properly calculated, the
economic value of this water would be staggering.
What's the bottom line? Will you get the support you need
to save these tigers?
We must realise that our tiger reserves are more valuable
national assets than any man-made ones and for the sake of
our children, they must be protected even better than our
nuclear facilities. I can't say whether we will get the support
we need, but if recent signs are to be believed, some kind
of new impetus, a new awakening, seems to be emerging. If
forests and wildlife become a priority sector as promised,
it will mean posts are filled, resources allocated and the
Indian Forest Service strengthened. It would also mean that
other ministries would stop trying to take away chunks of
tiger habitats for short-term industrial gains. If we are
able to do this much, nature will do the rest and the tiger
will be saved.
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