(Permission Given to an External State’s Workforce to Stay in the Core Tiger Habitat)
Chandrapur:
On one hand, the government has declared a ‘Red Alert’ in Chandrapur district due to increasing cases of tiger poaching, instructing strict surveillance over the entry of unknown individuals into the forest. On the other hand, poaching gangs are taking advantage of laborers from other states, who enter the forest under the pretense of bamboo or sugarcane cutting, to execute large-scale poaching operations. This has been confirmed through the arrest of several workers and the recovery of hunting tools from them.
Following these revelations, a Red Alert has been issued in the affected area. Wildlife organizations, environmentalists, and conservationists have been maintaining vigilance, while the forest department has also been monitoring the situation.
However, despite this potential threat, the Forest Development Corporation (FDCM) has initiated bamboo cutting in the forest and has brought in laborers from Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh for this work.
Although these laborers may not necessarily be poachers themselves or directly aiding poachers, past incidents have proven that poaching gangs exploit such workers as cover for their activities. Given this, the laborers should have only been allowed to work in the forest during the day. However, in Tadoba’s Balapur area, FDCM officials have permitted them to stay deep within the forest, near critical tiger waterholes—areas where tigers frequently visit for drinking water.
While returning from Mendki village in Tadoba’s Gaymukh region, we spotted some suspicious individuals heading towards the forest. Upon following them, we found their makeshift huts and belongings near a waterhole. Upon questioning, they revealed that FDCM officials had instructed them to stay there.
This makes it evident how seriously (or negligently) the Forest Development Corporation is treating the government-declared Red Alert. This situation is highly dangerous, not only for tigers but also for the laborers themselves, who are being placed in harm’s way.
Solution and Necessary Actions:
- The Forest Department must immediately intervene and relocate these laborers from the sensitive wildlife zone.
- NGOs actively working in wildlife conservation should be involved. Organizations like Swab Nature Care Foundation can collaborate with the forest department to ensure these laborers are moved to safer locations.
- Wildlife lovers and environmentalists must spread awareness about this issue to prevent such negligence in the future.
- The government must take strict action against FDCM officials who permitted laborers to reside within the core forest area despite the Red Alert.
If this issue is not taken seriously in time, not only will tiger conservation efforts suffer, but the risk of human-wildlife conflict will also escalate, making the situation even more alarming.
