A report produced by India’s two leading tiger experts — Prof. K. Sankar and Prof. Wamar Qureshi — belonging to the Wildlife Institute of India throws interesting light on the contentious issue of tiger densities in tiger and non-tiger reserves. The report zeroes in both tourism and no go tourism zones of the Pench Tiger Reserve located in Madhya Pradesh, along with its buffer zones spread across Seoni and Chhindwara districts.
Using a variety of methods to track the tiger population, including pugmark tracing, scat DNA-based identification and camera traps, 11 tigers were found in the tourism zone while 13 tigers were located in the non-tourism zone, thereby, confirming that there was no significant difference in tiger densities in these two areas.
The experts found that a radio-collared breeding female tiger used 19.3 per cent of the tourism zone to raise four cubs from her second litter and 18.7 per cent of the tourism zone to raise five cubs from her third litter. In all, this tiger used 12 breeding dens while raising her nine cubs, a practise followed by female tigers.
Belinda Wright said it is tourism zones of Bandhav-garh Ranthambore Tiger Reserves which have witnessed a higher reproduction of tigers. “Strictly-controlled tourism does not interfere with their breeding,” said Ms Wright.
Dr Dharmendra Kandal, a botanist working with Tigerwatch at Rantham-bore Tiger Reserve, confirmed that only 12 per cent of the core area of reserve was open to tourists.
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U.P. sets up special court for NRHM scamPramod Kumar
New Delhi, Aug. 30
In a development which will ensure speedy prosecutions in cases relating to multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a “special court”. The CBI, which is investigating the cases, had been demanding for such a “special court” for quite sometime to speed up prosecution in NRHM scam.
According to sources, the UP government issued a notification on August 28, constituting a special court especially for NRHM cases in Ghaziabad premises. The CBI had written to Allahabad high court few months ago seeking a special court for all cases related to the scam.
“The agency, which has registered 18 cases as part of its probe into alleged NRHM irregularities, is now preparing to file more cases related to the scam. Fresh FIRs will be registered to probe alleged misuse of funds allocated to CMO offices in 40 districts of UP under various NRHM schemes,” sources said. The agency has so far arrested total 20 persons in connection with the NRHM cases.