Silent killer at Melghat Reserve

Silent killer at Melghat Reserve
PRERNA BINDRA

FEBRUARY 24: Deep in the jungles of the Melghat Tiger Reserve a slow, silent killer is stalking the animals. The jungle does not resound to the crack of a gun nor the crude bow and arrow. But the animals die in agony after being cruelly poisoned. Two peacocks, one Indian civet cat, grey jungle fowls and other birds were found dead after forest officials on February 19 discovered that a water hole, Jamunallah in the Chaurakhund range of the sanctuary had been poisoned. Ironically this took place just four days before Foundation day of India's oldest tiger reserve.

The alarming implication of the incident has sent alarm bells ringing among the forest officials.

Explains Ramanuj Choudhery, Field director, Melghat Tiger Reserve, ``The easiest method of poaching is to poison water holes, since these are frequented by most animals.''

In Melghat the problem of local people poisoning the water holes for meat of peacocks, deer, has assumed serious dimensions. Kishor Rithe, honourary wildlife warden of Amravati points out that Melghat has lost nearly 12 tigers and leopards in the last two years. ``Most of them were poisoned,'' says Rithe.

After the latest episode of poisoning emergency measures have been drawn up. Jamunnallah has been blocked and the water sent for testing. ``The peacock carcasses have been sent for postmortem and we are still awaiting results,'' informed Mr Choudhry.

But tis is not an isolated incident. Barely two months back on December 21, four local people were caught red-handed by forest officials poisoning a waterhole on the Khapra river of the sanctuary. A bottle with 500ml of Endosulphan, a highly toxic pesticide, was also apprehended.

According to the last census in 1999, Melghat has a population of about 80 tigers, but the reserve remains largely unprotected due to an acute shortage of staff. The forest officials admit their helplessness, Choudhry points out that at present more than 60 per cent of the posts in Melghat are lying vacant. ``Melghat has just 50 per cent of the guards required. They are the ones working at the field level to protect the park,'' he says. Three beats in the sanctuary (Marrita, Jarida and Mehriam) covering an area of about 50 kms have no guard at all, and is therefore totally unprotected.

``Besides,'' says Choudhry, ``Most of the ground staff is nearing retirement age and are ineffectual. ``The powers to transfer, suspend, demote or punish staff does not lie with the field director of Melghat, but with the conservator of forests of the territorial circle, Amravati. The director has no power over his guards which hinders the management and protection of the reserve,'' says a forest officer.