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 SC
issues notice to Centre, Bihar Govt. over non-payment
of salaries in Valmiki Tiger Reserve
New Delhi, January 7, 2002: The
Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to both the
Union government and the Bihar government asking them
to explain why the staff of Valmiki Tiger Reserve
have not be paid their salaries on time, leading to
the staff walking out of the park in October and threatening
the security of the tigers in the reserve.
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Trustee and member
of the Project Tiger Steering committee, Mr. Ashok
Kumar had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court,
seeking its intervention in the matter of security
to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran district
of Bihar.
Hearing the petition on Monday, the division bench
comprising of Justice Ramesh Chandra Lahoti and Justice
Brijesh Kumar, sought a reply from both the Centre
and the state government on the delayed disbursement
of salaries. This is, perhaps, for the first time
that the Supreme Court has intervened in a case of
financial irregularity in a national park, which s
a common problem all over the country..
On October 14, all the field staff from range officer
downward, walked out of this protected area to the
reserve' headquarters 35 km away in Bettiah. The staff
was protesting against the non-payment of salaries
for more than 14 months. The staff left the park,
home to 43 tigers, unattended, as they went on an
indefinite hunger strike.
Valmiki Tiger Reserve is spread over 840 sq km and
was home to 80 tigers, as per the 1984 census. However,
the 1999 census showed that this number had come down
to 43. The reserve has an international border with
Nepal. On the Nepal side, this forest adjoins the
famous Chitwan National Park and Paras Wildlife Sanctuary.
The situation was brought to the notice of Mr. Kumar,
on the afternoon of October 16. The same evening a
writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court against
the Bihar government. The management and administration
of the forest are under direct control and supervision
of the Bihar government. The Central Government provides
special funds under Project Tiger to the park.
Soon after the petition was filed, the Bihar Government
disbursed salaries to some of the staff in October,
but the 44 forest guards, authorized to carry firearms,
have yet to paid wages for 16 months. Two years ago,
salaries had not been paid for 22 months. Many of
the staff has also been borrowing money at high interest
rates from private moneylenders, according to information
available with Mr. Kumar.
The state government has not spent any money for
the purpose it was earmarked. Project Tiger had released
Rs 50 lakh, in July 2001 to the state government for
anti-poaching measures, protection of the park and
salaries for the guards for the financial year 2001-2002.
"But the funds have not reached the tiger reserve
and this park remains virtually unmanaged. It is the
responsibility of the state government to protect
the tiger reserve, which it has miserably failed to
do so," Mr. Kumar said.
The Bihar Government has been treating the Valmiki
Tiger Reserve as a temporary project even after 10
years of existence. He pointed out that the extension
is generally sanctioned in the last month of the financial
year, thereby blocking the flow of funds, he pointed
out. He accused the state government of releasing
the funds on paper in the last month of the financial
year, which cannot be used justifiably in a few days.
Thereafter, the funds are treated as lapsed, he said.
Mr. Kumar said that the situation in many other national
parks is the same. Almost 275 wildlife guards in Corbett
Tiger Reserve in Uttaranchal have not been paid salaries
since April 2001 and the situation in the state of
Jharkhand is no different.
For further information contact:
- Ms Vidya Deshpande, Project Officer (Communications),
WTI. Phones: 6326025/26.
- Mr. Ashok Kumar, Trustee, Wildlife Trust of India.
Phones: 6326025/26, (M) 98104 18280
- Mr. Sudhir Mishra, Legal Consultant, WTI.
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