15% cut in funds for tiger reserves across country

DEHRADUN: In what might come as a double whammy for tiger reserves across the country this year, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has decided to slash funds by 15% for each state, officials in the know said.


Already, the prime tiger tourism season from March to June 15 has fallen flat due to the lockdown. Park officials are worried that conservation efforts would suffer amid alert issued by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).


In Uttarakhand, Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) earns about Rs 10.5 crore per annum and Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) earns around Rs 54 lakh a year from tourism-related activities. Earnings have taken a dip because of the lockdown for the otherwise self-sustaining tiger reserves.

Uttarakhand was sanctioned around Rs 25 crore in the previous year by the NTCA, according to officials.

Directors of Corbett Tiger Reserve and Rajaji Tiger Reserve feel reduced funds will adversely affect infrastructure-related works in the reserves.

With the monsoon season round the corner, important road construction work will suffer. Internal road connectivity inside reserves is essential during the rainy season for effective patrolling to check poaching and other anti-forest activities.

A source in the forest department said NTCA itself didn't get its full share of funds and, hence, it has no other option but to further cut funds for the states. Incidentally, budget of NTCA has been reducing since the past four years. For 2016-17, its budget was Rs 348.74 crore; for 2017-18, it was Rs 345 crore; for 2018-19, it was Rs 323.44 crore.

In 2019-20, it was just Rs 280.66 crore. For 20-21, it has already indicated that the fund would be curtailed further. In 2019-20, NTCA had approved Rs 17 crore for CTR.