Over 6000 acres of pristine forest cover has been reduced to ashes in four ranges of the hallowed Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. But there hardly seems to be a sense of remorse amongst senior wildlife officials in Karnataka.
In fact, the Field Director – Project Tiger (Mr Hosmath) and Mr Vijay Ranjan Singh, Conservator of Forests (Nagarhole division) were gung-ho that they had convinced Karnataka forest Minister CP Yogeswar that fires were a common feature in summer.
"It happens in every national park every summer. There is media attention here because Nagarhole is on the world tiger map," said Vijay Rangan Singh.
After taking the media contingent through the ravaged, smouldering remains of what was once the domain of a tigress with three cubs, the forest minister went on to make one of the most ridiculous statements anyone associated with conservation would have liked to hear. "We will plant saplings and ensure that forest recovers in five years," said Mr Yogeswar, nonchallantly.
Either the minister must be ignorant or he must have conveyed what he had been briefed by his senior forest officials. But he made a mockery of the post-fire PR exercise. The media had a laugh!
Probably, the minister must have deemed it was as easy as forming townships, which he does for business in and around Bangalore city.
"A house can be reconstructed or a whole town can be rebuilt after a major fire. But it will take 20 to 30 years for a forest to regain what it has lost in a fire.
"As a former forest officer who had served in this reserve for 20 years, I strongly believe that the fire could have been contained, if the officials had taken preventive measures, been on the guard and reacted sooner than they did in this case," said former Range forest officer KM Chinnappa.
D Raj Kumar, Director, Nature Conservation Foundation, felt the forest should be allowed to recover at its own time without intervention. "Nature has established several important aspects in the generation of forests. Humus plays a big role to help soil regain moisture and retain grass growth in the lower substrate. The forest cannot recover in five years as the minister thinks," said Raj Kumar.
"As this is a national park any intrusion from outside will be in violation, more so in a tiger reserve. Let nature take its time to recover without human intervention," added Raj Kumar.
While senior forest officials showed no signs of remorse, those working in the park were a disillusioned lot. "Had any other part of the park burnt to this extent, we would not have regretted. But Kunthur, Thayhole and Marappa blocks should not been destroyed. These blocks were teeming with wildlife. I wonder if the animals will return," lamented Kushalappa, a temporary driver who has been working in the Nagarhole range for the past 22 years.
The staff and foot-soldiers of this once pristine tiger reserve are anguished. But the Field Director – Project Tiger, who is the custodian of all tiger reserves in Karnataka, has no regret whatsoever of the devastating fire. His only concern, as is that of his immediate boss (chief wildlife warden) is to continue in his post. You will not be wrong if you were to think that he is after tiger funds!
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