SEVAK

Background

PARYAVARAN SUDHAR SANSTHAN was established 1987 during the heritage of Pilibhit survey by Samaj Kalyan Evam Vikas Adhayayan Kendra socio economic activists. It was observed that as Pilibhit district tarai forest profile wild life certain in danger species like Black Buck, Swamp Deer, Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard highly potential habitat for which was prior before 1970. The forest area was known as hunting reserve; thousand of Tiger shooted for the sake of fun and hunting game by Bureaucrats diplomats and zamindar’s and only 6 to 8 Tiger are rest in the forest despite a potential of Tarai forest.

Despite wild life protection Act – 1972, applied in 1973 in UP and late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi valuable starting efforts in Tiger protection a project Tiger was also started in Tarai adjacent area district Lakhimpur Kheri Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur wild life sanctuary starting project Tiger, neglecting the much more potential area and corridor of wild life Pilibhit forest ranges in between Royal Nepal Sukla Phanta Sanctuary and Kishanpur wild life sanctuary. In the mean time TARAI ARC Land was known as Tiger reserve protection activities like Rajaji national park Corbett national park, Sonandi wild life sanctuary, Kishanpur wild life sanctuary, Dudhawa national park, Katraniaghat wild life sanctuary, Suhelwa wild life, Sohagi Barwa wild life sanctuary and Royal Chitwan national park, PARSA wild life reserve and Valmiki national park, with Royal Sukla Phanta wild life reserve and Royal Bardia national park. But Pilibhit coverage a heritage of Swamp Deer and Tiger in still neglected by GOI.

So during the socio development heritage SEVAK constitute PSS as important object in memorandum of association and made a lot of efforts in near and between forest populated area were made for self mentoring and protection environment awareness for protection of such wild life heritage under TARAI forest area renowned zamindar shikari of MADHOTANDA Mr. Bharat Singh guidance and network support who killed at least 72 Tiger including man eaters, the Wildlife Veteran Activist, Diplomatic and Bureaucratic efforts were made by PSS to State and Central Government, Wildlife Society of India, WWF, also having representation of Pilibhit people in Parliament and as Minster of Forest and Wildlife in 1989 but Pilibhit is still non-protected area.

Positive Approach and Efforts

With active support and information network made by PSS and District Forest Department; wild life management activist forest officer, tiger presences increased by resonance survey 6 male, 9 female 1 cub in 1999, 14 male 9 female and cub 3 total 26 in 2001, 12 male 16 female and 4 cubs total 32 in 2003 and 12 male and 22 female with 1 cub now total 35 Tiger.  The Forest Department says now tiger are not less than 42.

Past positive efforts were made from Barahi forest range most potential area for tiger by allotting irrigation department land in between forest and monitor the tiger point with help of local Bengalis, Gujjar families, people information residing in and near forest organized many awareness programmes in villages. School children visits and appeal were made in forest and nearby village establishing a office allotted in Barahi range, bifurcation, goats were also supplied to Tigers by socio-economic plan of fishing trade it Satishal Selha village, a Chatai Industrial Cooperative Society was also developed in 1996 to develop the economic status of Bengali 2000 family depend on forest.

Most potential area of Barahi range 8 to 12 tiger were reported, long 6-8 km kharja nahar unused from 1940 transferred to irrigation from forest in British period allotted to PSS proved a effective habitat of Tigers.

PSS made of lot of efforts to declare and protect Pilibhit 670 sq km area for Tiger reserve by many electronic media, print media support and involve work of PSS without any government grants. But 1989 tiger reserve proposal was rejected by state government and now in 2008 when state government recommended the proposal on demand of wild life activists and Forest Department to Government of India but Tiger task force meeting refused such a important and wildlife management proposal.

Innovative Vision for Pilibhit Wildlife Protection

PSS work experience with WWF-TEF deep touch with local forest officers wild life management,  monitoring evaluation, awareness  environment making work in forest village since 1987 having some time difference in Tiger counting with govt and WWF TALP Pilibhit unit reporting as partner NGO, Latest Tiger counting was some what different with past reconance survey and counting and declare that 42 Tigers are in the forest good habitat for Tiger was accepted by technical associate of forest survey of India Deharadun team says during forest survey 2005 after  1965 in Pilibhit, team told to PSS that biodiversity of Pilibhit forest is very potential for wild life.

PSS vision is very clear as justified concept that a countless amount has been invested by govt. and international funders in Project Tiger related 28 sanctuaries and national parks a remarkable report regarding the 50% shortage of Tiger in Madhya Pradesh which is known as Tiger State. Prime minister taken cognizance to review the tiger projects. Taskforce come in existence under environmental veteran activists SUNITA NARAYAN chairman to report better prospects to save Tigers in Indian forest sanctuary and parks. According the report copy sent to PSS; report emphasize to follow the innovative working of KERALA Tiger project working where local groups were involved in Tiger protection lack of information system help of local people regarding forest management and wild life resources govt. networking was responsible for hopeless results in Tiger survival and boldly made advise to Prime Minister to review the past working of Tiger Project.

PSS thinks that it is must, we the environmental and wildlife activists should take a lesson with a report of project Tiger’s secretary Dr. Rajesh Gopal that now only 1411 tiger are in the different 17 states of India in 2006 in comparison the identified 3227 tiger in year 2002, 1909 Tiger loss assessed in last 5 years, on an average 10 lack rupees expenses on each tiger ratio only Corbett National Park Uttrakhand and two tiger reserve of Karnatak Bandipur and Nagarhole are only safe for tiger in out of 28.

Now UP state Tiger reserve sanctuary even Dudhwa National Park, a starting Tiger project, work of Indian Wild Life Protection history and dream and project of Smt. Indira Gandhi Prime Minister and Padam Bhooshan awardee Billy Arjun Singh is in danger as resent reports of tiger project, vesting crore of rupees and dollars; It is reported that out of 284 tiger of UP state in 2002 reports only 109 tiger are counted in 2006 in last 4 years, while only Pilibhit non protected area forest tiger are 42 as govt. report so protected UP tigers are only 67. Is it fact? If yes then all resources should be practised in TARAI Pilibhit unprotected forest corridors area in between two reserve Nepal Royal Shukla Phanta Sanctuary and Kishanpur Dudhwa National Park UP to save new potential site of the UP Forest Tiger heritage for which state BSP govt. has send the proposal to add Pilibhit in Tiger project area.

It is also remarkable that PSS/SEVAK has started work in 1987 seeing target after wild life protection Act-1972 Pilibhit forest Tiger 19 male, 18 female and 2 cubs total 37 as 1979 reports and in compression protected Dudhwa Park and sanctuary tiger number were declared on 28th Jan-1986 by Mr JN Chaturvedi Director 80 tiger total and only one tiger was added in 1995 after 10 year efforts of Project Tiger working, after PSS activities Mr. DP Misra took initiative by an dist. court order support in Lakhimpur for real counting of tiger development, such fact come out.

PSS is firm that if Pilibhit corridor area of 670 Km is been notified as Tiger reserve  with Kishenpur sanctuary in 1977 then, Tigers position will like Jim Corbett Park at present.

No doubt Pilibhit geographical natural and social profile is some what different, Bengali and Sikh people are settled in near forest before 40-50 years wild life and its habitat was remain disturbed by govt. Act and policy also for operation food grain and rapidly increasing population pressure in Pilibhit unpopulated forest area for cultivation, hunting reserve area for fun food, poaching network with Nepal Border by local courier and Delhi based internation network. But despite all that adverse background linkages PSS observed still potential is good due to unique Britishers developed Tarai forest and irrigation dept. canals Sharda Sagar Dam network in between forest of 1923. Britisher operation food project gave not only the irrigation water to 16 district by Kheri (Dudhwa) and Hardoi two main branches, with 22 KM Asia biggest dam Kharja Nahar, water discharge system. But such a system made the forest more potential for 400 species with habitat for tiger and wild life that Elephant and Rhinos comes from Nepal and Kishanpur Dudhwa through its corridor.

Although WWF Tiger conservation programme was lunched from Jan 2003 as Tarai ARC LAND SCAPE Project in 30000 sq km area Corbett National Park to Valmiki National Park covering 13 protected national park and sanctuaries with some support base activities in Pilibhit unprotected area for wild life, award was given to PSS prominent activist Parvez Haneef in 2003-04 for tiger past habitat work, The coordinator simply working is only to consume the budget not to utilized they have no coordination to share experience 20 years innovative PSS working. Past working is to second forest dept.

PSS think that NGO can do lot for the tiger habitat, creative new innovatives in concern population to make a effective information base network involving them with eco-friendly programme of regard self employment.

PSS worked introduced innovative action plan with National Bamboo Mission in favour of tiger habitat, decision has taken in march 2008 in presence of chief conservator Bareilly region.

Backward Linkages

1. Pilibhit forest are not declared protected for tiger project since efforts made from 1989, despite tiger workforce concept govt. of India bold recommendation by it president Sunita Narain and 2006 tiger position report of project tiger loosing 1909 tiger in 28 tiger reserve of 17 state in last 4 years.
2. UP tiger reported 109 total in 2006 project tiger report in comparison 284 tiger in protected and unprotected area while only Pilibhit area unprotected forest have 42 tiger a matter of challenge and research for wild life activist of the world
3. Political credit issue for tiger reserve of Pilibhit in between state and center govt.
4. Population pressure, unemployment of youth in near forest area villages.
5. Lac of self supporting stable vival project .
6. Acute shortage of forest watching staff and posting wild life management expert IFS officers.
7. Real counting of tiger by telemetry and other latest system in comparison foot print method.
8. Nepal and China Border activities of tiger trafficking challenges for drug use

Forward Linkages

1. Unique potential of tiger habitat in Pilibhit Tarai forest, making corridor with Royal Nepal Sukla Funta Sanctuary and Kishanpur wild life sanctuary/ Dudhwa Park
2. General people attitude is save tigers as heritage of pilibhit is toward linkages created by PSS since 1987.
3. PSS as member of govt. National Bamboo mission Pilibhit has developed a innovative self supported vival project to plant production and Making of Bamboo by women SHG’s in near forest BPL and weaker families depend on forest.
4. PSS has vast experience for Information network eco-friendly people of forest village, communities for the tiger Point and moovement watch including poaching and corrier confidential informations in past during 1988 to 99 in Barahi range forest.
5. Positive atmosphere for awareness of wild life protection in public private partnership to protect tiger and wild life in its habitat.