Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Visit to Kerala

I will write sometime about my this non-photographic trip to Kerala. I was highly disappointed with pesticides filled environment at Munnar. I am saying this only because in my one week tour of Kerala I couldnot photograph a single butterfly.
How are Tigers here in Bandhavgarh and in India is the same story. While driving from Umaria to Tala after seeing the road condition of last ten km towards Tala Kay said who would like to come here if they know the road condition? I thought there are many more things what people should know before going to any Tiger area for Tiger viewing.
As a villager living around Tiger Reserve I had to ask myself, Why we are not getting Roads repaired by the government? Why forest department object on road raipres around Tiger Reserve??
Do they think that people living around the Tiger Project areas are happy with this attitute of the Forest Department?
I know and I will say NO they are not happy and they dont want to live second grade citizen in their own country.
I know what happened in Karera. Villagers changed their crop pattern to get rid of the Bustard successfully.
I see similar things happening around Natonal Parks.
Forest Department itself is helping in destruction of Tigers in long run.
By putting Chainlink fencing most of the corridores are blocked. Many Tigers lost a major part of their teritorry and prey base.
By chainlink fencing tigers are confined to a very small area where in winter they prey more on fawn than adult animals. This affects prey base numbers badly.
In this cash crunch and high cost of living affecting villagers too. They see others minting money in the name of Tigers. One villager told me that no money can replace the milk i was suppose to get from my cow that got killed by a Tiger. I can understand his feelings. Monkeys looks very nice in the jungle, very good photographic subject, but in Mango season I dont want them in my Garden. Villagers have worst feeling than this about a Cattle Lifter.
So what chance we have to save the Tiger??
Govt or Forest Department putting more and more restrictions on Tourism. this means if we dont get a chance to see him how you expect us to be his wellwisher??
So tourist goes against the Tiger?
If villagers cant have free access to the jungle for their needs of Firewood, fodder and timber than they goes against the Tiger, openly or secretly??
If villagers start thinking that we are deprived of our rights only because of animals, govt treats us lower than animals, animals are on priority of government then I will say only a miracle can save the Tiger out of National Parks in this country.
I think in next few years time Tiger tourism will die. It will become a Glorified Safari Park safari in Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Ranthambhore and Panna.
A male Tiger is about to go from here to Panna to give company to those two lonely females.

No comments: