Rajya Sabha MP and RIL group president Parimal Nathwani has launched a
virtual crusade to save Asiatic lions and ensure national animal
status for the lions of Gir
Lion. The word conjures up an image of a wild creature that can
harm human life and livestock. Lions are meant to be in the jungle,
within a wildlife sanctuary like other wild animals. They may be the
chief form of entertainment in circus shows, but they are not allowed to
even reciprocate the applause they get for their performance from the
audience, beyond the cage and ring.
Lions are believed to have
been spotted north of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the past. They gradually migrated
towards Saurashtra and settled around Gir, in Gujarat, the only place in
the world where Asiatic Lions are found now.
During British
rule, only a dozen lions survived the heinous game of hunting. Later,
the Nawab of Junagarh and subsequently, the Gujarat government, issued
successive directives to punish hunting of lions.
The
mythological and historical significance of this wild creature inspired
Parimal Nathwani, wildlife lover, Rajya Sabha member and group president
of Reliance Industries, to restore the lion to its glory, using his
political and social clout. He has launched a virtual crusade to accord
‘national animal’ status to lions.
Nathwani has always stood
for the cause of protection and survival of lions. Be it in his capacity
as a top honcho of the corporate world or as a member of Parliament
(MP), Nathwani has always upheld the cause of lions. He continues to
press the Union government, both in Parliament and outside, to grant
national animal status to lions through a legislation.
Nathwani
has taken a vow to protect this rare species of the big cat family from
becoming extinct. He contends that no other wild animal in the country
deserves the honour that lions do. The lion has always been the king of
the jungle. Neither the scriptures, nor ancient Indian history could
ignore its importance. The king’s throne, for instance, was called
‘Simhasan’. Simply put, the king’s seat was considered as glorious as
that of a lion.
Even India’s national emblem features four lions
standing back to back —derived from sculptures built by King Ashoka, to
portray the bold face of the nation.
The recent apex court
order to translocate lions from Gir in Gujarat could not dampen
Nathwani’s crusade to protect the lives of Asiatic lions. In his
argument against the Supreme Court’s order to form a committee to
recommend shifting of lions from Gir within six months, Nathwani says
that Gir was the most suitable habitat for lions in the light of its
geographical and environmental location. Moving lions out of Gir could
deter ongoing efforts to save this rare species from extinction.
Nathwani
contends that translocation of animals is never conducive to their
well-being, because the changed environment and habitat is not always
good for their health.
He rules out unfounded apprehensions about
wildfires and epidemics in Gir. He claims that neither forest fires nor
epidemics have occurred in the Gir sanctuary. In the light of the
Supreme Court directive to the Centre forbidding importing cheetahs from
Africa for the Kuna sanctuary, Nathwani has asked the apex court to
also stop translocation of lions from Gir.
Nathwani was appalled
when he learnt of the expenditure on conservation of Asiatic lions in
Gujarat. In reply to a question posed by Nathwani in the Rajya Sabha,
the ministry of environment and forests informed that in the past three
years, Rs 34.39 crore had been released for conservation of Asiatic
lions, while Rs 488.58 crore had been released under Project Tiger.
Nathwani
expressed anguish at the gaping difference. Despite the fact that lions
need more attention for preserving their population, the government
has failed to pay proper attention to their conservation when
sanctioning money for the purpose.
Nathwani has mobilised Rs 1
crore to cover about 1,300 potholes in the Gir enclosure. Potholes,
meant for providing water to animals, were uncovered and small animals
often fell into them and died.
Notwithstanding the criticism
Nathwani has received for his obsessive love for lions, he has braved
on. A section of wildlife activists reacted to his demand to confer
national animal status for lions, saying it was a well-hatched
conspiracy against tigers. In his defence, Nathwani says, “If I support
lions, it does not mean that I hate other animals and I am against the
national animal stature for tigers. I admire the ongoing efforts to save
tigers across the country by the government and different NGOs as well.
But my contention to support lions is that lions are found in a single
state while tigers are found in many states. If we support lions by
giving them the status of national animals, we can protect and promote
this rare wild cat species the way we have done with tigers under
specific sections of the law.”
Nathwani claims, “In fact, on
several occasions, I have taken up the issue of safety and security of
tigers too. Both animals are important to wildlife and need to be
conserved with the best possible efforts. Tigers are found in 17 states
and commendable efforts have been made to conserve them while lions are
found only in Gir of Gujarat. I believe it’s time that lions are
accorded the status of national animals and tigers should now dispense
with the stature, as they have got enough projection over the decades.
Like financial support lent by the Centre under Project Tiger, funds
must be allocated for survival of Asiatic lions too. The government has
spent Rs 488.58 crore under Project Tiger, while Rs 48.71 crore was
spent for conservation of elephants. It has also released a total of Rs
206.09 crore under Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats in the
past three years. But, incidentally, the Centre has sanctioned only Rs
34.39 crore for Gir in the past three years. I propose to declare every
animal as a national animal by rotation after a considerable period of
20 years.”
He substantiates his demand, by pointing to the
growing population of tigers with government support. He adds that a
remarkable increase had been ensured in the population of tigers from
1,411 in 2008 to 1,706 in 2011, with substantial monetary support from
the Centre and that it had now reached 2,226, which was half the world’s
population of tigers. He seeks similar support for the protection of
lions too from the Centre.
Nathwani’s proposal to replace
tigers with lions as the national animal may not evoke a positive
response from pro-tiger activists and those unlikely to accept the lion
in place of the tiger. Nathwani says he would continue his struggle for
the cause of lions, though, and even launch offensives against the
system if necessary.
The author is a veteran journalist and has worked for several national dailies, magazines and channels.
This article was published in BW Businessworld issue dated 'Aug. 22, 2016' with cover story titled 'Are Cows, Culture Wars And Dalits Atrocities Derailing Modi’s Economic Agenda?'
Disclaimer: The views expressed in
the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily
represent or reflect the views of this publishing house
http://businessworld.in/article/-Lions-Deserve-Honour-/08-08-2016-104179/
The Madhya Pradesh government has been seeking “immediate” transfer of
Asiatic lions from Gujarat to its Palpur Kuno sanctuary. (Source: IE)
