PHOTO COURTESY RAJAN JOSHI
FIVE LIONS DEAD IN TWO MONTHS
Forest officials, who were involved in tackling Canine Distemper Virus that claimed lives of 30 lions in Gir last year, given charge of setting up jungle safari and animal park at State of Unity by Oct
Gujarat’s pride, the Asiatic lions of Gir, seems to have been sidelined in favour of the jungle safari and animal park projects coming up near the Statue of Unity in Narmada district.
The state government is rushing to finish the projects before its inauguration in October. And for this, it has transferred all senior forest officials, who were instrumental in controlling the spread of the deadly Canine Distemper Virus, to SoU to get the projects ready in time.
Gir is the only natural habitat of world-famous Asiatic lions. A CDV outbreak in Dalkhaniya range made news after it ended up killing at least 30 lions between September and December last year. However, with five lion deaths reported since June 27 this year, experts and environmentalists believe the state government should not have transferred all officials experienced with CDV as they are needed to monitor the situation in Gir to prevent another outbreak.
Projects assigned
Ram Ratan Nala, who was appointed as director of Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh in October last year specially to tackle the CDV outbreak has been given charge of establishing the jungle safari as director of jungle safari at the Sardar Patel Zoological Park – a newly created post.
Shyamal Tikadar, who as additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) was camped in Gir East to deal with CDV cases, has been appointed as principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden of the state. Tikadar is directly involved in setting up the Asiatic animal zoo at Kevadia. So, instead of being headquartered in Gandhinagar monitoring everything related to wildlife in the State, he is now based in Kevadia.
Several range forest officers, who were involved in battling the outbreak, have also been posted at SoU. RFO Ruchi Dave who worked in the Dalkhaniya range has been transferred to SoU. RFO Rajan Jadhav of Babariya range --who had arrested seven men for holding an illegal show by luring Asiatic lions with chicken – has also been transferred to SoU.
All these officials who made their mark in Gir have been given tasks at SoU that need to be finished by October 31as a grand event is being planned to mark the anniversary of the inauguration of the Statue of Unity — the world’s tallest statue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior ministers of his Cabinet are likely to visit SoU on October 31to coincide with the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first deputy Prime Minister and the Iron Man of India.
The government has also transferred Deputy Conservator of Forest (Gir East) P Purushothama as DCF Aravalli and Conservator of Forest (Junagadh task force division) Pradeep Singh as Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) in July this year.
All these transfers have left conservationists worried, especially after five lion deaths were reported in less than two months.
A two-year-old lion cub was found dead in Talala on June 27 this year. A 7-year-old lion was found dead in Gir East (Dalkhaniya range). A 12-year-old lion was found dead in Devaliya range while a five-year-old cub was found dead in Tulsishyam range in August. Two 5-month lion cubs died during treatment on August 22.
However, PCCF (Wildlife) Shyamal Tikadar says that the transfers will not affect conservation work. “The outbreak occurred and the officers performed their best to contain it. Once it got over, they were assigned other tasks. In the system, we are faceless. We work on what is assigned to us.”
Two journalists, four others held for tracking lions
Two local journalists and four others were arrested for unauthorised entry into a prohibited area of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagadh district and causing discomfort and annoyance to lions there, a forest department official said on Sunday. They were tracking and chasing a pride of lions in Gir (West) division, shining torchlights into their faces and recording videos, in the process severely inconveniencing the big cats, Dheeraj Mittal, DCF Gir (West) division, Junagadh, said. “The incident happened on Friday night. They entered the prohibited area of the forest illegally. The six were arrested under Section 9 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act that prohibits hunting of lions and other wild animals categorised under schedules I, II, III, and IV of the Act,” Mittal added. The official identified the six as journalists Hiren Dhakan and Dharmesh Khachar, and Balakdas Devmurari, Natvar Bhuva, Nitin Raiyani and Daya Pola Dhinoya.
Forest officials, who were involved in tackling Canine Distemper Virus that claimed lives of 30 lions in Gir last year, given charge of setting up jungle safari and animal park at State of Unity by Oct
Gujarat’s pride, the Asiatic lions of Gir, seems to have been sidelined in favour of the jungle safari and animal park projects coming up near the Statue of Unity in Narmada district.
The state government is rushing to finish the projects before its inauguration in October. And for this, it has transferred all senior forest officials, who were instrumental in controlling the spread of the deadly Canine Distemper Virus, to SoU to get the projects ready in time.
Gir is the only natural habitat of world-famous Asiatic lions. A CDV outbreak in Dalkhaniya range made news after it ended up killing at least 30 lions between September and December last year. However, with five lion deaths reported since June 27 this year, experts and environmentalists believe the state government should not have transferred all officials experienced with CDV as they are needed to monitor the situation in Gir to prevent another outbreak.
Projects assigned
Ram Ratan Nala, who was appointed as director of Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh in October last year specially to tackle the CDV outbreak has been given charge of establishing the jungle safari as director of jungle safari at the Sardar Patel Zoological Park – a newly created post.
Shyamal Tikadar, who as additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) was camped in Gir East to deal with CDV cases, has been appointed as principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden of the state. Tikadar is directly involved in setting up the Asiatic animal zoo at Kevadia. So, instead of being headquartered in Gandhinagar monitoring everything related to wildlife in the State, he is now based in Kevadia.
Several range forest officers, who were involved in battling the outbreak, have also been posted at SoU. RFO Ruchi Dave who worked in the Dalkhaniya range has been transferred to SoU. RFO Rajan Jadhav of Babariya range --who had arrested seven men for holding an illegal show by luring Asiatic lions with chicken – has also been transferred to SoU.
All these officials who made their mark in Gir have been given tasks at SoU that need to be finished by October 31as a grand event is being planned to mark the anniversary of the inauguration of the Statue of Unity — the world’s tallest statue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior ministers of his Cabinet are likely to visit SoU on October 31to coincide with the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first deputy Prime Minister and the Iron Man of India.
The government has also transferred Deputy Conservator of Forest (Gir East) P Purushothama as DCF Aravalli and Conservator of Forest (Junagadh task force division) Pradeep Singh as Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) in July this year.
All these transfers have left conservationists worried, especially after five lion deaths were reported in less than two months.
A two-year-old lion cub was found dead in Talala on June 27 this year. A 7-year-old lion was found dead in Gir East (Dalkhaniya range). A 12-year-old lion was found dead in Devaliya range while a five-year-old cub was found dead in Tulsishyam range in August. Two 5-month lion cubs died during treatment on August 22.
However, PCCF (Wildlife) Shyamal Tikadar says that the transfers will not affect conservation work. “The outbreak occurred and the officers performed their best to contain it. Once it got over, they were assigned other tasks. In the system, we are faceless. We work on what is assigned to us.”
Shyamal Tikadar explaining the zoological park project to CM Rupani
Two journalists, four others held for tracking lions
Two local journalists and four others were arrested for unauthorised entry into a prohibited area of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagadh district and causing discomfort and annoyance to lions there, a forest department official said on Sunday. They were tracking and chasing a pride of lions in Gir (West) division, shining torchlights into their faces and recording videos, in the process severely inconveniencing the big cats, Dheeraj Mittal, DCF Gir (West) division, Junagadh, said. “The incident happened on Friday night. They entered the prohibited area of the forest illegally. The six were arrested under Section 9 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act that prohibits hunting of lions and other wild animals categorised under schedules I, II, III, and IV of the Act,” Mittal added. The official identified the six as journalists Hiren Dhakan and Dharmesh Khachar, and Balakdas Devmurari, Natvar Bhuva, Nitin Raiyani and Daya Pola Dhinoya.
Lions deaths are being reported from the
area. If it is occurring due to outbreak of a disease, there will be no
experienced senior official who can take immediate action
When lions began falling victim to CDV,
nobody knew anything about it initially. The drugs had to be imported
from US. No follow-up or research has been carried out since
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