Cheetah-trackers in Kuno National Park hold a protest
After many decades, cheetahs are roaming around in India for the first time. But questions have been raised on the way cheetahs have been living in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park.
German researchers have expressed concerns about the capacity of Kuno National Park to handle the big cats under Project Cheetah. This time, cheetah-trackers working in Kuno have started a strike, making serious allegations against the administration.
NDTV went to Kuno to look into the matter.
There are 26 cheetahs including 13 cubs in Kuno. Though the park has faced many challenges linked to habitat and adaptability, this time the problem is different - cheetah-trackers are on strike.
A majority of them say they belong to the Gurjars and Yadav castes and so, cannot handle goat meat to feed the cheetahs. They alleged their pay is extremely low - Rs 9,000 - for the kind of tiring work they do.
For now, the administration is working to figure out a way to track the cheetahs.
The cheetah-trackers say the forest is a risky place and their work involves following the big cats for three-four days at a stretch. But there is nothing in the name of security and their religious belief is not being taken into account, the protesters said.
There are 80 villages around Kuno, mostly inhabited by Yadavs and Gurjars. They use their organic network of volunteers to track the animals.
Rajveer Gurjar, a villager, said the administration should give them more support. Sitaram Yadav, another villager, said following cheetahs for days on is exhausting work, yet they are paid very less.
The national park's management, however, has refused to recognise these cheetah trackers. The park management said they have only employed some people on the periphery of the reserve.
Largely, the problem of cheetah-trackers appears to be about their employment stations. When the cheetahs were flown in, there was talk about development happening in this region of Madhya Pradesh where malnutrition is high.
The villagers expected many tourists would come. But two years have passed, and nothing has changed, they alleged. They are living in the same broken huts amid dilapidated roads.
The only 'tourist' facility nearby is the Palpur Resort, which also gets visitors sometimes.