Madhya Pradesh has the highest tiger population in India.
Initiating action after an NDTV report on the alarming rise of tiger deaths in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Headquarters has issued notices to the reserve's deputy director and officials from the Shahdol Forest Division.
In a report on August 1, NDTV had highlighted the deaths of 34 tigers in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and nine in the Shahdol Forest Circle over the past three years, prompting wildlife enthusiasts to demand a CBI inquiry into the matter.
Forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat said on Thursday, "This matter has come to our notice and a central investigation team reached Bandhavgarh yesterday. The central team stayed there all day, gathering complete information and preparing a report. I would like to thank the NDTV team for exposing this. NDTV has worked responsibly for the betterment of wildlife and forest areas, and we hope they will continue to do so in the future."
The NDTV investigation revealed that not only did 34 tigers die in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve but there were also attempts to cover up the deaths by attributing them to fights among the big cats. In March, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests formed a three-member committee to investigate these deaths.
The report, a copy of which is with NDTV, uncovered the following lapses:
- Videography of postmortems was not conducted in all cases.
- Preliminary Offence Report (POR) for tiger deaths was not recorded in most cases.
- There was an absence of prescribed veterinarians for postmortems, and most parameters were not followed.
- Efforts to protect crime scenes were inadequate, and dog squads or metal detectors were not used.
- Sample collection and sealing were poorly handled, affecting the chain of custody during court cases.
- Case diaries or documentation were often not prepared.
- Final NTCA reports were not submitted in several cases by officials from both the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Shahdol Forest Range.
- Many cases of tiger deaths were superficially classified as infighting without a thorough investigation.
- Postmortem reports often lacked signatures from the concerned veterinary officers and in some instances, no wildlife medical officer was present.
Madhya Pradesh is known as the 'tiger state' and over 1,000 employees and officers are posted in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, prompting activists to question why the deaths are still taking place.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey also pointed to a "leadership crisis".
"The important point raised in NDTV's report about the absence of a permanent director in Bandhavgarh is also true for Bhopal. There has been no full-time Chief Wildlife Warden or PCCF (Principal Chief Conservator of Forests) Warden posted for a long time. There is a leadership crisis, and action should be taken here as well. Criminal cases should be filed against those guilty in Bandhavgarh for colluding with poachers," Mr Dubey said.
Sources indicated that the report has caused a significant stir within the forest department and some senior officials could also face repercussions soon.