Amid roar over increase in tiger count, murmur for NTCA revamp

Source: The post is based on the article “Amid roar over increase in tiger count, murmur for NTCA revamp” published in “The Times of India” on 24th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Conservation.

Relevance: About NTCA Revamp.

News: Indian Forest Service officers in Madhya Pradesh are debating the revamp of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

While some officers are in favour of delegating greater powers to those experienced in tiger conservation, others believe NTCA is the best organization of its kind in the world.

What are the arguments for NTCA revamp?

Ensure timely action in emergencies: Delegation of greater powers to the experienced custodians of the forest will take conservation efforts to the next level. Empowering the local custodians will ensure timely action in emergencies.

Placements in NTCA: Transparency in the placement and presence of officers with unparalleled experience in NTCA would guide the NTCA towards more effective strategies.

Coordination: Despite being a nodal agency, NTCA has not done much to develop better coordination between tiger states.

Capacity building: NTCA should also focus on capacity building of people around the tiger reserves. If proper steps are not taken, they might be misled. NTCA can generate funds that can be utilized for their training and skill development.

Budget: The number of tiger reserves has doubled in the last few years, but the budget remains the same.

What are the arguments against the NTCA revamp?

A powerful public body: Only NTCA has the power to ensure that any land in India (lying between two Protected Areas) is not used for ecologically unsustainable purposes. NTCA has the power to give binding directions to any person, officer, or authority regarding tiger conservation.

Non-compliance by states: Non-compliance of NTCA’s directions by tiger range states is hazardous for tiger conservation. Government should amend the Wildlife Act for stricter compliance of NTCA directives.

Enough budgets: The government of India has enough budgets. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) money is also being allotted.