MP govt may recommend CBI probe into tiger deaths in Panna

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The Madya Pradesh government is likely to recommend a CBI probe into the alleged disappearance and poaching of wild cats from Panna Tiger Reserve based on a report submitted by sanctuary authorities.

Sources said the report was submitted to the Madhya Pradesh government last month after a year-long follow up by the state administration and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with PTR over the issue.

They said the report contained all necessary evidence and reasons for tiger deaths and their disappearance from the reserve, adding the State may recommend a CBI probe into at least three such cases between 2005 and 2009 in the PTR.

"The report has been submitted to the MP Forest department, which is carrying out discussions with the Home Department to decide on a CBI probe," a senior State government official said.

Various social activists and wildlife experts had written to both the State and Central governments to constitute a CBI inquiry into cases of tiger death in PTR. Following the representations, the NTCA had a sought reply from the MP government in this regard early last year.

According to another report by the Madhya Pradesh government, there was no tiger in Panna Reserve in the 2009 census carried out by the authorities there.

The report says that there were about 20 tigers in 2006. Citing it as an example of 'fence eating the crop', the report strongly recommended a CBI probe into the alleged disappearance of the striped cats.

About 19 cases of tiger poaching were noticed by authorities in Panna Reserve over the last seven or eight years. Currently, there are four tigers in PTR which have been brought from other reserves.

"We have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking CBI inquiry into the tiger deaths in PTR. There are examples of poaching and trafficking of its parts to various national and international destinations by well-established syndicates which needs to be exposed and punished," said wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, who has filed a case in MP High Court in this regard

According to an RTI reply from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, 447 wild cats were found dead between 1999 and March 2011 across the country, of which 197 were poached.

Besides, 250 wild cats died of other causes, including old age, infighting, starvation, road and rail accidents, electrocution and weakness.

"Cases of local extinction of tigers were reported in Sariska, Rajasthan (2005) and Panna, Madhya Pradesh (2008). As reported, poaching of tigers was the major cause of their extinction," it said in reply to the RTI query.