Nagpur: Those thinking that a sanctuary teeming with tigers is the best, think twice. The Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of 11 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra has placed Tipeshwar (148 sqkm) with 11 tigers at sixth rank, while the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary topped the list.
The MEE is defined as the assessment of how well national parks and sanctuaries are being managed — primarily, whether they are protecting their values and achieving the goals and objectives. The evaluation in India is based on the global MEE framework, which includes six elements — context, planning, input, process, output, and outcomes. Based on these, there are 30 ‘headline indicators’ customized and developed in the Indian context.
The MEE was carried out in 2018-19 by the MoEFCC & Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, has called to strengthen the corridor between Tipeshwar-Painganga sanctuaries and Kawal tiger reserve in Telangana, so that the entire area may be managed according to landscape principles. The MEE report was released by environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday in Delhi.
Among the 11 protected areas (PAs) in the state, Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary topped with a score of 75.92 followed by Sanjay Gandhi National Park (75.80), Mayureshwar Supe Sanctuary (75), all falling in ‘very good’ category. Yedsi Ramlinghat (72.41), Sagareshwar (71.50), Tipeshwar (70.80), Naigaon Peacock (66.40), Yawal (65.80), Nandur Madhameshwar (64.60), Tungareshwar (64) and Painganga (62.06), all fell in ‘good’ category.
Though Tipeshwar has 11 tigers as per the Phase IV estimation done in 2020, the MEE has asked officials concerned to pull up their socks to improve management of Tipeshwar- Painganga, which was once proposed to be a tiger reserve. The report has called for the rehabilitation of Ekamba, Sandabi, Paroti, and Jevrala villages in Painganga on priority to create undisturbed forest for the sanctuary. There are 14 villages in Painganga putting huge biotic pressure on the sanctuary. Besides, there is a need to strengthen the protection mechanisms and construct fully equipped protection camps with wireless systems.
The MEE has also called Painganga out for lack of tourism facilities like a dedicated website, interpretation centre, or ecotourism plan. It has called for dividing the Kharbi range into two ranges for effective management and protection, and vacant posts need to be filled up at the earliest. Eco-development activities need to be taken up through EDCs in the adjacent villages. The sanctuary has 27 EDCs that are functioning.
“The sanctuary borders are not clearly demarcated. The borders are porous. Boundary pillars have been erected along the boundary of the park, but not along the entire length. About 50% of the forest is under plantations, which is not very suitable for the ungulates. The infrastructure is inadequate for the field staff, and the facilities at protection camps (water, lights, cots, fencing) are poor,” the report states.
Tipeshwar is surrounded by 26 villages with one village, Pitapungri, within the sanctuary boundary. There is heavy cattle grazing on the periphery, but the cattle do not enter deep inside the sanctuary. Illicit felling of trees such as teak and sandalwood is taking place in the sanctuary. The forest is fire-prone in summer. The threat of poaching exists and three tigers have been accidentally snared. Since it has a source population for tigers, efforts must be made to declare Tipeshwar a tiger reserve and protect the tigers and the habitat better.
With this cycle of evaluation of 146 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries during 2018-19, India has completed one cycle of evaluation of all terrestrial NP&WLS. Also, the list of 146 PAs includes 25 in a repeat cycle of evaluation. These 25 PAs were first evaluated in 2006 and again evaluated in the second repeat cycle during 2018-19.
In comparison to the previous cycle of evaluation, there is considerable improvement in most of the PAs. For example, Sanjay Gandhi National Park had a score of 62.10 (2006) and was in the ‘good’ category but now has scored 75.80 and placed under the ‘very good’ category.
THE TOP ELEVEN
Thane Creek Flamingo: 75.92 (Very Good)
Sanjay Gandhi NP: 75.80 (Very Good)
Mayureshwar Supe: 75.00 (Very Good)
Yedsi Ramlin Ghat: 72.41 (Good)
Sagareshwar: 71.50 (Good)
Tipeshwar: 70.80 (Good)
Naigaon Peacock: 66.40 (Good)
Yawal: 65.80 (Good)
Nandur Madhameshwar: 64.60 (Good)
Tungareshwar: 64.00 (Good)
Painganga: 62.06 (Good)