Fund crunch may impede anti-poaching drive

KATHMANDY, Oct 2: The government´s plan to mobilize the national army within three months for its anti-poaching drive is likely to face a major set-back, thanks to the severe fund crunch facing the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC).[break]



The DNPWC is reeling under severe resource shortage and manpower crisis. For instance, the Chitwan National Park has a total area of 932 sq. km, and there is another 750 sq. km buffer zone. But since 2053 BS, when the buffer zone was created, there has not been a single staff addition.



“We have not had a single addition in the manpower since the buffer zone was created in the Park area,” Shiva Raj Bhatta, spokesperson for the department, said.



Of the annual budget of Rs 30 million allocated to each department, only 10 percent is spent on actual conservation work. “The money is spent mainly to pay staff salary and other things and only 10 percent of it goes for actual work,” Bhatta added.



The additional financial aid, particularly for anti-poaching work, comes from NGOs and INGOs like the WWF and NTNC. Moreover, even the hattisars (elephant sheds) are understaffed. Usually, three persons -- mauthe, pachuwa and fadhert -- are deployed to look after one elephant.



But currently at Chitwan hattisar a single staff looks after two elephants. On the other hand, the department is facing constraints both in mobility and communication. There is a lack of vehicles, rubber-boats, horses, field gears, gravel road and all communication equipments.



“The department is in crisis. With majority of its resources exhausted during the conflict days, lots of vacancies and meager budget, it can hardly take on active crime control plans,” a Nepal Army source told myrepublica.com, adding, “National plans would suffer a set-back if the department is not immediately strengthened and well-equipped.” The DNPWC request for Rs 130 million budget was not sanctioned last year by the then government.



“Although there are some problems at the political level, the DNPWC is pushing to get the NA inside 11 buffer zones as there is no better alternative to curb poaching,” a DNPWC official said on condition of anonymity. For this, "high priority" must be given to strengthening the department which will coordinate all anti-poaching drives, he added.



The DNPWC is also pushing the agenda of establishing a high-level Wildlife Crime Control Bureau at the centre and immediate implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), draft, which was formulated in 2000.

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