Govt fumbles as tigers die by Sudhanshu Mishra

If the official attitude towards saving tigers and their habitat continues to be the same, one should not be surprised if Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in Alwar district loses its big cats once again. This was evident recently when the Raje government did a somersault before the National Green Tribunal by filing two mutually contradictory affidavits on the issue of illegal mining in the STR.

On April 29, the NGT's central zone bench in Bhopal banned mining operations in 84 stone and marble quarries, including 63 mines within a one-kilometre radius of the Sariska Tiger Reserve and 23 such mines within the buffer area of the STR in the contiguous Jamwa Ramgarh sanctuary.

The two-member bench of Justices Dalip Singh and expert member P.S. Rao issued the ban order on the basis of an affidavit filed by the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) posted at STR's Tehla range regarding the location and illegality of the mines. The ACF's affidavit was on the basis of an earlier reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha when the government accepted presence of 123 mines within a one-km radius of the reserve.

However, government officials seemed to be just looking for an opportunity to undo the stand of the forest department. On June 18, before the vacation bench of Justice M. Chokalingam and expert member Dr A.A. Deshpande, the state government disowned the forest department's stand through an affidavit of the Mining department.

The government counsel submitted an affidavit from Superintending Mining Engineer saying that a joint survey with the forest department had found that the said 84 mines were outside the one-km radius from the reserve. He also said that the forest department's affidavit, submitted earlier, was factually incorrect. The vacation bench accepted the government's argument and vacated the stay on mining operation.

However, it was a known fact even then that mining operations were underway in prohibited areas, including zones environmentalists want branded as ecologically sensitive areas, sources pointed out.

The ACF's affidavit, in fact, was formulated on the basis of an earlier reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha when the government accepted the presence of 123 mines within a radius of one kilometre of the reserve, sources said.

Rajasthan is one of those states that have failed to officially announce eco-sensitive zones within its national parks, reserves and sanctuaries, notwithstanding orders issued by the apex court over the past two decades and directives from the central government.

Not just this, various state departments, in alleged collusion with mine operators, have been finding novel ways to continue with their operations, thus threatening the ecology of important sanctuaries. Sariska is no exception. Amid such government apathy, the prospects have never looked bleaker for our national animal.

BEDRIDDEN BUT STILL TEACHING

Thirty-four-year-old Rashmi Kushwah's story is one of inspiration. This brave lady based in Jodhpur has not let adversity deter her. This is her story. Immediately after clearing Class XII in 2002, she was married to Yogendra of Etawah in Uttar Pradesh who was still pursuing his graduation.

"The pension of my father-inlaw, an Indian Army veteran, was insufficient for the family's sustenance. And when my parents failed to meet the in-laws' demand for money, my husband, making his intention of getting remarried known, forced me to leave the house," Rashmi told MAIL TODAY. She came back home. But her mother, who couldn't bear the pain of her daughter's failed marriage, passed away in 2006.

Rashmi decided to restart her life by resuming her studies and simultaneously took up a job in a local company. But this could not last for long as she met a road accident in 2010, which left her with a fractured spine. Her husband, still unemployed, got remarried instead of supporting her, despite the fact that he had not officially divorced Rashmi yet. Thus began a new fight for Rashmi.

A major surgery in 2011 failed to cure her. "My two brothers, one elder and another younger, both taxi drivers, failed to support the expense of even physiotherapy, leave alone the question of bearing the cost of treatment at some super-speciality hospital," she says.

However, Rashmi refuses to reconcile to her situation. She is a tuition teacher to primary students, administering lessons despite being bedridden. Simultaneously, she is also pursuing her BA. Despite her many problems, Rashmi continues to fight on.

BJP HAS 'TAINTED' NIHAL'S BACK

Union minister Nihal Chand Meghwal, named in a rape case, will not be asked to quit as he enjoys the full support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This has forced Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who initially preferred to maintain silence on the issue, to come out with a clean chit for Meghwal. Raje's stand disregards the fact that a local court has served notices on the Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilisers along with other accused persons in the case. The accused are required to file replies by August 20.

Modi's last-minute decision to induct Meghwal in the Cabinet had surprised many as, in doing so, he overlooked Raje's son Dushyant Singh, a threetime MP. This was because Modi had decided not to induct kin of senior party leaders. Raje's cronies believe that in the event of Modi deciding to get rid of Meghwal in view of the court order, Dushyant would stand a bright opportunity to find a berth in the Modi ministry. The fact that the case has resurfaced, even after the police filed the final report after closing the case in 2011 and the court accepted it, has led many to believe that Raje could be behind it. This assumption was triggered by the fact that the CM camped in Delhi in the days before the Cabinet was announced, reportedly lobbying for Dushyant.

However, at the behest of the PM, all the BJP spokespersons, both in Delhi and Jaipur, have been instructed not to talk to the press on the issue unless there are proper instructions from the top.