Pranhita sanctuary only on paper

Nagpur: If 30-year-old wildlife sanctuaries like Chaprala and Bhamragarh in Gadchiroli district are going to the dogs, two-year-old Pranhita sanctuary too has turned out to be a mere formality. The 418sqkm Pranhita was notified on August 27, 2014, basically to boost wildlife conservation in Gadchiroli but no wildlife management practices have been undertaken.
Boundaries have not been demarcated and there are no check barriers and patrolling as well.There are no hoardings about the sanctuary and warning boards that are required considering importance of the sanctuary.
It seems the sanctuary was declared as a formality to compensate loss of protected area (PA) network after denotification of 8,496.44 sqkm GIB sanctuary in Nanaj in Solapur in 2011.
The denotification of Nanaj led to sharp decrease in PA area from 4.97% to 2.6%. However, under the National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP), area under PA network should be 5%.
Pranhita sanctuary is close from Jimalgatta. There are three villages — Regulwahi, Ambezara and Modewahi — inside the sanctuary. A visit to Pranhita found that it was business as usual for locals. Here too encroachments in wildlife rich habitats for farming was common.
There is huge biotic pressure from three villages inside the sanctuary and 20-22 villages on Pranhita fringes. Tribals target not only timber but lush green bamboo. None of the villagers is aware that Pranhita was a sanctuary and felling was no more allowed in the area.
Though the mixed forest has a huge potential to conserve wildlife with perennial water bodies and rich biodiversity, the sanctuary lacks protection. There were at least 50 giant squirrel nests indicating rich habitat for the rare mammal. Though there was no evidence of tigers, prey base was poor with only 6 deer sighted while going toward Pranhita to quench thirst in the evening.
The area is still managed by Sironcha territorial division and has not been handed over to wildlife wing. Sources said wildlife wing was not keen on taking over the area, apparently citing reasons that territorial staff can manage it better.
However, there are 10 forest guards to look after Pranhita. With 102 compartments in the sanctuary, each forest guard had to look after at least 10 compartments, simply an impossible task. The guards were not regular visitors to the sanctuary area.
Talking to TOI, P Kalyan Kumar, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Gadchiroli Circle, said, “Territorial staff looking after the sanctuary is an interim arrangement. Some day wildlife will take over the area.”
He added the sanctuary is still new and it will take 2-3 years to improve habitat management. “I agree that territorial department has its own work and compulsions but the staff is still managing it.”
However, Central India adviser for Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Prafulla Bhamburkar and former honorary wildlife warden of Chandrapur Uday Patel say inviolate Pranhita can play a vital role in conserving wild buffaloes as it connects Kolamarka Conservation Reserve till Indravati Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh.