Thursday, January 8, 2009

What If TIgers Start Protesting??

What is up with people of India? On one side they are so concerned about depleting wildlife resources and on the other, they themselves are standing in way of any development procedures taking place. Recently more than 15000 people took to streets in Tamil Nadu, protesting against the increase in area of Madumalai wildlife sanctuary.

I really don't know what the protest is all about. The forest officials have assured the villagers living around the sanctuary that they will not be evicted from the area. It is not the core area that is being increased but the buffer region. This does not mean that tribals and villagers will be moved out. In fact it only increases the chances of a better livelihood as it is these villagers who will be recruited as guides, trackers and government informants.

Madumalai Wildlife sanctuary was earlier this year declared as a tiger reserve and included in an initiative called 'Project Tiger'. The population of tigers in wildlife parks across India has been decreasing significantly. And this is just a small step to reverse this trend and is opposed at the very start itself.

Not only citizens, representatives from all political parties were a part of this protest. Only if they could show this unity and solidarity for some good cause.

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