The Hindu-Wildlife diary reveals wild secrets worth crores

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Date:29/09/2005 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/29/stories/2005092912960100.htm

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Wildlife diary reveals wild secrets worth crores

 

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

 

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Sansar Chand, the man who started it all, soon after

his arrest earlier this year. FILE PHOTO

 

 

 

NEW DELHI: Dubbed as Indian wildlife trade's " Deep Throat " , this Rs.12

exercise book purportedly holds the best-kept secrets of the murky world of

wildlife trade in this country.

 

Claimed to have been recovered by the police from Akash, son of the

notorious wildlife trader Sansar Chand, the diary may have revealed names of

Delhi's wildlife inspectors, politicians and dealers who allegedly joined hands

with traffickers to push several endangered species to the brink of extinction,

but not much progress has been made in the case besides summons being issued to

those named in the diary, despite one whole year having gone by since its

seizure.

 

While the diary has left many in Delhi's corridors of power hot under

their collars, it has also proved something that has been strongly speculated

about all along -- that the Capital is fast turning into the country's

supermarket in wildlife trade.

 

The diary and a SIM card allegedly seized from Akash by the Rajasthan

police last year are full of contact details of wildlife inspectors in Delhi, a

top local politician, and dealers/contacts who have kept the trade route open in

the Capital.

 

It also offers a fascinating insight into the multi-crore wildlife trade

business besides providing recorded sale transactions of an entire year

(2003-04) involving 40 tiger skins, 652 leopards skins and 32 otter skins valued

at Rs. 1.38 crores.

 

" Why the diary is so important is because it gives us an insight into the

world of this illegal trade. It also brings out several important points

including the fact that the trade is so rampant that Akash had transactions

every single day throughout last year, selling products after having broken it

down to nails, pellets and even whiskers. The international trade in (T), (L)

and (O) as indicated in his diary for tiger, leopard and otter skins, was being

sourced from deep within reserved areas. The diary also clearly indicates that

the entire family was involved in the business and that it was a well-oiled

machinery,'' explains the Vice-Chairman of the Wildlife Trust of India, Ashok

Kumar.

 

According to senior wildlife department officials, Akash along with his

mother was running a lucrative business with several of their relatives pitching

in as part of an elaborate family business venture. But the part that is sending

a chill down the spines of wildlife officials is the fact that the diary also

gives the route map and the contact points for traders dealing in wildlife

products being sourced from the Sunderbans.

 

" Akash's diary has demolished the belief of any security for endangered

species in reserved areas. It also offers an insight into the wide network that

involves several important officials in the Capital. The Delhi Government has

been informed of the evidence that Akash's diary and cell phone have brought

forth, but those named are yet to respond to the summons issued in their names

from Rajasthan,'' rues the Standing Counsel of the Government of India and

wildlife conservationist Mahendra Singh Kachhawa.

 

Sansar Chand's wife Rani Saini is at present lodged in Jaipur jail along

with son Akash. The two were arrested after body parts of leopards were

allegedly recovered from their possession in October last year. Sansar Chand,

who had been hiding in Delhi for several months, was arrested by the Crime

Branch of the Delhi police this past July.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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