India: Tough criteria to become members of National Tiger Conservation Authority

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Source:

 

http://www.wpsi-india.org/news/14112006.php

 

Tough criteria to become members

 

- By Yojna Gusai

The Asian Age, New Delhi, 07-November-2006

 

New Delhi, Nov. 6: It will now take more than just affection and

concern for the tiger population, to become a member of the

newly-constituted National Tiger Conservation Authority. Taking no

chances, to keep away people with their personal agendas, everything

from the procedure to select them, to documents submitted by them will

now be placed on record.

The Union ministry of environment and forests recently notified the

members of the authority, which also include eight non-official members.

 

Though the constitution of this authority has given hope to many that

the dwindling population of the big cats in the country will see a

significant rise, sources in the Union ministry of environment and

forests maintain that it will also help in keeping away the " phoney

conservationists " and non-governmental organisations, from getting

their names in the list of authority's members.

Tightening the noose on such voluntary organisations, who can misuse

the authority, officials of the voluntary organisations, whose name

have been short-listed for the post of non-official members, from now

onwards will have to submit a declaration that he or she does not have

any financial or other interest which is likely to affect

prejudicially his or her functions as a member of the authority.

 

" There is a special sub-clause that states that members will have to

declare that they do not have any interest which can affect

prejudicially their function as a member of the authority, " a senior

official of the ministry said, adding that everything from why the

person has been selected as a member, to the criteria followed to

select him or her, will be on record.

 

Another clause states that if any non-officio member obstructs the

meeting or attempts to go against the interest of tiger conservation

efforts, through public statement or any other action, will be

temporarily debarred from attending the meetings of the authority and

in case it happens again, the member will be removed from the authority.

 

" There were no such provisions before and there were complaints that

members are misusing their post. Some people had even gone to the

media criticising tiger conservation, without even putting up their

suggestion before the authorities concerned. But now everything will

be on record, " said the senior official, adding that it is done so

that even if someone tries to challenge the appointment of any member

and asks for details under the Right To Information Act, the ministry

will be able to put up the details.