Lion or Tiger:Poliitics of conservation or Conservation of politics!

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/News/newdelhi/Modi-Ramesh-spat-over-lions/Article1\

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Modi-Ramesh spat over lions

 

Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, September 20, 2009

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi flew into a leonine rage on Thursday, a day

after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh refused to clear a 2.5 km long ropeway

to the famous Ambaji temple in the middle of the Gir forest, the last habitat of

the endangered Asiatic lion — an important poll promise made by Modi.

 

At a meeting of the Planning Commission in Delhi, Modi reportedly singled out

Ramesh for vitriol, and accused him of blocking Gujarat’s development and of not

doing anything to save the lion. He was the only UPA minister Modi attacked by

name.

 

Ramesh has, however, denied the charges. “There are wildlife issues with

Gujarat, which are being sorted out through dialogue. We are not pursuing any

policy against the Gujarat government,” he said.

 

“Lions are the pride of Gujarat,” said Modi. “All other state have received

money for wildlife conservation; we haven’t received a penny for lions. (Despite

this), we have been able to save the lion from poachers, unlike other states

where tigers are regularly hunted down illegally.”

 

The real reason for Modi’s anger, ministry’s officials felt, is the environment

ministry’s refusal to clear the construction and expansion of seven ports along

Gujarat’s coast.

 

The lion, which has, for a while now, been at the centre of a tug-of-war between

the Centre and the state, is merely the alibi.

 

Modi has been resisting moves to translocate a few lions from Gir, 315 km south

west of Ahmedabad, to the Kuno-Palpur Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

 

“We will not give our lions to anyone,” Modi said recently, while seeking Rs 61

crore from the environment ministry to conserve state’s lion population,

estimated at 359 in 2005 (when figures were last collated).

 

The ostensible reason is that they would be poached, just like the tiger and

other endangered animals are, in other states.

 

Here, too, officials suspect, “Gujarati asmita (pride)” is just a ruse. Modi

doesn’t want Gir to lose its status — and its draw as a tourist destination — as

the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion.

 

In July, Ramesh had even offered Modi tigers in exchange of lions. “We want

Gujarat to have tigers, but we will not give our lions,” the chief minister had

said in response to Ramesh’s proposal.

 

But Modi may have flown off the handle a trifle too quickly. The environment

ministry has not rejected either the port project, or the proposed ropeway over

Gir forest.

 

“The minister (Ramesh) was told about it (the possible ecological hazards) and

he has decided to inspect the site himself,” said Divyabhanusinh Chavda, a

member of the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife, which decides

on clearances for projects affecting wildlife.

 

“No effort has been made to look at alternatives to avoid the wildlife

sanctuary. The environment ministry’s terms of reference for getting forest

clearance have been ignored,” said Bharat Jeetva, a scientist at the Gujarat

Ecological & Education Research Foundation, an autonomous body supported by the

state’s forest and environment department in a letter to the ministry.

 

Notwithstanding the claims of ecologists, the ropeway project has huge support

among the local population, who feel it will give eco-tourism in the region a

massive leg up. Over 5 million pilgrims visit Ambaji temple every year, and a

ropeway over Gir forest, they feel, will boost this number further.

 

Caught in this tug of war between Modi and Ramesh, “it will be some time before

the ropeway is approved”, a senior ministry official said on condition of

anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

 

 

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