PAM gives reasons behind 'ingression' by cattle into Keibul Lamjao National Park
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 03 2015 :
People for Animals, Manipur (PAM) has said the management staff and the nearby inhabitants alone should not be blamed for ingression by cattle into the restricted Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Bishnupur district.
A PAM statement on Friday asserted that the managing staff of the national park is devoted to safeguarding the park despite the alleged carelessness shown by the Manipur Government to it.
It said the park managing staff is suffering a lot due to many reasons such as meager pay.
Only Rs 3000 is given to each forest guard per month, which is beyond manageable level.
The skimpy pay discourages the staff to execute their duty well, it claimed, saying the number of staff members is also not sufficient.
PAM said the staff also needs hi-tech tools, vehicles, appropriate pay and other requisites so that they can protect the park smoothly.
It maintains that the villagers residing in and around the restricted park area are not ignorant as presumed by others and said the Government needs to take steps to mitigate the problem of dependence of their livelihood on the park.
PAM further said the Forest Department alone cannot safeguard the park and that this work entails cooperation from other departments also.
It alleged that almost all politicians of the State ignores wildlife and expressed the hope that concerted effort of the Government can only save the rare and endangered brow-antlered deer, Sangai whose numbers have been reduced to about 200 only now.