https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

What Lies Ahead: IFS Officers on Wildlife Conservation 

Indian Masterminds Stories

It is World Wildlife Day today and seminars, webinars, meetings, talks, discussions, etc. on wildlife conservation are taking place all over the world to commemorate the occasion. India, too, is witnessing the same scenario. However, in the midst of it all, few pertinent questions do arise. Have we done enough towards wildlife conservation? Can we afford to sit smugly, satisfied with what have been achieved till now, or do we need to start worrying about the ecological imbalance and the declining numbers of some of the already vulnerable species? 

To find out, Indian Masterminds talked to Indian Forest Service officers and tried to know from them about what lies ahead in terms of wildlife conservation. 

TOO MUCH BUREAUCRATISATION

Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and State Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu, is of the opinion that the major reason for the decrease of wildlife is the shrinking of forest areas. It is the result of unplanned development leading to infringement on their habitats and buffer areas. 

“We have created huge disturbances to the wild animals by cultivation, road and rail traffic, and diversion of critical habitats for development projects, destroying corridors in the process.” 

He also pointed out that the wildlife areas are managed by people having no knowledge of wildlife. 

“Conservation is not our priority. Too much bureaucratisation of forest service is leading to unscientific management and haphazard and ad hoc decision making. This results in lack of transparency and lack of inclusiveness. We also lack professionalism in handling wildlife crimes and prosecution, which is a major concern.” 

He also emphasized that anthropogenic pressures, fragmentation, resource crunch and sectoral allocation are also causing problems in the road for conservation. He also wants immediate attention of policy makers and the public for the conservation of pangolin, Indian fox, monitor lizard, slender loris, leopard, whale, shark, sea cucumber, sea horse, green sea turtles, freshwater turtles, star tortoises, vultures, hyena, etc.

RECOGNIZE GREEN WARRIORS 

Senior IFS officer Ramesh Pandey said that India has a long history and tradition of conserving wildlife. Even in conserving wildlife in human dominated landscape, the country has showed the way by conserving charismatic and mega faunal species like tigers, Asiatic lion, Asian elephants, one horn rhinoceros, gharials, Gangetic dolphins and many such key tone species. 

“We have many success stories so far as species conservation is concerned. We are running Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Project Asiatic Lion, while Project Gangetic Dolphin is in pipeline.” 

He also pointed out that it is now time to acknowledge our green warriors for their untiring work in protecting and conserving our invaluable wildlife, in order to move forward in the right direction. 

FOCUS ON CONSERVING HABITATS 

Senior IFS officer and Ex-DIG, National Tiger Conservation Authority, Mr. Surendra Mehra said, “It’s not just about the protection of individual wildlife species. Conservation of habitat at local level and landscape at larger level is more important for achieving overall conservation goals.”

Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Himachal Pradesh) and DG, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Mr. Sudhir Pandey also shares similar views. He said, “Restore habitat with zero error protection and leave rest to nature. It will heal itself with ‘vengeance’. The resurgence of panther and wild boar populations proves the concept.”

FOCUS ON MINISMISING MAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT 

2010-batch IFS officer, Ms. Dipika Bajpai said that although some reports suggest that green cover is increasing, they are only plantations. The forests areas where the wildlife reside is shrinking while the population growth and pressure on land is increasing exponentially. 

“We are now aiming to become a 3 billion economy, which means lots of development and infrastructure projects. Roads and railways will increase, criss-crossing forest areas and leading to fragmentation of habitats. It will result in more man-animal conflicts, and in future, the forest department’s full focus will be occupied with this issue. We may pat our back for our achievements, but the scenario is going to be much more difficult in the future.” 

Man Animal Conflict (Representative image)

Retired Principal Chief Conservator, Mr. I. D. Pandey said that protection areas need not be very large but should be away from habitations to minimise man animal conflict. 

“Forest Department must focus on reducing damage to human life and property by wild animals. In Uttarakhand, for instance, nothing much has been done to reduce leopard menace on human life or crop damage by monkeys. To deal with specific area needs, stakeholders should be consulted to find impact of wildlife conservation efforts – shortcomings and remedies.”  

INCLUDE PUBLIC IN ALL CONSERVATIONS EFFORTS 

IFS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, Mr. Aishwarya Raj is of the view that all conservation efforts will go in vain if the public is not engaged in them. 

“Most of the people believe that conservation hampers development. Our focus should be towards changing this narrative and creating awareness about co-existence and the importance of conversation. We need to introduce incentivisation programmes and rope in the local public, or else we will keep on losing our wildlife and wildlife habitats.” 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Bihar Cabiner meeting expressways
Bihar's Infrastructure Leap: 12 Districts to Benefit as New Greenfield Expressway Cuts Raxaul-Haldia Travel to Under 10 Hours
Bhupendra Patel CM Gujarat Cooperative
Gujarat Charts Grand Plan for International Cooperative Year 2025 under CM Patel’s Leadership - Details Inside
ministry of information and broadcasting MIB
MIB Issues Transfer & Posting Orders for 31 IIS Officers Across Media Units, Effective Immediately - Check Details Here
Bihar Government-resized-IM
Cane to Cash: Bihar Govt Rolls Out Rs49 Crore Scheme to Boost Sugarcane Farming and Farmer Incomes
bureaucracy news
Anil Kumar Singhal Repatriated to Andhra Pradesh Cadre; FSIB Chairperson & Members Get One-Year Extension
Bhupendra Patel CM Gujarat
Gujarat Secretariat Leads the Way in Reducing Plastic Usage with 'Sakhi Neer' Glass Bottling Initiative
temple
Ghela Somnath Mahadev Temple to Shine with Rs10 Cr Redevelopment Plan, Echoing ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’ Vision
PESB
PESB Selects Nripendra Nath as New Director (Technical) for CMPDIL - Know More About Him
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Air India
Is Air India Carrying The Burden of Split Before Privatisation?
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Abhinav Gopal IAS Deepak Karwa
Two IAS Officers Make History by Completing English Channel Swim
Bihar Cabiner meeting expressways
Bihar's Infrastructure Leap: 12 Districts to Benefit as New Greenfield Expressway Cuts Raxaul-Haldia Travel to Under 10 Hours
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Air India
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT