With the announcement of Assembly elections in five States this year, environmentalists have expressed serious concern over several instances where collectors have issued orders to wildlife and protected area (PA) officials and staffs for deputation in election duties.
Environmentalists say this is in violation of the instructions issued by the Election Commission of India on January 30, 1998. A few instances of deputation of such officials have come to notice in Rajasthan and in Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
Taking serious note of the issue, Dr Asad Rahmani, ornithologist and Director, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), said, “Senior officers from Desert National Park, Alwar (Sariska Tiger Reserve) have been asked to go to another State to supervise the election. They will have to leave the park at a crucial time when most of the poaching takes place. Further, Desert National Park is also a vulnerable habitat of the
critically endangered Great Indian Bustards.”
Kishore Rithe, Standing Committee Member, National Board For Wildlife, pointed to other incidents. As per documents from the office of the Siwni Collector and Chief Electoral Officer, Field Director, Deputy Field Director and Assistant Forest Conservator of Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh have been assigned election duty covering specific booths under respective police stations, he said.
When the Field Director pointed to the vulnerability of the situation, the Collector reverted saying election duties and responsibilities are not assigned on the basis of designations and also it was baseless to say the onus would be on him in case of death of any tiger in the reserve during the period of election duty.
However, as per Election Commission’s directives, the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of all states and UTs were clearly instructed that vehicles and staff of Wild life Sanctuaries, National Sanctuaries and National Game Parks cannot be requisitioned for election duty. “….The Commission after taking into account all relevant factors has decided that the vehicles and staff of Wild life Sanctuaries, National Sanctuaries and National Game Parks will be exempted from being requisitioned for election duties. The concerned authorities responsible for maintaining these sanctuaries and parks may be informed accordingly,” the EC had maintained.
Rithe further pointed out that even the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had taken up the issue with Election Commission earlier. Such instances may happen out of ignorance but must be taken into consideration eventually, he added.