The wildlife crime scenario in Uttarakhand is getting out of control, with poachers targeting tigers and other wildlife, but the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden SS Sharma, who is also the officiating PCCF of the State, is not taking required measures even on the basis of information about tiger poaching.
The additional principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife) Administration and Intelligence, SK Dutt, who is also the anti-poaching cell director has made this allegation in a confidential letter written to Sharma, a copy of which is also with The Pioneer. Dutt has also stated that Sharma told a reporter of a prominent Hindi daily to inform Dutt that making such allegations would ‘negatively affect his professional future’. However, Dutt has cited incidents to indicate that lack of action by Sharma abetted tiger deaths in Uttarakhand. Recently, Dutt had complained that Sharma had taken no action inspite of more than 100 letters being written to him with information about serious wildlife crimes.