Environmentalists decry dual policy on desert park

JODHPUR, Aug 2: Existence of the Desert National Park, set up with much fanfare in the border districts in 1980 at the instance of the Indi...

JODHPUR, Aug 2: Existence of the Desert National Park, set up with much fanfare in the border districts in 1980 at the instance of the Indian Agricultural Commission with a view to preserving the rare and threatened desert fauna and flora, is in jeopardy following a recent move by the State Government to allow mining by private parties in most parts of the park. The park is said to contain large reserves of grey limestone.

The park is currently spread over an area of 3,162 sq km in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts bordering Pakistan. If the proposed mining is allowed, the area of the park will be reduced to a mere 300 sq km.

The Indira Gandhi Canal, bringing drinking water to far-flung border areas, passes through this park, traversing a distance of 70 km. This canal has not only taken nearly 25 per cent of the park area but has also led to the disappearance of several desert species, with new non-desert fauna and flora replacing it in the command area of the canal.

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Local environmentalists, who had raised objections to construction of the canal through the park, had been silenced by the State Government with the argument that the canal was needed badly for carrying water for defence forces posted in the far-flung border areas.

Though the canal has done considerable damage to the park, its purpose has some sort of justification. But leasing out the park for mining at the cost of environment is very hard to justify.

The story of the desert park is one of “gross neglect and apathy” as a forest (wildlife) department official calls it. According to him, sufficient funds were never allotted. The number of sanctioned posts was brought down from 105 in 1980 to a mere 35 in 1985, thus creating a handicap in the maintenance of park.

“Bureaucrats and politicians having little knowledge of forest ecology and environment seem to be bent on ruining the park in exchange for a meagre sum for the State treasury,” quipped another forest official on condition of anonymity. He said that the State Government was following dual policy with regard to the park. On the one hand it was asking the forest officials to preserve the park and wildlife, and on the other it was planning to allow mining, the official said.

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The Thar desert is the home to the Great Indian Bustard, called Godavan in local parlance. Godavan is also the State bird of Rajasthan. These birds are almost on the verge of extinction. According to a census conducted by the Forest (Wildlife) Department in May last, there were as many as 78 birds in the desert park. There is a danger of its number dwindling further if mining is allowed in the park area.