NTCA Limits Tiger Corridors to 32 Least Cost Pathways
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recently revised its definition of tiger corridors. This change narrows the corridors to only 32 least cost pathways identified in 2014. This move comes shortly after the NTCA had acknowledged multiple scientific studies and parameters in identifying tiger corridors. Tiger corridors are crucial for connecting habitats, allowing tiger movement, gene flow, and species survival. The new restriction affects environmental clearances for development projects near tiger habitats.
Recent Developments
Recently, the NTCA clarified that only the 32 least cost pathways from its 2014 report and corridors recorded in Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs) will be recognised as tiger corridors. This decision excludes other scientific studies, including those by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and recent all-India Tiger Estimations (AITE). The move has implications for projects requiring forest land clearance near tiger habitats, especially in Maharashtra.
Legal and Administrative Context
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, projects affecting tiger reserves or corridors need approval from the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL). Maharashtra’s State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) had limited clearances to projects within the least cost pathways, prompting legal challenges. The Bombay High Court is hearing cases questioning this restrictive approach. NTCA’s volte-face followed court scrutiny and ministerial discussions denoting the need for clarity.
Impact on Development Projects
The revised corridor definition benefits mining and industrial projects in Maharashtra. For example, Western Coalfields Limited’s Durgapur open cast mines and Lloyds Metals & Energy’s Surajgarh iron ore mines fall outside the newly defined corridors. These projects now face fewer regulatory hurdles. This change raises concerns about habitat fragmentation and tiger conservation effectiveness.
Scientific Studies on Tiger Corridors
Earlier NTCA affidavits referenced multiple corridor identification methods, including WII’s 2016 and 2021 studies and AITE data. These studies used advanced techniques like telemetry and landscape modelling to map corridors. Recent research by Nagpur’s LRC Foundation applied Circuitscape modelling, revealing 192 corridors across central India. This dense network supports tiger movement across 30 reserves and 150 protected areas, denoting the complexity of tiger connectivity beyond the limited least cost pathways.
Conservation and Policy Challenges
The NTCA’s narrowing of corridor definitions contrasts with scientific advice advocating broader connectivity. The 2014 NTCA report itself warned that its identified corridors were minimal and that alternative routes exist. The current approach may undermine long-term tiger conservation by ignoring landscape-level connectivity. Refinement of corridor maps based on updated AITE data is underway but delayed pending legal resolution.
| Related | |
|---|---|
