Siddaramaiah has also suggested opening up forest areas for grazing sheep. The decisions worry Forest Department and wildlife experts.
Published Jul 19, 2024 | 2:00 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 19, 2024 | 8:18 PM
Besides issuing firearm licences to shepherds, Siddaramaiah also wants to open up the forests for grazing cattle. (Representational Image/South First)
Has Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah shot himself in the foot again? Many in the state think so.
Close on the heels of the government pausing a bill asking private firms to reserve jobs for Kannadigas, Siddaramaiah’s yet another decision — to grant gun licences to the nomadic pastoral community — has sparked a controversy.
Besides arming shepherds, Siddaramaiah has also suggested opening up forest areas for grazing sheep. His decisions invited criticism from both Forest Department officials and wildlife experts.
While the government claimed that the decisions were made to protect shepherds and livestock from theft and to overcome a scarcity of grazing land, critics argued that the moves violate the Wildlife Protection Act, and would increase human-wildlife conflict, poaching, and spread diseases among the wildlife population.
Though the government’s directions lacked clarity and guidelines were yet to be issued, concerns were raised over the potential harm to wildlife and forests. Experts felt the move spelt disaster.
At a meeting held at the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, in Bengaluru on 19 June, the chief minister directed all district deputy commissioners (DCs) to issue arms licences for nomadic shepherds and to allow them to graze their cattle inside forest areas.
“It is mandatory to give gun licences to the nomadic shepherds. This is necessary to prevent the theft of sheep,” the chief minister, who belongs to the Kuruba community, said. Kurubas are traditionally shepherds.
However, the government has not issued an order; nor has it formed guidelines on grazing inside the forests.
“The government has taken this decision as there were long pending demands from the nomadic shepherds to grant them gun licences to protect their cattle from robbers,” a government official said.
“In some areas, shepherds are facing a tough time finding a place to graze their cattle. Hence, grazing has been permitted in the forest,” he explained.
“It is not yet clear whether it is permitted inside the protected areas or only in the forest peripherals. The government will look into all aspects and implement the order, protecting the interests of wildlife and forest, and nomadic shepherds as well,” the official added.
Incidentally, this was not the first time that Siddaramaiah had tried to arm shepherds. He had promised firearm licences to the shepherds during his previous stint as the chief minister.
Forest officials said the government’s decision would further fuel human-wildlife conflict.
“We were surprised to learn that the government is going against the law. Both decisions are against the Wildlife Protection Act,” a senior forest department official said on the condition of anonymity.
“The law prohibits grazing inside national parks. Additionally, carrying guns or any weapon inside the protected areas is prohibited. Despite the law making it clear, that the government is blatantly violating it and giving directions against it,” the official did not hide his displeasure.
He further noted that every district in the state has pastoral (gomala) lands for grazing cattle.
“With the government allocating these lands to industries and other purposes, now there are hardly any grazing grounds left in the districts. Hence, the government is now eyeing the forest for grazing,” he opined.
Incidentally, the Report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel led by Madhav Gadgil had mentioned the diversion of grazing grounds for other purposes.
“The community-held grazing lands and forests cover extensive areas in many parts of the Western Ghats, as do privately held forest lands to a lesser extent. These lands have been considerably overexploited and degraded in recent decades,” the report submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, noted.
The Gadgil committee recommended the restoration of community grasslands and forest grazing lands outside the protected areas.
Another forest official said allowing cattle to graze in forests would lead to the spread of diseases among wildlife: “Ungulates such as gaur and deer graze complaisantly in the abundant grasslands, whereas cattle like sheep and cows graze aggressively,” he told South First.
“It will cause diseases among wildlife, affect the soil in the forest and lead to scarcity of fodder for wild animals,” the official pointed out the probability of wildlife straying into human habitations in search of food.
He further said arming shepherds would encourage them to take law into their own hands and poach wildlife.
“The government must reconsider both decisions in the welfare of wildlife and forests,” the official added.
The reason was in the Gadgil report. “Within a rainfall regime, human impacts such as the extensive opening of the canopy (as experienced during shifting cultivation and clear-felling operations), fire and grazing can transform the vegetation in vulnerable landscapes more drastically (often irreversibly) than in those that enjoy shorter dry seasons.”
Wildlife experts said there was a lack of clarity on the orders. They urged the government to reconsider the decision.
“Permitting grazing inside the forest is not healthy for wildlife. This will further degrade vegetation inside the forest area and increase diseases among wildlife as well,” wildlife expert Tejus told South First.
“This the last remaining wildlife and forest. We must protect whatever we have. Wild animals do not have any other place than the forest to graze, whereas the domesticated cattle have several places. The government must scientifically approach this issue,” he demanded.
“Grazing inside the forest was rampant before the Wildlife Protection Act was implemented in 1972. Section 35(7) of the act prohibits grazing of livestock in national parks,” he further said.
Section 35(7) of the Wildlife Protection Act says that “No grazing of any livestock shall be permitted in a National Park and no livestock shall be allowed to enter therein except where such livestock is used as a vehicle by a person authorised to enter such National Park.”
“Further, according to Section 33(b) of the act, the Chief Wildlife Warden may regulate or control or prohibit grazing inside the sanctuary. The government’s intentions might be good but it is against wildlife and forest,” Tejus said, adding that he had written to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) against the government’s directive.
On permitting gun licences for nomadic shepherds, he said: Section 34 of the Wildlife Protection Act mandates any person residing within a 10-km radius of the forest area to register his name with the chief wildlife warden to possess a firearm.
“The law has restricted issuing new arms licences to those residing near forests. The government cannot permit gun licences to nomadic shepherds and then allow cattle to graze inside the forest,” he added.
Tejus pooh-poohed the chief minister’s claim that gun licences would prevent sheep rustling.
“For instance, the crime rate has gone up in Bengaluru City. Why doesn’t the government provide gun licences to everyone in the city? What is the harm in issuing gun licences to the common man? We would have protected ourselves from being victims,” he said.
According to the Bengaluru City Police, the city recorded 12,627 criminal offences in 2023.
“The government should find alternative solutions. These decisions will lead to anarchy. It will not solve any problem but will create more headaches for law-and-order agencies,” he added.
Wildlife expert Krupakar, however, differed. “It is a good decision that the government has decided to issue gun licences to nomadic shepherds, especially in North Karnataka because they face a lot of threats from thieves. However, there is a lack of clarity in the chief minister’s directive,” he told South First.
“Grazing is not allowed inside national parks and tiger reserves. Even carrying weapons inside the forest is prohibited,” he said.
“These directions give rise to a few questions: Will the government provide basic training before permitting gun licences to nomadic shepherds? Will the government provide them with appropriate weapons? Shepherds will hardly have any knowledge about how to use guns and which one to buy,” Krupakar demanded the government to clear the confusion.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
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