Special Tiger Protection Force jawan dies under mysterious circumstance

TNN | Jan 14, 2013, 04.35 AM IST

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

READ MORE Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve|Special Tiger Protection Force jawan|medical treatment|Dilip Gandham

RELATED

• Public Accounts Committee on a 2-day visit to Tadoba
• State’s budget allocation for forest is dismal 0.5%: PAC chief
• Tadoba Special Tiger Protection Force to get 33 jawans, INSAS rifles
• Tiger mauls farmer near Tadoba buffer area
• Dispersing Tadoba tigers to be radio collared

CHANDRAPUR: A jawan of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) deployed in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve died of suspicious reasons and lack of timely medical treatment in jungle on Saturday afternoon. Kin of deceased Dilip Gandham (23) on Sunday created an uproar at Chandrapur civil hospital blaming laxity on part of forest officials for the death.

Gandham was deployed at STPF Pangdi base camp and was part of special team sent to track the man-eater tiger to Navegaon. On Saturday afternoon he claimed of pain in chest and started for Sindewahi with his colleague Naresh Ladse on bike for treatment after seeking permission from RFO Shirinivas Pachgave. However, the bike went out of fuel only two km from Pangdi post in jungle. While Ladse was trying to restart the bike, Gandham suddenly collapsed on the ground.

Worried Ladse then left the failed bike and unconscious Gandham in the jungle and ran to Pangdi gate of TATR for help. “I called for help on wireless from Pangdi gate and rushed back to the spot with local beat guard Datta Jadhav on his bike. Soon RFO Pachgave reached there on a bike. He directed us (Ladse and Jadhav) to rush Gandham to hospital on the bike,” said Ladse. Doctors at Sindewahi rural hospital declared Gandham brought dead.

Deceased jawan’s brother Vinod Gandham, who is a cop in Aheri, blamed lethargy on part of forest officials for death. “The case appears to be of poisoning as the dead body turned black. Pachgave refused to give a four-wheeler to take my brother to hospital. Had my brother received timely treatment, his life could have been saved,” he alleged. Gandham’s kin created scene at Chandrapur civil hospital and even tried to manhandle RFO Pachgave who had came there to offer condolence.

Pachgave explained that Gandham appeared fine when he started for Sindewahi from Pangdi. “I rushed to the spot in the jungle on Sindewahi road on receiving wireless SOS. Gandham was unconscious and appeared in serious condition. As four-wheeler was not available at Pangdi, I called for one from Kolsa, which is 8km away. However the arrival of four-wheeler could have taken time, hence Jadhav and Ladse were directed to rush him to hospital on bike,” he said.

CCF, TATR, Virendra Tiwari gave written assurance to Gandham’s kin that a thorough probe will be conducted if the case turns out to be of unnatural death. “We have not received post mortem report, but it appears to a case of heart attack. If post mortem report claims death due to poisoning, then thorough inquiry will be conducted into the matter,” he said.

Tiwari declared of Rs1 lakh aid for Gandham family from tiger foundation. A proposal seeking compensation on grounds of one given to the cops who die on duty, would also be forwarded to government, he added.

 

Unusual Chase! Awesome Image

Sanctuary Asia

http://www.facebook.com/sanctuaryasiapage

Normally the tourists do the chasing! Ashish Parmar caught things in reverse at the Tadoba Tiger Reserve and sent Sanctuary Asia this fascinating image as part of our photography contest! Read the views of Praveen Pardeshi, Forest Secretary, Maharashtra, on how to secure wildlife destinations, while enabling communities to benefit from tourism.

THE WAY FORWARD: http://sanctuaryasia.com/magazines/cover-story/596-cover-story/9071-the-way-forward.html — at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.

 

Experts doubt snakebite as cause of tigress death

Vivek Deshpande : Nagpur, Mon Oct 29 2012, 01:12 hrs

http://www.indianexpress.com

Though the investigators on Saturday rushed to attribute the death of a pregnant tigress near Jamni village inside Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve to snakebite, facts don’t appear to support the theory.

The fact that the tigress had developed heamotoxic effects (blood-clotting) and had an instant death is being contested by experts who say that a strong animal like tiger would not die so soon even if bitten by cobra. Officials said that the body was fresh.

Incidentally, cobra poison is nuerotoxic; it affects the nervous system. Only vipers have haemotoxic venom but even humans can survive without treatment for days after a viper bite. “Even a cobra bite will take about 10 hours for the tiger to die. In that case the body will be swollen. If not, the cause is unlikely to be a snakebite,” said Vivek Sharma, a snake expert from Jabalpur.

TATR Field Director Virendra Tiwari did not elaborate on the issue and said, “Snakebite is the doctor’s opinion. Please talk to him.”

P D Kadukar, the vet who performed the autopsy and had inferred that the prima facie possibility of a snakebite, said, “The body was fresh, there was no swelling and it was not even smelling foul. The tigress had died around 2 am. He said that going by the haemotoxic effect and internal bleeding, it seems like a snakebite. “We haven’t said that it was a viper that possibly bit it,” he said. Another fact that helps one rule out a viper bite according to Sharma is that in case the animal should have weakened and making it unable to hunt. “It wouldn’t be able to kill animal like Sambhar, which the tigress is said to have freshly consumed,” he said.

… contd.

PAGE: 12 | Single Page Format

 

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve body floats ‘priority entry’ scheme for tourists…….. TOI news…

 

 ROARrrrr for Jungle Tiger

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ROARrrrr-for-Jungle-Tiger/166490116742359

 

TATR ( Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) Tiger Conservation Foundation has approved Rs 4 lakh for the

purchase of books titled ‘Wild Maharashtra‘, published by Sanctuary Asia, in its last governing body meeting. A total of 400 books, procured at subsidized rates, will be sold to tourist at cover price and foundation expects to earn handful sum from the sale.

Those tourists purchasing the book costing Rs 2950 will be offered ‘priority entry’ into the tiger reserve, provided the Supreme Court lifts ban on tourism in tiger reserve. Decision to give ‘offer’ on the book was taken during the meeting of the foundation, headed by forest minister Patangrao Kadam, on September 18. The foundation will utilize the sum earned from the sale of books on ‘capacity building‘ of the forest department staffers. The minutes of the meeting have specific mention about the decisions.

Greens have, however, slammed the idea of offering privilege entry to tourists. President of Friends of Tadoba, Niraj Potdar said, “The proposed offer on purchase of book is absurd and makes no sense. The wealthy tourists, who are capable of spending extra Rs 3000, will seek privilege entry by purchasing the book. The common tourists, who queue up for hours for tickets on gates, will be deprived of the chance of entry. It appears to be pathetic attempt to oblige the publication.”

3 tiger foundations seek to spend Rs 1.21 cr….

 

ROARrrrr for Jungle Tiger

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ROARrrrr-for-Jungle-Tiger/166490116742359

 

The Tiger Conservation Foundation (TCF) at Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari and Pench tiger reserves have sought approval to spend Rs 1.21 crore from the foundation money in the current year.

The hi

ghest allocation of Rs 80 lakh has been sought by Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), followed by Rs 25 lakh by Melghat and Rs 16 lakh by Pench.

Melghat tiger reserve plans to propagate organic farming in villages in the core of the reserve. Of the 29 villages in the core, nine have been relocated. In the first phase, at least five of the remaining 20 villages will be considered for the organic farming.

Pench CCF and field director MS Reddy said the Pench foundation has Rs 24 lakh but it proposes to spend Rs 16 lakh to achieve their goal of facilitating ecological, economic, social and cultural development of the tiger reserve.

TOI News…..

Tadoba reserve records 65 tigers

 

Press Trust of India: Fri Sep 14 2012, 01:43 hrs

http://www.indianexpress.com

In an encouraging development, the tiger population in and around Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) seems to be going steady with 65 big cats being reported in this wildlife belt, forest officials have claimed.

This figure excludes the 20 odd cubs sighted in the area, which is encouraging, TATR chief conservator of forests and field director Veerendra Tiwari said.

The figure has been reached after the tiger monitoring exercise held in the reserve between April 1 and May 31, 2012, during which the movements of the felines in various parts under TATR were monitored by as many as 94 camera traps, Tiwari said.

“There are a minimum of 43 tigers in TATR and at least 20 carnivores are present in buffer area.”

“Besides, two animals were reported in the adjoining FDCM (Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra) area,” he said.

Spread over 625 sq km, TATR is known for the high density of tiger population.

On the accuracy of the census, Tiwari said even the figures on population census at the national level might not be accurate point-to-point, despite the fact that people have a specific address, locality and other details.

“A tiger is free to roam in any area of its choice and its territory ranges from 35 to 50 sq km and hence, it is difficult to say whether it is the same tiger captured by the cameras installed for the purpose until the animal sticks to its usual trail or track,” Tiwari added.