Govt not to involve World Bank in tiger conservation

India does not plan to move the World Bank for getting aid for conservation of tigers in the country. “Personally, I was very keen that the World Bank should help us in providing funds, at least for ensuring livelihood for villagers living on the fringes of the tiger reserves, so that they do not try to return to their original habitat (reserves).

However, because of reservations of wildlife experts and officials, I have shunned the plans,” said Environment and Forests minister Jairam Ramesh, while launching a website on the database of wildlife crime related to tigers, here today.

The announcement comes almost a month after the ministry accepted a $1-billion loan from the World Bank for cleaning and conserving the Ganga river. The estimated cost of stopping all discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluent into the Ganga by 2020 is $4 billion.

Though Ramesh refused to elaborate on the reasons for not taking a loan for tiger conservation, Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia and a tiger conservationist, said: “The World Bank has consistently invested money in projects that destroy wildlife in India. The existing tiger reserves have been kept away from the World Bank as it has no expertise in this area. The India Eco Development project was a failure and it caused great damage to the Indian tiger habitats.