Sunday, May 1 2005 16:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Faced with the uphill task of checking the dwindling tiger population, the Supreme Court was informed that the Centre and State Governments have reached a consensus on implementation of a time-bound programme to save the big cat from extinction in the country.

This was informed to a Bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice P P Naolekar, which is hearing a public interest petition on the issue.

The advocates appearing for the Centre and various State Governments submitted that out of the 19 points on which the Court had sought response, 12 were addressed in a series of meetings between Secretary, Ministry of Forest and Environment and chief secretaries of various States and those were accepted by them.

"A directive, order of the Governments for a time-bound implementation of plan will certainly go a long way in 'saving the Tiger', the wild life, the forest and hence ecological balance and web of diverse life," it was emphasised.

Perusing the 12 points of consensus reached between the Centre and State Governments, the Court asked them to file a reply on the points of agreement and submit a synopsis on them.

The Court also asked them to have discussion on seven points which were untouched.

On points of agreement, it was informed that consensus have been reached on the release of funds directly to the implementing agency and to fill up the Wildlife staff vacancies at all levels in Tiger Reserves, National Parks and Sanctuaries.

Both the Centre and State Governments favoured establishment of Forest Stations on the pattern of Police Stations and creation of a Strike Force similar to Rapid Action Force by suitably training and motivating them along with the Forest Staff.

Deployment of sniffer digs at transit points have also been accepted, the court was told.

Further priority would be given to exhaustive training and capacity building of forest staff should be achieved in protection, fire fighting, use of arms, communication equipment, legal training, investigations, preparation of chargesheets and follow up action for prosecution as also the legal training of powers under the relevant Acts.

The court was informed that Government has proposed to rationalise functioning of Committees in the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

"The Steering Committee Project Tiger must hold its meeting once in three months necessarily wherein the detailed report about developments in various Tiger reserves, National Parks and Sanctuaries are to be presented and analysed," the documents on the deliberation submitted to the court said.