Tuesday, May 24 2005 14:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranthambore: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (May 24, 2005) said strict actions were needed to check poaching of tigers and stressed on evolving a long-term strategy for reducing human pressure on forests.

Singh, who spotted a tigress in his early morning safari in the Ranthambore National park, said, "We need to deal strictly with poaching... we need a more effective strategy for tackling poaching and smuggling."

He called for equipping forest officials and making available adequate funds for protecting the National heritage. The Prime Minister, along with his wife Gursharan Kaur, spent around two-and-half hours in the park.

Singh, who discussed the problem of dwindling number of tigers with forest officials and locals, said that forest park management and human interface with forests were the two biggest challenges. "Shortage of funds, vehicles, work load and poaching were discussed."

The force manning the forests is short-staffed, over-aged and lack facilities, he said.

Alternative livelihood needs to be provided to local population dependent on forests for their livelihood so as to ease pressure on forests, Singh said. "We need a long-term strategy."

"We must find more effective ways and means of reducing human population dependence on forest systems," he said.

Singh said he had constituted a Tiger Task Force and would await its report suggesting specific actions by the Government to curb poaching. He, however, did not say when the report was expected.

Asked if the Rajasthan Government was responsible for dwindling number of tigers, he said "I have not come here to find faults with anyone."

Singh said the maximum number of poaching occurred during monsoon and he had asked the Ministry of Forest and Environment to deal with the problem effectively.