PHOTO: FILE
The honorary wardens complain that efforts to protect and promote wildlife are being affected because of lack of support to them from the department.
A silent struggle for power and credit seems to be brewing among the provincial wildlife department officials and game wardens. Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed commitment to promoting forests and wildlife in the country and this regard the provinces have been given various targets. In addition to the department, honorary game wardens are playing an important role in preventing hunting and saving endangered species in Punjab.
Punjab currently has 16 game wardens who are performing their duties at the provincial and district levels. However, they appear to be dissatisfied with the conditions under which they are working.
Punjab Honorary Game Warden Badar Munir said the wardens are a valuable asset for the department. They are playing their role to save and nurture wildlife at their own expenses without any pay or compensation but they do not get the support and response from the department that they should get, he complained.
He said that under the Wildlife Act, employees of the department arrest illegal hunters and fines are imposed on them. A part of the amount of the fine is paid to the employees as a reward. Similarly, whenever a squad carries out a raid, additional allowances are paid to the employees but the wardens working with the department have not received any travelling and dwelling allowance or reward.
He added that the suggestions made by the honorary game warden for the protection and improvement of wildlife are not taken into consideration.
An honorary game warden working at the district level alleged that the main reason for the departmental bureaucracy's displeasure with them was that the honorary wardens were the biggest obstacle in the way of corruption in the department and connivance between the officials and hunters. Several officers of the department have been charged with assisting hunters in illegal hunting of rare animals, illegal purchase and sale of rare breeds of animals and birds and investigations are underway against them, he said.
He said one can go to any bird market in Lahore and verify that illegal sale of animals and birds is continuing.
He said the chief minister of Punjab should take notice of the situation.
On the other hand, Punjab Wildlife Director General Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani said that under the law, the staff must play their role in preventing illegal hunting.
He said the department has formed special squads, which have the power to prevent illegal hunting and sale of wildlife in the areas under their control and take action against those involved in the practice. He said the honorary game wardens have also been given special powers to impose fine on those involved in poaching in any area. One-third of the fines or compensation received from the accused is given to the employees in the squad as a reward.
The official said the distribution of reward is the responsibility of the deputy director concerned. He admitted that honorary game wardens do not receive any compensation and their services are acquired because of their expertise regarding wildlife.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2020.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ