The tiger is in trouble again, this time, it’s the very organisations which are supposed to protect it that are responsible. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-International has put its ambitious Tiger Conservation Programme (TCP) in India on hold and frozen all its tiger conservation-related funds to its India chapter WWF-India.
The decision follows an ugly spat between WWF-India and Traffic-India, an independent UK-based body which specialises in tackling wildlife crimes and doubles up as an enforcement wing of the WWF.
In the eye of the storm is Conservator of Forests Manoj Mishra, a senior Indian Forest Service officer whose exit from Traffic-India after a five-year deputation last month triggered off a war of words and egos with WWF-India.
Shooting off a four-page protest letter to WWF-India’s CEO and secretary general Meeta Vyas for the ‘‘humiliating treatment’’ she had allegedly meted out to him two days before he was to be recalled by the Government, Mishra told Vyas, ‘‘As one who has diligently served Traffic-India for five years, I guess till now you as the CEO of WWF-India has not yet shown that you have it in you, either temperamentally, educationally or managerially, to lead the revival of your organisation’s fortunes ... You are just not up to the task.’’ Mishra faxed a copy of the letter to Traffic-International, his parent body in Cambridge, and the fangs were bared in no time. Traffic-International withdrew its logo from the WWF-India’s trademark symbol. A few days ago, the Switzerland-based WWF-International decided to block new funds to the TCP, since according to the WWF-India’s charter, it has no control over Traffic-India, said sources in Union Environment Ministry.
Meeta Vyas told The Indian Express that since Mishra’s tenure had crossed five years he had to go and there was nothing WWF-India could do about it. ‘‘Unnecessary controversy is being generated in the matter,’’ she said.