Dialogue January-March, 2013, Volume 14 No. 3

North-East Scan

Eliminating the one-horned rhino

D. N. Bezboruah

The total number of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) all over the world now stands at no more than about 2,000. They are to be found in the sub-Himalayan regions of Assam, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan. Of these, about 1200 are in the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) of Assam and about 600 in the Chitwan National Park of Nepal. The average head and body length of the male rhino is 368 to 380 cm (12.07 to 12.5 feet) with a shoulder height of 163 to 193 cm (5.35 to 6.33 feet). The female of the species has an average head and body length of 310 to 340 cm (10.2 to 11.2 feet) and a shoulder height of 147 to 173 cm (4.82 to 5.60 feet). The average weight for males is 2,100 kg (4,620 lb) while it is 1,600 kg (3,520 lb) for females. In exceptional cases, the weight of a male rhinoceros can go up to even four tonnes. The one-horned rhino has a keen sense of hearing and smell, but poor eyesight. While it is known to be slow on its feet, it can run at a speed of even 40 kmph for short durations. Obviously this speed is not good enough to escape the greedy poachers.
          Despite the best efforts of the governments of India and Nepal, the one-horned rhino has not qualified to be on the list of endangered species largely because of the number of them that get killed every year by poachers largely because of the belief that the rhino’s horn has aphrodisiac properties. Over the years, more than 1,000 one horned-rhinos have been killed by poachers solely because of the price that a single rhino horn fetches. Had it not been for the insatiable greed of the poachers, this species might well have survived for a few more centuries. However, given the rate at which the one-horned rhino is getting killed off, it could well be just a matter of decades before the species becomes extinct. Altogether 65 rhinos died during the year 2012 in Kaziranga National Park alone. Of this number, 20 had been killed by poachers, 22 died of natural causes and 23 died during the floods. One female rhino was killed by poachers in November 2012 and had its horn sawn off. Empty shells of AK-47 rifles were found near the carcass of the rhino. Of late, an increasing number of poachers have been found to be using AK- series rifles for their activities in the Kaziranga National Park. There are also reports of militants being involved in the business of poaching and killing of rhinos. And there is precious little that the forest guards armed with their old .303 rifles and the self-loading rifles acquired later on can do against the Kalashnikov series.                                                                                                                                                         
         Early in February, Assam’s Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain announced that the State government had already communicated with the Union Home Ministry seeking its approval to the State Forest Department’s plan to equip forest guards of the Kaziranga National Park with AK-series weapons besides streamlining the management of the park by splitting it up into four divisions. If the Home Ministry’s approval is received, Kaziranga would be the first national park where the guards would be equipped with such sophisticated weapons, the minister said. He said the proposed divisions of the Kaziranga National Park would be the KNP West Division comprising the Burapahar-Bagori ranges, the KNP North Division comprising the Biswanath area, the KNP East division comprising the Kohora-Agoratoli area and an Eco-development Division with its headquarters at Bokakhat. Each division will have a divisional forest officer. The minister added that the Forest Department had decided to send an additional 200 home guards to the KNP, while 200 more would follow shortly.

These are doubtless positive moves to control poaching in the Kaziranga National Park. What passes our understanding, however, is why such plans should have been postponed so long considering that poaching in the KNP has been going on for decades and the poachers have been getting progressively better armed than the forest guards over the years. For about two decades now the proposed West Division of the KNP has been encroached by about 30,000 families of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Their huts scattered over a vast area are clearly visible to all users of National Highway 37 except ministers and bureaucrats who have always pretended that the encroachers are Indian nationals. Considering that the encroachment is in a national park of India, the nationality of the encroachers hardly matters. All encroachers regardless of nationality or religion should be summarily evicted. There are clear indications that some of the poachers are from among the encroachers on the park land. As for providing more sophisticated weapons to the forest guards for dealing with the poachers, this should have happened long ago considering that quite a few forest guards (all government employees) have been killed in encounters with the poachers. The general impression that naturally gets around is that the government is keen on sparing criminals like the poachers because they have a close nexus with politicians. If not for any other reason, the arming of forest guards with sophisticated weapons should have been done long ago so as to ensure that the wrong kinds of messages about criminals having a nexus with politicians had no means of getting around. This tendency to leave opportunities open for criminals to commit their crimes without let or hindrance for as long as possible is no different from the government’s disinclination to publish the names of the economic offenders who have accounts in overseas banks without the knowledge of the Reserve Bank of India. We would be far better off protecting the rapidly diminishing one-horn rhinos rather than protecting the criminals who are threatening to make them extinct.

Time to pay income tax

Patricia Mukhim

Recently when the members of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) led by its Chairman, Naresh Chandra visited Shillong for a discussion with Government representatives of the seven North Eastern states and academicians/NGOs, he was surprised when a high ranking official of a neighbouring state proposed that the tribes should start paying income tax. The official, a tribal himself was very persuasive in his arguments that paying income tax was the only way to hold the rich and powerful tribal elite accountable for acquiring assets  disproportionate to their known sources of income. The bureaucrat represents a state known  for its violence and untrammelled corruption. The two facets seem to synchronize very well.

Mr Chandra and other members of the Board, were apparently not aware that tribals do not pay income tax. The wise architects of the Indian Constitution thought we would not be able to catch up with the advanced states and gave us this sop, including ‘reservation’ with the rider that it be reviewed every ten years. Sadly both have become permanent crutches for us.

It is ridiculous to waive ‘income tax’ from a tribal elite that is increasingly becoming as affluent as any of the non-tribal population in the metros of this country. But what’s worse is that this has other implications. Firstly, there can be no concept of black money among tribals. Everything they earn or get or extort through fair means or foul is ‘white’ money. This makes it attractive for others who have to carry the tax burden to use a tribal (a) to avoid paying income tax and thereby earn more profits; (b) to do benami business in the name of a tribal; (c) to convert black money to white through several innovative methods such as setting up educational institutions or some such venture with the larger and more amorphous purpose of doing it “in tribal interest.”

The reason why it is so attractive to be an MLA or MP today is because of the vast opportunities this job offers to earn money and acquire assets especially real estate. The speed at which land is being bought and sold today suggests that those with money are fuelled by the hunger of a monster to buy, buy and buy. Let’s take a look at the 60 MLAs. Most of them have acquired property or built up substantial bank balances in the last five years and we are not supposed to know anything about this. Why? Because they are not bound to inform us since the system allows them to. Unless they pay income tax there is no way of knowing what they had five years ago and how much is their net worth today. I am sorry to mention names (and these are the more visible ones) but don’t we all think that a PA Sangma, a Mukul Sangma, a Deborah Marak, a DD Lapang, a Prestone Tynsong an AL Hek, an HDR Lyngdoh and above all the biggest landowner in greater Shillong today – Mr Vincent H Pala ought to declare their assets for public knowledge? What were they worth ten years ago? How did they manage to multiply their fortunes so quickly? What’s the magic bullet they have used? Where do the crores just come rolling in from? If it’s so easy to earn so much in so little time, then it’s worth sharing the secret. But of course that is asking for too much. Isn’t it? We, the public, are not supposed to know because we are supposed to keep shut.

But is it not true that the money meant for roads, buildings, water supply, power generation, urban management et al have gone into the personal accounts of the above peoples’ representatives? The transport check gates meant to yield revenue for the state have also been turned into private money spinning ventures. And then they have the audacity to construct mansions worth crores of rupees which mock at our collective impotence to do anything! At least in the case of the coal mine owners, they are doing some work to show for what they earn. With politicians it is simply a case of special favours in lieu of money. Wheeling dealing and not governance is how most people look at their jobs as legislators.

However, it would be unfair to point fingers only at the politicians/ministers. What do we think our technical honchos in the Forest Department are doing? They are shamelessly declaring swathes of forest land as non-forest, scrubland? They are earning money right left and centre from coal and limestone mine owners who wish to deforest every available space under the earth. But I am wondering why the Income Tax Department does not do a surprise search in the homes of these high and mighty Forest Department officials who are in the income tax bracket by virtue of being non-tribals? When it comes to implementing projects that have some environmental component they are very slow. What happened to the Rs 8 crore zoo project? Why is it taking such a long time? Does Forest clearance for a coal and cement project take so long? Are the hurdles not crossed two at a time? It’s time we formed a group to take a hard look at all these high ranking officials and find out what their investment portfolio looks like. Some of us ought to use the microscope not to detect germs but to track the finances of these mercenaries. Some will be retiring soon. We need to do it before they scoot from Meghalaya to settle into the life of a rich landlord.

It makes me shudder to think that food (PDS rice, wheat, sugar, oil) and the special nutrition programme for undernourished children (converted to distribution of cheap noodles) should be so soaked in corruption. India compares with Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of malnourishment of children and women. It is to counter this shame and to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) stipulated by the United Nations that the Government of India has come up with innovative schemes to cater to the nutritional needs of the most underprivileged. But contractors, officers and politicians see every scheme as a money spinning venture! It’s shameful and pathetic! And it is a mockery of the system that they will continue to commit such crimes brazenly because they will never be caught. They will buy (in)justice by paying off everyone. No wonder, despite the huge volume of corruption in Meghalaya no one has been booked. Why is the pursuance of justice so shoddy and why is implementation of a court order so abysmal?

Those who are gung-ho about the Land Transfer Act or the Benami Act have remained uncannily quiet about the Land Ceiling Act. Would they like to do some research? Would they like to find out how much land is owned by a few names in Meghalaya and how much is in the name of non-tribals? Let’s look at the ratio. After all when we shout and rouse rabble we should also have the wherewithal to be a bit more authentic and prove our points with credible data.

I was disgusted to read a letter written by a pastor recently where he put the entire blame for illegal influx and land alienation on the Khasi woman. The man must be a misogynist of some kind to advance such ridiculously simplistic arguments. And to think that such a man of God also has the potential to influence a huge captive audience Sunday after Sunday is frightening. But that also is the breadth of Khasi thinking perhaps. We are so good at the blame game that we have no need to introspect on our own actions.

I have realised, albeit belatedly that the Land Ceiling Act has no takers. Hence the way forward is to lobby hard that Income tax be made payable the sooner the better. Look at how rich our politicians and bureaucrats are. They now do not send their children to school and college in India because these are not good enough. They send their kids to study in the UK, USA, Australia and later if there are universities set up in the moon we might also find them there. Are we envious of their kids? Of course we are and I will tell them why. Since their kids no longer study in Meghalaya they do not even care if the education system here is in the pits. After all it’s the stupid, poor tribal kids whose parents have no money to pack them off abroad who will continue to study here. Why care about them? If they have not learnt to cream off the system, it’s their fault.

        Is anyone really keen to campaign for a better Meghalaya? And while a Lokayukta might or might not punish the powerful, Income Tax might bring some equilibrium. We need to fight corruption in all its forms lest violence rules the roost.