New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh Tuesday said that people ‘gung-ho about growth’ pose a bigger threat to tiger conservation than poachers’.
‘It is easy to deal with the poachers because we can put them behind bars but we cannot do anything about people who go gung-ho about growth because they are the movers and shakers of our society,’ Ramesh said at a press conference at the US embassy here.
US ambassador Timothy J. Roemer hosted a reception to highlight the collaboration between US and India to protect tigers in the country.
‘The US and India are working together to preserve and protect the tiger, an iconic symbol of India and one of India’s most precious resources. I applaud the work that our two governments continue to do. I want the people of India to know that the US stands ready to do even more to ensure that the tiger population in India will flourish and thrive for generations to come,’ Roemer said.
He said US support for tiger conservation efforts in India totalled over $1 million in the past five years and about $300,000 in 2009. The two countries cooperate in training for anti-poaching activities, studies on tiger populations and capacity development for eco-tourism entrepreneurs.
