Over 75 posts including those of Veterinary Officers and forest guards are lying vacant in Ranthambore National Park.
Out of 428 sanctioned posts, 78 are vacant, including 41 of forest guards, eight range officers and five assistant conservators of forest, as per the compliance report of tripartite Memorandum of Understanding signed by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Rajasthan government and Ranthambore tiger reserve.
The two sanctioned posts of veterinary officers were lying vacant as on June 30, 2015, the MoU, a copy of which was received in response to an RTI query by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, said.
"New recruitment of Forest Guards has been done in 2011 and 2013. Norms for Guards and Foresters have been decided (i.e. 5 square kilometre for Forest Guard and three Forest Guards under Forester). A staff development plan has been drawn by a committee for the three tiger reserves of the state," it said.
Ranthambore national park or tiger reserve is one of the biggest in northern India. It is located in Sawai Madhopur district, about 130 km from here.
Rajasthan has 45 tigers, as per the latest census report on big cats. Of these, Ranthambore has highest number of tigers.
Ranthambore tiger reserve also did not accept the NTCA proposal to introduce tiger safari in the buffer area to promote eco-tourism, Dubey said. "Tiger safari will not only reduce pressure of tourism in the core area but would also help generate employment for residents of areas close to the reserve," he said.
Dubey said tiger T-24, also known as Ustad, was a victim of poor personnel management at the reserve. Ustad was said to have killed five people, prompting the authorities to keep it in captivity.
