Saving Wild India: A Blueprint for Change

by Valmik Thapar

Saving Wild India spells out new and innovative ways to govern our wilderness and safeguard its future. In his new book, naturalist and conservationist Valmik Thapar gives us a bold yet considered plan to preserve and protect our dwindling forests, wildlife and wilderness areas. Saving wild India (whether we realize it or not) is of critical importance to the quality of life we lead today. It should therefore be a priority, both at the level of the state and that of the individual, to sort out the myriad problems that are leading to the destruction of our forests and the extermination of our wildlife - poaching, timber smuggling, illegal mining, flawed administrative policy and much much more. Drawing upon more than forty years of experience in the field, the author gives us a detailed blueprint on how to effect change and revitalize and expand our forest cover. He argues for the repeal of archaic and ineffectual laws, the framing and passing of enlightened legislation, the revamping of our training institutes, the eradication of corruption, putting an end to the meddling of politicians and bureaucrats, the reorganization of the Indian Forest Service, enlightened wildlife tourism, an inclusive approach to conservation, public-private partnerships, as well as a variety of other measures that could check the ongoing damage to wild India.

Genres: Wildlife

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2015

About the author

Valmik Thapar was an Indian naturalist, conservationist and writer. He was the author of 14 books and several articles, and was the producer of a range of programmes for television. He was one of India's most respected wildlife experts and conservationists, having produced and narrated documentaries on India's natural habitat for such media as the BBC, Animal Planet, Discovery and National Geographic.

Reviews

[Pruthvi Raj K S B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valmik Thapar's expertise in wildlife conservation, and his experience with the laggard and corrupt bureaucracy with which he had to work for more than 40 years helps him to both identify the problems with respect to wildlife conservation and suggest practical solutions. His command over the subject in all its aspects- environmental, legal, administrative, social, economic, political and international- makes him a rare talent whose advice only carries weight. It will be unfortunate for Wild India if those in the government and the bureaucracy do not take a leaf out of his book.
Although the problems like corruption, red tapism, illegal nexuses, egoism and hunger for power among the Indian bureaucracy is known to all, Thapar sheds light on ground realities as to how these problems are bleeding India of its rich wildlife. His passion and commitment towards Wild India is visible throughout the book. And sometimes his helplessness in the face of the bureaucratic and government machinery. Thapar echoes the voice of Sam Pitroda, a technocrat and government advisor, who in his book Dreaming Big, has also highlighted in detail the pernicious effects of bureaucracy.

It is almost clear that unless qualified people with a vision and commitment steer the boat, it may go nowhere or worse, drown.

[Tushar Mangl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a suggestive text by #valmikthapar to improve the quality of wildlife management of India. A must read.

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I liked the idea of the book. But, I am not sure how effective the plans and outlines mentioned in the book would prove to be, that is, if they are ever taken up for consideration. As the author himself have pointed out so many times and given elaborate examples on how corruption and negligence by officials have hindered the protection of forests and wildlife in India. And, although many non-governmental individuals and organisations are standing up to take the responsibilities to safeguard the future of our natutal resources, without governmental support the effort would not yield required, fruitful results anywhere in near future. Regardless, I commend author's effort to come up with such a detailed blueprint for much asked-for change and one can only hope that such suggestions are taken into consideration with as much enthusiasm as shown by Govt. of Rajasthan for Van Dhan Yojna.