FIRDOUS AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Jan 16: The alleged poaching of a Markhor in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered a sharp backlash from conservation and civil rights groups, bringing renewed focus on what they describe as the monopolisation of wildlife conservation by a select group of non-governmental organisations and a troubling nexus between these bodies and officials of the Wildlife Department.
In a strongly worded joint statement signed by Dr Sheikh Ghulam Rasool, five organisations—Pir Panjal Conservation Foundation, J&K RTI Movement, Forest Rights Coalition–Jammu & Kashmir, Gujjar-Bakerwal Youth Welfare Conference and Nature Conservancy Alliance (NCA)—accused a handful of NGOs of repeatedly cornering conservation projects, funding and policy influence without competitive procedures, transparency or meaningful public scrutiny. According to the groups, this concentration of power has gradually converted conservation from a public responsibility into what they termed a “funding industry”.
The statement alleges that the same organisations continue to receive projects and donor support while independent wildlife experts, grassroots conservationists and local communities are systematically pushed to the margins. It further claims that dissenting voices and critical evaluations are routinely suppressed, creating an environment in which inflated claims and glossy reports replace rigorous ecological assessment and accountability.
Referring to the recent Markhor incident, the organisations said wildlife crises are frequently invoked to justify expanded funding and fresh interventions without any credible audit of past programmes. Alleged threats to wildlife, the statement noted, are amplified to attract more resources, while actual conservation outcomes remain largely unexamined, weakening ecological integrity and public trust alike.
Seeking accountability, the groups have demanded a time-bound independent inquiry or the constitution of a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged Markhor poaching case. They said the inquiry must go beyond the immediate incident and examine the role of Wildlife Department officials, NGO partners and operatives associated with community-based conservation programmes.
They have also called for a comprehensive financial audit followed by a social audit of all funds spent on Markhor conservation and recovery initiatives. According to the statement, independent statutory auditors along with credible civil society actors and ecological experts should assess NGO partnerships, consultancies, donor-funded interventions and the disparity between claims made and outcomes achieved on the ground.
Raising serious concerns over the use of public money, the organisations have sought strict legal action against individuals and institutions found guilty of misuse, wastage or diversion of funds, including recovery of money and criminal prosecution wherever warranted. Without accountability, they warned, conservation governance will continue to operate with impunity.
The statement further questioned the existing composition of the Wildlife Board in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that it has been reduced to a body dominated by politically convenient appointees lacking scientific and ecological expertise. The groups demanded its reconstitution through transparent criteria, with the inclusion of independent wildlife scientists, ecologists, grassroots conservationists and genuine community representatives.
Calling for an end to the monopoly of select NGOs, the organisations urged the government to introduce open, competitive and transparent processes for conservation projects, backed by mandatory public disclosure under Section 4 of the RTI Act. They maintained that conservation initiatives, particularly those funded through public resources and international donors, must be subject to democratic oversight.
Emphasising a rights-based approach, the statement stressed that wildlife protection must be aligned with the Forest Rights Act and respect the livelihoods and traditional knowledge of indigenous and pastoral communities, particularly the Gujjar-Bakerwals. Criminalising communities that have historically coexisted with wildlife, it said, would only deepen conflict and undermine conservation goals.
Describing the death of the Markhor as more than a single wildlife loss, the organisations said it symbolises a deeper institutional failure and moral crisis within conservation governance. They warned that unless decisive corrective measures are taken, public trust in wildlife institutions in Jammu and Kashmir could collapse irreversibly.
The collective announced that it would pursue the matter through RTI interventions, legal action, public consultations and sustained civic engagement until transparency, accountability and justice are ensured, asserting that wildlife conservation cannot be allowed to become a shield for corruption or compromised institutions.
