Lucknow, May 24, 2013: Lucknow today saw the unveiling by Aircel India of a Rapid Response Vehicle run by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), with support from the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, as the company formally announced their CSR tie up with the organisation.

Aircel, known for their Save our Tigers campaign, is supporting the Uttar Pradesh Carnivore Conservation Project, which primarily focuses on conflict-mitigation in the Dudhwa landscape. Uttar Pradesh has one of the highest reports of human-animal conflict, and the project aims at curbing the problem by addressing it at every level. A Rapid Response Team has been set up comprising trained veterinarians, biologists and sociologists, and the new van – equipped with veterinary facilities – will allow them attend to wildlife or people in distress without delay. They will be provided with information by Primary Response Teams, who are based in several areas close to the forest.

At the press conference, Mr VN Garg, Principal Secretary – Forests, said that this association comes at the right time. “The Primary Response Teams and the Rapid Response Team that have been put in place as part of the project will be able to help address conflicts without wasting any time,” he said. He added that the Dudhwa wildlife sanctuary has been known for its work to conserve large carnivores, and this project will help maintain its status as a leading park. Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Rupak De said, “This two-pronged strategy has the potential to work excellently. Communication and immediate reaction is a crucial part of mitigating conflict, and we can’t afford to lose anymore tiger or human lives.”

“Among the emerging threats to carnivores, and other animals, is the increasing number of conflicts with people,” said Vivek Menon, the Executive Director of Wildlife Trust of India.  “One of the priorities of this project is to address these conflicts holistically. People once took pride in our national animal, and due to the rising number of conflicts, there has been in larger negative change in the attitude toward tigers. By mitigating conflict, the project aims to address this change as well.”

Brinda Malhotra, Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Aircel, said, “Aircel has been working diligently towards tiger conservation since 2008. Aircel initiated the ‘Save our Tigers’ campaign, which has been very successful in spreading awareness on tiger conservation. The primary goal of this project with WTI and the UP forest department is to secure the trust and confidence of the local people who reside in and around this vibrant tiger reserve and wipe out the incidences of conflict, and secure the corridors vital for the survival of the tiger.”