Centre terminates extension of Project Cheetah lead scientist YV Jhala

Officials at ministry of environment, forest and climate change of India (MoEFCC) said there is a big recruitment drive going on to fill vacancies and new positions have also been advertised

YV Jhala, the lead scientist on Project Cheetah during the arrival of the first lot of eight Cheetahs from Namibia, retired after the union environment ministry terminated his extension (after retirement) on Tuesday.

Jhala, who led a long-term research project on Asiatic lions, since 2002, has been working with Project Tiger, and was overseeing the arrival of Cheetahs from Namibia (Representative Photo)

Jhala’s position as dean of the Wildlife Institute of India has also been terminated forthwith. Jhala, who led a long-term research project on Asiatic lions, since 2002, has been working with Project Tiger, and was overseeing the arrival of Cheetahs from Namibia.

He had also travelled to Namibia to bring the eight Cheetahs in September last year to India.

In an order issued on February 28, the union ministry said, “Dr. Y.V. Jhala, Scientist-G, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun was granted an extension of two years from the date of his superannuation, i.e.,28-02-2022. In this context, the undersigned is directed to mention that the said extension period is curtailed and restricted to one year i.e., up to 28-02-2023.”

Upset over being asked to resign from his position, Jhala said that he was not sure why he was asked to leave and that this extension was important for him.

“I really do not know why they asked me to leave. Since the cheetahs arrived on September 17, I was not allowed to meet the PM. Then, I was asked to resign. I did not want to resign. I selected the animals in Namibia, I brought all the animals from there. Whom have I rubbed wrong? I am not sure. The one-year extension was important for me. My dreams came true during the past one year. Now others will take over. I have worked on cheetahs and animals all over the country. Wildlife is important to me,” said Jhala.

Meanwhile, ministry of environment, forest and climate change of India (MoEFCC) officials said there is a big recruitment drive going on to fill vacancies and new positions have also been advertised.

“He had retired on February 28 last year and he worked on an extension for a year. He was the lead scientist on Project Cheetah. But we have to understand that there is a recruitment drive. We are trying to fill up all vacant positions. The ministry is being given resources and strengthened. Once a person retires, his tenure cannot be continued indefinitely,” said a senior official of the environment ministry.

“We wanted to give others a chance. It’s important that they understand the animals and their processes. Jhala did not travel to Johannesburg,” the official added.

Prior to his resignation, when a second lot of 12 cheetahs arrived from South Africa on February 18, Jhala did not oversee the project.