Every year Vigilance Awareness Week is celebrated throughout the country, wherein all the stakeholders are encouraged to fight corruption. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) marked the Vigilance Awareness Week 27 October – 1 November 2014 with the taking of a pledge on 27 October 2014 by the Institute’s staff led by Dr. P.K. Mathur, Dean, WII to eradicate corruption and remain vigilant and to work towards the growth and reputation of the Institute. (The text of the Pledge can be read at http://www.cvc.nic.in/vawp27102014.pdf ).

As part of the activities undertaken during the Vigilance Awareness Week, a seminar session on the issue of corruption was held at WII on 28 October 2014 wherein Dr. V.B. Mathur, Director, WII delivered the welcome address and the invited speaker Mrs. Vibha Puri Das, Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India delivered the keynote address. Dr. Mathur said that tackling corruption was a formidable task as it operated at multiple levels, assumed various forms – some implicit and some explicit. He said that WII as an academic institution was susceptible to different nuances of corruption, which could manifest in the form of plagiarism. He stressed on the need to develop and practice a ‘Zero tolerance’ towards this. He further noted that to tackle the usual forms of corruption in matters of procurement and recruitment, several concrete steps are being taken at WII. Limiting discretion, enhancing accountability and promoting transparency are well established processes to tackle corruption and all staff at WII must all work together to deal with corruption.

Mrs. Vibha Puri Das noted that India has been a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) since 9 December 2005 for global cooperation amongst countries in every aspect of the fight against corruption, including prevention, investigation, and the prosecution of offenders. She highlighted key steps and actions undertaken in India in the fight against corruption in all spheres. With the new government at the centre realizing that leveraging of technology in the functioning of organizations can work effectively, the theme of this year’s celebrations has been ‘Combating Corruption – Technology as an Enabler’. The Session concluded with the presentation of a memento to the invited speaker by Dr. P.K. Mathur, Dean, WII and a vote of thanks delivered by Shri Suresh Dalal, Registrar, WII.