Centre’s in-principle nod to create 2 new tiger reserves

Concerned over depleting population of tigers in the country, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Thursday said that in-principle approval has been given for creation of two new tiger reserves in the country while final nod has been accorded for giving the status to three other protected areas.

Apart from that, environment minister Prakash Javadekar said that concurrence has been accorded for creation of four more elephant reserves, including two in Odisha.

‘Concurrence has been accorded for creation of four more elephant reserves (two in Odisha, one in Meghalaya and one in Chattissgarh). In-principle approval has been accorded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for creation of two new tiger reserves and the sites are Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh) and Sunabeda (Odisha),’ Javadekar told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

‘Final approval has been accorded to Kudremukh (Karnataka), Rajaji (Uttarkhand) and Bor (Maharashtra) for declaring as tiger reserve,” he said.

He said that the state governments have been advised to send proposals for declaring Suhelwa (UP), Guru Ghasidas National Park (Chhattissgarh), Mhadei Sanctuary (Goa), Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel/ Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries/ Varushanadu Valley (TN) and Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh) as tiger reserves.

Elaborating about the initiatives, Javadekar said that a bilateral arrangement has been recently formalised with Bangladesh on tiger conservation.

‘Our delegations are interacting with Nepal and China within the framework of existing bilateral arrangements. A sub-group on tiger and leopard conservation has been constituted for cooperation with the Russian Federation which has met recently,’ he said. 

He said that the next round (2014) of country level status assessment of tiger, co-predators, prey and habitat using the refined methodology in collaboration with tiger states and Wildlife Institute of India has already been initiated.

Among other initiatives, he said that the next round of Independent Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves has been initiated apart from the initiation of economic valuation of some tiger reserves.

He said that trial of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for monitoring has also been started in Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

Replying to another question, Javadekar said that in 2013, eight tigers had died of natural causes and 15 due to poaching while a total of 45 cases were under scrutiny.

To yet another question, he admitted that bears are occasionally killed by poachers in various parts of the country for organ trade for their alleged medicinal value which has not been proved.

He said four bears were killed in 2013 while seven were killed in 2012 as per reports of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.