RAIPUR: Amid the pressing challenge to increase the tiger population in the state, the Chhattisgarh government has cleared the pending project on creating new dedicated Tiger Reserve, which will be the third largest in the country. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory authority under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, has already approved the plan. According to latest tiger census report, Chhattisgarh has only 17 tigers left, a steep decline from 46 in 2014.“The state government has notified the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve spanning over an area of 2829.38 sq km. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by CM Vishnu Deo Sai. The formation of the new Tiger Reserve is expected to increase the number of tigers owing to the given region remaining more protected and shielded, ideally suited as a natural habitat for tigers,” a senior officer told this newspaper.Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve of Andhra Pradesh is the country’s largest tiger reserve with an area of 3296.31 sq km followed by Assam’s Manas Tiger Reserve with an area of 2837.15 sq km.The new Tiger Reserve will come into existence by integrating the regions of Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary covering the districts of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Koriya, Surajpur and Balrampur. The previous BJP government in Chhattisgarh led by Dr Raman Singh had sent a draft proposal to the NTCA to create Tiger Reserve by merging Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary. The NTCA approved it earlier but during the previous Congress regime the project venture got stuck due to the coal block, oil block and methane gas block cited in the reserve area. With the return of the BJP in power, the push for the formation of the new Tiger Reserve was expedited.The creation of the Tiger Reserve will further promote eco-tourism, generate new employment opportunities and augment economic benefits for local communities, the officer added. Tiger Reserve as part of Project Tiger will receive additional funding towards its establishment and administration.Chhattisgarh has in recent years begun managing forest streams, reviving groundwater to ensure year-round water access to wildlife including the Tigers. Around 55717 sq km area (42 per cent) of the land in Chhattisgarh is under forests and invariably most of the streams originate among the ridges of the forested landscapes.With Chhattisgarh not performing earlier on expected lines in the save the tiger mission with the big cat population in the state having gone down by around 60 percent, the government now contemplates undertaking convincing measures to protect tigers and enhance its strength.
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