India’s third largest tiger reserve will come up in Chhattisgarh as the state has decided to integrate the Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Sanctuary.
The decision to notify the “Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve”, integrating an area of 2,829.387 sq km, was taken at a meeting of the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
These areas are located in the districts of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Koriya, Surajpur and Balrampur.
The new integrated reserve would be the fourth tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh.
The Guru Ghasidas National Park was made a tiger reserve in 2021 but it could not be notified due to opposition. Due to many mines in this area, the notification to declare the park as a tiger reserve was stuck.
The previous BJP government had sent a draft to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to make a tiger reserve by combining the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary.
The NTCA approved the idea. But the Congress government did not let it proceed due to the coal block located in the region as well as the area having oil block and methane gas block. With the BJP government returning to power in the state, the way for the formation of a tiger reserve has been cleared.
The step was necessary to take up the number of tigers. The new tiger reserve will preserve the natural habitat of tigers and promote their safety.
Locals will get economic benefits from guides, tourist vehicle operation and operation of resorts as well as other tourism related services.
Additional budget will be received from the National Project Tiger Authority, which will be useful for the development of the area and livelihood improvement.
Guru Ghasidas – Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve would be the country’s third largest tiger reserve spread over an area of 2,829.387 sq km.
The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve of Andhra Pradesh is the country’s largest tiger reserve with 3,296.31 sq km. Assam’s Manas Tiger Reserve is the second largest tiger reserve with an area of 2,837.1 sq km.
