The Congress in Madhya Pradesh has asked the BJP Government of the State to directly take up with their Gujarat counterparts the issue of translocation of Asiatic lions from there to Kuno Palpur sanctuary.
While talking to The Pioneer, State Congress’ co-spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said, “Though Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan always talks about the State's interests, in the matter of shifting of Asiatic lions from Gujarat's Gir Forest to Kuno Palpur sanctuary, he is hardly doing anything in the interest of the people who were relocated from the area for trans location of lions.”
He further said that Chouhan should take up the matter with the top BJP leadership as the matter is between the two BJP-ruled States, without waiting for a court directive in the matter.Notably, the Supreme Court had on April 15 this year allowed translocation of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh, saying the species is under threat of extinction and needs a second home.
However, Gujarat had decided to file a review petition in the matter.Currently, there are about 400 Asiatic lions in Gujarat's Gir sanctuary. Chaturvedi also said that he will urge the state Congress manifesto committee chairman Suresh Pachouri to include the issue in the party's manifesto as people from 24 villages were shifted from the Kuno Palpur area to facilitate a second home for Asiatic lions.
“The forest department had relocated large number of people from the area for Asiatic lions. At the same time, due to political rivalry between Chouhan and Modi the big cats are not being brought to the area without realising the pain and agony of large number of people who were forced to leave their homes,” Chaturvedi alleged. Citing a study conducted by an environmentalist in Gujarat, Chaturvedi said that shifting of Asiatic lions from Gir forest area to another location is genetically and environmentally beneficial for this gene as any natural calamity would wipe out the entire population of the carnivore.