The Union Government on Thursday said in-principle approval has been given for creation of two new tiger reserves in the country including in the Maoist-dominated Sunabeda forests in Odisha’s Nuapada district.
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar also said concurrence has been accorded for creation of four more elephant reserves, including two in Odisha.
“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),” said Javadekar.
Presently there are 46 Tiger Reserves spread over 18 States encompassing a total area of 68,518.8 sqkm while there are 28 elephant reserves in the country.
Javadekar said that out of a total allocation of Rs32.58 crore in 2013-14, Rs18.43 has been disbursed to various States under the
Project Elephant.
Similarly, the entire amount of Rs172.29 crore allocated for Project Tiger for 2013-14 has also been disbursed to the States.
The Sunabeda sanctuary area is a happy hunting ground for Maoists. Several forest officials have been killed in the area in the last
few years.
The proposed Tiger Reserve, spread over 600 sqkm on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border in Nuapada district, has failed to attract wildlife enthusiasts and tourists due to fear of the ultras, who have unleashed a reign of terror in the region, killing nearly 20 persons, including forest and police officials, so far.
The Union Minister informed that the Government is taking steps for tiger protection that include implementing a tripartite MoU with tiger states, linked fund flow for effective implementation of tiger conservation initiatives and sending of special crack teams to tiger reserves affected by leftwing extremism.
The Sunabeda sanctuary had 32 tigers and 36 leopards as per the 2004 tiger census. However, no tiger census was conducted in 2010 due to the Maoist threat.
The census, conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WWI), had restricted itself to the Similipal Tiger Reserve and the Satkosia Tiger Reserve that year.
The official had conducted census in a selected part of the Sunabeda reserve where there is no Maoist presence in March this year.
While around 26 forest guards, 10 foresters, three range officers and one divisional forest officer were deployed in the region to carry out conservation measures, the Maoist menace has forced the department to limit its vigil.
Even the arms given to the forest security personnel have been deposited in the district armoury for fear of Maoist raids, said a senior forest official.