Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan dedicated the world's first White Tiger Safari at Mukundpur in Satna district on Sunday. The first of its kind safari has cost Rs 50 crore and is spread over an area of 25 hectares. The Chief Minister inaugurated the safari amid cheers and applause from more than one lakh people.
With its inauguration, the safari, housing three white tigers, including one male named Raghu and two females, Vindhya and Radha, is now officially open for public.
later, the Chief Minister accompanied by Union Minister of Steel and Mines Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar, Forest Minister Gaurishankar Shejwar, Energy, Mineral Resources and Public Relations Minister Rajendra Shukla, Tribal Welfare Minister Gyan Singh, Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Rajendra Kumar Singh and MPs Ganesh Singh, Janardan Mishra
and Reeti Pathak went round the Safari.
The Chief Minister along with the Union Ministers and the State Cabinet colleagues boarded battery-run car driven by Energy Minister Shukla. First the Chief Minister and others witnessed two yellow Bengal tigers near their enclosures. later, they witnessed white tiger couple Radha and Raghu in their enclosure. White tiger Raghu was trying to climb a tree. These antics of the white tiger thrilled the Chief Minister and other guests. The guests also inspected enclosure of a bear couple. later, in a special closed bus the guests witnessed white tigress Vindhya in the tiger safari. The special bus was stopped for some time even as it passed by the white tigress.
Chief Minister's wife Sadhana Singh and Energy Minister's wife Sunita Shukla also accompanied the touring team.
The Chief Minister and the guest Ministers also witnessed the oval building, 'The Tale of the White Tiger'. The tale of white tigers right from world's first seen white tiger 'Mohan' and return of white tiger to Vindhya has been displayed through attractive photographs in this building.