In a major setback to the State Government, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) holding Madhya Pradesh Forest Department’s decision of constructing illegal Tiger Safari responsible for the death of the tigers in the State took harsh decision of banning the illegal Tiger Safari being constructed at the cost of crores of rupees at Bandavgarh and Pench Tiger reserves, said Tiger and Rights activist from the city Ajay Dubey in a statement here on Wednesday.
Dubey informed that the NTCA has found that this safari is responsible for the deaths of tigers during the investigation. Notably there continues hunting of tigers, but instead of getting hold of the culprits and bringing them in front of the law the Forest department is hiding the actual number of tigers deaths from NTCA, he added.
Dubey furthers aid that the MP state government, based on long pending request, in February 2016, decided to open two additional principal chief conservator (wild animal) level offices in Indore and Jabalpur. But this month only one office was opened in Indore, he added.
He said Jabalpur city is near to Kanha, Pench, Bandhavgarh, Satpura and Snajay Dubri Tiger reserve and it is connected to the other States tiger corridor, it’s a very sensitive area for the tigers. It is a very disappointing conduct that no office has been opened at the Jabalpur city. If the government had opened this office in Jabalpur, it would have been a very honest attempt to preserve tiger and other wild animals, he added.
He said that in Pench tiger reserve 12 tigers were killed in last month which shows the irresponsible attitude of the State forest department. Similarly in Bandavgarh too there was illegal construction of Tiger Safari going on, he added.
The wildlife activist said that NTCA for the protection of tigers with 100 per cent monetary help requested to form a Special Tiger Protection Force (STGF) in Pench Tiger reserve, Kanha Tiger reserve and Bhandavgarh Tiger reserve. The matter was discussed with Additional Principal Chief Conservator (Wild animal) and directors of these tiger reserves on February 10, 2012, but no force has been formed
until now.