At a time when conservation of Asiatic lions is in the spotlight with their projected second home at Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh, the proposed state-of-the-art conservation breeding centre/safari of these majestic species at Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, is facing rough weather.
Despite the master plan of the project having got the final clearance from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in February this year, the green Ministry after dithering it for three months has according to sources given the go ahead but subject to due considerations. However, four lions have already been procured from Hyderabad and Rajkot last month and efforts are on to obtain six more from Junagarh.
According to sources, the matter was pursued by the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who wrote a letter to the Environment Jayanthi Natarajan to look into the issue. Earlier, the Ministry had put on hold the project on the grounds of violation of Forest Conservation Act (FCA)1980, in the Fisher Forest close to the Chambal Sanctuary, which is the proposed site for conservation breeding centre/safari of the lions.
Sources said the Ministry has given a go-ahead but subject to examination of the applicability of FCA in certain areas. However, written intimation is still to be received in this regard by the State Forest Department. The safari/ Conservation centre has been designed and its master plan written by Sujoy Bannerjee, Deputy Conservator of Forest in National Chambal Wildlife Division.
Speaking to The Pioneer, CZA member secretary BS Bonal, however, confirmed that the masterplan of the safari and breeding centre has been approved and as per the norms the provisions of FCA is not applicable once such approvals are obtained. He was hopeful that the project will kick start soon.
In the given circumstances, the sources expressed concern over the alleged dithering of the issue by the MoEF, especially after the master plan has been approved by the CZA. The proposed safari is one amongst the first five zoos in the country to have received the approval from CZA. Hence, the procedural delays over the issue of FCA implementation at the site is not justified as per norms. Without giving details, they informed that certain grey areas have been pointed out by the Ministry which is to be examined by the state forest department.
Chief Wildlife Warden Rupak De said both men and material along with funds are already in place. “The lion safari would cover an area of 350 hectares with a focus on the lion breeding centre. The lions will be restricted within 50 hectares area only, with at least 10 lions in the kitty, following which it will open up the safari before the public,” De added.
He hoped to make the conservation breeding centre into a strong gene pool of Asiatic lions by procuring species from different habitats and locations. While, four Asiatic lions had already been brought to Kanpur Zoo and lucknow Zoo from Hyderabad zoo and Rajkot zoo , De is keen to get at least six- eight more from Junagarh in Gujrat. “We are pursuing the matter with the Gujrat government in this regard”, he informed.
De’s efforts come at a time when much hypes are being created over the proposed translocation of some lions from the Gir in Gujrat to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh.