Against a total of 47 tiger reserves at present including 13 sensitive tiger reserves, Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) has been raised, armed and deployed only in four tiger reserves. These include Bandipur (Karnataka), Tadoba-Andhari and Pench (Maharashtra) and Similipal (Odisha). This was stated by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Based on the recommendation of Tiger Task Force, 13 sensitive tiger reserves of the country were to be deployed STPF. However, there has been a delay in setting up this dedicated force that was aimed at protection of tigers/ wildlife and curbing man animal conflict.
These 13 reserves were Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Dudhwa (UP), Corbett (Uttarakhand), Bandipur (Karnataka), Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench ((MP), Tadoba-Andhari and Pench (Maharashtra), Similipal (Odisha), Kaziranga (Assam), Pakke (Arunachal Pradesh) and Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu).
The concerned States have been constantly reminded in this regard, he said adding that in-principle approval has been accorded for raising, arming and deploying STPF in the tiger reserves of Nawegaon-Nagzira and Melghat (Maharashtra), Kawal and Amrabad in erstwhile Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger reserve portion (Telangana) tiger reserves.
He further informed the total notified core or critical tiger habitat and buffer zones of the tiger reserves that constitute 68676.47 sq kms spread across the 18 rangestates. This is 2.06 per cent of the country's geographical area. He stated that the country's tiger population is well within the carrying capacity of its reserves.