PM’s praise for blackbuck conservation matter of pride: CM Sai

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise for the State’s blackbuck conservation efforts in the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address as a matter of pride, saying it will boost public morale.

Sai, who heard the 133rd episode of the programme at Vinayak City in Bhatagaon here, said that Chhattisgarh’s conservation initiative is emerging as a model for other States.

PM Modi, in his Mann Ki Baat address, said, “There is good news from central India. Blackbucks are now seen again in Chhattisgarh. At one time, their numbers had declined drastically, but sustained efforts were undertaken to conserve them. Today, they are running freely in open fields. This marks the return of our lost heritage.”

Reacting to the praise, Sai said the recognition reflects the State’s strong commitment to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.

“It is a matter of great pride that the Prime Minister mentioned and appreciated Chhattisgarh’s blackbuck conservation efforts,” he said, adding that the acknowledgement strengthens the State’s identity and boosts public morale.

An official from the State Forest department said that blackbucks had disappeared in the State by the 1970s and remained locally extinct for nearly 50 years.

However, a new chapter began in 2018, when the department initiated a reintroduction programme in Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, said Dhammshil Ganveer, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Balodabazar forest division.

With permissions from authorities, 77 blackbucks were translocated in 2018 to Barnawapara, including 27 from Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden in Bilaspur and 50 from the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, he said.

The official said that the animals were first housed in a specially designed 4-hectare enclosure, where every aspect of their care, from diet and veterinary support to habitat management, was meticulously planned.

Gradually, blackbucks began to thrive, and within two years, the population inside the enclosure had grown, a clear sign that the species had successfully acclimatised to the local habitat, he said.

The animals were released into the wild in phases from 2022-23. They were transferred through soft-release enclosures before being set free into the natural grasslands of Rampur in Barnawapara sanctuary, which today serves as their thriving habitat, he said.

The DFO said the population of blackbucks in Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary now stands at more than 200. This achievement marks India’s first successful blackbuck rewilding initiative, setting an inspiring example in wildlife conservation.

Encouraged by the success, the department plans to release around 40 blackbucks in Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district this monsoon, another senior forest department official said.

There are also plans to introduce the species in Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Mungeli district after obtaining necessary approvals from the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the official added.