The land of tribals cannot be taken away in Madhya Pradesh: CM of Madhya Pradesh
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet today gave “in-principle” go ahead to convert the state’s Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary into a tiger reserve along with four other sanctuaries in the country.
Opposing Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh’s plan to convert Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary into a tiger reserve, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister had said that it would call for shifting many villages.
“In-principle approval has been accorded for creation of five more tiger reserves,” said Ministry of Environment and Forests in a release.
Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh, Sunabeda in Orissa, Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Biligiri Ranganatha Temple in Karnataka and Mukundara Hills in Rajasthan are the wildlife sancturies which would be converted as new tiger reserves.
Mukundara Hills include Darrah, Jawahar Sagar and Chambal Wildlife Sancturies.
Chouhan had said, “Madhya Pradesh is a tiger state. We are not averse to tiger and its protection. But we do not want it at the cost of the poor, especially tribals. Many villages will need to be shifted for turning Ratapani into a tiger reserve,” while addressing the 15th national conference of Akhil Bhartiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad in Bhopal.
The land of tribals cannot be taken away in Madhya Pradesh which has tough laws to check it, the Chief Minister had stated.
Also the National Tiger Conservation Authority has suggested the states create tiger reserves in Satyamangalam forests in Tamil Nadu, Nagzira-Navegaon and Bor in Maharashtra and Suhelwa in Uttar Pradesh.
(News Editor- Naushin Fatima Khan)
