Sariska: Govt gives money for monsoon patrolling

Sariska may not have tigers and Bharatpur neither water nor birds but that isn’t stopping the environment ministry. It is pumping more ...

Sariska may not have tigers and Bharatpur neither water nor birds but that isn’t stopping the environment ministry. It is pumping more money into Sariska for monsoon patrolling and has nominated Bharatpur as part of a network of sites to be promoted for the return of the Siberian Crane to India.

The ministry has disbursed Rs 12 lakh for patrolling Sariska. Project Tiger director Rajesh Gopal said it was premature to say that tiger had disappeared from Sariska. ‘‘Just a few days ago, a coverage of a tigress was spotted,’’ he said. He added, ‘‘There are a lot of other animals and trees. As the areas become inaccessible, we need to protect the habitat. There should be no encroachments.’’

For patrolling, other reserves like Corbett have got 4.75 lakhs, Palamu Rs 2 lakhs, Dudhwa Rs 11 lakhs, and Nagarjuna Sagar-Sirsailam Rs 3.45 lakhs. Ranthambore tiger reserve has got Rs 17 lakh. Out of ten reserves, which have got a total of Rs 65.8 lakhs, Sariska has got the second largest grant.

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The Tiger Watch Group, comprising MPs including Rahul Gandhi, too had urged the ministry to start monsoon patrolling as poachers go into overdrive during this period. The watch had suggested patrolling of sensitive reserves like Manas, Palamu, Simlipal, Panna, Pench, Nagarjuna Sagar and Indravati. Sariska was not part of their list.

On the Siberian crane front, the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS), has has decided to set up a network of 21 sites. India, at the CMS countries’ meeting today, nominated Bharatpur. ‘‘These sites have been suggested. The idea is to exchange personnel and create awareness,’’ said Douglas J. Hyde, coordinator and senior advisor for CMS.

The network is proposed to be set up by the middle of next year.

PM’s task force spots 15 tigers

NEW DELHI: The members of the task force set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to look into the conditions at tiger reserves, has sighted 15 tigers during their visit to Kanha and Pench tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh.

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In Kanha tiger reserve, the task force, an official release said, sighted 14 tigers and cubs including one female and two cubs in Churi, three cubs and one tigress in Schaller Hide and one tigress at Link No 9 in Kanha Range, four cubs and one tigress in Chimta and one tigress at Naki Ghati in Kisli range.

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