The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has called upon the Madhya Pradesh government to review parts of a draft Bhopal development plan that proposed development of public institutions in tiger habitats which may damage them and cause human-tiger conflict.
Additional Director General of Forest (Project Tiger) and Member Secretary (NTCA) S.P. Yadav on August 11 wrote to State Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains drawing his attention to concerns regarding allowing Kerwa-Kaliasot revenue and forest areas for the development of public institutions under the Draft Bhopal Development Plan: 2031.
He requested Mr. Bains to review the matter in consultation with the Forest Department “so as to ensure long-term conflict-free management of tigers and its dispersal in the State, carrying forward the legacy”.
Due to dedicated efforts of the Forest Department, wrote Dr. Yadav, the forests of Ratapani, Khatotia, Kerwa and Kaliasot have become “excellent tiger habitats” and as a result had recorded around 45 tigers in and around Ratapani alone. “Tigers do disburse travelling long distances through the forest, revenue and riverine areas and therefore need safe passes in order to avoid human wildlife interface,” he pointed out.
Stating that Madhya Pradesh was also called the “tiger State”, Dr. Yadav said it was important to flag the issue at this juncture as the government’s move to plan development works without taking into consideration “certain aspects may lead to destruction of important tiger bearing habitats in the said area”.
The NTCA had received a letter from a retired senior forest officer who had raised the concerns, “which need to be critically taken cognisance of, and avoid a situation which may escalate human-tiger conflict in the region”.
Dr. Yadav pointed out “our cultural legacy, which encouraged compassion and co-existence, had played an important role in tiger conservation”.
