Raipur, Nov 18 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh government has issued a notification declaring Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla wildlife sanctuary as a tiger reserve, taking the number of such protected areas for big cats to four in the state.
The state's public relations department on Monday shared the notification dated November 4 issued by the Forest and Climate Change Department defining the area of the tiger reserve. It will be called 'Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla' tiger reserve.
Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday took to X to congratulate Chhattisgarh.
"Let the roars get louder! As India continues to touch new milestones in tiger conservation, we have notified Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla in Chhattisgarh as the 56th tiger reserve. Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is spread over 2,829 sq km. India continues to work towards a green future where humans and animals cohabit in harmony. Congratulations, Chhattisgarh!," Yadav said on X.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the new tiger reserve marked a historic step towards a greener and brighter future for the state and the nation.
"Congratulations Chhattisgarh! The declaration of Guru Ghasidas-Tamorpingla as the 56th tiger reserve of the country is a moment of pride and joy for the entire state. This tiger reserve will be helpful in conserving tigers and wildlife, along with marking a historic step towards a greener and brighter future for the state and the nation," Sai said in his post on X.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yadav for the "visionary and impactful initiative".
As per the notification, Guru Ghasidas- Tamor Pingla tiger reserve will be spread over an area of 2829.387 square kilometres, including 2049.232 sq km core area, in Korea, Surajpur, Balrampur and Manendragarh-Chirmiri- Bharatpur districts.
"This will be the fourth tiger reserve in the state after Indravati (in Bijapur district), Udanti-Sitanadi (Gariaband) and Achanakmar (Mungeli). Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla tiger reserve will be the country's third largest tiger reserve. Nagarjunasagar Srisailam tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh is the country's largest tiger reserve with an area of 3296.31 sq km followed by Assam's Manas tiger reserve with an area of 2837.1 sq km," a government official said.
In August this year, Chhattisgarh cabinet had decided to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla wildlife sanctuary as tiger reserve.
The decision came after the Chhattisgarh High Court in July granted four weeks to the state government to clarify its stand on declaring the area as tiger reserve on a public interest litigation filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey.
In 2012, the state wildlife board under the Raman Singh-led BJP government in Chhattisgarh, had decided to declare the combined area of Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary as a tiger reserve, Dubey said.
"In August 2014, the state government had sent a proposal in this regard to the NTCA. Subsequently, the NTCA gave in-principle approval for creation of Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh in October 2014. It also sought a final proposal from the state government in this regard. Surprisingly, it remained pending for next four-five years," he said.
Dubey said he had filed a PIL in Chhattisgarh High Court in September 2019 alleging inaction by the state government in notifying the tiger reserve, despite the NTCA approving it in 2014.
"Subsequently in November 2019, during a meeting of the state wildlife board under then chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, it was decided to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve. The final approval for the creation of tiger reserve was granted by the NTCA in 2021. However, no further action was being taken by the state authority," he said.
On November 6 this year, the Chhattisgarh High Court directed the state government to issue the notification within seven days, he added.
The country's last cheetah died in present day Korea district in 1947 in the area which falls in Guru Ghasidas national park, Dubey pointed out.
"We will demand from the Centre to reintroduce cheetahs in Guru Ghasidas national park the way it has been done in Kuno national park in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh," Dubey said.
Forests of Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla, located in the northern part of the state, act as a corridor between the Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and Palamu (Jharkhand) tiger reserves.
The new tiger reserve will preserve the natural habitat of tigers and promote their safety, he added.