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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Shifting of Tadoba villages gets fillip - TOI

NAGPUR: The state government has asked the revenue and forest department officials to expedite the relocation of villages inside the Tadoba Tiger Reserve.
Five full villages and some families of Kolsa village still remain inside the core area of the tiger reserve.
The issue was discussed in a meeting called on October 30 in Mumbai by principal secretary (forests) B P Pandey. He had asked the officials concerned to speed up the process of shifting villages out of the reserve that has seen increased poaching pressure in recent times.

On Wednesday, another meet was called by divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar. It was attended by Nandkishore, chief conservator of forests (CCF) for Nagpur Wildlife Circle, who has also been named as the nodal officer for the work, Chandrapur district collector Pradeep Kalbhor, officials from Chandrapur zilla parishad and irrigation department.

Nandkishore said officials were asked to prepare revised estimate in a month on resettling 778 families from four villages- Jamni, Navegaon (Ramdegi), Palasgaon (Shingru) and Rantalodi inside TATR. "Officials are at work to seek options from individual families whether they want money or want to be resettled by the department. Accordingly, proposals will be sent to the union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF) for funds," Nandkishore said.

As per the new norms, each family will get a Rs 10 lakh package. It includes 35% for agriculture land, 30% for settlement of rights, 20% for house construction, 5% for incentive and 10% for community facilities like drinking water, electricity, irrigation, sanitation, roads, place of worship, burial et. al. Those not wanting to be resettled can opt for Rs 10 lakh cash.

Till now, around 116 families - 45 landless families from Botezari and 71 from Kolsa have been rehabilitated in compartment number 524 in Tolewahi in Mul forest range. However, over 70 landholders from Kolsa still remain and efforts are on to persuade them to move out. When contacted, Chandrapur collector Kalbhor directed all queries to forest officials.

Tiger reserves have been declared critical tiger habitats and these areas have to be made inviolate to create more spaces for tigers. The new tiger conservation plan (TCP) envisages minimum 800-1000 sq km area for one tiger reserve. This area is needed to accommodate 20 breeding tigresses, to help maintain a population of 60-70 tigers. Resettlement of all the villages from TATR can create space for up to 10 more tigers over existing population of about 42 tigers, experts said.

Tiger in Panna to be tranquilized again for radio collaring - TOI

BHOPAL: A tiger translocated to Panna Reserve in a bid to revive the park's big cat population will be radio-collared soon.
The tiger was tranquilized on November six in Pench from where it was shifted to Panna, spread over an area of 542 sq km.

"It couldn't be radio-collared as it gained consciousness early while being carted out from the deep forests of Pench, before being shifted to Panna," Madhya Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) R S Negi said.

The tiger was under stress and will be tranquilized again once it is fit for the purpose, Negi said, adding tranquilizing twice in 90 days was harmful to the animal's health.

"The tiger in the enclosure spread over an area of one hectare in Panna will be tranquilized for radio-collaring shortly, before it is released in the wild," Panna Reserve Field Director R S Murthy said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tiger-in-Panna-to-be-tranquilized-again-for-radio-collaring-/articleshow/5220105.cms