JAIPUR: Amid growing concerns over straying away of tigers from the Ranthambore sanctuary, chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday visited the national park and ordered the removal of bottlenecks for the park's expansion so that a rising population of tigers can be accommodated.
Gehlot took a state plane to the airstrip at Ranthambore and was accompanied by forest minister Ramlal Jat, principal secretary, forests, V S Singh and principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) R N Mehrotra.
Gehlot's visit follows the death of tiger T-36 in a territorial war with another tiger T-42. With tiger population multiplying in the park, turf wars and big cats' straying away have become a routine.
Gehlot spotted a tiger, T-17, near the Mallik talab and christened it as Krishna. The T-17 tiger is the daughter of the most photographed tigress in the world Machli.'
"The chief minister has been visiting some of the sanctuaries in the state and this one was to review the situation in Ranthambore in view of the recent tiger death. He has ordered the removal of all obstacles in the expansion of Ranthambore so that more tigers can be accommodated," said PCCF R N Mehrotra.
As a first step, the chief minister ordered expansion of the airstrip on the Madhopur-Lalsot road. Gehlot also called for a time-bound programme for the completion of the boundary wall around the national park.
"There is a narrow airstrip at the Madhopur-Lalsot road. The CM ordered the expansion so that more planes could land there. There are many foreigners who use chartered planes. The expansion of the airstrip will give a fillip to tourism," said a forest official.
Gehlot also called for a time-bound programme for the completion of the boundary wall around the national park.
"He directed that the NREGS and CAMPA funds shall be utilised so that the circumference of the wall could be expanded to 400 kilometre instead of the existing 87 km," said an official.
The CM also announced speedier relocation of the villages on the outskirts the sanctuary. "Once these villages are relocated, the park can accommodate more tigers. The chief minister also directed that no encroachment shall be allowed in the area," said the official.
On the alleged noise pollution just outside the park during the marriage of British comedian Russell Brand and American pop singer Katy Perry, Gehlot formed a committee to be headed by the collector that will look into any violation.
Read more: Gehlot paves way for Ranthambore's expansion - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Gehlot-paves-way-for-Ranthambores-expansion/articleshow/6806044.cms#ixzz13LWA5MGw
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