BRT sanctuary to be tiger reserve soon

The Centre on Monday accorded “in-principle” approval to Karnataka’s proposal to convert Biligiri Ranganatha Temple (BRT) sanctuary into a tiger reserve.

The BRT is the fifth new tiger reserve to get approval after Sahyadri in Maharashtra, Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh and Sunabeda in Orissa. The approval is understood to have been given on the basis of the state’s identification of close to 580 sq km of critical tiger habitat or core areas. The State now has to identify the buffer area around the core among other things. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/98238/brt-sanctuary-tiger-reserve-soon.html

Now, a tiger reserve in Praful backyard

Even as Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and his colleague in the government, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, lock horns over environmental clearances to the Navi Mumbai airport and take pot-shots at each other publicly, Patel has found a reason to thank his counterpart. Jairam’s ministry has given the green signal to the proposal to declare Nagzira-Navegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, which falls in Patel’s constituency, a tiger reserve.

“The efforts to declare Nagzira-Navegaon a tiger reserve were on for quite some time, however, the clearance from the Environment Ministry came only last week. This will provide a big boost to the area and conservation efforts,” said Patel.

An MP from Gondia, Patel had been making efforts for declaration of the area as tiger reserve. “There are 10-15 tigers in the area,” said Patel. In 2009, a state panel had approved it as a critical tiger habitat following strong demands by the locals and conservationists.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Now--a-tiger-reserve-in-Praful-backyard/684932