New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) The results of the tiger census now under way will be released by February 2011, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday.
'We can expect the tiger census results by February, and it is for the first time that Sunderbans (in West Bengal) has been included in the census,' Ramesh told IANS.
Ramesh said this time the tiger census was being conducted in a more scientific manner. It was based on pugmarks earlier.
The ministry was earlier supposed to release the census results by November end.
The last census in 2005-06 showed a sharp fall in tiger numbers, showing India had only 1,411 tigers in the wild.
India was home to about 3,000 tigers around two decades ago.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Panel to set tourism norms around tiger reserves
The environment ministry has formed a committee to lay down guidelines for regulating forest and wildlife eco-tourism in the country, especially around tiger reserves, officials said on Wednesday. The seven-member committee set up under the chairmanship of Sujit Banerjee, former secretary with the tourism ministry, will submit its final report within 45 days.
"The committee will make an appraisal of ecological issues, tourist visitation and suggest measures for carrying capacity of the reserves, and give recommendations for regulating tourism in ecologically sensitive non-forest areas in and around tiger reserves," said an official of the environment ministry.
It will firm up the guidelines for forest and wildlife eco-tourism in the context of advisories issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Wildlife (Protection) Act and the Forest (Conservation) Act.
The committee will also see the studies conducted by the tourism ministry on lodges and resorts around the tiger reserves.
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh recently expressed concern over dangers posed by mushrooming tourist lodges around tiger reserves, especially the Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
The ministry is working on guidelines for promoting eco-tourism - tourism that is ecologically sustainable and is in line with the carrying capacity of tourists in a particular reserve.
"The committee will make an appraisal of ecological issues, tourist visitation and suggest measures for carrying capacity of the reserves, and give recommendations for regulating tourism in ecologically sensitive non-forest areas in and around tiger reserves," said an official of the environment ministry.
It will firm up the guidelines for forest and wildlife eco-tourism in the context of advisories issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Wildlife (Protection) Act and the Forest (Conservation) Act.
The committee will also see the studies conducted by the tourism ministry on lodges and resorts around the tiger reserves.
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh recently expressed concern over dangers posed by mushrooming tourist lodges around tiger reserves, especially the Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
The ministry is working on guidelines for promoting eco-tourism - tourism that is ecologically sustainable and is in line with the carrying capacity of tourists in a particular reserve.
Two women arrested in Punjab for smuggling tiger skins
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Forest rangers have arrested two women for their alleged role in smuggling skins and other body parts of two tigers.
Apart from tigers, some body parts and teeth of deer were also recovered from them.
Sewa Singh, the Divisional Forest Officer, Amritsar Range said the women did not reveal anything apart from their identity.
The samples of tiger's skin are being sent to the Wildlife Institute at Dehradun for further investigations, he said.
"The two arrested women have been identified as Geeta and Taka who are residents of Karnataka. But during interrogation, the women said they are not residing in any particular place and they have not revealed much information about this smuggling," said Singh.
"They told us that these skins are fake and probably they are making stories about it. But our investigation is underway for which we would send the samples of these skins to Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun," he added.
Singh further said the accused women would get tough punishment, if proven guilty.
"Under the Wildlife Protection 1972 Act, the women will be punished for smuggling tigers body parts. The women will get imprisonment of minimum three years and maximum seven years and would be imposed a fine of minimum ten thousand rupees," said Singh.
He also informed that the recovered skins were of a tiger and a cub that would have fetched the smugglers in the international market, at least rupees 65000 and 35000 respectively. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)
Forest rangers have arrested two women for their alleged role in smuggling skins and other body parts of two tigers.
Apart from tigers, some body parts and teeth of deer were also recovered from them.
Sewa Singh, the Divisional Forest Officer, Amritsar Range said the women did not reveal anything apart from their identity.
The samples of tiger's skin are being sent to the Wildlife Institute at Dehradun for further investigations, he said.
"The two arrested women have been identified as Geeta and Taka who are residents of Karnataka. But during interrogation, the women said they are not residing in any particular place and they have not revealed much information about this smuggling," said Singh.
"They told us that these skins are fake and probably they are making stories about it. But our investigation is underway for which we would send the samples of these skins to Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun," he added.
Singh further said the accused women would get tough punishment, if proven guilty.
"Under the Wildlife Protection 1972 Act, the women will be punished for smuggling tigers body parts. The women will get imprisonment of minimum three years and maximum seven years and would be imposed a fine of minimum ten thousand rupees," said Singh.
He also informed that the recovered skins were of a tiger and a cub that would have fetched the smugglers in the international market, at least rupees 65000 and 35000 respectively. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)
Over 70% Sariska bookings cancelled
ALWAR: The ongoing Gujjar agitation has hit the tourist arrivals at the Sariska tiger reserve.
The efforts to revive the tiger population at Sariska, and the recent visit of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had brightened its prospects of attracting higher number of tourists this year. However, the road and rail blockade by the Gujjars has dealt a blow to the sanctuary's plans to cash in on the year-end festivities, with over 70% cancellations being reported in the past few days.
Hundreds of tourists have been left stranded and majority are not ready to take any chances. "Over 70% bookings have already been cancelled at my property," says Dinesh Durrani, owner of Sariska Tiger Heaven Hotel.
The hotel had put in a lot of effort and money to spruce up the property before the new year but the owner now fears it would be difficult to recover the investment.
Another hotel owner in Alwar Nagesh Kumar said as long as the New Delhi-Jaipur highway was not blocked, there were no major cancellations but after the Gujjar leaders decided to oppose new year celebrations, many bookings have been cancelled. "In today's age, people have access to information regarding remotest of areas. Tourists start for a trip only after taking all precautions," said Kumar.
Andy Crooks, a tourist from Australia who was at Sariska on Wednesday had to cut short his extensive Rajasthan trip due to the Gujjar agitation. "We had to face several difficulties as buses and trains were diverted," said Crooks.
Records show that the number of tourists coming to Sariska during the last week of December has decreased drastically this season. Last year, 25,501 tourists had come to Sariska on December 25. In comparison, this year only 229 tourists came to Sariska for Christmas. From December 26-29, over 2,100 tourists visited Sariska in 2009 but only about 900 tourists made it to the wildlife sanctuary this year.
"The road blockade at Nathni ka bara village on Alwar-Jaipur route on Wednesday has scared the tourists and several of them were stranded for hours. There is a possibility that tourists could stop coming to Sariska after Wednesday's blockade," chief forest officer at Sariska R S Shekhawat told TOI.
The efforts to revive the tiger population at Sariska, and the recent visit of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had brightened its prospects of attracting higher number of tourists this year. However, the road and rail blockade by the Gujjars has dealt a blow to the sanctuary's plans to cash in on the year-end festivities, with over 70% cancellations being reported in the past few days.
Hundreds of tourists have been left stranded and majority are not ready to take any chances. "Over 70% bookings have already been cancelled at my property," says Dinesh Durrani, owner of Sariska Tiger Heaven Hotel.
The hotel had put in a lot of effort and money to spruce up the property before the new year but the owner now fears it would be difficult to recover the investment.
Another hotel owner in Alwar Nagesh Kumar said as long as the New Delhi-Jaipur highway was not blocked, there were no major cancellations but after the Gujjar leaders decided to oppose new year celebrations, many bookings have been cancelled. "In today's age, people have access to information regarding remotest of areas. Tourists start for a trip only after taking all precautions," said Kumar.
Andy Crooks, a tourist from Australia who was at Sariska on Wednesday had to cut short his extensive Rajasthan trip due to the Gujjar agitation. "We had to face several difficulties as buses and trains were diverted," said Crooks.
Records show that the number of tourists coming to Sariska during the last week of December has decreased drastically this season. Last year, 25,501 tourists had come to Sariska on December 25. In comparison, this year only 229 tourists came to Sariska for Christmas. From December 26-29, over 2,100 tourists visited Sariska in 2009 but only about 900 tourists made it to the wildlife sanctuary this year.
"The road blockade at Nathni ka bara village on Alwar-Jaipur route on Wednesday has scared the tourists and several of them were stranded for hours. There is a possibility that tourists could stop coming to Sariska after Wednesday's blockade," chief forest officer at Sariska R S Shekhawat told TOI.
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