Chhattisgarh govt announces a new tiger reserve, fourth in the state
The new reserve, called the ‘Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve’, will be the fourth in the state after Indravati (Bijapur), Udanti-Sitanadi (Gariaband) and Achanakmar (Mungeli).
The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday announced its decision to declare a new tiger reserve, covering areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary in the state.
The new reserve, called the ‘Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve’, will be the fourth in the state after Indravati (Bijapur), Udanti-Sitanadi (Gariaband) and Achanakmar (Mungeli).
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
“The new tiger reserve will help develop eco-tourism and also generate employment opportunities for villagers living in its core and buffer areas. As per the recommendation of the state wildlife board and with the consent of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Union ministry of forest and climate change, the state cabinet has decided to notify Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve with an area of 2,829.387 sq km,” the government said.
The tiger reserve will include areas of the national park, and the sanctuary spread across Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Korea, Surajpur and Balrampur districts.
An additional budget for the new tiger reserve will be allocated from the national tiger project so that new livelihood development works can be undertaken in the villages of the region, the government said in its statement.