Raj govt sitting over Kumbhalgarh tiger reserve project, says NTCA member Diya Kumari

Jaipur, Jan 3 (IANS) Member of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and BJP MP from Rajsamand, Diya Kumari, on Tuesday strongly raised the issue of turning the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary into a tiger reserve.

She was participating in the 22nd NTCA meeting at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, which was chaired by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav.

The Rajsamand MP pointed out to the minister as well as the other senior members of NTCA present at the meeting the "callous" delay by the Rajasthan government in recommending to make the sanctuary in Rajsamand a tiger reserve.

She pointed out that the NTCA had already sent the feasibility assessment report for appropriate action. The Rajasthan government had to take action on the report and send it to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with its recommendation.

However, so far no action has been taken on the matter by the Rajasthan government, she said.

The BJP MP has also written two letters to the state government for sending its recommendations to the ministry, but they have fallen on deaf ears, she claimed.

It is to be noted that if Kumbhalgarh is declared a tiger reserve, it will give boost to local employment, tourism and biological diversity.

The other points discussed at the meeting pertained to the development of tiger corridors for tiger movement; tiger relocation from one state to the other, which will solve the problem of inbreeding; opening new zones in Ranthambore, Sariska and Ramgarh tiger reserves; increasing the funds allocation etc.