Team News Riveting
Bhopal, May 26
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted a Cheetah Project Steering Committee to review, progress, monitor and advice on the Cheetah introduction to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and NTCA.
The decision was taken in a meeting with Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, chaired by the DG, Forest & SS, in supersession of O.M of even number dated 22nd September, 2022 on the Cheetah Task Force.
The Terms of Reference of the Task Force include to review, progress, monitor and advice on the Cheetah introduction to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and NTCA, opening of the Cheetah habitat for eco-tourism and suggest regulations in this regard, suggestions on community interface and for their involvement in the project activities.
The Steering Committee shall be in-force for a period of two years and will hold at least one meeting every month, besides taking field visit as and when required. The Committee may invite any expert for consultation, as and when required. Panel of International Cheetah experts shall be consulted for advice or invited to India as per specific requirement.
The NTCA, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change would facilitate the working of the said committee. The travel costs for non-official members and other incidental expenses would be borne by the NTCA as per extant rules.
Dr Rajesh Gopal, Secretary General, Global Tiger Forum, New Delhi will be the Chairman. The members include R N Mehrotra (former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & HoFF/CWLW, Rajasthan), P R Sinha (former Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Dr H S Negi (former APCCF Wildlife: Member NTCA), Dr P K Malik (former Faculty at WII: Member NTCA), G S Rawat (former Dean, Wildlife Institute of India/ Member WII Society, Dehradun), Ms Mittal Patel (Social Worker, Founder Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch, Ahmedabad), Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Madhya Pradesh, Prof. Qamar Qureshi (Scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun), Inspector General, NTCA, New Delhi and Subhoranjan Sen (APCCF- Wildlife) as Member Convener.
Consulting panel of international Cheetah experts for advice as an when required include Prof. Adrian Tordiffe, Veterinary Wildlife Specialist, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa, Dr Laurie Marker, CCF, Namibia, Dr Andrew John Fraser, Farm Olievenbosch, South Africa and Vincent van dan Merwe: Manager, Cheetah Metapopulation Project, The Metapopulation Initiative, South Africa.
