Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla notified as Tiger Reserve
Team News Riveting
Raipur, August 7
Chhattisgarh will soon have the third largest Tiger Reserve in the country as the state government has notified the “Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve”, spanning over area of 2829.387 square kilometers.
The decision regarding notification of the “Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve”, integrating the regions of Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary located in the districts of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Koriya, Surajpur, and Balrampur, was taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The new reserve will be the fourth Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh.
Guru Ghasidas National Park was made a tiger reserve in the year 2021, but it could not be notified due to opposition. Due to many mines in this area, the notification to declare the National Park as a tiger reserve was stuck during the Congress rule.
The previous BJP government of Chhattisgarh had sent a draft to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to make a tiger reserve by combining Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary. After which NTCA approved Guru Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve. But during the Congress rule, the matter got stuck due to the coal block, oil block and methane gas block present in the the reserve area. With BJP government returning to power in the state, the way for the formation of a tiger reserve has been cleared.
The formation of this tiger reserve is expected to increase the number of tigers, as this area will ensure their safety. Based on the existing data, this step was necessary to improve the number of tigers. The new tiger reserve will preserve the natural habitat of tigers and promote their safety.
The formation of a tiger reserve will promote eco-tourism and generate new employment opportunities for local communities. Locals will get economic benefits from guides, tourist vehicle operation, and operation of resorts as well as other tourism related services. Additional budget will be received from the National Project Tiger Authority, which will be useful for the development of the area and livelihood improvement.
Country’s third largest tiger reserve
Guru Ghasidas – Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is the country’s third largest tiger reserve spread over an area of 2829.387 sq km. Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve of Andhra Pradesh is the country’s largest tiger reserve with an area of 3296.31 sq km. At the same time, Assam’s Manas Tiger Reserve is considered the country’s second largest tiger reserve with an area of 2837.1 sq km.
