Assam’s river Island Majuli bids for World Heritage site tag
NEW DELHI: The Culture Ministry has decided to send the world’s largest river Island Majuli to be included in the World Heritage Sites of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisaton (UNESCO) this year. According to the sources, the ministry has approved the proposal of Assam government and a team of officers led by the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism will visit the site in first week of April.
“The proposal was approved by the Culture Ministry after Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal met Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma,” said a senior officer of the Culture Ministry. “Sharma along with team of senior officers will go to visit the site on April 2,” he informed.
Presently, there are 35 sites, out of which 27 are historical/ cultural monuments, seven natural sites and a mixed category in the World Heritage Sites of India in UNESCO list. If approved, Majuli will be the first River Island to be included in the list. “It’s the largest river island in the world. It’s also the largest inhabited river island of the world an entire district is situated on it. We are confident that our proposal will be approved by UNESCO,” added the officer.
Majuli, the first island district in the country, was spread around 1250 sq km in 20th century but due to soil erosion and deforestation it has shrunk to now only 483 sq km. “The funds for the development of the island will surely help in restoring forest cover and over all development of the island along with natural conservation,” said the officer.
The island is formed in the Brahmaputra River in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti, a branch of Brhamaputra. It is around 400 km from Guwahati. The island is the abode of the new Vaisnavite culture of Assam and was formed due to course change by Brahmaputra and its tributaries mainly Lohit river. JAIPUR: The Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district is now home to 62 tigers, the highest number in the park's history. In a written reply to an unstarred question in the assembly, the state government said the number of tigers in the reserve has increased over the years. However, the number of big cats is more than the reserve's capacity leading to migration and territorial adjustment of weak and adult tigers. A report with the reply stated that 7 female and 3 male tigers in the reserve are untraceable in last five years.
Referring to the assessment of wildlife experts, the government said nearly 20 per cent of tigers either die annually due to various natural reasons or migrate to other territories.
The government also said that arrangements of safety and monitoring of tigers has been done. LPG connections have been given in villages located near the reserve to reduce the dependency on forests whereas villages Kathuli (151 families) and Bhid (139) have been completely relocated from the forest area. Bhimpura, Dangra, Unchi Gawadi and Kalibhaat villages have been partially relocated and the work is still going on and the procedure to relocate three villages of Kala Khorra, Talda Khet and Gadhi on priority basis is also proposed. The Ranthambore reserve is spread over 932 square kilometers.
The government also informed that 105 families from Kankwadi, Umri, Sukola, Dabli, Haripura, Kraska and Devari villages, which were located in the critical tiger habitat, have been completely relocated from the Sariska tiger project. Sariska is located in Alwar district.