Action plan soon for tiger corridor at Ranthambore

JAIPUR: The state forest and environment ministry has asked its officials to prepare an action plan to strengthen the corridor connecting Ranthambore National Park to Kailadevi area.

Department minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar said that the forest department has noted the movement of four tigers in Kailadevi area. “Looking at which there should be effective monitoring,” Khinvsar told HT.

“According to the requirement, we will be developing the area in phases. In the first phase, we will take care of the 50 sqkm area corridor connecting Kailadevi and Ranthambore National Park,” he said.

“A sum of ₹6 crore will be spent on the development works, which includes repair of checkposts, new vehicles, wireless sets, camera traps and water trolley. In addition, we have asked the officials to prepare an action plan,” said the minister.

Khinvsar also said that some villages need to be relocated to provide a disturbance-free corridor to the tigers. “We have asked the officials to submit the report within 15-days,” he said.

A senior forest department official said that the department has been already working on a development plan for the Kailadevi area, which includes relocation of villages and developing grassland. At present, there are around 75 tigers, including adults and cubs, in Rajasthan – Ranthambore National Park (60) and Sariska Tiger Reserve (13).

Other than Kailadevi area, development work is also being carried out in Mukundra Hill Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Hadoti region —notified by the state government in 2013 — to provide more space to the tigers. The MHTR is expected to have big cats by 2018.

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE AROUND 75 TIGERS, INCLUDING ADULTS AND CUBS, IN RAJASTHAN