Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Around 6,017 hectare land of Panna Tiger Reserve is falling in the limit of the submergence area of the ambitious Ken-Betwa river link project.
The efforts are underway to get the equal amount of land and to get it notified.
During his visit to Panna, additional principal chief conservator of forest (Land Record) HS Mohanta reviewed the progress related to getting the land to be received in lieu of submergence notified on Thursday.
On Friday, commissioner Sagar chaired a meeting in this regard. Once the notification is done regarding the land received against the submerged land, the tiger reserve officials will try to develop it as a forest. Fruit trees will be planted as they would provide necessary food to the wild animals and birds as well. Water bodies will also be developed in the compensatory land area.
Interacting with Free Press, field director of the tiger reserve, Anjana Shuchita, said that compensatory land will be received from the revenue areas of Chhatarpur, Panna and Damoh districts.
As of now, data of around 4,500 hectare land has been received by the tiger reserve authorities and the process is underway to issue notification about the same.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey said when Omkareshwar and Indira Sagar projects came up on the Narmada basin, at that time the state government had given an affidavit that it would develop one national park and two sanctuaries but even after passing of so many years, there has been no notification in this regard. Therefore, the government claim of compensating the land in the wake of Ken-Betwa project submergence area is not trustworthy.
