BHOPAL: Union Minister for Forest and Climate change Prakash Javadekar has praised state forest minister Umang Singhar for his concern over conservation of Asiatic Lions in the country.
Singhar had written a letter addressed to the Prime Minister on September 30, 2019 pertaining to the shifting of Lion from the Gujarat’s Gir National Park to Kuno Sanctuary of the state.
Javadekar in a letter to the Singhar has stated that Supreme Court on April 15, 2013 had directed for shifting of Asiatic lions from Gir National Park to any other place i.e. Kuno of Madhya Pradesh in order to increase the population of lions. The apex court had directed to shift the lions on the basis of guideline of International Union for Conservation of Nature. It had also instructed the Union forest ministry to constitute a experts committee to look into the matter.
Javadekar has informed that in compliance to the order of the Supreme Court, an experts committee was constituted by the Union Ministry. This committee is examining the process of translocation of Asiatic Lions to Kuno of Madhya Pradesh. Apart from this, a State Specific Empowered Committee has also been formed by Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh government in their respective states in connection to the shifting of Asiatic Lions under the chairmanship of Chief Wildlife Warden, he mentioned in the letter.
Javadekar further stated that the translocation of the Lions will take place after the in-depth mutual discussion by these committees of the two states in connection to the safety, care, guidelines in process of shifting and assessment of habitat of lions.
