BHOPAL: A new wildlife sanctuary will be developed in Sagar district in Bundelkhand region, which will be named after Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. A proposal to this effect was approved in the meeting of State Wildlife Board, which will be a gift for nature and wildlife lovers of Bundelkhand region.
An in-principle approval was given for the proposal at the meeting of State Wildlife Board, which Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan presided over recently.
It is noteworthy that Forest Department has taken initiative following directives issued by state Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah to create 10 new sanctuaries in the reserved forest areas of the state.
An area of 25864 hectares (258.64 sq km) of North Sagar Forest Division has been selected by the department for the sanctuary. Its headquarters will be in Sagar. It is named as Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Sanctuary North Sagar.
There are 88 villages within a radius of 5 kilometres of the proposed sanctuary. The land is used for public utility by villagers.
In the sanctuary, 98.202 cubic metres of timber and 236 cubic metres of firewood worth Rs 42 lakh and Rs 4.96 lakh respectively will be affected annually. This means, wood quantity mentioned will be used by the villagers.
In all, 42 officers and employees will be deployed for the sanctuary. Among them, 41 posts of Forest Officers, Forest Rangers and Forest Guards have been proposed in addition to that of a Deputy Forest Divisional Officer. The annual estimated expenditure on the staff will be Rs 1.48 crore.
