Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Giving a breather to the state government which is under criticism over the deaths of Cheetahs in Kuno National Park, Union minister for environment and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav said that Cheetah deaths fall under the expected mortality rate for the translocation project and so there in nothing to worry about.
The officials associated with the Cheetah project will be sent to Namibia and South Africa on study tour, said the Union minister addressing a high-level meeting convened on Cheetah Project at CM House on Monday. The Central government will give full support for cheetah conservation, protection and necessary financial assistance for the proposed Cheetah Protection Force, said the minister.
The deaths the entire Cheetah translocation project had come under criticism following death of three adult cheetahs and three cubs in Kuno National Park in Sheopur
Asserting that the Madhya Pradesh government was working with sincerity on the Cheetah project, the Union minister said that he will visit Kuno National Park on June 6 to take stock of the situation. Speaking on the additional forest guards and rangers for Kuno National Park, the minister said both, the basic infrastructure and human resources are the need of the hour.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that it’s a matter of pride that Madhya Pradesh is also a cheetah state and his government is committed to the success of the cheetah project.
CM also directed to develop Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary for the next cheetah habitat by ensuring basic facilities at earliest.
As of now, seven cheetahs are living in the wild and ten in the enclosures in Kuno National Park. As an alternate habitat for Cheetahs, Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is being developed and this work is likely to be completed by November.
Earlier in the meeting, the officials shared the information regarding the survival rate of cheetahs and it was told that its mortality is always high. The cheetah project report was described as successful.
The discussion on the possibility of tourism activities in Kuno was also taken up. Forest minister Kunwar Vijay Shah was for providing modern vehicles for security purposes to Kuno National Park.
Director General (forest) CP Goyal, additional chief secretary forest JN Kansotiya, national tiger conservation authority Member Dr SP Goyal, principal secretary tourism Sheoshekar Shukla, principal chief conservator of forest JS Chouhan and others were present in the meeting.
Union minister for forest Bhupendra Yadav said that the Cheetah project takes five years to bear fruits and so one should not jump to hasty conclusions.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan advised officers not to give statements regarding relocating cheetahs to other possible sites. He exhorted officers to work harder to develop Kuno National Park in a better way.
