**Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Mohan Yadav Directs Initiatives to Enhance Wildlife Diversity and Conservation**
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has instructed forest officers to bring wild animals from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha as replacements for the tigers that Madhya Pradesh will be transferring to these states. Speaking at the 30th State Wildlife Board meeting held at the Mantralaya on Friday, the CM emphasized that this strategy would help increase the diversity of wild animals within Madhya Pradesh.
Notably, Madhya Pradesh is set to provide one tiger and nine tigresses to the three states. The CM also highlighted the importance of serious efforts to acquire a rhino, specifically a one-horned rhino, from Assam.
**Focus on Aquatic Wildlife and Publicity**
In addition to terrestrial animals, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stressed the need to release crocodiles, tortoises, gharials, and aquatic animals like dolphins into the state’s rivers to bolster biodiversity.
He also underlined the necessity of proper branding and promotion of Madhya Pradesh’s diverse flora and fauna. To this end, he urged officials to collaborate with Film Division, Discovery Channel, and other media outlets to create short films, documentaries, and promotional capsules. These efforts aim to showcase the state’s unique wildlife treasures to a global audience.
**Measures to Curb Human-Elephant Conflict**
Addressing concerns over man-animal conflict, especially those involving elephants or “tuskers,” the Chief Minister called for effective measures to prevent such incidents. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests L. Krishnamurthy shared that an AI-based application named the “Gaj Rakshak App” has been developed. This app tracks elephant movements and disseminates alerts to nearby villages to help mitigate conflicts.
**Sanctuary Reconstitution Brings Stability**
The Kharmor Sanctuary in Sardarpur has been reconstituted, providing a permanent solution to land trading issues in 14 revenue villages. Similarly, the Jahangarh Sanctuary has also undergone reconstitution, strengthening conservation efforts in these regions.
**Potential New Conservation Areas**
Dr. Alok Kumar, a member of the State Wildlife Board, revealed the possibility of establishing an additional conservation area within the Panna and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve circle. Furthermore, discussions are underway to create separate conservation zones by incorporating Balaghat district’s Sonewani forest range into Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves.
**Project Approvals**
During the meeting, several projects received the Chief Minister’s approval:
– Allocation of 17.148 hectares of forest land in the Satpura Melghat Corridor spanning Khandwa and Betul districts to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Khandwa.
– Approval of 1.575 hectares of buffer zone land from the Padamshri Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Vakankar Tiger Reserve (formerly Ratapani Sanctuary) to the Executive Engineer, PWD, Raisen.
However, a proposal regarding the construction of an ecological park on private land within Sone Sanctuary, Sidhi, has been deferred for further consideration.
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These initiatives and decisions underscore Madhya Pradesh’s commitment to wildlife conservation, biodiversity enhancement, and ecological balance while promoting sustainable development in the state.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/mp-news-state-wildlife-board-meeting-need-to-brand-publicise-mps-flora-fauna-says-cm-mohan-yadav
