Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Dec 30, 2016, 10.53 AM IST
AHMEDABAD: The 12-member expert committee appointed by the apex court's order may have found Kuno-Palpur suitable for lion translocation,
but the Gujarat government has made it clear that they would not
consider the issue till all the 36 studies, which have been specified
under the new translocation guidelines of the International Union For Conservation of Nature, are not duly conducted.
Gujarat's environment and forest minister, Ganpat Vasava, said "We, in the state government, were never in favour of the proposal of translocating Asiatic lions
from Gir forest to Madhya Pradesh, and would try our best to stop such a
transfer." According to the 2015 census, there are 523 lions in and
around the Gir Sanctuary, which is known as the last abode of Asiatic
lions.
The state government, after studying the apex court order of April
2013, has asked the 12-member committee to carry out the studies afresh
in compliance with IUCN guidelines, and then see if the site was suitable for translocation or not.
"It has now been over three years, but the committee, despite meeting
six times, has not ordered any study following IUCN guidelines. We have
on several occasions made it clear through officials that all studies
listed in the fresh IUCN guidelines issued just before the April 2013
judgment have to be complied with, before putting the proposal to the
government for translocating lions."
"We want a detailed study on the weather, its vegetation and even the
prey base in the area. We also want MP to give us a detail of the area
which will be notified for lions. After getting all these studies, the
government will go through them," said the minister. "This is not a
short-term measure. If it is for conservation, then all measures should
be taken to ensure lions don't die in their new habitat in Kuno," said
the minister.
Vasava said that since the time the issue of translocating lions to MP
came up first, the government has made its stand clear. "The government
is against such a move, and we will try our best to ensure that our
lions remain here," Vasava said. "We are emotionally attached to these
wild cats. Lions are not attacked by people even if they kill their
cattle or livestock. The people are also against such a move," the
minister said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Minister-objects-to-lion-translocation/articleshow/56244804.cms
The BJP government in Gujarat had submitted a 36-point report opposing
the proposal to a committee appointed by the Supreme Court in 2013, he
said. (Reuters)
However, sometimes there are other nocturnal visitors.
“A leopard strayed into the village about one week ago. The people who had lined up outside the bank and villagers managed to run it off into forest, but before that it killed a calf,” said the village sarpanch Santubhai Gohil.
The area is close to the Gir Lions Sanctuary.
The SBI branch at Sankhda caters to about 20 villages.
“Shops are no longer willing to sell milk and groceries on credit,” Gohil said.
People, desperate to withdraw cash, camped outside the bank armed with blankets and woollens, he said.
“I have made arrangement to provide the people who camp outside the bank with biscuits and water,” he said.
Farukh Raja, a resident of nearby Una town, said another problem was the banks were dispensing Rs 2,000 notes, which shopkeepers do not accept easily.
Some people were charging a premium Rs 200 to accept the Rs 2,000 note, he claimed.
Top Comment
" OH human beings...your greed is making life of these animals hell....they too are God''s creature......where will they live if you want to capture every thing for your pleasures"dev Dahiya