Forest ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat at loggerheads over shifting of Gir lions to Palpur-Kuno

By Bhaskar News Network // August 30, 2019

• MP Forest Minister said – Lions dying in Gir but Gujarat government does not want to give them to MP
• Gujarat Forest Minister said- The charge is wrong, we are following the guidelines of the Supreme Court

Sheopur: The process of shifting of Asiatic lions to Madhya Pradesh’s Palpur-Kuno Sanctuary has been hanging fire for the last six years. From the very beginning, the Gujarat government has been delaying the shifting on one excuse or the other although in the last two years large number of lions died in Gir due to infighting, contagious infections, floods and railway accidents, among other reasons.

On one occasion the Gujarat government demanded to increase the area of the sanctuary, while on the other they told MP government that lions would be shifted from Gir to MP only after the sanctuary gets the status of a national park. MP government has fulfilled all the conditions, but the lions are yet to be shifted.
Kuno’s area increased and given status of national park: Now, Kuno has also got the status of National Park and the area has been increased by relocating 28 villages outside the sanctuary.
In this case, Dainik Bhaskar spoke to forest ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat government. MP forest minister Umang Singar says that six years ago the Supreme Court had given orders to shift lions, yet the Gujarat government does not want to give lions. In Gujarat, the lions are dying of disease and finding an alternative habitat for the big cats is essential for their long-term survival.

Meeting of expert committees were not held, says Gujarat minister: On the other hand, Gujarat government’s forest minister Ganpatbhai Vasava says that the MP government’s allegations are baseless. We are following the guidelines of the Supreme Court. After the order of the Supreme Court, three committees (Translocation Committee, Expert Committee and Apex Committee) have been formed to decide how to shift to Gir lions to Kuno, but no decision could be taken as the meeting of the committees were not held.
Contempt petition filed in SC: At the same time, RTI activist Ajay Dubey has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court in connection with the delay in shifting of lions. It is known that the last meeting of the Translocation Committee was held in 2016. The meeting has not taken place since then.

Chitals in Palpur-Kuno.

Gujarat government asked MP government to remove 3 deficiencies

• The Government of Gujarat said the area of ​​Kuno Sanctuary was not sufficient for the lions. It should be increased.
• Gujarat said that Kuno does not have the status of National Park. The lions can survive and thrive in the atmosphere of a national park.
• Gujarat said that there are tigers in Kuno. In such a situation, the forest officers here should develop suitable atmosphere so that both the big cats can co-exist.

MP government has removed the shortcomings

• The MP government evacuated 28 villages and increased the acreage according to the Gujarat government’s demand.
• MP made Kuno a national park 
• MP government said that this points would be taken care of

Two years ago, expert panel gave the report that Kuno was suitable for lions: Ranjit Singh, member of the Translocation Committee constituted by the Supreme Court, said that the committee had its last meeting in 2016. There was no meeting after this. At the last meeting, we made it clear that Kuno sanctuary was suitable for lions shifting of lions could be done, Singh said.

Palpur Kuno sanctuary in MP’s Sheopur district

Umang Singar, Forest Minister MP Government, said the Gujarat government does not want to give the lions to MP. He said the committee wrote letters to the Gujarat government several times but they did not reply. Earlier, there was BJP government in Madhya Pradesh but it did not ask Gujarat to give lions to MP, he said.
Ganpatbhai Vasava, Forest Minister of Gujarat Government, said the MP government’s allegation that the Gujarat government does not want to give the lion is completely baseless. We are following the Supreme Court’s guidelines. Action will be taken only after the report of the expert committee, he added.
https://dbpost.com/forest-ministers-of-madhya-pradesh-and-gujarat-at-loggerheads-over-shifting-of-gir-lions-to-palpur-kuno/