India’s Newest Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh

India’s Newest Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh

Part of: Prelims and GS III – Environment; Conservation 

Context The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) approved Chhattisgarh’s proposal to declare the combined areas of the Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary and the Guru Ghasidas National Park as a Tiger Reserve.

• Part of Sanjay Dubri National Park originally, Guru Ghasidas Park was set up as a separate entity in Sarguja region of Chhattisgarh after the state came into being in 2001.

Key takeaways 

• The new Reserve also borders Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. 
• This will be Chhattisgarh’s fourth Tiger Reserve after the Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati Reserves.
• the proposal was approved under Section 38V(1) of The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

• Significance

• • Guru Ghasidas National Park is significant as the Asiatic cheetah’s last-known habitat in India. 
  • Wildlife activists and experts believe that converting Guru Ghasidas into a Tiger Reserve is an important step as it connects Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand and provides the tigers with a corridor to move between the Palamau and Bandhavgarh reserves.
  • On the other hand, Bhoramdeo connects Chhattisgarh’s Indravati Tiger Reserve with Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha Tiger Reserve.

National Tiger Conservation Authority

• It was established in December 2005 following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force which was constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganised management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Reserves in India.
• The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended in 2006 to provide for its constitution. 
• It is responsible for implementation of the Project Tiger to protect endangered tigers.