The Chhattisgarh government today decided to declare a new tiger reserve covering areas of Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla wildlife sanctuary in the state, a government official said.
This will be the fourth tiger reserve in the state.
The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at his official residence, he said.
Creation of the tiger reserve will lead to the development of eco-tourism and also generate employment opportunities for villagers living its the core and buffer areas, a government statement said.
As per the recommendation of State Wildlife Board and the consent of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Union Ministry of Forest and Climate Change, the cabinet has decided to notify Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve in an area of 2,829.387 sq km.
It will include areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla sanctuary spread in Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Korea, Surajpur and Balrampur districts, the statement said.
The state's Forest and Climate Change Department has been authorised for further action into the matter, it added.
Additional budget will be received from the national tiger project so that new livelihood development works can be undertaken in villages of the region, the statement said.
Currently, the state has three tiger reserves — Indravati (in Bijapur district), Udanti-Sitanadi (Gariaband) and Achanakmar (Mungeli).
