In a bid to make sure a secure abode for wildlife in Jharkhand’s Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR), railways and the state forest division will quickly begin a joint inspection to discover different routes exterior its core space.
If the whole lot goes as deliberate, the inspection to search out out alternate routes for the 2 current strains and a proposed third line exterior the PTR core space is prone to be carried out this month, a forest division official stated.
Wild animals similar to elephants, leopards, gray wolves, gaur, sloth bears, four-horned antelopes, otters and pangolins could be discovered within the PTR. Two situations of tiger sightings had been additionally reported in 2020 and this 12 months.
The forest division has been protesting towards the proposal of the third line for a freight hall from Son Nagar in Bihar to Patratu in Jharkhand passing by way of the core space. An 11-km lengthy railway observe was proposed to be laid within the core space of the reserve.
The forest division had raised concern arguing the proposed line will divide the reserve into two zones because of the frequency of trains and completely fragment the habitat. It is going to badly impression the actions of untamed animals.
The Nationwide Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had additionally warned towards building of one other railway line within the PTR in 2020. Later, the Jharkhand authorities took cognizance of the forest departments’ concern and despatched a proposal to the Railways to shift the proposed line from the core space to the buffer zone of PTR.
“The railways gave its consent just lately to discover the choice alignment of the proposed third railway line and current two strains exterior the PTR core space. The railway tracks shall be shifted to the buffer zone of the reserve,” PTR discipline director Kumar Ashutosh instructed PTI.
One of many first 9 tiger reserves of the nation throughout the inception of Challenge Tiger, PTR was constituted in 1974. Of the 1,129.93 sq km space of the PTR, 414.08 sq km is marked because the core space (vital tiger habitat) and the remaining half because the buffer zone. Of the overall space, 226.32 sq km is designated as Betla Nationwide Park. Within the buffer zone, 53 sq km is open for vacationers.
The primary railway observe was laid in PTR in 1964 and the second in 1974-75.
“The Railways and forest division officers are anticipated to hold out a joint inspection for shifting of the proposed third line and different two strains to the buffer space anytime in April,” Ashutosh stated.
The wildlife consultants have welcomed the transfer saying the initiative will scale back the stress and disturbance within the core space.
Former state wildlife board member DS Srivastava stated that shifting all three railway tracks from the core space will scale back casualties of untamed animals within the area.
He stated, “The prevailing two strains have brought on the demise of a number of wild animals within the reserve. In August 2020, 5 deer had been mowed down by a items practice within the PTR. Some 15 elephants and a number of other different animals like bison and deer had been killed on the observe up to now decade.”
Even when the railway line is shifted from the core space, it would nonetheless be inside the reserve space, which could impression motion of migratory elephants, Srivastava stated.
“I might request railways to offer ample underpass within the reserve space for elephant motion,” Srivastava stated.
The PTR which was teeming with tigers within the Nineteen Seventies reported zero inhabitants in 2018. Nonetheless, a tigress was discovered useless in February 2020, whereas a tiger was noticed roaming within the reserve final month.
The reserve recorded its highest tiger inhabitants in 1995 with 71 tigers. Thereafter, the inhabitants began declining. There have been 44 in 1997, 34 in 2002, 10 in 2010 and three in 2014, in response to a guide written by a former principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Jharkhand, Pradeep Kumar.