Mumbai, Dec 12: The State Wildlife Action Plan, which proposes comprehensive measures for the protection and conservation of wildlife, was approved at the 17th meeting of the State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. This action plan was prepared for a period of ten years from 2021 to 2030. Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to prepare such a plan. Chief Minister Thackeray directed that this plan should be strictly implemented.

The meeting was held at Sahyadri Guest House and was attended by Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray, Assembly Member Dheeraj Deshmukh, Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Ashish Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Vikas Kharge, Principal Secretary to the Forest Department Venugopal Reddy and other officials.

Submit a Quick Task Force proposal

The Chief Minister also directed to send a proposal to the government for setting up a rapid reaction force in the state forest department and creation of additional posts for the same.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chief Minister released the book 'Dotted Mumbaikar: Bibte in Are' and also showed an audio video informing about the work done by the Forest Department for the conservation of forests and wildlife in the last two years.

In the State Wildlife Action Plan ...

The State Wildlife Action Plan is divided into 12 chapters on conservation of rare species, control of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife, measures and rescue work on human-wildlife conflict, wildlife health management, conservation of territorial water ecosystems, conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems, wildlife tourism. These include strengthening conservation awareness, public participation, strengthening research and monitoring, ensuring sustainable funding for the wildlife sector, and strengthening and expanding the protected area network in the state. This plan will be implemented in a timely manner by setting up a committee of concerned government departments, governmental organizations in the area, non-governmental organizations.

* Aditya Thackeray *

Minister Aditya Thackeray suggested that a monitoring committee should be set up to see whether the implementation of this plan is going well.

Human-tiger conflict measures

 The meeting discussed and approved the recommendations of the report submitted by the study group set up to suggest solutions to the human-tiger conflict in Chandrapur district. Four areas have been identified and the committee has made important recommendations region-wise.

Human Bibit Conflict Measures

The meeting also discussed and approved the recommendations of the report submitted by the study group set up to suggest solutions to the human bibit conflict. It includes an action plan for the state

The area of ??Andhari Sanctuary is 78.79 sq. Km. I Increased by

The meeting also approved the expansion of the dark sanctuary area of ??the Tadoba Dark Tiger Project and the inclusion of the increased area in the core area of ??the Tadoba Dark Tiger Project. Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over a total area of ??509.27 sq km. The buffer zone adjacent to the sanctuary also has good forest cover and is rich in biodiversity. It was decided to expand the sanctuary to a total area of ??78.89 sq. Km.