Project Tiger gets Rs 600 cr Central funds

Tiruchirapalli, Jul 16: The Union Government has earmarked a sum of Rs 600 crore for implementing Project Tiger over a period of five years.

Official sources told UNI here that the amount was not only for tiger conservation, but also for helping people who were likely to be displaced by the project. The project would also help to promote community-based eco-tourism in the buffer zones, they added.There were 36 tiger reserves across the country.The sources said a buffer zone near the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve at Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu was proposed. Under Project Tiger, all the reserves were considered to be critical and Mudumalai qualified to be treated as most critical as along with Bandipur, Kollegal, Sathyamangalam and surrounding areas, it was home to a sizeable number of tigers.

They said the authorities were particular to ensure that the Project Tiger would in no way affect the lifestyle of those residing in the buffer zones of the core areas and relocation schemes would not be implemented without the consent of the people concerned.

Steps were being taken to relocate 358 families residing in 30 hamlets within Mudumalai, they added.

UNI