World Bank to help Tiger Reserve in Mizoram

Aizawl, Sep 8 (UNI) The World Bank is expected to give Rs 1,700 lakh for maintenance of Mizoram's Dampa Tiger Reserve.

The Dampa Tiger Reserve, situated on the western part of Mizoram along the international border with Bangladesh, about 127 km from Aizawl, is one of the six approved tiger reserves across India to received the WB's aid.

A special meeting of the executive committee on tiger conservation society was held today at West Phaileng, the town adjacent to the tiger reserve.

Chaired by Environment and Forest Minister R Lalthangliana, the meeting deliberated upon implementation of the project that also includes bio-diversity conservation and rural livelihood improvement.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Lalthangliana, also the president of the Mizoram Tiger Conservation Foundation, stated that the programme also seeks to provide people of the surrounding areas with reasonable means of livelihood.

Set up on the basis of the Wildlife Protection Act, 2006, the Mizoram Tiger Conservation Foundation is to look after Dampa Tiger Reserve with Forest Minister as its president, besides members like Phuldungsei MLA, PCCF, DLAO (Mamit), field director (Dampa Tiger Reserve), while Mizoram chief wildlife warden is a member secretary.

The foundation is expected to provide information on protection measures, including future conservation plan, estimation of the population of tigers and its natural prey species, status of habitats, disease surveillance, mortality survey, patrolling, reports on untoward happenings and other such managements.

It is the largest sanctuary of the state, notified in 1985 and declared as Project Tiger in 1994, covering an area of 500 square kilometres.

The important animals found in the area are tigers, sloth bears, leopards, elephants and various species of monkeys, sambhar, barking deer, hoolock, giant squirrels, flying squirrels, wild dogs, wild boars, porcupines, slow lorris and some species of small cats.

UNI ZS KK SBC CS2045