Centre to dedicate year 2010 for tiger conservation: Jairam Ramesh

Washington D C, Oct 4 (ANI): The Central Government has decided to dedicate the year 2010 for the conservation of tigers and also to draw international attention on Tiger conservation and protection.

Briefing the media after meeting with world conservation agencies at prestigious Smithsonian Institute Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment, Jairam Ramesh said the Centre would declare the year 2010 as the year of Tigers.

Ramesh said a campaign to save tigers would be launched from famous Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand on Valentine's Day (February 14) next year.

The campaign would end in November 2010 with a tiger consultation meet at Ranthambore National Park, Ramesh added.

He said the campaign would concentrate on establishing India's leadership in conserving tigers.

World's 60 per cent of the tigers in the wild are in India.

Ramesh has however confirmed that the World Bank's support to the efforts launched by India towards the conservation of the specie, which is on the brink of extension.

Ramesh hinted that the Centre is working on to clinch a World Bank project for improving livelihood security in Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, Nagarhole in Karnataka and Kaziranga Assam.

In his presentation during the meeting, Ramesh stressed on the need of involving local communities in Tiger Conservation programmes. (ANI)