New Delhi: The Project Tiger Scheme has been under implementation since 1973.
The main objective of the Centrally-sponsored scheme is to ensure a viable population
of tiger in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological
values and to preserve for all time, areas of biological importance as a natural
heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people. Initially, the
Project started with 9 tiger reserves, covering an area of 16,339 sq.km., with
a population of 268 tigers. At present there are 27 tiger reserves covering an
area of 37761 sq.km., with a population of 1498 tigers. This amounts to almost
1.14% of the total geographical area of the country. Tiger Reserves are constituted
on a 'core-buffer' strategy. The core area is kept free of biotic disturbances
and forestry operations, where collection of minor forest produce, grazing, human
disturbances are not allowed within. However, the buffer zone is managed as a
‘multiple use area’ with twin objectives of providing habitat supplement to the
spill over population of wild animals from the core conservation unit, and to
provide site specific eco-developmental inputs to surrounding villages for relieving
their impact on the core.
Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has shown consistent growth in tiger
population since 1993. More than 60 per cent of the protected area is virgin and
unexplored. Today, 61 tigers have been sighted in the reserve during last tiger
census. They were 49, 52 and 57 during 1993, 1995 and 1997, respectively. It is
named after the river Namdapha originating from Daphabum, the highest mountain
peak in the Reserve. Almost the whole of the protected area has a dense cover
of vegetation with high hills, and numerous rivers and seasonal streams. The bottlenecks
of not having roads and remoteness of the large part of the Reserve act as a natural
barrier for its protection but at the same time handicap management activities.
Four
big cats viz. tiger, leopard, clouded leopard and snow leopard are existing in
the Namdapha along with Panther, Sambar, Barking Deer, Himalayan black bear and
Gaur. Hoolock Gibbon, Golden Cat, Marbled Cat, Mishmi Takin, Red Panda, Namdapha
Flying Squirrel, White Wing Wood Duck, Namdapha Shortwing Bird are indicative
of unique faunal diversity of Namdapha.This area was originally Reserved Forests
and was declared as Wildlife Sanctuary in 1972 under Assam Forest Regulation.It
was declared a National Park in1983. In the same year,it was declared a Tiger
Reserve under Project Tiger scheme .An area of 177.425 sq.km of the reserved forest
was added to the Tiger Reserve in 1986.
Prior
to constitution of Arunachal Pradesh, the entire Union Territory was known as
North East Frontier Agency (N.E.F.A.). A scheme for the creation of a National
Park in N.E.F.A. was proposed in 1947 which could not materialize. With initiative
of the Deputy Commissioner of Khonsa, the area was declared a Reserved Forest
under the Assam Forest Regulation in the year 1970 and subsequently the whole
reserve was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in the year 1972. Since 1996-97, every
year more than 50 villagers are taken to Kaziranga, to educate about the importance
of wildlife and its potential in improving the economic condition of the people
through wildlife tourism and other activities.Today, people feel proud about Namdapha
heritage.
Nagarjuna
Sagar Tiger Reserve
Nagarjunasagar
Tiger reserve spreads over five districts, Nalgonda, Mahaboobnagar, Kurnool, Prakasam
and Guntur, in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna river flows through the
Reserve over a distance of 130 km. The multipurpose reservoirs, Srisailam and
Nagarjunasagar, which are important sources of irrigation and power in the State
are located in the Reserve. The reservoirs and temples of Srisailam are major
attraction for a number of tourists and pilgrims from all over the country and
abroad. The Wildlife is generally confined to plateaues during monsoon and in
valleys during summer. The perennial water sources are generally located in the
valleys and the plateaus suffer from acute scarcity for water during summer. Nagarjunasagar
receives rains from South-West monsoon as well as North-East monsoon. The South-West
monsoon is active from second half of June to end September. After a dry spell
of one month during October, North-East monsoon becomes active. This area contains
ruins of the ancient Nagarjuna Viswa Vidyalayam run by the great Buddhist scholar
Nagarjunacharya (150 A.D.). The River Krishna is the oldest river in the country,
which has cut its basin almost 200 m deep. Many water falls such as Ethipothala,
Pedda Dukudu, Gundam and Chaleswaram are amazingly beautiful.
The Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Sanctuary was notified in 1978. It was declared a
Tiger Reserve in 1983. The Reserve was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
in 1992. Before independence, the southern half of the Reserve area was under
the control of the British while the northern half was controlled by the rulers
of princely State of Hyderabad, who maintained it as a reserve for royal hunting.
Major flora of this area are Anogeissus latifolia, Cleisthanthus collinus, Terminalia
spp., Pterocarpus marsupium, Hardwickia binata, Boswellia serrata, Tectona grandis,
Mandelia suberora and Albizzia where as main animal species are Tiger, Leopard,
Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Pangolin, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Mouse Deer, Black Buck,
Chinkara, Chowsinga, Mugger, Python, Cobra and Peafowl.. The area is hilly, considerably
varying from plains to precipitous cliffs. High hills, deep valleys and gorges
are characteristic features. More than 80 per cent of the area is gently rolling
to hilly. The hill ranges contain number of plateau of which Amrabad, Srisailam,
Peddacheruvu, Sivapuram, Nekkanti are note worthy. This reserve has various types
of forests like Southern Tropical dry mixed deciduous forest, Hardwickia forest,
Southern thorn forest and Southern Euphorbia scrub . The ruins of the fort of
Ikshwaku Chandragupta a ruler of 3rd century B.C. are present in the area overlooking
a valley called Nirjivapuram. The ancient fort of Pratap Rudra a king of Kakateeya
dynasty and many other forts are seen on the banks of the "Krishna". An ancient
wall over a length of 105 miles constructed by the Kakateeyas is an interesting
feature. This area contains a number of geo-morphological features e.g. rock shelters
and cave temples such as 1) Akka Mahadevi Bhilam, 2) Dattatreya Bhilam, 3) Umaa
Maheswaram, 4) Kadalivanam, 5) Palankasari. The ancient shrines of Lord Mallikharjuna
and his consort goddess "Bhramaramba" respectively contain one of the 12 Jyothirlingas
and one of the eighteen Maha Shakthi peethas of the country. New initiatives have
been taken to protect the reserve and also to make it flourish. Improvement of
water resources, eco-development activities and involvement of villagers in conserving
and preserving forests help to provide excellent environment to tigers. In the
field of water management, existing small tanks were deepened to ensure more water
storage. Forty check-dams were constructed to increase number of water points
by arresting water in the streams which otherwise would have gone unutilized.
Seventy artificial water troughs were constructed and water is supplied through
tankers as frequently as necessary in high scarcity areas. Salt licks were also
provided Eco-development activities in forest dependent villages have bridged
the gap between management and the communities. The villagers have started realizing
the need for conservation of bio-diversity. More than 115 Eco-development committees
(EDCs) have been constituted in and around the Reserve not only to reduce the
dependency of the villagers but also to check and plug all the smuggling routes
in the forest. Most of the committees have already taken the conservation of the
habitat as a major concern. Apart from this 85 Vanasamrakshna Samithis are functioning
outside the Reserve, which in conjunction with EDCs spare no efforts to destruction
of forest. With the help of these committees, protection level has increased.
- Apr
20, 2009
