(IN) Once again, Gujarat Govt gets ready to fight relocation of lions

[Guest guest]

12-9-2007

 

Once again, Gujarat Govt gets ready to fight relocation of lions

 

Ahmedabad Newsline By Bashir Pathan

 

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=255878

 

Gandhinagar, September 11: EMBATTLED in the recent Gir lion poaching

incidents, the Gujarat Government is preparing for another salvo of Madhya

Pradesh to relocate some Asiatic lions to Kuno Palpur sanctuary in the

neighbouring State. According to Sachivalaya sources, the MP Government has

once again started mounting pressure on the Centre to include the

controversial proposal of translocation of Gir lions in the agenda of

National Board for Wildlife meeting, to be held in New Delhi on October 8.

 

The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is also the

chairman of the NBWL. Among others, the chief wildlife wardens of all the

States are members of the Board.

 

" We are aware that the recent unfortunate poaching incidents may prompt

Madhya Pradesh to reiterate its demand to translocate some Gir lions to Kuno

Palpur sanctuary, and representatives of the neighbouring State may even

rake up this issue at NBWL's meet. But, we will stick to our earlier stand.

We will not shift Gir lions to Madhya Pradesh, " asserts Forest Minister

Mangubhai Patel.

 

Patel told Express Newsline on Tuesday that the State Government had already

informed the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest that the MP proposal

for relocation of Asiatic lions was not acceptable, and that " our government

has already intensified measures to protect the wild cats in and around the

Gir sanctuary " .

 

Gujarat PCCF (Wildlife) Pradeep Khanna, who will attend the NBWL's meeting

in Delhi, said he would hold the government brief and resist any move by his

MP counterpart to raise the Gir lion issue during the deliberations at the

October 8 meeting.

 

He said that even at the June 2006 NBWL's meeting, Madhya Pradesh had raked

up this issue which he and another NBWL member from Gujarat G A Patel had

vociferously resisted the MP's move.

 

Asked, Khanna said there was no denying the fact that three poaching

incidents, two in Gir and one in Bhavnagar district, had been reported over

two months ago in which as many as eight Gir lions were killed. But, the

State Forest Department had then swung into action and booked the culprits

involved in the incidents. Not only this, the department has taken quick

steps to check such incidents and protect the Asiatic lions.

 

Among the protective measures initiated by his department, Khanna said that

of the total 300 posts of " vanya prani mitras " (wildlife friends) sanctioned

by the Government, 180 were already recruited, besides 100 new posts of

forest guards have been filled up. Moreover, as many as 100 motorcycles, 10

jeeps equipped with wireless sets and 75 walkie-talkie handsets have been

purchased, while the department is in the process of purchasing 25 .12 bore

guns and 10 revolvers for its staff protecting the Gir sanctuary, he said.

 

When contacted, former NBWL member and chief wildlife warden G A Patel said

there was no question of the State conceding to the demand of shifting Gir

lions to Madhya Pradesh because similar experiments had miserable failed in

the past. " Since Kuno Palpur sanctuary has had some tigers, it's not

advisable to shift Gir lions there, as there are bound to be frequent

clashes between the two carnivores over territories. It has been observed

that tigers and lions can never co-exist " , he contends.

[Guest guest]

Let the Wildlife in freedom. They cannot be bound by the so-called boundaries

formed on the basis of language, caste, creed and so on.

The politicians should not be prejudiced, they should follow the scientific

advice.

SKJ

 

 

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 Kishore Kotecha wrote :

>12-9-2007

>

>Once again, Gujarat Govt gets ready to fight relocation of lions

>

>Ahmedabad Newsline By Bashir Pathan

>

>http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=255878

>

>Gandhinagar, September 11: EMBATTLED in the recent Gir lion poaching

>incidents, the Gujarat Government is preparing for another salvo of Madhya

>Pradesh to relocate some Asiatic lions to Kuno Palpur sanctuary in the

>neighbouring State. According to Sachivalaya sources, the MP Government has

>once again started mounting pressure on the Centre to include the

>controversial proposal of translocation of Gir lions in the agenda of

>National Board for Wildlife meeting, to be held in New Delhi on October 8.

>

>The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is also the

>chairman of the NBWL. Among others, the chief wildlife wardens of all the

>States are members of the Board.

>

> " We are aware that the recent unfortunate poaching incidents may prompt

>Madhya Pradesh to reiterate its demand to translocate some Gir lions to Kuno

>Palpur sanctuary, and representatives of the neighbouring State may even

>rake up this issue at NBWL's meet. But, we will stick to our earlier stand.

>We will not shift Gir lions to Madhya Pradesh, " asserts Forest Minister

>Mangubhai Patel.

>

>Patel told Express Newsline on Tuesday that the State Government had already

>informed the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest that the MP proposal

>for relocation of Asiatic lions was not acceptable, and that " our government

>has already intensified measures to protect the wild cats in and around the

>Gir sanctuary " .

>

>Gujarat PCCF (Wildlife) Pradeep Khanna, who will attend the NBWL's meeting

>in Delhi, said he would hold the government brief and resist any move by his

>MP counterpart to raise the Gir lion issue during the deliberations at the

>October 8 meeting.

>

>He said that even at the June 2006 NBWL's meeting, Madhya Pradesh had raked

>up this issue which he and another NBWL member from Gujarat G A Patel had

>vociferously resisted the MP's move.

>

>Asked, Khanna said there was no denying the fact that three poaching

>incidents, two in Gir and one in Bhavnagar district, had been reported over

>two months ago in which as many as eight Gir lions were killed. But, the

>State Forest Department had then swung into action and booked the culprits

>involved in the incidents. Not only this, the department has taken quick

>steps to check such incidents and protect the Asiatic lions.

>

>Among the protective measures initiated by his department, Khanna said that

>of the total 300 posts of " vanya prani mitras " (wildlife friends) sanctioned

>by the Government, 180 were already recruited, besides 100 new posts of

>forest guards have been filled up. Moreover, as many as 100 motorcycles, 10

>jeeps equipped with wireless sets and 75 walkie-talkie handsets have been

>purchased, while the department is in the process of purchasing 25 .12 bore

>guns and 10 revolvers for its staff protecting the Gir sanctuary, he said.

>

>When contacted, former NBWL member and chief wildlife warden G A Patel said

>there was no question of the State conceding to the demand of shifting Gir

>lions to Madhya Pradesh because similar experiments had miserable failed in

>the past. " Since Kuno Palpur sanctuary has had some tigers, it's not

>advisable to shift Gir lions there, as there are bound to be frequent

>clashes between the two carnivores over territories. It has been observed

>that tigers and lions can never co-exist " , he contends.