Priyanka Tiwari
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New measures the government is taking to protect wildlife in India were discussed at the meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) that was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the same meeting, he estimated the lion population would be counted in May this year.
In the morning, PM Modi completed his lion safari at Gir National Park. From there, he moved to the Junagadh district which is in Sasan, Gujarat for the NBWL meeting. Other notable attendees of the meeting were Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, and other board members.
Celebrating World Wildlife Day, PM Modi, during the meeting, also granted permission to construct the National Referral Center for Wildlife in Junagadh, and put forth the estimation that lion population would be counted for the 16th time in May this year.
In addition, he launched a new book about river dolphins and a Center of Excellence for the Management of Human-Wildlife Conflict in SACON, which is based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
While attending the meeting, representatives from various states as well as non-governmental organizations that work for wildlife, chief wildlife wardens and secretaries from various states, and the Chief of Army Staff, which sum up to 47 members in total, formed the statutory advisory body for wildlife protection, the NBWL.
Being the head of government makes the Prime Minister an ex officio chairperson of the NBWL while the Vice Chairperson is the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Post safari, Modi posted on X that the efforts put in together have led towards an increase in the Asiatic lion population and praised the efforts from the tribals and women from the neighboring regions who helped in the lion habitat conservation.
"Today in the morning, I traveled to India’s Gir National Park which is famous for housing the Asiatic Lion in celebration of #WorldWildlifeDay. This also reminisces lot of work we did together when I was Gujarat CM,” he said.
"In the last many years, general public were to some extent able to control the rate of increase of Asiatic Lions. Also very notable is the involvement of tribal areas and women from the surrounding region in landmarking areas of seat the habitat of Asiatic Lion," said Modi.
PM also mentioned in another tweet that, "In the last decade, the growth in the population of wildlife such as tigers, leopards, and rhinos shows the growing concern for the wildlife and the willingness to construct viable landscaping for animals.”
The government release claimed that the primary authority has sanctioned in excess of Rs 2,900 crore for Project Lion's funding which is singularly dedicated to Asiatic lion's preservation for which Gujarat serves as the sole habitat.
As per the statement, the Asiatic lions currently live in 53 talukas of 9 districts of Gujarat covering an area of approximately 30,000 square kilometers.
Further, it said that a National Wildlife Rehabilitator Centre is being constructed on land over 20.24 hectares in New Pipalya region of Junagadh district as a constituent of international project.
It said that a modern wildlife tracking and monitoring station along with an advanced veterinary hospital was built in Sasan to enhance wildlife conservation efforts and was also said previously as a reason for the new wildlife center.
The release mentioned that the state government has prepared an SOP to address the potential risks that may arise due to the uncontrolled movement of lions onto railway tracks in the Greater Gir region in partnership with the Railways.
"The release added one such incident is known to have many witnesses".
During his three day trip to the state of Gujarat starting from Sunday PM Modi also visited Vantara, an animal rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation center situated in Jamnagar and prayed at Somnath temple in Gir district.
Vantara is a rescue center committed to the rehabilitation of elephants and wildlife; their abuse and exploitation provides sanctuary, medical care, and rehabilitation to the animals rescued from such acts.
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