Jaipur: The proposed notification of the Kumbhalgarh Tiger Reserve appears to be hanging in the balance after the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) 20th technical committee did not record any recommendation on the proposal in the minutes of its meeting.According to sources, the development follows political intervention, with BJP Member of Parliament from Rajsamand, Mahima Kumari Mewar, opposing the creation of a tiger reserve in Kumbhalgarh.
Kumbhalgarh
Mewar wrote to Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav, urging him to reconsider the proposal to notify the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve, citing ecological, livelihood and social concerns.In her letter, the MP said the proposal “appears to be one made in haste” and referred to an NTCA committee report dated Oct 7, 2021.The report stated that “the proposed tiger reserve comprising Kumbhalgarh and Todgarh Wildlife Sanctuaries alone cannot harbour a viable tiger population in the long term.”She argued that the sanctuary supports the Kumbhalgarh Camel Dairy as well as the traditional Raika camel- and sheep-herding community, and that restrictions on grazing could affect 15,000-20,000 camels, accounting for nearly 10% of Rajasthan’s camel population.Mewar also said the area is inhabited by Bhil, Meena, Garasia, Rajput and Meghwal communities, arguing that any displacement of these residents would be unjust.Citing the NTCA report, she noted that Kumbhalgarh is a narrow forest tract, about 200-220 km long and only 3-15 km wide, and is not part of a continuous forest corridor capable of sustaining a viable tiger population in the long term.In Aug 2023, following approval from the NTCA, a 10-member expert committee was constituted to take the proposal forward. The committee later submitted its report to the state govt, proposing a tiger reserve spread over nearly 1,397 sq km across five districts.The expert committee’s report, submitted on Oct 30, outlined the core area, critical tiger habitat and buffer zones. However, during the review process, objections were reportedly raised over gaps in the proposal.An NTCA source said, “The proposal has been deferred and a decision will be taken after the required recommendations and deficiencies are addressed. The proposal does not meet the prescribed buffer criteria.”A senior forest department official, however, said no official communication was received indicating that the proposal had been deferred.“There is no correspondence stating that the proposal has been deferred. We are awaiting the minutes of the meeting,” the official said.
