In parts of Bastar forests like the Indravati Tiger Reserve, the situation is so hopeless that the forest officials could not enter the reserve during the last tiger census. As a result, India’s official tiger count does not include the big cats in Indravati.
The Rs 411-crore allocation for the forest-rich Chhattishgarh is part of a Rs 2,041-crore package, suggested by Ramesh to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, for implementing specific plans in the forest administration in seven states, where one of the factors behind the spread of left-wing extremism is insensitive and inefficient forest administration.
The other states covered in the plan are Andhra Pradesh (Rs 269 crore), Jharkhand (Rs 151 cr), Madhya Pradesh (Rs 490 cr), Maharashtra (Rs 310 cr), Orissa (Rs 331 cr) and West Bengal (Rs 79 cr). The additional money will come from the exchequer following the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission.
Published 14 April 2010, 16:52 IST