Forest dept to develop spl tiger habitat

Asifabad: The State Forest Department’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Dobriyal revealed that the movement of tigers has increased in the district and necessary steps are being taken to create a conducive environment for their habitat.

After a two-day tour of the district, a press conference was organised at the local collectorate on Sunday along with Wildlife PCCF Elusing Mehru, District Collector Venkatesh Dotre, District Forest Officer Neeraj Kumar, and CCF Ramalingam.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that tigers do not attack humans unnecessarily. He said that the arrival of tigers from Tadoba and Tippeshwar sanctuaries in Maharashtra has increased. “Currently, tigers are looking for habitat, and the Kagaznagar forest area is more suitable for this habitat. In this context, a special plan is being prepared in the coming days to develop that area as a tiger habitat centre,” said the PCCF. He mentioned that steps are being taken to develop eco-tourism, grasslands, and establishment of plantations. He said that it is sad that many people have died in tiger and elephant attacks in the dis-trict.

“The area of Tadoba Qawwal Tiger Reserve has become a corridor, due to which the number of tigers in the district has increased. Asifabad district is the only one in the State that has problems in the for-est department,” he said. The PCCF stated that in order to catch tigers, one must take NTCS permission. He explained that a meeting will be held with officials of all departments on development works in the coming days. He said that awareness programmes will be organised in the villages.