Latest news with #PTR
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
International Tiger Day: Relocation of villagers from Jharkhand's Palamu reserve forest begins
Ranchi/Medininagar, The Jharkhand forest department has initiated a process to relocate residents of 35 villages inside the Palamau Tiger Reserve to ensure that the big cats get a better habitat, officials said on Tuesday. International Tiger Day: Relocation of villagers from Jharkhand's Palamu reserve forest begins Around 160 people living in Jaigir village in the forest limits have already been relocated outside the reserved area, he said. "People of the Jaigir village have been relocated to Polpol, located outside the reserved area, in Palamu district. The process has been initiated to relocate the people of two more villages - Kujrum and Laatu," PTR Director S R Natesh told PTI. Around 35 villages with nearly 10,000 people are located in the core area of the reserve forest, which often leads to human-animal conflicts, another official said. Of the 1,129.93 sq km area of PTR, 414.08 sq km is marked as the core area, a critical tiger habitat, and the remaining 715.85 sq km as the buffer zone. Out of the total area, 226.32 sq km is designated as Betla National Park, and in the buffer zone, 53 sq km is open for tourists. "People of all 35 villages will be relocated outside the reserved area in a phased manner. In the first phase, residents of 10 villages - three in the south division and seven in the north of the PTR - will be shifted," PTR Deputy Director Prajesh Jena told PTI. There are around 80 houses in Laatu and over 50 in Kujrum. Ten families from Kujrum have already been shifted to Polpol, he said. "After shifting the people of the three villages, we will relocate seven more from the Mandal dam area to Lai-Paila Pathal village in Sarju block of Latehar district. Similarly, people of 10 villages will be shifted in the second phase," Jena said. The PTR authorities have set a target to relocate all 35 villages in the next three years, he said. According to the PTR relocation policy, each man, aged 18 years and above, has been considered a single unit or family and would be entitled to either ₹15 lakh in cash or two hectares of land parcel, Jena added. Based on camera images and other evidence, it also claimed to have captured the movement of six tigers. As per the 2023 All India Tiger Estimation report, the reserve had one tiger. Established in 1974 under Project Tiger, the 1,129-sq-km Palamau Tiger Reserve was once considered a habitat for a thriving population of big cats - 22 in 1972 and a peak of 71 in 1995, according to former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests , Jharkhand, Pradeep Kumar's 2016 book 'Main Baagh Hoon'. Thereafter, the population of big cats declined to 44 in 1997, 34 in 2002, 10 in 2010, and 3 in 2014, according to the book. According to wildlife experts, human interference and reduced prey base are the major hurdles to tiger growth. On the occasion of International Tiger Day, the PTR authority organised various activities to spread awareness among people about tiger habitat and the protection of the big cats. A study report on Bison, popularly known as Gaur, was also released on the occasion. The total population of Gaurs recorded in PTR is 68, primarily concentrated in Betla and Chhipadohar East forest ranges, the officials said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
PTR skips Int'l Tiger Day amid rising human-wildlife conflicts
Pilibhit: The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) did not celebrate International Tiger Day, observed annually on July 29 across 13 tiger-range countries, citing recent man-wildlife conflicts in which seven people lost their lives. The event was shifted to Lucknow, said DFO Manish Singh on Tuesday, adding, "As a state-level event was organised at Lucknow zoo, we dropped the idea of celebrating the day at PTR." PTR had previously earned global recognition by winning the prestigious TX2 award in 2020 for doubling its tiger population from 25 in 2014 to 65 by 2018. This year's theme, "Securing the future of tigers with indigenous people and local communities at the heart," stood in sharp contrast to the tense situation on the ground. A senior forest officer, on the condition of anonymity, said, "The main reason behind the event's cancellation was a series of human deaths between May 14 and July 17 in villages bordering PTR. In addition to that, there was local communities' intense aggression against the tigers straying into agricultural fields." However, wildlife enthusiasts criticised the decision. Srajit Awasthi, a wildlife enthusiast, said, "We are disappointed by the event's cancellation. The authorities missed an opportunity to acknowledge community concerns and address systemic issues like staff shortages, funding gaps, and overpopulation." Shivam Kashyap, a lawyer, said that engaging with villagers during the event could have paved the way for meaningful dialogue and solutions.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
PTR plans steps to raise awareness about tiger conservation
1 2 Daltonganj: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) is gearing up for a series of events to commemorate International Tiger Day on July 29. The celebrations aim to raise awareness about tiger conservation and promote tourism in the region. One of the key highlights of the day will be the inauguration of smart classes for the relocated communities of Jaigeer and Kujrum at Polpol. This initiative is part of the ongoing efforts to support the families who have voluntarily moved out of the core areas of the reserve to minimise human-wildlife conflict. In a bid to boost tourism, preparations are underway for a detailed project report on a proposed tiger safari. The safari is planned to be located at Phutwagarh, outside the 1,150 sqkm of the reserve, ensuring it does not disturb the natural habitat of the tigers. The Tiger Conservation Foundation will hold a crucial meeting at Betla later in the day, which is considered vital for the future of the PTR. The event will be graced by state finance minister Radha Krishana Kishore and tourism minister Sudivya Kumar, along with other dignitaries and wildlife officials. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 25 of the Best Cities to Live In Learn More Undo Chief conservator of forest and field director of PTR, S R Natesh, addressed the media on Monday, highlighting the challenges and achievements of the reserve. He emphasised the need for inviolate areas for tigers, citing human disturbances as a significant concern. "We are committed to creating more space for wildlife," Natesh said. The reserve, one of India's first nine tiger reserves, is home to 20 villages with a population of 8,000 people. Natesh praised the voluntary relocation of 22 families from Jaigeer village, who have now settled at Polpol, enjoying a better quality of life. Looking ahead, chief minister Hemant Soren is expected to release the human-animal conflict action plan in early August. This plan, developed with contributions from the WWF and the Wildlife Institute of India, aims to address and mitigate conflicts between humans and wildlife. Natesh also touched upon the ongoing discussions regarding a third railway track through the PTR, describing it as a "well-coordinated effort." Security concerns related to military camps within the reserve were acknowledged, though details were not elaborated.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
‘Man-eater' tigress tranquilised in Pilibhit, to be put in zoo
The big cat had been frequently moving around human habitats. PILIBHIT: A tigress suspected of killing five villagers, including a woman, out of seven human fatalities since May 14 in Pilibhit district, was tranquilised around 6.30 pm on Thursday at Dandia village under Neuria police station limits. The joint operation was conducted by the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and the forest and wildlife division. The big cat had been frequently moving around human habitats, prompting forest teams to comb 20 villages within a 25km radius. The search operation lasted seven days and was supervised by senior forest officials. Chief conservator PP Singh said pug marks found in a sugarcane field in Dandia village on Wednesday evening — about 5 km from Bithra Mandaria, where a woman was killed on July 14 — indicated the presence of the tigress. The field was immediately cordoned off. Using thermal drone cameras, the tigress was kept under surveillance throughout the operation, which was accordingly named 'Operation Third Eye'. Chief wildlife warden Anuradha Vemuri has ordered the big cat's relocation to a zoo due to its repeated intrusion into human settlements. This same tigress was earlier tranquilised on May 25 near the junction of PTR, South Kheri forest division, and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary after it killed two farmers in Nazirganj and Haripur Kishanpur villages on May 14 and 18, respectively. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo She was released near Chuka ecotourism zone but was again linked to a fatal attack on farmer Mahesh Verma in Mewatpur village on June 9, around 20 km away. Timeline of tigress attacks May 14 : A tigress killed farmer Hansraj in village Nazirganj while he was irrigating his field. May 18 : The same tigress killed another farmer, Ram Prasad, in the village Haripur Kishanpur while he was working in a sugarcane field. June 9 : Farmer Mukesh Verma was killed by a tigress in Mewatpur at night while he was irrigating his sugarcane field. July 14 : A tigress killed Dayaram (45) in village Phulhar when he went to inspect his sugarcane crop. July 17 : Krishna Devi (50) was killed by a tigress in village Bithra Mandaria while she was mowing grass in her agricultural field.
New Indian Express
21-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
After two-decade wait, 400-year-old twin forts in Palamau set for facelift
RANCHI: The long-pending restoration of the historic twin forts located inside the Palamu Tiger Reserve has finally received a government go-ahead, ending an over two-decade wait marked by bureaucratic delays and forest clearance issues. According to PTR Deputy Director, Prajesh Kant Jena, a detailed project report for the conservation of the over 400-year-old forts, built by the Chero dynasty, has been prepared and is awaiting final inspection by agencies under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Inside in deep forests on the banks of the Auranga River around 30 km from Medininagar, the two forts — Purana Quila and Naya Quila — were built at the beginning of the Mughal period by the kings of Chero dynasty. 'All the hurdles, which were coming in the way of its restoration, have been cleared and the stakeholders have already given a go-ahead to the project,' said Jena. Now, they have to find out a proper party or agency which can do justice to this cultural heritage, he added.
