Tiger State Madhya Pradesh is poised to get its 7th tiger reserve with the state government going forward with the notification of Nauradehi and Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuaries as a combined protected area.
* This new reserve, spanning an expansive 2,339 sq km and around 20km from Bhopal, is yet to be officially named and will straddle three districts -- Narsinghpur, Sagar, and Damoh.
* MP is known for its six tiger reserves : Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, and Satpura. Sources say the seventh will be named ‘Durgavati Tiger Reserve’.
* The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) granted preliminary approval for the creation of this new tiger reserve during a recent meeting of its technical committee, confirmed J S Chouhan, the state's chief wildlife warden.
* Establishment of this reserve is a crucial requirement for the Ken-Betwa River linking project.
* During the third meeting of the Ken-Betwa steering committeein New Delhi, assurances were given that the notification would be issued quickly. J N Kansotia, principal secretary (forest), said that the notification process is currently underway and will be completed soon..
Source : TOI