MP now seeks Center's help to get Asiatic-lions from Gujarat
What's the story
The Madhya Pradesh government has sought the Center's help in getting Asiatic lions from Gujarat's Gir, which has been delayed by over five years despite a Supreme Court order.
Writing to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, it said the state forest department and Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India feel that the process of shifting of the lions can be started immediately.
Information
Copy of letter received in response to an RTI query
Hence, it is requested to issue necessary direction for the shifting of lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh, the letter said. A copy of the letter was received in response to an RTI query filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey.
Order
SC had said the species 'should have a second home'
The Gujarat government, however, has maintained that it'd wait for completion of studies as per the relocation guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) before releasing the lions, according to the communique.
The Supreme Court had in April-2013 directed shifting of some lions from Gir to Madhya Pradesh by October of that year, saying the species "should have a second home."
Current status
Despite SC order, not a single lion has been shifted
The top court said the relocation will "save it (lions) from extinction, due to catastrophes like epidemic, forest fires, etc".
Gujarat has been opposing MP's request of seeking lions from it.
The MP government had chosen Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Sheopur district of Gwalior division as a second home for over 500 Asiatic lions.
But not a single lion has been shifted so far.
Information
MP has already spent over Rs. 14cr in trans-locating villagers
According to other documents accessed by Dubey through RTI, about Rs. 14.84 crore has been spent by the Madhya Pradesh government in trans-location of 1,543 families from 24 villages of the area to pave way for lions entry into the sanctuary.
Meeting
Madhya Pradesh's Palpur-Kuno ready to accommodate 40 Gujarat lions: Scientist
"Central government must issue a direction to ensure lions from Gir are shifted to MP at the earliest," Dubey said.
This matter of shifting of lions had cropped up in a meeting last September, which was attended by representatives of Gujarat and MP governments besides a renowned wildlife scientist.
In the meeting, the scientist had said Palpur-Kuno is ready to accommodate 40 Gujarat lions.