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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has approved the formation of a state-level task force to combat organised forest crimes and directed officials to facilitate the transfer of tigers and gaur (Indian bison) to Andhra Pradesh as part of inter-state wildlife conservation efforts.

 

The decisions were taken during a review meeting of the forest department chaired by the chief minister on Thursday, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

 

The proposed task force will be modelled on the State Tiger Strike Force and will focus on tackling organised forest-related offences. Yadav also approved the establishment of a command and control centre at the forest headquarters to strengthen wildlife protection and monitoring.

 

During the meeting, the chief minister directed officials to provide tigers and gaur to Andhra Pradesh following a request from that state. He also suggested efforts be made to obtain wild dogs or other wildlife species in exchange.

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Yadav further noted that Rajasthan had agreed to provide the Sone Chiraiya, or Great Indian Bustard, and instructed officials to secure the birds for reintroduction in Madhya Pradesh.

 

Principal Secretary (Forest) Sandeep Yadav informed the meeting that the birds would be released in the Ghatigaon and Gandhi Sagar forest areas.

 

The chief minister said the state was also pursuing recognition of human-wildlife conflict as a “state disaster”, a move that would enable better coordination among the administration, police, forest department and disaster response agencies in addressing such incidents.

 

Officials said Madhya Pradesh currently has 52 cheetahs, including 32 cubs born in Kuno National Park. Preparations are underway to release two pairs of cheetahs in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur district next month, while the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Sagar district is being developed as a third cheetah habitat.

 

The forest department also informed the meeting that wildlife rescue centres are being established near Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Panna national parks.

 

Among other decisions, the government approved an increase in mineral transportation permit fees, plans to convert 700 forest villages into revenue villages and measures to tackle a rare sal borer infestation reported in Anuppur and Dindori districts.