Stepping up efforts to protect tigers in reserves on the border with Nepal, India's apex tiger conservation body on Saturday asked Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to authorise local officials to cross the boundary and hold meetings with the neighbouring country's officials to boost big cat safety.
In a letter to chief wildlife wardens of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) sought authorisation to the states' local officials to coordinate regular meetings for tiger protection in transboundary landscape such as Corbett/Pilibhit tiger reserves in Uttarakhand and Dudhwa tiger reserve in UP which share boundaries with Nepal's Suklaphanta National Park and and Bardia National Park respectively.
The NTCA directed the states to issue authorisation, just like Bihar which has already given permission to its officials to attend coordination meetings in bordering Chitwan National Park of Nepal.
"The Corbett/Pilibhit tiger reserves and Suklaphanta National Park in Nepal, and Dudhwa tiger reserve and Bardia National Park in Nepal share common boundaries and constitute an important transboundary tiger landscape.
"Therefore, it is advised that similar authorisation is issued by the respective state government of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to enable the local officials/staff from both the countries to have regular coordination meetings/visits for strengthening protection and enforcement in the transboundary area," NTCA Deputy Inspector General Nishant Verma said in the letter.
In an office memorandum, Verma said an Indian delegation headed by ADG (Project Tiger) and MS (NTCA) visited Chitwan and Parsa National Park of Nepal and held meetings with the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and the Director General of the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Government of Nepal.
"During the meeting, it was apprised that the Nepal government has already authorised local officers to attend transboundary coordination meetings with the local management of bordering tiger reserves of India. Similarly, the Bihar government has also allowed local officers to attend coordination meetings in bordering Chitwan National Park of Nepal," he said.
Speaking to PTI, Verma said, "This facilitation by the state government is vital as it will help in sharing of information between both countries to enhance tiger protection from criminals and poachers.
"India's tiger reserves share a boundary with national parks of Nepal. Like Bihar, we want UP and Uttarakhand to give such permissions so that there can be sharing of information between them. We want the meetings to be eased out and enhance protection of tigers, share information about criminals/poachers. The authorisation will help officials visit Nepal and share information regarding wildlife crime and both the countries can adapt each other's good management practices," he said.
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