In its recent meeting, the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) was informed that the wildlife panel of the state government had "not agreed to" the proposal to build patrol road in the Dampa Tiger Reserve, the biggest sanctuary in Mizoram.
Earlier, the matter was considered by the Standing Committee, headed by Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, wherein it was decided that the recommendations of the State Board for Wildlife be obtained first.
Following the viewpoint of the state wildlife panel and conservationists in NBWL, the Ministry has decided to defer the Border Security Force (BSF) proposal, official sources here said today.
The reserve, covering an area of approximately 550 sq kms, is situated in western part of Mizoram along the international border with Bangladesh. BSF wants 1,520 hectare land along the tropical forests of Dampa, which is home to rich flora and fauna.
Top BSF officials present in the NBWL Standing Committee meeting had emphaised "the strategic need of" fencing the border. They had suggested that while fencing the area, they could leave the required corridors for the movement of wildlife.
BSF had also suggested that an agreement could be signed with the wildlife wing of Mizoram Government for providing specific assistance for anti-poaching and other wildlife protection-related activities.
Opposing the proposal, the conservationists in the panel had said that the people of Mizoram were very much attached as well as sensitive about their national parks and such areas could not be allowed to be used by BSF as construction of a patol road would hurt wildlife.
