Madhya Pradesh

• 30 Dec 2024

Madhya Pradesh to Relocate Tigers

Why in News? 

Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the relocation of 15 tigers from Madhya Pradesh to the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. 

 Key Points 

• Largest Relocation of Tigers: 
  • The initiative will mark the largest relocation of big cats from a single state in India.  
    • It aims to bolster tiger conservation efforts across the country. 
  • No specific timeline for the relocation has been finalized yet. 
  • Tigers will be relocated from three: Bandhavgarh, Pench, and Kanha Tiger Reserves. 
  • Out of the total relocated tigers, twelve will be tigresses. 
• Destination States and Distribution: 
  • Rajasthan: Four tigresses. 
  • Chhattisgarh: Two tigers and six tigresses. 
  • Odisha: One male tiger and two tigresses. 

 National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)  

• It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. 
• It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. 
• It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it. 

 Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve 

• It is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh and is spread over the Vindhya hills. 
  • It holds significant historical importance, evidenced by the presence of the renowned Bandhavgarh Fort, along with numerous caves, rock paintings, and carvings throughout the protected area. 
• In 1968, it was designated as a national park and in 1993 was declared a tiger reserve. 
• It is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. 
  • Other important prey species consist of chital, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, langur and rhesus macaque. 
  • Dependent upon them are the major predators like tiger, leopard, wild dog, wolf and jackal. 

 Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) 

• PTR is the joint pride of both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. 
• The Reserve is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh, and continues in Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary. 
  • It was declared a National Park by the Government of Maharashtra in 1975 and the identity of a tiger reserve was granted to it in the year 1992. 
• However, PTR Madhya Pradesh was granted the same status in 1992-1993. It is one of the major Protected Areas of Satpura-Maikal ranges of the Central Highlands. 
• It is among the sites notified as Important Bird Areas (IBA) of India. 

 Kanha Tiger Reserve 

• It stretches over an area of 940 square km in the two districts - Mandla and Balaghat - of Madhya Pradesh. 
• The present-day Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and Banjar. Kanha National Park was created in 1955 and in 1973 was made the Kanha Tiger Reserve. 

MP to Dispose Toxic Waste

Why in News? 

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government has started disposing of 337 tonnes of toxic waste from Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) in Bhopal, 40 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy. They plan to transport the waste to Pithampur in Dhar district. 

 Key Points 

• Supervised Packing and Stacking: 
  • The factory administration is packing and stacking the waste under the supervision of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB). 
  • Specially trained workers are involved in the packing and loading process, taking necessary precautions. 
  • Twelve specially-designed airtight containers are being used for the waste. 
• Short Worker Shifts: 
  • Workers are operating in 30-45 minute shifts instead of regular 8-9 hour shifts to minimize exposure to the toxic waste. 
  • A 250-kilometer green corridor has been prepared to facilitate the safe transportation of waste from Bhopal to Pithampur. 
• Trial Run and Safety Assurances: 
  • In 2015, 10 tonnes of the waste were incinerated in Pithampur under scientific supervision, with results submitted to the High Court showing no harmful effects. 
  • Safety measures include landfill sites with two-layer membranes to prevent contamination and a four-layer air filtration system. 

 The Bhopal Gas Tragedy 

• The Bhopal gas tragedy occurred on 2-3 December 1984, when methyl isocyanate gas leaked, killing 5,479 people. 
• More than five lakh people suffered long-term health impacts, and multiple cases related to the tragedy are still pending in courts.