Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

[Sanju]

The Indian Lion needs greater inter-state cooperation

Idioms like 'Mera Bharat Mahan' (India is great) and 'Anekta Mein Ekta' (unity in diversity) don’t mean much if states do not unite for the greater, national good. So much of inter-state conflict today is based on fights over natural resources, notably drinking and irrigation water. But there is also another aspect to this – the refusal of states to cooperate with each other for species conservation is a sorry failure.

In 2018, a horrible epidemic broke out amongst the last wild population of Asiatic lions in Gir, Gujarat.

In 2013, the Supreme Court had ruled that lions belong to India, not just to Gujarat, and some lions should be given to Madhya Pradesh to create a second habitat. The fear was that if this was not done, the lone lion population would be vulnerable to epidemic, natural calamities like forest fires, and so on – yet, Gujarat has not given any lions.

Officially, the state has said that the lions are Gujarat’s “pride”  and money for the state does not wish to share them with MP, naming potential poaching or the central Indian heat as a deterrent. This so-called concern though is spurious – lions have historically existed in hot states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Quote:The reality, insiders say, is that Gujarat doesn’t want to share its tourist revenue with MP.

In truth, tourism is most often created by facilities and not just by the view or the animal on display. In these counts, well-organised Gujarat has nothing to fear – and it would be a medal for Gujarati pride to do the right thing for Asiatic lions.

https://www.dailyo.in/variety/india-ecol...29121.html

Quote:In fact, the Madhya Pradesh government has made Palpur-Kuno of Sheopur district in Gwalior division for more than 500 Asian lions. The Government of Madhya Pradesh has spent Rs 14.84 crores for transferring 1543 families of 24 villages here.

https://www.jagran.com/politics/national...93908.html Reply