A meeting of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) held under the presidentship of Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister, who is also President of the board, announced formation of 12 new conservation reserves spread in 692.04 sq km and three new wildlife sanctuaries with expansion of Lonar.
Moreover, the meeting also announced formation of 10 endangered wildlife habitats in the State, including Bor, New Bor, expanded Bor, Narnala, Lonar Wildlife Sanctuary and Gugamal National Park from Vidarbha region.
The 18th meeting of SBWL was held at Varsha, the official residence of the Chief Minister, on Monday. As many as 15 conservation reserves have been notified in Maharashtra while eight of them got approval. Now, there is addition of 12 more conservation reserves, Thackeray said expressing his satisfaction.
Of the 12 new reserves, Mogarkasa from Nagpur district spread in 103.92 sq km is the only one from Vidarbha. A proposal for forming Kolamarka, expanded Lonar along with Muktai Bhavani Conservation Reserve was also approved in the meeting.
Thackeray asked the authorities concerned to submit the proposals along with construction work in Jayakwadi Bird Sanctuary for supply water to Aurangad to the National Board For Wildlife at earliest possible. He also asked the take the villagers in forested areas and discuss with them abrout rehabilitation and compensation.
Earlier, Thackeray released a book on ‘Living With Leopards’. Aditya Thackeray, Environment Minister, MP Vinayak Raut, Sitaram Kunte, Principal Advisor to CM, Ashish Kumar Singh, Addl Chief Secretary to CM, Venugopal Reddy, Principal Secretary, Forest, YLP Rao, PCCF and Head of Forest Force, Sunil Limaye, Chief Wildlife Warden, Clemant Ben, Addl PCCF, Wildlife, West, G Mallikarjun, Director, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Jaishri Bhoj, Managing Director, MTDC, board members, experts. Collectors and others were virtually present.
