In a major administrative decision, the Maharashtra government has ordered the transfer of several wildlife sanctuaries—including Kanhalgaon, Ghodazhari, Pranhita and Isapur—from territorial forest divisions to the state’s wildlife department, aiming to bring these ecologically sensitive areas under a specialised conservation framework. The move is intended to strengthen wildlife protection, improve habitat management and ensure focused implementation of conservation plans by a dedicated wing rather than a mixed forest administration.
Officials believe that placing these sanctuaries under the wildlife department will enhance monitoring of biodiversity, streamline decision-making and prioritise conservation outcomes. However, the order has triggered concern among sections of the forest bureaucracy, with apprehensions over administrative overlap and possible disruption in ongoing forest management activities.
Field-level challenges are also being flagged, particularly regarding whether the wildlife wing has adequate manpower, infrastructure and logistical support to manage the expanded jurisdiction effectively. Experts caution that without clear coordination mechanisms between territorial and wildlife divisions, the transition could lead to confusion on the ground.
While the move signals a policy push towards specialised wildlife governance, its success will depend on execution, resource allocation and seamless coordination across departments.
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