The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd (HSBC) have joined hands to set up a modern environmental training institute in Alwar, Rajasthan,

SC Verdict On Lifting Ban Likely To Attract More Tiger Tourists During Festive Season

Jaipur: It could not have been better than this. With festive season around, it was a gift of sorts for many a tourist in the state as the Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the ban on tiger tourism in reserves across the country. The court has now allowed tourism in 20% of the core area of tiger reserves.

Rajasthan was the worst hit after the ban was imposed on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves. The two reserves in the state -- Ranthambhore National Park and the Sariska National Park -- normally open for tourists from October 1. However, due to the ban this year, the parks had to remain closed, turning away many as the tourist zones in these parks lie mostly in core areas. Now, both will open on Wednesday.

Jaipur: The ambitious but controversial tiger relocation programme at Sariska Tiger Reserve is set to enter the next phase with the introduction of two female and a male tiger in the park before the end of winter.

This will take the tiger count to 10 at Sariska. The forest department is gung ho about the plan, more so after the sighting of the first cubs recently.
Everybody, though, doesn’t share forest department’s enthusiasm regarding the project. The debate on if Sariska is safe for tigers is on with conservationists raising concern over poaching still being a big threat.

Jaipur: With the Sariska tiger translocation project bearing fruit in the form of two cubs, the stage is set for Sariska to get three more tigers. In fact, the second phase of the translocation will see the forest department trying to introduce fresh blood into the 866 sq km forest.

“Plans have been finalized for the shifting of three big cats to Sariska. One of the tigress will be from Ranthambore and two more (one male and one female) will be relocated from outside the state. It could either be from Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra and we are talking to both the states,” says V S Singh, additional chief secretary, environment and forest, government of Rajasthan.

JAIPUR: Nearly 68 hectares of forest land in Tijara area in Alwar will be handed over to the state mining department for mining. The state mines department is preparing a fresh proposal for the same, which would be forwarded to the forests and environment department, which in turn would send it for clearance to the Centre. The final clearance would come from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF).

"The proposal is being worked on and would be sent to forest department by month end,'' a senior officer of mining department said.

Torrential rains continued to pound some parts of the state including Ajmer and Alwar on Tuesday, leaving at least nine people dead. Around two dozen villages in Alwar district faced a flood-like situation after a heavy downpour for the second day running. The Jaipur met office has forecasted heavy rainfall in 13 districts in the next 36 hours, including the capital.

ALWAR: Panic prevailed at a senior secondary school in Alwar's Mundawar area on Monday when over 250 students were taken ill after drinking water. Parents of some children have alleged that someone poisoned the water stored in a tank. The district administration has launched an inquiry and sent the samples of water for examination.

The incident took place at Vimal Senior Secondary School in Chiruki village around 9 am.

Jaipur gets respite; adjoining districts of Dausa, Sikar and Sawai Madhopur continue to suffer

Rains continued to batter half a dozen Rajasthan districts in the eastern and northern parts for the second day on Thursday taking the toll of casualties to 26 in the past 48 hours. Though there was respite in heavy rains in Jaipur -- which had borne the brunt of rains the other day -- the adjoining districts of Dausa, Sikar, Sawai Madhopur and Karauli continued to reel under the impact of unprecedented outpour which the old timers put as heaviest in the past 30 years.

A dedicated team of volunteers to fight for the cause of the river Ganga will be ready soon with a proposed training centre coming up at Bheekampura in Alwar district of Rajasthan offering different courses on the river protection. The “Ganga rejuvenation centre” being opened on Monday will offer five types of training ranging from that of the Ganga sevak (worker) to the Ganga Prabanthak (manager) to Ganga Rishi (saint or expert) free of charge to the aspirants.

“The Ganga now needs warriors for re-establishing the community-driven management of the river.

JAIPUR: The ghost of the Sariska shame have been exorcised. A newborn cub hold much promise, at least momentarily, to erase all the shame that the Sariska tiger reserve brought to the nation after all its tigers were found to have been poached in 2005.

But with the celebrations, conservationist and wildlife lovers feel it is also a time to tread with caution. About 10 to 12 days back, a forester, Ram Prasad was beaten up by villagers at a place in the Sariska reserve that forms a part of the territory tigress ST-2.

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