"Ecologically devastating": Congress' Jairam Ramesh on Centr's plans to redraw Sariska Tiger Reserve boundaries for mining
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): Congress leader and party's General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh attacked the Centre on Sunday for a proposed plan to redraw the boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, allowing 50 mining companies to resume operations.
In a post on X, Ramesh said, 'Now the boundary of the tiger reserve is about to get redrawn. This will enable 50 mining companies which have been closed down to resume operations. Getting the full involvement of local communities in the sustainable management of tiger reserves is essential and goes without saying. But this particular move to reopen the 50 mines (marble, dolomite, limestone, and masonic stone) will adversely impact the tiger habitat - a habitat that has been regenerated in the face of great odds.'
The reopening of mines will fragment the critical tiger habitat, potentially devastating the ecosystem and threatening the tiger population.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, once on the brink of collapse due to poaching, has made a remarkable recovery with a current tiger count of 48. However, a new threat looms large as the boundary of the reserve is set to be redrawn.
https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1939170272407687461
Taking a jibe at the 'double-engine' government, the party leader pointed out that both the union and state environment ministers are from Alwar district, where the reserve is located.
'The Union Environment Minister is from Alwar. So is the Environment Minister of Rajasthan. Surely this double engine cannot be supporting such corridor fragmentation to benefit the mine owners,' the Congress General Secretary's post read.
The Rajya Sabha MP further praised the previous Manmohan Singh-led government for working to preserve the Tiger population.
'The tiger population at Sariska had been reduced to exactly zero by December 2004 thanks to an hyper-active poaching network. This created a nation-wide shock and led to the creation of the Tiger Task Force in April 2005 and to a meeting of Manmohan Singh with chief wildlife wardens of different states at the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in May 2005. Subsequently the National Tiger Conservation Authority came into being in Dec 2005 and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in June 2007,' his post read.
He also praised the efforts for increasing the tiger population, despite certain earlier doubts regarding relocation of Tigers from Panna reserve to Sariska, 'Thereafter along with the Panna Tiger Reserve, relocation was initiated at Sariska -in the face of considerable scepticism from some experts themselves- and today the tiger count stands at a historic high of 48.'
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh suggests that the Supreme Court may need to intervene to prevent the destruction of the tiger habitat, citing violations of its directives.
In May of last year, SC had forbidden any mining activity within a 1 kilometre radius around Sariska Tiger Reserve and also asked the states to formulate closure plans to comply with its order.
Sariska Tiger Reserve is situated in the Aravalli Hills, one of the world's oldest mountain ranges. The reserve is 35 km from Alwar, 250 km southwest of Delhi and 110 km northeast of Jaipur. The former hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Alwar, the Sariska valley, is home to a variety of flora and fauna.
The park has populations of tigers, leopards, Nilgai, Sambar, chital etc. The place is a paradise for bird lovers as it shelters a large population of Indian peafowl, crested serpent eagles, sand grouse, golden-backed woodpeckers, great Indian horned owls, tree pies, vultures and many others. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
RSS has moved on: Shashi Tharoor on Rahul Gandhi's remark that RSS prefers Manusmriti to Constitution
Rahul Gandhi criticized the RSS, claiming they favor Manusmriti over the Constitution after Dattatreya Hosabale suggested reviewing 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble. Shashi Tharoor acknowledged Gandhi's historical accuracy regarding past RSS stances. However, Tharoor believes the RSS has evolved since then, suggesting they should clarify their current views. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit back at RSS for Dattatreya Hosabale's call for a review of the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble by stating that RSS preferred the Manusmriti to the Constitution, CWC member Shashi Tharoor said while Gandhi's statement was accurate in stating what the then Sangh leader MS Golwalkar and others stated at the time of Independence, he (Tharoor) felt "RSS has moved on from those days"."Historically, he's (Gandhi) referring to the fact that it was a criticism expressed at the time of the adoption of the Constitution... But I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days. So, as a historical statement, it's accurate, whether it's a reflection of how they feel today, RSS should be in the best position to answer," he said in Ahmedabad in response to media queries on Gan- dhi's comment.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Centre missed chance to end threat permanently: VBA chief on Op Sindoor
1 2 Nagpur: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar criticized the Centre on Sunday for what he termed a failure to act decisively after Operation Sindoor . Referring to Pahalgam attack, he said, "India has ability to dismantle its adversaries. It was a clear opportunity to resolve the longstanding security threats permanently." Ambedkar was speaking at an event organized by the Phule Ambedkar Intellectual Forum at Parvana Bhavan. Discussing the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) issue, Ambedkar said, "Even Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar lost his first election from Mumbai, and one major reason for that loss was the PoK issue. He always believed that we should either fully integrate Kashmir or let it go entirely. If neither happens, future generations will face the consequences." The VBA chief added that Babasaheb's approach was not supported by certain political factions of the time, which opposed his stance and contributed to his electoral defeat, as Babasaheb had stated then. Ambedkar further criticized the lack of international support during Operation Sindoor, noting that even neighbouring countries, typically seen as allies, did not stand with India. He said no current political party has the courage to openly address the reality. However, he emphasized that those who support Shahu-Phule- Ambedkar Ideologies are in a position to raise these critical issues and must take responsibility for doing so.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Following Trump attacks, Republican Senator Tillis bows out of 2026 reelection race
Republican US Senator Thom Tillis said on Sunday he will not seek reelection next year, a day after President Donald Trump said he would consider supporting challengers to Tillis in response to his vote against the White House's signature tax-cut bill. Tillis was one of two Republican senators on Saturday to vote against opening debate on Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill, a procedural step necessary to advance the legislation. His North Carolina seat is seen as one of the few competitive Senate races in the 2026 midterm elections, when control of both chambers of Congress will be at stake. While the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is considered up for grabs, Democrats face an uphill battle in trying to reclaim a Senate majority. Republicans hold a 53-47 edge, and all but two Republicans up for election – Tillis and Susan Collins in Maine – are in states that Trump carried easily in the 2024 presidential election. Former US Representative Wiley Nickel is the most prominent Democrat who has announced a run against Tillis, but party leaders have been hoping that former Governor Roy Cooper, who remains popular in the state, will jump into the race. In a statement, Tillis made no mention of Trump but bemoaned the political gridlock that has gripped Congress. 'In Washington over the last few years, it's become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species,' he said. Following Tillis' 'no' vote on the tax-cut bill on Saturday, Trump attacked him on social media, saying the senator was making a 'big mistake' and vowing to meet with potential Republican challengers in the coming weeks. Tillis had voiced several objections to the bill, including concerns over how the proposed legislation's cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for lower-income Americans could impact his constituents.
