(a) whether the Government is aware that private forest lands are within the Buffer Zone of the Silent Valley National Park biosphere reserve; and
(b) if so, the steps taken to acquire the same for maintaining the Buffer Zone around this biosphere reserve?
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI A. RAJA)
(a) & (b) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 62 REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF BUFFER ZONE AROUND SILENT VALLEY SHRI LONAPPAN NAMBADAN DUE
FOR REPLY 6.12.2004.
(a) There are private forest lands around the Silent Valley National Park, which is one of the core zones under the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
(b) There is no proposal under consideration to acquire the private forest lands situated in the Buffer Zone of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve around the Silent Valley National Park.