Question : FENCING OF TIGER RESERVES

(a) whether the population of tigers has declined in the country over the years;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Union Government has received any proposals from various State Governments including Madhya Pradesh regarding fencing and other safety measures for the tiger reserves;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which these proposals are likely to be cleared; and

(e) the remedial steps being taken by the Government to check the reducing number of tigers in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a), (b), (c), (d) & (e) :- A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b), (c), (d) & (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 566 ON FENCING OF TIGER RESERVES DUE FOR REPLY ON 05.05.2010.

(a) & (b) As per the findings of the recent All India tiger estimation in 2008 using the refined methodology, the total country-level population of tiger is 1411 (mid value); the lower and upper limits being 1165 and 1657 respectively. The State-wise tiger population and area of tiger occupied landscapes are indicated in Annexure-I. The new findings are based on spatial occupancy of tigers and sampling such forests using camera traps in a statistical framework, which is not comparable to the earlier total count using pugmarks.

(c) & (d) A proposal seeking central assistance amounting to Rs. 3910.10 lakh has been received from the State of Madhya Pradesh which, interalia, includes in-situ build up of tiger population within a fenced enclosure in the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve. The State has been advised to incorporate the same in the Annual Plan proposal of the said reserve for the year 2010-11 towards needful action under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger.

(e) The milestone initiatives taken by the Government to protect the tiger are at Annexure-II.