Mohan Yadav Unveils Madhya Pradesh's Eighth Ratapani Tiger Reserve
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Bhopal, Dec 13 (NationPress) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav officially opened the Ratapani Tiger Reserve in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, situated close to the state capital Bhopal.
The inauguration ceremony took place shortly after the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change upgraded the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary to a tiger reserve.
Following the ceremony, a cycle rally was held at Ratapani, with participation from numerous individuals, including Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda.
With this addition, Madhya Pradesh now boasts a total of eight tiger reserves, which include Kanha, Satpura, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, Panna, and Veerangana Durgavati.
Moreover, this number is set to rise as the Centre has also approved Madhav National Park (MNP) in the Shivpuri district within the Gwalior-Chambal region.
CM Yadav expressed pride in the fact that Bhopal is the only state capital in the country to host a Tiger Reserve. He extended hearty congratulations to the residents of Bhopal for this achievement.
He also mentioned that the villages located within the Ratapani sanctuary have been placed in the buffer zone rather than the core zone to reduce any potential inconvenience.
CM Yadav highlighted that the establishment of the tiger reserve would enhance the international profile of Ratapani and Bhopal as the Tiger Capital.
"Its proximity to the capital will not only create job opportunities through tourism but will also aid in the effective conservation of forests, tigers, and other wildlife," CM Yadav added.
The Ratapani Tiger Reserve encompasses a core area of 763.812 sq km and a buffer zone of 507.653 sq km. Nine villages, geographically situated within the tiger reserve, are not part of the core area as per the sanctuary's notification, according to a statement from the state government.
The formation of the Ratapani Tiger Reserve ensures that its entire core area lies within the boundaries of the Ratapani Tiger Sanctuary, without altering the existing rights of the villagers.
