Wildlife committee clears irrigation project in core of Durgavati reserve, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The SC-NBWL has recommended approval for forest diversion of approximately 272 hectares for the Kopra irrigation project within the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
• The project aims to provide irrigation to 9,900 hectares of Rabi crops in the Sagar district, potentially submerging 13 villages.
• In compensation, 310 hectares of revenue land within the tiger reserve will be allocated for compensatory afforestation.
• The NTCA has raised concerns about the project's potential impact on tiger movement and the region's riparian ecosystem.

Detailed Insights:

• The Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, notified in 2023, was created to offset the loss of over 100 sq km of tiger habitat due to the Ken-Betwa river-linking project.
• The Kopra irrigation project involves constructing reservoirs along the Byarma River and Kopra River, tributaries of the Sonar river.
• The NTCA had previously flagged concerns about the Ken-Betwa project's impact on tiger habitat, recommending the integration of several wildlife sanctuaries into the Panna Tiger Reserve.
• While approving the project, the SC-NBWL has directed the MP Water Resources Division to prevent damage to forests, wildlife, and their habitats.
• The irrigation reservoirs will submerge a total of 1,044.52 hectares, including private, government, and forest land within the tiger reserve.
• The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), MP, suggests the reservoir creation may act as a natural barrier to reduce grazing pressure and potentially benefit the habitat, despite concerns.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Compensatory Afforestation: The process of planting new forests to compensate for forests that have been destroyed.
• Riparian Ecosystem: The interface between land and a river or stream.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA): A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change responsible for tiger conservation in India.