Shillong, April 9: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Bandipur Tiger Reserve as part of a programme to commemorate “50 years of Project Tiger” drew criticism from Congress on Sunday. Congress claimed that while the PM may have made headlines with this, the “reality is absolutely opposite.”
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Today, the PM will take full credit for Project Tiger launched 50 years ago in Bandipur. He will make a great spectacle, while all laws made to protect the environment, forests, wildlife, and indigenous people living in forest areas are being destroyed. He may garner headlines, but the reality is completely opposite.”
On Sunday, while travelling to the Bandipur Tiger Reserves, PM Modi arrived dressed in khaki trousers, a camouflage t-shirt and an adventure gilet sleeveless jacket.
He is the first prime minister to travel to Bandipur Tiger Reserves, one of India’s major tiger reserves.
During “Amrit Kaal,” PM Modi will also announce the government’s plan for tiger conservation and introduce the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA).
According to the state forest department, the National Park was created by incorporating the majority of the forested areas of the former Venugopala Wildlife Park, which had been established under a government notification dated February 19, 194. The area was expanded in 1985 and given the name Bandipur National Park.
In 1973, this reserve was included in “Project Tiger.” Later, more nearby reserve forest lands were included in the reserve, increasing its size to 880.02 square kilometres. 912.04 square kilometres are currently under the management of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
