Announcing to setup a fund for research on wild animals Chief Minister Raghubar Das has called for greater people participation and cooperation for better forest and environmental management.

Chairing a review meeting of Jharkhand Wildlife Protection Board and Palamu Tiger Reserve on Monday the Chief Minister also directed officials to go for massive bamboo sapling plantations across the State. “The step should be taken up after the monsoon is over. Bamboos would not only provide food to elephants but also give source of income to the villagers,” said Das.

He on the occasion also talked about conservation of Dolphins found in Ganga giver at Sahibgunj and stressed over the need to train fishermen about it. The Chief Minister also directed PTR officials to ply two tourist vehicles into the reserve area which is a major wildlife tourism hotspot in the State. 

“We have seen growing number of nature lovers at Palamu Tiger Reserve. Arrange two tourist vehicles over there for the visitors at present and if demand goes up more vehicles can be brought in. The Government is the supporter of a balance between development and environmental protection which would allow both social as well as economic growth,” said the CM.

The meeting also saw discussions taking place for the Radgaon-Mahulia road falling under Dalma sanctuary, Mandal dam, Nature and Wildlife Awareness Center at Koderma wildlife sanctuary and other projects pending at different stages of development within other wildlife adobes of Jharkhand.

Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi, Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Environment Department Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sunil Kumar Barnwal, PCCF (HoF) Sanjay Kumar and other members of the Board were present in the meeting.