GUWAHATI, July 31 � With the World Heritage site status restored, the Manas National Park is on an upgrade drive vis-�-vis its area, wildlife, infrastructure, management, tourism, and community participation in conservation. Foremost among the plans is to extend the park�s 520 sq km area by another 360 sq km.
�Restoration of the World Heritage status is a new beginning but at the same time we have challenges to meet concerning its overall improvement and management. A plan is on to have the park�s area extended by another 360 sq km besides relocating the swamp deer,� Jagdish Kishwan, Additional Director General (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India told the media today.
The Government of India will be submitting an action-taken report to the World Heritage Committee (WHC) by February 1, 2012, highlighting the status of implementation of the latter�s recommendations made after removal of the �in danger� tag.
�Removal of the �in danger� tag by the UNESCO was conditional and we need to fulfil the commitment we had given to the World Heritage Committee. But we are confident of submitting a positive report card as all-round improvements are taking place,� Kishwan said.
Acknowledging the need to have streamlined flow of funds for Manas, Kishwan said that while funds were getting sanctioned, �delivery� had not been up to the mark and that he would take up the matter �at the highest level with the State Government.�
Kishwan also underlined the need for involving the corporate sector for expediting various developmental works in Manas.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Suresh Chand, said that populations of all the key wildlife species were showing a positive trend and augured well for long-term conservation prospects of Manas. He also said that an integrated mechanism involving greater monitoring, effective management and matching security was being put into place.
Chand said that besides armed home-guards, local volunteers were also being engaged for security purposes.
Vivek Menon, executive director of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said that both the Centre and the State Government had taken note of the conditions set by the UNESCO regarding Manas, and that the meet marked the beginning of the future activities which would not only help improve the individual World Heritage Site but facilitate conservation at the landscape level so that the adjoining areas also got the benefit of Manas.
Menon also gave an account of growing community participation in conservation in and around Manas. He said that a number of local voluntary bodies were doing a good job in the area.
Earlier, a meeting between the Forest Department, WTI, and other stakeholders on Manas and Kaziranga � the two World Heritage Sites of Assam � was held at the State Zoo complex where the promised conservation actions by the Government in respect of the two protected areas came up for deliberation.
The speakers felt that Manas had a lot of potential for growth in terms of area extension, the unique wildlife it supports, and tourism. All stakeholders, especially the local communities, have to continue working together for Manas and for other wildlife areas in Assam including the other important World Heritage Site, Kaziranga, they said.
The meeting tried to bring in all stakeholders for a unified cross-sectoral approach to address the concerns. Diverse issues including a fast flow-funding mechanism for conservation activities in Manas, development of a comprehensive tourism management plan, species recovery programmes, implementation of the integrated ecosystem-based monitoring system, enhancing local community stakeholders, trans-boundary cooperation with Bhutan to declare Manas a �Peace Park� and extension of Manas� boundary as per the �Greater Manas� concept were discussed.
Participants in the meeting included Central Government officials, Assam Forest Department authorities and representatives of NGOs including the International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI). Discussions were predominantly held on the follow-up actions on the WHC decisions with respect to Manas and Kaziranga.
The participants also discussed the proposed upgrade of National Highway-37 that falls along the eastern boundary of the Kaziranga National Park.
GUWAHATI, July 31 � With the World Heritage site status restored, the Manas National Park is on an upgrade drive vis-�-vis its area, wildlife, infrastructure, management, tourism, and community participation in conservation. Foremost among the plans is to extend the park�s 520 sq km area by another 360 sq km.
�Restoration of the World Heritage status is a new beginning but at the same time we have challenges to meet concerning its overall improvement and management. A plan is on to have the park�s area extended by another 360 sq km besides relocating the swamp deer,� Jagdish Kishwan, Additional Director General (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India told the media today.
The Government of India will be submitting an action-taken report to the World Heritage Committee (WHC) by February 1, 2012, highlighting the status of implementation of the latter�s recommendations made after removal of the �in danger� tag.
�Removal of the �in danger� tag by the UNESCO was conditional and we need to fulfil the commitment we had given to the World Heritage Committee. But we are confident of submitting a positive report card as all-round improvements are taking place,� Kishwan said.
Acknowledging the need to have streamlined flow of funds for Manas, Kishwan said that while funds were getting sanctioned, �delivery� had not been up to the mark and that he would take up the matter �at the highest level with the State Government.�
Kishwan also underlined the need for involving the corporate sector for expediting various developmental works in Manas.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Suresh Chand, said that populations of all the key wildlife species were showing a positive trend and augured well for long-term conservation prospects of Manas. He also said that an integrated mechanism involving greater monitoring, effective management and matching security was being put into place.
Chand said that besides armed home-guards, local volunteers were also being engaged for security purposes.
Vivek Menon, executive director of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said that both the Centre and the State Government had taken note of the conditions set by the UNESCO regarding Manas, and that the meet marked the beginning of the future activities which would not only help improve the individual World Heritage Site but facilitate conservation at the landscape level so that the adjoining areas also got the benefit of Manas.
Menon also gave an account of growing community participation in conservation in and around Manas. He said that a number of local voluntary bodies were doing a good job in the area.
Earlier, a meeting between the Forest Department, WTI, and other stakeholders on Manas and Kaziranga � the two World Heritage Sites of Assam � was held at the State Zoo complex where the promised conservation actions by the Government in respect of the two protected areas came up for deliberation.
The speakers felt that Manas had a lot of potential for growth in terms of area extension, the unique wildlife it supports, and tourism. All stakeholders, especially the local communities, have to continue working together for Manas and for other wildlife areas in Assam including the other important World Heritage Site, Kaziranga, they said.
The meeting tried to bring in all stakeholders for a unified cross-sectoral approach to address the concerns. Diverse issues including a fast flow-funding mechanism for conservation activities in Manas, development of a comprehensive tourism management plan, species recovery programmes, implementation of the integrated ecosystem-based monitoring system, enhancing local community stakeholders, trans-boundary cooperation with Bhutan to declare Manas a �Peace Park� and extension of Manas� boundary as per the �Greater Manas� concept were discussed.
Participants in the meeting included Central Government officials, Assam Forest Department authorities and representatives of NGOs including the International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI). Discussions were predominantly held on the follow-up actions on the WHC decisions with respect to Manas and Kaziranga.
The participants also discussed the proposed upgrade of National Highway-37 that falls along the eastern boundary of the Kaziranga National Park.
