Parambikulam declared Tiger Reserve
Parambikulam wild sanctuary in Annapadi, Palakkad district, Kerala was declared a Tiger Reserve Mr Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest who made the declaration said that this is the 38th tiger reserve in the country. The Total area of the Tiger Reserve is 643.66 sq km with a buffer zone of 225.3sq km. The Parambikulam Wild life Sanctuary with total area of 285 sq km has been expanded by adjacent forest areas from Nemara, Vazhachal and Chalakudy Forest Divisions.
Mr Binoy Viswam, Minister for Forests and Housing, Government of Kerala, presided over the function. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and this is one of the measures that the Kerala Forest Department is taking to preserve the rich biodiversity of the state, Mr Viswom said. The Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was the safest habitat for the national animal, the tiger. The dwindling tiger in population in India is causing much concern and various measures are being for its conservation.
Mr Viswom said that no harm would come to the plantation in the nearby areas as a result of the development of the tiger reserve. Discussion had been held with local and tribal people, panchayat authorities and owners and workers of the plantations in the area before taking step. Mr Jairam Ramesh has assured that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will relocate and pay compensation to those who had expressed willingness to move out of the core area of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.
The declaration of Sanctuary as a tiger reserve will entitle the sanctuary to additional financial assistance. The sanctuary is home to many endangered and endemic species including 1,500 flowering species, 39 mammals, 49 types of fish, 32 reptiles, 16 amphibians, 61 orchids and 268 bird species.
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