Pandora BoxNathwani advocates case of Lion for national status
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- Pandora Box
- Tuesday, 13 March 2012 22:49
- Published on Tuesday, 13 March 2012 22:49
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Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
Parimal Nathwani, Rajya Sabha member has raised in the House a case for making lion National Animal instead of Tiger. However, Environment and Forest Minister Jayanti Natrajan made it clear that Bengal tiger continued to be our national animal and there was no proposal under consideration with the government to replace it with the Asiatic lion.
The government’s reply stated that tiger was adopted as our national animal in place of lion in a meeting of the Indian Board for Wildlife held in 1972. The main reasons were that tiger was important worldwide, secondly it existed in as many as 16 states in the country and third the need for its strict protection; whereas lion was found only in one State.
The government however confirmed the fact that the Gir forest was the only wild population of Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica in the world. The population of Asiatic lions in Gir National Park, Sanctuary and other areas of Greater Gir was estimated at 411 by the Government of Gujarat in 2010; the reply added.
The reply informed that the planning commission had approved in principle a project for ‘Conservation of Asiatic lion in Greater Gir Region’ to be implemented by Government of Gujarat over a period of five years at the cost of Rs. 262.36 crores including central assistance of Rs. 236.63 crores. The project also included creation of infrastructure for promotion of eco tourism in the Gir Forest.
Mr. Nathwani who is an ardent lover of Gir forest and the Asiatic lion, believes that Gir Lion has a strong case to be a national animal. He said that our national emblem too contained the figures of lions which itself should be sufficient for making lion as national animal. Further, he said he would continue his drive for the cause of Gir lions. He added that it was high time there was a high power ‘Project Gir Lions’ headed by not less than the prime minister on the line of the one ‘Project Tiger’.
His question about elevated status for Asiatic lion came up during question hour. Nathwani also met the minister and demanded more funds for the Asiatic lions. Â Â
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