There has been delay in setting up of STPF by the states: Government

NEW DELHI: The Government today said there has been a delay in setting up of Special Tiger Protection Force ( STPF) by the states and they are being constantly reminded in this regard.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar also termed tiger conservation in the country a "success" and said the recent assessment of status of tigers in 2014 has shown a countrywide of 30 per cent increase of tiger numbers which has reached an estimated 2,226.

"Based on the recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, it was initially decided that the STPF would be deployed in 13 sensitive tiger reserves of the country having considerable source population of tigers.

"Against a total of 47 tiger reserves at present and 13 sensitive tiger reserves, STPF has been raised, armed and deployed in four tiger reserves namely Bandipur ( Karnataka), Tadoba-Andhari and Pench (Maharashtra) and Similipal ( Odisha)," Javadekar said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

STPF is a dedicated force for protecting wildlife and mitigating human-animal conflict.

He said that the 13 reserves were Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Dudhwa (UP), Corbett (Uttarakhand), Bandipur (Karnataka), Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench ((MP), Tadoba-Andhari and Pench (Maharashtra), Similipal (Odisha), Kaziranga (Assam), Pakke (Arunachal Pradesh) and Mudumalai (TN).

"The concerned states have been reminded constantly in this regard and in-principle approval has been accorded for raising, arming and deploying STPF in Nawegaon-Nagzira and Melghat (Maharashtra), Kawal and Amrabad -- erstwhile Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger reserve portion (Telangana) tiger reserves," he said.

The Minister said assessment of status of tigers, co-predetors and their prey in 2014 using refined methodology has shown a countrywide 30 per cent increase in the number of tigers with an estimated number of 2226 (range 1945-2491) as compared to 2010 estimation (1706 total - range 1520-1909) tigers.

He said the notified core or critical tiger habitat and buffer zones of the tiger reserves constitute 68676.47 sq kms spread over in 18 states which is 2.06 per cent of the country's geographical area where the tiger population is well within the carrying capacity and can hold the current population.

Javadekar said the government through Project Tiger and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has taken a number of initiatives for protection and conservation of wildlife including tiger and includes increase of forest area under effective protection.