National
Ensure funds to save tiger, says PM
A committee headed by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has directed the concerned ministries to allocate adequate funds required to meet the target of doubling tiger populations by 2022The decision was made after concerns regarding inadequate funds for tiger conservation programmes in various national parks and wildlife reserves were raised.
The National Tiger Conservation Committee on Monday directed the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Ministry of Finance to mobilise adequate funds to support the conservation efforts focused towards achieving the set target. The government in 2010 set the target to double the number of tigers by 2022 as done by other tiger-range countries. The latest census conducted in 2013 found 198 tigers in various national parks and wildlife conservation in the country.
According to Maheshwor Dhakal, spokesperson at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the meeting also decided to amend the existing provision of compensation for damage and deaths caused by wild animals.
Similarly, the meeting also decided to establish a separate human-wildlife conflict mitigation trust to provide timely and adequate funds to the victims of tiger attacks and those who lose property and infrastructure due to the animal.
Forest Minister Mahesh Acharya said victims of wildlife attacks and those who die while working for conservation should be supported trough an insurance scheme.