Uttar Pradesh seeks green ties with India Inc

UP govt has raised its environment and forest department's planned budget by 60% this year to Rs 259 cr during 2013-14

Uttar Pradesh has asked India Inc to assist the government in its efforts to conserve the ecology of the state.

“We welcome corportes to support us in our green efforts and seek their active collaboration and partnership under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and otherwise too,” state principal secretary, environment and forests, V N Garg, said here.

He said UP was committed to preserving and protecting its wild animals, including tigers and other carnivores, forest, greenery and ecology.

The state government had raised its environment and forest department planned budget by 60 per cent this year from Rs 161 crore to Rs 259 crore during 2013-14.

Mobile phone operator Aircel has joined hands with the state government for the tiger conservation project in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in association with the Wildlife Trust of India.

The reserve is estimated to have 115 tigers according to the 2010 census in the terai region.

Rising human population and habitat fragmentation has led to an increase in human-animal conflicts. The project entails setting up a rapid response team (RRT) and primary response teams. The latter would operate in villages and comprise villagers and cops.

The former comprises a fully equipped van containing darting, trapping and rescue equipment. Such a van was flagged off for Dudhwa by Garg here.

Across the country, Aircel supports several RRTs in 39 tiger reserves and sanctuaries.

Garg said the state government had already issued notification regarding a special tiger protection force, wherein sleuths would be put on deputation.

Besides, the proposed lion safari in Etawah district would see the light of the day soon.

Zoo budget
The government had allocated Rs 20 crore and Rs 16 crore to the Lucknow and Kanpur zoos respectively, while Rs 5 crore would be spent on the proposed zoo in Gorakhpur.