The population of Kashmiri stag 'Hangul' in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 218, state government said today.
The Hangul population stands at 218 as per the census for the year 2011 conducted jointly by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), University of Kashmir and various other NGO's, Minister of State for Cooperative Dr Manohar Lal Sharma said while replying to a question.
He added the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment has approved a long term Hangul Conservation Action Plan (HCAP) to the tune of Rs 22.06 crores for the five years in 2008-09.
Sharma, who was replying on behalf of Forest Minister, said against the outlay, an amount of Rs 188.62 lakh were released, of which Rs 158.79 lakh were expended upto 2011-12.
Annual plan of operation for an amount of Rs 226.58 lakh was submitted to the Union Forest Ministry against which funds to the tune of Rs 79.94 lakh has been approved and released by the Union Ministry, he added.
In addition, Ex-situ Conservation Programme is also under implementation under the aegis of Central Zoo Authority in Shikargah, Tral under which a Conservation Breeding Centre has also been established, Sharma said.
