The Supreme Court recently questioned relaxations granted for the upgrade of the Laldhang-Chillarkhal road, a 4.7-km stretch in the buffer zone of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. The upgrade was approved by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which holds authority over projects in and around protected areas. Both the Centre and Uttarakhand government have been asked to provide responses regarding these relaxations.
Understanding the Core and Buffer Areas of a Tiger Reserve
As per the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act of 2006, a designated tiger reserve must contain a core or critical habitat and a peripheral buffer zone. The critical habitat is maintained inviolate for conservation purposes, whereas a buffer zone ensures habitat integrity providing ample space for tiger dispersal. This arrangement fosters coexistence between wildlife and human activity.
About the Rajaji Tiger Reserve
Located in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, adjacent to the foothills of the Shivalik range, the Rajaji Tiger Reserve is part of the larger Rajaji National Park. The park was established in 1983 by merging three sanctuaries – Rajaji, Motichur, and Chila. Named after renowned freedom fighter C. Rajgopalachari, known colloquially as ‘Rajaji’, the park was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2015, making it the 48th such reserve in the country.
Flora and Fauna of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve
The Rajaji Tiger Reserve boasts diverse flora including broadleaved deciduous forests, riverine vegetation, scrubland, grasslands and pine forests. Sal or Shorea robusta is the dominant tree species in this park. As for fauna, the reserve shelters more than 50 mammal species including tigers, elephants, leopards, Himalayan black bears, sloth bears, jackals, hyenas, spotted deer, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, monkeys, with over 300 bird species. Notably, the Ganga and Song rivers flow through this reserve.
Other Protected Areas in Uttarakhand
In addition to Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand is also home to several other protected areas. These include Jim Corbett National Park, India’s first national park, Valley of Flowers National Park, and Nanda Devi National Park, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Others are Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary, Gangotri National Park, and Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary. Conservation efforts in these areas are paramount in maintaining biodiversity and sustaining ecosystems.
