Cashing-In On Its Lions: Gujarat To Invest Rs 351 Crores On Wildlife Infrastructure Over Next Five Years

The Gujarat government has decided to set up a state of the art hospital to look after the protection and conservation of Asiatic lions in the state at an estimated Rs 50 crores, Desh Gujarat has reported. A host of other measures such as creating five new Safari parks, revamping eight rescue centres and establishing a surveillance system consisting of drones and CCTV cameras were also announced.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the State Board for Wild Life in Gandhinagar chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Details of the planned measures were shared publicly by State Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava. Vasava said that a lion ambulance service and electronic collars for animals were also in the pipeline with the measures amounting to Rs 351 crores over the next five years.

29 proposals for widening and strengthening roads, laying electric lines and optical fibre cables etc. in the protected forest and national park areas were also discussed in the meeting.

Proposals for mining were sent to the National Wildlife Board (NWB) for its approval due to proximity to the eco-sensitive zone in Kutch, while the proposals for nine roads and 14 optical-fibre lines have been sent to the Centre for its approval.