The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) seems to have focussed all its energy on the multi-crore Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant, while it has completely ignored its 'home' project - Munak Canal Line Water Project. This despite the fact that the canal can makeup for the 40 per cent water lost everyday.
The Rs 315-crore project, which was started in May 2003 has a May 2006 deadline, but even two years Amid reports that tigers in Sariska have fallen to poaching and similar fears being expressed over other regions, the National Board for Wildlife has constituted a task force to give an account of tigers in the wildlife parks across the country. The probe on disappearance of tigers in Sariska has been entrusted to the CBI.
In a move of great symbolic value, the Union Government has also decided that the Prime Minister or the President cannot gift animals to their foreign counterparts and foreign zoos.Giving a focus to the nationwide alarm over the status of tigers and vultures, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday chaired the meeting of National Board for Wildlife and took decisions aimed at protecting the wildlife from poaching. The meeting included the 60-member court comprising among others Valmik Thapar and the Army Chief, and Environment Secretary and representatives of Rajasthan Government.
To beef up the anti-poaching activities, a National raised over the threat to vultures, the Board has decided to commission a special study on the status of vultures.An official spokesman informed that the task force to give an account of tigers will include forest officials, representatives of civil society and wildlife experts. The Task Force will be asked to give a report on the current status of Project Tiger besides their status in wildlife parks.
The Board also approved to allow access into protected forest areas for professional researchers for purposes of carrying out scientific research.
