The meeting assumed significance as it came in the light of repeated media reports about the absence of tigers in the Panna National Park. The Chief Minister has been extended an invitation to attend a meeting to be chaired by the Prime Minister at Ranthambore National Park on May 23 to discuss a strategy to save the tiger.

At the meeting, forest department officials stoutly defended the Panna National Park management and stood by the claim that the park has 34 tigers. Officials said that a campaign was being pursued in the media to defame the Panna Park management.

The Chief Minister was also apprised about the action being taken by the department against researcher Raghu Chundawat in a case of land transfer involving his wife who is a German national.

The department has also initiated recovery proceedings against Chundawat who had locked horns with the Panna Park management over the issue of dwindling number of tigers.

The Chief Minister had asked department officials to take representatives of the media to the park and show them the tigers to put all speculation about their numbers to rest. It was also decided to enlist greater cooperation of the police to tackle poaching.

At the meeting it was also decided that the state would observe a 'Tiger Week' to create awareness about the big cat.

The Chief Minister also asked the officials to pursue the transfer of Asiatic Lions from Gujarat for the proposed Palpur Kuno Lion Reserve. It was also decided that vacant field posts would be filled up soon.

The meeting, which lasted for an hour, was also attended by Forest Minister Chowdhury Chandrabhan Singh, Chief Secretary Vijay Singh, PS Forest Avni Vaish, PS to CM OP Rawat, Principal Conservator Forest, Wildlife, Dr PB Gangopadhyay, DGP Swaraj Puri and all Field Directors of the Project Tiger Reserves of the State.