Madhya Pradesh gets India’s largest tiger reserve in Damoh, to be operational in next two to three months

The Central government has approved a proposal to merge the two wildlife sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh to create the largest tiger reserve in the country spanning 2,300 square kilometres, ANI reported on Sunday.

The Union government has issued a notification regarding the approval of the proposal to merge the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary—located in central Madhya Pradesh covering parts of Sagar, Damoh, Narsinghpur, and Raisen districts—with the Rani Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary in the Damoh district of the state, the report said citing a forest department official.

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The department is working on its plan to make the new tiger reserve operational within the next two to three months, the officials said.

The new tiger reserve will not only provide a safe haven for the area's tiger population, which currently stands at 16 but also boost tourism and development in the region, ANI quoted Damoh's Forest Divisional Officer, MS Uikey as saying.

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He further said the tiger reserve, which will be centered around the Jabera area of Damoh, is also expected to attract more tigers to the area, further enhancing its conservation value, report said.

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Expressing his optimism about the impact of the tiger reserve on Damoh's development, the Forest Divisional Officer said, "This is a big gift for Damoh. Damoh's name will be famous throughout the entire country. Damoh district of Bundelkhand is included in the backward areas but due to this tiger reserve, the possibilities of development will increase."

The reserve will also boost the local economy by attracting domestic as well as foreign tourists, Uikey added.