Three Fatehabad villages to have wildlife reserves

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 23

Fatehabad district will soon have three community reserves — protected areas for wildlife — as panchayats of Dhangar, Dhani Majra and Kahalheri villages today offered land to the state government for the purpose.

The decision was taken in meetings of gram sabhas in the three villages today.

Additional Deputy Commissioner JK Abhir, Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate (CMGGA) Anju Arya, Divisional Wildlife Officer Pawan Grover and several other officials attended the meetings.

All three villages are inhabited by members of Bishnoi community, which is known to protest wildlife. The three villages have a fairly good population of blackbucks, black partridges, rabbits, Neelgai and peacocks.

“The Dhangar panchayat has offered 25 acres, Dhani Majra 12 acres and Kajalheri 5 acres,” Arya said.

Under Sections 36 (C) and (D) of the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act 2002, panchayat land can be declared a community reserve by the state government.

Once declared as such, the land ownership remains with the panchayat, but the Wildlife Department provides grants for plantation and other development activities.

“The maintenance of the community reserve is done by a committee nominated by the panchayat,” said Arya.

At present, blackbucks in the three villages have been facing danger from stray dogs and poachers.

The land inhabited by blackbucks in Dhangar village had earlier been acquired for a residential colony of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). It is establishing a nuclear power plant in nearby Gorakhpur village.

As several blackbucks died on getting entangled in fencing installed by the NPCIL, a survey by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, had recommended that land be declared a conservation reserve.

Though the NPCIL had to leave this land, but the idea of conservation reserve could not materialise.

“Now, the state government has agreed to set up three community reserves and panchayats have willingly offered land for the purpose,” said Arya.