MP Govt yet to issue notification for 10 national parks: RTI

The Madhya Pradesh Government is yet to issue final notifications for 10 national parks, leaving them vulnerable to encroachments and endangering wildlife, RTI findings have revealed.

The final notification confirms the extent of a national park, enabling the forest department to protect its boundaries. Some of these parks were established decades ago, yet their final notifications remain pending.

Madhya Pradesh has 11 national parks, the highest in the country. Among those awaiting final notification is Kuno National Park, where the Union government implemented the ambitious Project Cheetah. The others include Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Satpura, Madhav, Sanjay, Van Vihar, Fossil and Dinosaur national parks.

According to information obtained under the RTI Act, the state forest department disclosed that, apart from Pench National Park, the government has not issued final notifications for the remaining parks under Section 35(4) of the Wildlife Protection Act.

The Supreme Court has previously ruled that notification under Section 35(4) of the Act is mandatory for declaring an area a national park or wildlife sanctuary. The apex court emphasised that final notification is essential to formalise such declarations and that park boundaries must be clearly demarcated and notified.

Speaking to The Tribune, a senior Madhya Pradesh forest department official said, “The process to notify national parks has begun. However, final notifications for Bandhavgarh and Kanha Tiger National Parks were issued in 1968 and 1958, respectively.”

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey challenged this claim. “The Wildlife Protection Act came into force in 1972, and the Supreme Court has since made it clear that notification must be issued under Section 35(4). Under which section and Act were Bandhavgarh and Kanha notified?” he questioned.

“If the final notification is not issued under Section 35(4), the parks remain vulnerable to encroachments and boundary disputes,” Dubey warned.