Sariska Tiger Reserve and Proposed CTH Redrawing

GS III – Environment

Context

Rajasthan has proposed redrawing the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, potentially benefiting over 50 mines in the region.

About Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH):

• Legal Basis:
  • Defined under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, post its 2006 amendment.
• Purpose:
  • Ensures an inviolate area free of human activity for the long-term conservation of tigers and their prey.
• Regulations:
  • No mining, grazing, or tourism is permitted in CTH areas.
  • Surrounding buffer zones allow limited human use to reduce pressure on core habitats.
• Monitoring Agencies:
  • National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
  • State Forest Departments

Process of Notification and Alteration:

• Identification:
  • Done by State Forest Department with NTCA and expert consultation.
• Gazette Notification:
  • Issued by the State Government after expert review.
• Gram Sabha Consultation:
  • Mandatory under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
• Boundary Change Process:
  • Initiated by the State Government
  • Reviewed by the State Wildlife Board
  • Final approval by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL)

CTH vs CWLH:

• CTH:
  • Applies only to tiger reserves under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• CWLH (Critical Wildlife Habitat):
  • Applies to all protected areas, notified under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, after settling local rights.

Sariska Tiger Reserve

• Location: Rajasthan, within the Aravalli Hills.
• Landscape: Rocky hills, scrublands, dry deciduous forests, grasslands.
• Climate: Semi-arid.
• Flora: Dominated by dhok trees (90% of forest cover).
• Fauna: Tigers, leopards, sambars, four-horned antelopes, etc.
• River: Ruparel River flows through the reserve.
• Historic Site: Kankarwadi Fort, where Aurangzeb imprisoned Dara Shikoh, lies within the reserve.
• Corridor: Part of the Northern Aravalli Wildlife Corridor, crucial for leopard movement.
• Mineral Deposits: Nearby areas have marble, dolomite, limestone, and masonry stone.
• Conservation Milestone:

World’s first tiger reintroduction after local extinction—initiated in 2008 with tigers from Ranthambore.