LUCKNOW: The ambitious lion safari project of UP government appears to be the latest casualty of strained relations between the state and the Centre, with the latter delaying green signal to it. To end the logjam, chief minister Akhliesh Yadav has written to the Union minister of environment and forest Jayanthi Natarajan seeking her intervention for the ministry's consent to the project.
In a letter dated April 3, CM has sought a clarification if establishing the lion safari in Etawah needs clearance under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. The project was cleared by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in February this year. Its management and the master plan, too, have been approved. But at present the project is stalled, awaiting clearance under FCA from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
Since safari is an "extended zoo", permission from CZA has been secured and is sufficient, said sources in the forest department. Approval under FCA is not needed to set up zoos in the country. But, the regional office of MoEF has raised objections to the project citing reasons that it's a non-forestry activity and to pursue any such activity on forest land, clearance under FCA is required.
The chief minister has sought clarification on the point from the Union minister so that the project gets expedited. The minister is yet to respond to him. The project has been held up for two months since CZA gave its nod in February. All activity has been stopped by the state forest department at the project site after the regional office of MoEF objected to felling of 'babool' trees in the area and sought explanation from the department.
When contacted, chief wildlife warden and PCCF (wildlife) Rupak De said, "We have all necessary clearances and we already have clarification on FCA."
A lion safari and a breeding centre would be set up on 150.83 hectare of fisher forest area in Etawah, which is a reserve forest area. The project mooted by Mulayam government in 2005 was actively pursued by the state till 2007 when Mayawati came to power and shelved it. In March 2012, after SP government came to power, it revived the project. But, presently its fate hangs in balance as MoEF nod is awaited.
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