PM Modi praises tiger conservation efforts in ‘Mann Ki Baat’

New Delhi, July 28, 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ speech on Sunday lauded the tiger conservation programmes being implemented by various state governments. He said that India accounts for 70 percent of the world’s tiger population.

Prime Minister Modi said, “My dear countrymen, tomorrow Tiger Day will be celebrated all over the world. In India, tigers are an integral part of our culture.”

Prime Minister Modi said, “We have all grown up hearing stories of tiger incidents. In the villages around forests, everyone knows how to live in harmony with the tiger.

In our country, there are many villages where there is no conflict between humans and tigers. But where such a situation occurs, unprecedented efforts are also being made to protect tigers.”

“One such public participation effort is the ‘Kulhadi Band Panchayat’ campaign, which started in Ranthambore in Rajasthan, where the local communities took a pledge not to go into the forests with axes and not to cut down the trees. With this one decision, the forests here are turning green again and a better environment is being created for the tigers,” he added.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, where local communities, including Gond and Mana tribes, are embracing ecotourism by reducing their dependence on forests and thus preserving tiger habitat.

Sharing the inspiring story of the ‘Chenchu’ tribe of Nallamalai Hills in Andhra Pradesh, who serve as Tiger Trackers, the Prime Minister said, “As Tiger Trackers, they have been collecting all the information about the movement of wild animals in the forest. Besides, they also keep a watch on illegal activities in the area.”

He also mentioned a similar initiative in Uttar Pradesh — the ‘Baagh Mitr Karykram’ in Pilibhit. Under this programme, locals are trained as ‘Tiger Friends’, who ensure that there is no conflict between tigers and humans, thereby promoting peaceful coexistence.

Prime Minister Modi expressed pride in India’s tiger conservation achievements, noting that the country is home to 70 percent of the world’s tiger population. He attributed this success to various conservation efforts, including the establishment of numerous tiger reserves.

He also spoke about the increase in forest cover in India and praised the efforts of the local community for this achievement.

Speaking on the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, Prime Minister Modi mentioned a recent incident in which over 200,000 seedlings were planted in a single day in Indore.

He asked everyone to take part in this initiative by planting a tree in their mother’s name and sharing a selfie on social media, thus “doing something special for both their mother and Mother Earth.” (Agency)