Raipur: Taking a jibe on health minister TS Singh
Deo lending his support to the Surguja villagers opposing the Lemru Elephant
Reserve project, BJP national vice president and former chief minister Raman Singh
said that there is no point of protesting just for show off.
Taking to media persons on Friday, the former chief
minister said that if you really want to protest, then take a full cabinet
meeting to discuss about the decision of state government regarding Lemru
Elephant Reserve project.
Villagers of about 39 villages of Surguja zone are
opposing the expansion of Lemru Elephant Reserve approved by the state
government. Singh said that the government has approved the project. “In the
cabinet you support the decision of the government, and when you go to Surguja
you talk to those who have been displaced from the project, then you speak in
their favor. It is clear in the project that 39 villages will need to be
partially and completely displaced. Then there was no meaning for its approval.
Today when the report has been sent to the central government, what is the
meaning of such protest?” he added.
Meanwhile, forest minister Mohammad Akbar had clarified
that neither villages will be displaced for the reserve nor it will impact the
community forest land rights. He said that even the fear of elephant-human
conflict is baseless, as on the contrary the reserve would help in resolving
the problem of elephant-human conflict. Akbar emphasized that under the leadership
of Bhupesh Baghel, State Government is committed to protect the rights and
interests of tribal people and forest dwellers. No step would be taken against
their interest.
The cabinet unanimously approved the long-awaited
demand of creation of Lemru Elephant Reserve and paved the way for the protection
of elephant in Chhattisgarh in August last year.
LER will be one-of-its-kind of elephant reserve in
the nation, which will not only serve as protected area and permanent habitat
for the wild tuskers but also to minimize the number of human-elephant
conflicts, destruction of properties, loss of human lives caused due to wild
elephants. Moreover, it will contribute in conserving bio-diversity and
wildlife. It should be noted that with the announcement of establishment of
LER, State government has finally fulfilled long awaited demand and provided
respite to the sufferings of people the elephant affected areas.
LER will be set-up as per the report and
recommendations of centrally constituted Special High-Power Technical Committee
(SHPTC). On the report of SHPTC, Government of India gave its consent for the
formation of LER on 1995.48 sq. kms of forest areas on October 5, 2007. It
includes forest lands of Korba, Kathghora and Dharamjaigarh Forest Divisions.
The technical committee recommendations states that LER will provide huge
protected area for the conservation of wild elephants where they get abundant
amount of water, food and other facilities.
