Rajasthan chief minister inaugurates tiger safari in Nahargarh

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Monday inaugurated a Tiger Safari in Nahargarh Biological Park here, officials said.

During the ceremony Sharma also named two tiger cubs, christening the female cub as 'Skandi' and the male as 'Bheem', they said.

According to officials, the safari, developed across 30 hectares at a cost of Rs 453 lakh, includes a 7 km track and offers tourists a chance to observe tigers in their natural habitat.

This initiative also aims to raise awareness about tiger conservation, they said.

Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary spans 5,240 hectares, in which Nahargarh Biological Park has been developed in 720 hectares and it already houses a Lion Safari.

Addressing the public during the event, the chief minister highlighted that 'Wildlife Week', celebrated from October 2 to 8 underscores the importance of protecting wildlife and preserving nature, an official statement said.

He also announced free entry to the Biological Park for students during the wildlife week, it said.

The Tiger Safari has been developed and will function with joint efforts by the Forest Department and Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), he said.

Sharma emphasised that Rajasthan is focusing on wildlife conservation with three national parks, 26 sanctuaries, 36 conservation reserves, and four biological parks in the state.

He stated that the tiger numbers have been steadily increasing in the state due to continuous efforts by the state government with about 130 tigers currently residing in Rajasthan.

He said that JDA has developed two new parks in Jaipur district, including Nagar Van in Zerota and Biodiversity Park near Nevta. This will benefit the population of 5 lakhs in the surrounding area.

The chief minister further elaborated on the efforts to promote afforestation, including the planting of seven crore saplings under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign and 'Mukhyamantri Vriksharopan Maha Abhiyan'.

The state government is continuously planting trees under the 'Hariyalo Mission' under which 10 crore saplings will be planted every year in the next five years, he added.