BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has requested the Centre to sanction Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) for Satkosia and Sunabeda reserves.At present, Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) has been allotted an STPF which is yet to be operationalised in the absence of funds from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). The State has sought Rs 6.80 crore towards expenditure of the STPF for two years.Minister for Environment and Forests Debi Prasad Mishra, who had a meeting with Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday, said on Friday that the State has requested the Centre to sanction protection force for the other two tiger reserves.Satkosia was declared a TR in 2008, while Sunabeda has been accorded in-principle TR status. Mishra said the State Government has submitted a Rs 14.87-crore annual plan of operation for STR while under the biosphere reserve management, proposal for another Rs 2.77 crore was placed. Ramesh has agreed that Rs 10 crore will be released to the State by July, Mishra informed.Besides, the State Government also urged that National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) should give clearance for removal of flowered dead bamboos from Satkosia Tiger Reserve for which the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court had given permission.“Such un-removed bamboos also create fire hazards in the core areas of the tiger reserve. The State Government has also sought that similar permission be accorded for Similipal too,” Mishra said. Instead of collecting the bamboo for commercial purposes, the eco-development clubs and local community can be asked to remove them for their benefit.The Centre has informed that it will release compensatory afforestation funds to the tune of Rs 170 crore by July.
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