The Government is desirous of tapping vast areas of Bani and Rajouri-Poonch in Jammu region to have those converted into Wildlife Sanctuary and a Wildlife Conservation Reserve which is a step in right direction and in tune with the need to protect endangered and rare species of wildlife. It is an admitted fact that there has been no dearth of the variety of wildlife in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and in particular in Jammu region but after the culture of the aristocracy to have hunting as a pastime and also as a sign of royalty and bravery, not only the number of such glory of our forests and scenic zones got plummeting day by day but even certain species became either extinct or immensely endangered. To make things worse, poaching and felling of forest trees to make land available for habitation, the pressure on the wildlife reached to alarming position. If all goes hopefully well, with the addition of the sanctuary and conservation reserve in this part of the Jammu region, total number of wildlife sanctuaries would increase to 14 and that of the conservation reserves to 30 in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
To redeem and save such the situation of imminent threat to our wildlife, the Standing Committee of Board for Wildlife as back as in October 2019 cleared the proposals for setting up of the sanctuary and conservation reserve for the wildlife in the belt of Rajouri-Poonch and Bani. Varied flora and fauna too is getting threatened and need proper attention. That is precisely for the reason that Jammu and Kashmir forests and upper reaches are blessed with very valuable shrubs, plants and trees whose various parts are used in making medicines but which are facing extinction and saving them and protecting, conserving and cultivating them in specified demarked places is equally important. With the fast urbanisation and shrinking of forest areas, wildlife is almost on the verge of getting vanished. Any step taken in that direction with regard to protecting, preserving and sustaining such gifts from the nature being constituents and part of ecology and environment, deserves to be appreciated and encouraged.
It may be noted that the famous but almost extinct Tahr is the top most specie of the area, musk deer, Grey Himalayan Goral, Serow (goat antelope), the barking Deer and the Hog Deer are the prominent mammals found in the adjoining areas needed to be protected. The areas for the sanctuary and the conservation reserve, however, must have been found by the experts conducive in all spheres to be feasible and beset with natural advantage and significance. In the same way, some species of the birds too which are found within the limits of the proposed and adjoining areas are of much importance and need to be protected. These sanctuaries and conservation reserves serve the purposes of tourism related advantage also.
Although requisite notifications stand issued in this regard , there should be no inordinate delay at various levels. In that, the role of the Revenue Department is of great significance which we hope would proceed with the proper seriousness and pace towards settlement of various connected rights.
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