First ever survey on presence of elephants in Manipur conducted "Manipur covered under All India Tiger Estimation 2018 exercise"

Imphal, May 04 2018: K Angami, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF&HoFF) said that the first ever survey on presence of elephants in the State was conducted under Project Elephant funded by GoI at two districts namely Tamenglong and Ukhrul in 2017-18.He was addressing the media persons at the ongoing series of press conference organised by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) at Moirangkhom office.

He further said for the first time, Manipur is being covered under All India Tiger Estimation 2018 exercise of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India.

Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul/Kamjong are have high potential for presence of small resident tiger population.

The districts have connectivity through  with Kaziranga National Park and Myanmar forests.

Angami said that the Forest Department also took up the initiative to set up a Conservation-cum-Captive Breeding Centre of the State bird, 'Nongin' in its native area in Shirui, Ukhrul.

The department intensified its habitat management of Sangai and promotion of eco-tourism in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP).

The population of Sangai has increased to 260 (including 75 Stags, 127 Hinds and 58 Fawns) as per estimation of 2016 population, he added.

He informed that the number of visitors have crossed 10,000 during the current year as compared to 6,000 visitors in National Park last year.

He said the Indian Forest Act (Manipur Amendment) Bill, 2018 passed in the Manipur Legislative Assembly in February (Budget Session) will help strengthen the protection network for forest and streamline the regulatory mechanisms for movement of forest produces.

He said Manipur recorded an increase in forest area of 263 sq km in the latest report of India State of RepForestFR), 2017 re ort (ISleased by the Forest Survey of India on February 12, 2018, which records third highest in India after Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

While lauding the department officials, Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) and people including the villagers for playing an important role in conservation of forests, he said that the increase in forest area is a result of conservation, plantations and regeneration which took up under various Central and State schemes.

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