MEE TR Web Portal

Introduction

Indravati Tiger Reserve (ITR) is one of the largest tiger reserves in central India (area-wise). The total area of the reserve is 2799.07 km², and the area of the core zone is 1258.37 km² and that of the buffer zone is 1540.70 km². The River Indravati forms the northern and western boundaries of the park. It is also the inter-state boundary between the states of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. The forests of Indravati Tiger Reserve are the last abode of the state animal, the wild buffalo, in Chhattisgarh. Many of the important actionable points suggested by the previous MEE are yet to be addressed by the TR management due to the presence of left-wing extremism in the region.

Management Strengths:

The forests of ITR are part of a very large landscape in central India having a variety of habitats suitable for many threatened species of wild animal and contribute to the population of tigers in the country.
The WII report “Connecting Tiger Populations for Long-Term Conservation” has identified Kanha–Navegaon–Nagzira–Tadoba–Indravati and Indravati–Udanti–Sitanadi–Sunebeda as important landscapes connected through identified corridors. A similar study showing further details was conducted by Space Application Centre Ahmedabad and authorities from Kanha National Park. The report was titled "Study of Network of Wildlife Reserves in Eastern Madhya Pradesh Using Remote Sensing Data”.
ITR has approved the Tiger Conservation Plan and the entire reserve (core and buffer) is under the unified administrative control of the Field Director and his team.
Though surveillance in the area is difficult for the TR management due to left-wing extremism, the forests and habitats of many threatened species are intact and well preserved.
ITR has the last surviving population of the Asiatic wild buffalo in the Central India Landscape, and there is scope for maintaining a viable population of the species in this tiger reserve.
The Indravati River forms the northern and western boundaries of the TR, and many streams flowing through the TR are important sources of water.
The officers and staff have good orientation and are passionate towards wildlife conservation.
The extensive unexplored area of the TR provide immense scope for research in the field of biodiversity values of the TR.

Management Weaknesses:

ITR has been affected by left-wing extremism (LWE) during the last few decades and is not accessible freely/easily for the TR management initiatives.
It is difficult for the tiger reserve management to control the TR landscape fully and implement approved planned activities of the management effectively.
The participation of important stakeholders other than the forest department is severely restricted due to the LWE.
Presence of large number of villages in the TR (core zone—56 villages 6914 families, buffer zone—81 villages and 1,14,422 families) adversely interacting with the habitat of wild animals in the TR.
Local tribes, mainly the Gond, Madia, Halba, Muria and Telenga people of the villages, indulge in their traditional hunting practice of pardas, extension of agriculture by encroachment, illicit felling, cattle grazing, firewood collection and collection of mahua and other MFP.
Although the River Indravati and various streams flow through the tiger reserve, the area faces a scarcity of water during the dry season.
Assessment and monitoring of the floral and faunal diversity on a regular basis cannot be done due to LWE.
The management infrastructure (including protection and communication) in the core area of TR is poor.
Tourist inflow and tourism infrastructure are negligible due to the LWE.
Trained human resources are not commensurate with the size and threats in the TR.
Highly skewed tiger population and populations of prey animals but little scope for intensive management due to non-implementation of planned activities as per the TCP.
Currently no studies or systematic observations are carried out to measure the impact of climate change on the floristic composition of the core habitat.

Immediate Actionable Points:

Though free and unhindered access to the major portion of the TR is restricted due to the LWE, the following actionable points are suggested:

Although a security plan is detailed in the TCP, an immediate security audit as per the standard protocol needs to be done to identify gaps and take appropriate measures to minimize threats in the tiger reserve.
An annual land use land cover mapping based on high resolution digital data procured from NRSA or any other agency will help monitor the forest cover and other attributes remotely.
Actionable points of the previous MEE, mainly, relocation of villages, training of officers and staff in wildlife management, community awareness programmes, implementation of M-STrIPES, interpretation facilities, inter-state coordination, management of human–wildlife conflict, rescue and rehabilitation with development of veterinary facilities, etc. may be pursued sincerely.
Small research projects/inventories/surveys may be undertaken by local college and university students in addition to the major projects proposed by research institutes, departments and universities. The state biodiversity board may take appropriate initiatives in this regard.
Recent sightings and videos of the Asiatic wild buffalo indicate the presence of a healthy breeding population in the tiger reserve. Focused conservation initiatives are required for this proud species of Chhattisgarh state.
Pending the creation of an inviolate space, the TR management has no option other than to bring in an inclusive approach involving local communities for effective execution of planned activities of the TCP. The local officials may incorporate innovative methods in addition to the present approach of participation through EDCs and the schemes of the forest department.
Areas under the impact of changes in climate need to be distinguished from the areas affected adversely by biotic factors in the core of the TR. They must be identified for generating baseline data on the current status of the biodiversity. This could be done by laying out secure sample plots of suitable sizes with representative biota.

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Indravati Tiger Reserve

Introduction

Management Strengths:

Management Weaknesses:

Immediate Actionable Points:

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