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UP loses vast forest cover to Uttaranchal

When the state of Uttaranchal is carved out of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, the new entity would definitely be a gainer in terms of wild life and forest area.

According to Chief Wild Life Warden, UP, Dr Ram Lakhan Singh, the total protected wildlife area of Uttaranchal would be 34,359 sq km, while Uttar Pradesh would be left with just half of that -- 17,259 sq km.

However, he said contrary to the apprehensions of Uttar Pradesh, more than fifty per cent of the prized tiger population would remain in Uttar Prdaesh after the creation of the new state.

As many as 240 tigers will fall within the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh and the remaining 232 will go to Uttaranchal.

All 1,500 chinkaras will remain in Uttar Pradesh, while the entire population of musk deer totalling 2,000 will be in Uttaranchal.

Uttar Pradesh would be poorer as far as other wildlife species are concerned - it will have only 191 of the total of 1,515 leopards and just 31 of 1,531 wild elephants.

According to the chief wild life warden, 24 of the 36 protected areas will remain in Uttar Pradesh

Though at present Uttar Pradesh straddles six ecological zones, it will be left with only the foothills of Terai, the Indo-Gangetic plains and the Vindhya zone after the state's bifurcation.

The ecological zones likely to fall in Uttaranchal are upper Himalayas called the snow-bound zones, lower Himalayas and Shivaliks. All these zones support many rare plants and animal communities.

Dr Singh said: "It is the responsibility of the present generation to preserve our biological heritage. This responsibility will have to be shared by the two states."

UNI

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