Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released the All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 and said the country has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for tigers in the world.
Photograph: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters
The tiger population in the country has grown from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,967 in 2019, according to the report.
"With around 3,000 tigers, India has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for them in world," Modi said as he lauded all the stakeholders involved in the country's tiger conservation exercise.
"Nine long years ago, it was decided in St Petersburg (Russia) that the target of doubling the tiger population would be 2022. We in India completed this target four years in advance. This is the finest example of Sankalp Se siddhi (Attainment through Resolve)," he said.
He invoked two Bollywood movie titles to emphasise the need to expand and strengthen tiger conservation efforts.
The story of protecting tigers that started with "Ek Tha Tiger" (there was once a tiger) and reached "Tiger Zinda Hai" (the tiger is alive) should not end there, he said, efforts towards conservation should be expanded and sped up.
The PM said that the development versus environment conservation debate will continue with both sides suggesting as if these are mutually exclusive, but it was possible to strike a healthy balance between the two.
WATCH: Modi jokes during the release of Tiger Census report
He said that while in the last five years, the focus was on to build next generation infrastructure in the country, there has also been an increase in the forest cover and number of protected areas.
"In 2014, the number of protected areas were 692, the number rose to more than 860 in 2019. Similarly, the number of community reserves were 43 in 2014 and rose to more than 100 in 2019," he said.
He said India will build more homes for its citizens and also create quality habitats for animals at the same time.
"I just want to tell the people associated with this work that the story which started with Ek Tha Tiger and reach Tiger Zinda Hai should not stop there. This will not work. The work towards tiger conservation has to be expanded and sped up," he said.
The All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 revealed that Madhya Pradesh was the country's "tiger state" with 526 of the big cats.
MP had lost the coveted "tiger state" status to Karnataka in 2011. As per the 2018 report, Karnataka is a close second with 524 tigers, followed by Uttarakhand with 442.
MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath congratulated the people of the state and those managing its national parks, reserves, institutes and others establishments involved in tiger protection.
"Tigers are the state's pride and this government will focus on enhancing their numbers further," Nath said.
While congratulating the people of MP, state Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Rajneesh Agarwal said it was alarming that 23 tigers had died in the state since October 1 last year.
