TS Sudhir
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 (Hyderabad)
NDTV’s Save the Tiger campaign has got overwhelming support not just from civil society.
In Andhra Pradesh, legislators across party lines came together to unanimously declare their vote in favour of NDTV’s campaign for the majestic animal.
The only cats politicians generally know are the black cat commandos. But on Wednesday, MLAs in the Andhra Pradesh assembly showed they are a different kettle of fish and that they care for the big cats.
”The concern has moved from the top to the village level. Today’s resolution appreciates the efforts of NDTV and other organisations like WWF,” said Suresh Reddy, Speaker, Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
The House committee on wildlife has in fact made recommendations, worried that the number of tigers in the Nallamalla forest in the state has come down from 77 to 55 in the last 20 years.
”Our House committee has recommended regulation of traffic in the national parks,” said N Manohar, MLA, Congress.
Some voices of concern were perhaps not so practical but nevertheless showed the hearts of the MLAs are in the right place.
”Give two tigers each to every MLA and we will take good care of them,” said Kishen Reddy, MLA, BJP.
”So you want tigers instead of gunmen to protect you,” asked the Speaker to Kishen Reddy.
It is a pity that Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy, who was in his younger days known as the Kadapa tiger for his fiery temperament, was not present in the Assembly when the resolution was moved.
It was a day when all the 150-odd MLAs present in the House agreed that the state needed to take emergency steps to save the real tigers.
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080044513&ch=3/21/2008%2012:26:00%20AM
Dee
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