PM issues action plan to save tiger

Added At: 2010-08-01 7:24 PM
Last Updated At: 2010-08-01 7:31 PM
THT Online

World Bank has pledged USD 9,00,000 to Nepal to conserve tigers, now an endangered species all around the world.

KATHMANDU: Caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Sunday issued a directive to draft a detailed plan of action for a tiger conservation project to be launched with the financial assistance of World Bank.

PM Nepal’s instruction came at the first meeting of National Tiger Conservation Committee held today in the capital.

A major donor agency of Nepal, the World Bank has pledged USD 9,00,000 to Nepal to conserve tigers, now an endangered species all around the world.

During the meeting, PM Nepal stressed on the need to promote conservation efforts for tigers and the expansion of its habitat, adding adjustments should be made in the existing laws if required.

Apart from the Prime Minister, also present in the meeting were Home Minister Bhim Rawal, Forest and Soil Conservation Minister Dipak Bohara, Environment Minister Thakur Prasad Sharma and Law Minister Prem Bahahdur Singh.

High level government officials and representatives from WWF Nepal and National Nature Conservation Fund, among others were also present.

Today’s meeting, assessing the national level efforts made so far in tiger conservation, described the results to be satisfactory.

The meeting also concluded that Nepal has been successful in meeting the commitments expressed in the 15-point Kathmandu Declaration, issued amid an international workshop on conservation of tiger last November. The workshop was presided over by the Prime Minister.

Government statistics reveal that there are now 155 tigers in Nepal, up from 121 last October. Today’s meeting also concluded that Nepal is likely to have 250 tigers by 2015, an estimated target the country had planned to achieve by 2022.

Today’s meeting decided to take initiatives towards establishing a secretariat for networking conservation efforts in South Asia and engaged in groundwork regarding the agenda Nepal expects to raise in upcoming international conference to be held in St Petersburg in Russia later this September.

A cabinet meeting held last Baishak had formed an 8-member committee on conservation of tiger. The committee is led by Prime Minister, with ministers for home, defence, finance, law, forest,

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