Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Keeping in view the possibility that Kuno national park cheetah on being released in wild may reach up to Rajasthan, the forest staffers of the neighbouring state would be trained in handling the big cats. A key meeting took place between the forest officers of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in connection with the Cheetah project on Friday.
“During the meeting, we have reached on a consensus that forest staff of Rajasthan need to be trained in handling the affairs related to the Cheetahs. Besides, the veterinary doctors also need to undergo training regarding methodology adopted to treat cheetahs,” said a Kuno officer who attended the meeting.
The inter-state committee meeting was held on the instructions of the CM of both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The management of Cheetah Landscape was the key issues discussed at the meeting. PCCF Wildlife Subhranjan Sen, Kuno National park field director Uttam Kumar Sharma and some other officers of state have gone to Rajasthan to attend the meeting. Likewise, senior forest officers of Rajasthan have turned up for the meeting.
The Meeting was also attended by additional principal chief conservators of forests of the two states, all divisional forest officers of cheetah landscape (Rajasthan) and experts from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. The officials of both sides did parley on the roadmap area of conflict, area of cooperation and area of concern.
Along with this, detailed discussion took place on Cheetah project, awareness about Cheetah among the general public, Standard Operation Process for free range movement of Cheetah and Memorandum of Understanding between both states. Once a cheetah had strayed to the neighbouring Rajasthan and a vast crowd turned up to see it, making the rescue operation difficult. Hence, public awareness in Rajasthan is also required.