Integrated Learning and Research Centre (ILRC) concerned to wildlife will be set up in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district. The centre will be executing plans under Greater Panna Landscape Development. Wildlife activities of 11 districts in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to be coordinated with this centre. The Government has set to complete the task in 10 years. Greater Panna Landscape Council has been formed consisting 18 members jointly from centre, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The committee is headed by Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Vaish. Field Director, Panna Tiger Reserve Brijendra Jha informed that the Government has approved Greater Panna Landscape Development Plan in its council meeting. He said, for establishment of research centre, 8 to 10 acre of land will be required.

 

A letter will be sent to the district management for requirement of land. He further informed that along with Panna, Chhatarpur, Katni, Damoh, Sagar, Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, Narsinghpur, Maihar and three districts of Uttar Pradesh will be included in the working area of centre. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dehradun has prepared Greater Panna Development Plan after research work of four years. Research team visited the tiger movement areas from 2017 to 2022 for the plan. In this plan, four wildlife corridors will be conserved for better commutation of big cats. These four corridors connect Panna Tiger Reserve to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Umaria, Panna to Ranipur Tiger Reserve, Chitrakoot, Panna to Nauradehi Sagar Rani Durgavati Sanctuary, Jabalpur.

 

After set up of the centre, tigers will have ample space for movement under Ken Betwa Link Project. This will also improve wildlife genetic. Along with tiger conservation, Ghariyal, community development and other task will be held through this centre. Villages under the area will also be developed and local employment will be generated. Indrabhan Singh Bundela, Field Coordinater, The Last Wilderness Foundation says, “Tiger’s popularity will be controlled and better connectivity will be provided. Apart from tigers, other wildlife will have safer movement. This is very vast concept and around 200 tigers roaming in the district will have a source center in the reserve.”