Government targets to double tiger population in India : Harsh Vardhan

The Government has set a target of doubling the tiger population in the country, Union Minister of Environment and Forest, Harsh Vardhan on Friday said.

Speaking at an event here in the run-up to the “International  Tiger Day” on July 29, Vardhan said if tigers are conserved, the country will then also be able to protect environment and deal with environmental threats that exist in the world. “To conserve tiger, it is necessary to increase their population.

We have a target of doubling the tiger population,” the minister said noting that India has 70 per cent of the world's tiger population.

The preliminary census data of the ongoing tiger census is showing rise in the population of the big cats in the country, which is a “big thing”, he said.

Environment Secretary CK Mishra said that the issue is not merely tiger conservation, but the creation of a complete ecosystem. He pointed to the critical role of school children, as school children can create a huge impact on the society. Referring to the animal-human conflict, Mishra stated that it is important to understand that it is the human beings who have entered the tiger?s habitat. He also said that though a lot has been achieved, much more still needs to be done.

Director General, Forest and Special Secretary (Environment) Dr Siddhanta Das referred to tiger as the apex species and added that by conserving the tiger, all animals in the food chain are being protected. “If the number of tigers is increasing, it indicates that water security in the country is increasing.

Tiger conservation is symbolic and will save us from water crisis.”