Project Tiger: PM to take on poachers

Manmohan agreed to head the steering committee to give it political clout.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday agreed to head the Project Tiger steering committee to give it political clout even as the government announced it would set up a wildlife crime bureau to crack down on poaching.

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These decisions were announced after a meeting between Manmohan Singh and the task force appointed by the government to examine a drastic fall in the number of tigers in reserves and sanctuaries like Sariska in Rajasthan.

The task force also submitted its final report during the meeting held at the prime minister's official residence at 7 Race Course Road here.

Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment and chairperson of the task force, announced after the meeting that Manmohan Singh had agreed to head the steering committee for Project Tiger and to convert it into a statutory body to give it more teeth.

The wildlife crime bureau, a new body, would be set up to deal with issues like poaching, she said.

The environment and forest ministry would also be asked to submit a report within three months on ensuring "proper co-existence" of wildlife and tribals who live in reserve forests, Narain said.