By IANS
Bhopal : The Madhya Pradesh government has fixed the terms of reference for the committee constituted to probe the death of a tiger at Van Vihar national park last week, state Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah said Wednesday.
Six tigers have died in the park in the past 18 months. The last death occurred in the park Dec 6 when Gautam, as the tiger was called, died.
This triggered a debate in the wildlife circles over the security of big cats in national parks in the state and the government set up a committee to look into the matter.
A committee, comprising Chief Forest Conservator (Wildlife) Suhas Kumar, Forest Conservator and director of Van Vihar J.S. Chouhan, A.B. Shrivastava of Veterinary College Jabalpur, and Anil Kumar, in-charge of wildlife health cell and veterinary doctor, state veterinary hospital, was constituted Monday and asked to submit its report within seven days.
Shah said the committee will find out actual cause of death by minutely studying the post-mortem report, make a remark if any indifference or mistake was involved in the treatment of the tiger, and suggest ways to ensure infection does not spread among the wildlife in future.
“Experts have also been invited for necessary inspection and to give suggestion on wildlife management,” the minister said.
At present, Van Vihar national park has 14 tigers, including the two rescued from a circus.