A Tiger Conservation Foundation will be formed for the Periyar Tiger Reserve by dissolving the Periyar Foundation. The new foundation will be named Tiger Conservation Foundation, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala.
The foundation is being formed as per the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The Periyar Foundation was formed in 2004 for supporting tiger conservation and allied activities of the reserve.
Finance mobilisation
The new foundation will focus on mobilising financial resources to foster stakeholder development and eco-tourism, the draft regulation says. The governing body of the foundation will be headed by the Kerala Forest Minister. The Principal Forest Secretary will be its vice-chairperson and the Chief Wildlife Warden its member-secretary. Senior forest officials, including the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), and the Chief Conservator of Forests (Eco-development and Tribal Welfare) will be its members and the Field Director of the reserve its executive director.
The draft has suggested including the Idukki MP as a member. The divisional forest officers of Ranni, Konni, Achencoil, Thenmala, Punalur, and Kottayam divisions and the Gavi Divisional Manager of the Kerala Forest Development Corporation will be its executive committee members. They are included for the successful implementation of buffer zone activities and activities related to corridor management. The foundation will own all the assets of the Periyar Foundation. These will be transferred to it by the State government.
It will have its headquarters at Thekkady and the area of operation will be “Periyar Tiger Reserve and its adjoining landscape forming the impact zone with possible corridor value for dispersal of wild animals from the tiger reserve.”
