The Bihar government announced on Monday that the Centre has given its nod for a tiger reserve at the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary.

It will be the second such facility in the state after the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in the West Champaran district.

“We have received in-principle approval from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to declare Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve. A proposal to mark the eco-sensitive zone of the sanctuary has been submitted to the central government. Once done, it will pave the way for the declaration of the tiger reserve,” Bihar environment, forest and climate change department secretary Bandana Preyashi said.

Preyashi said the camera traps in the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary have proved the presence of tigers.

“Once the tiger reserve is declared, we have plans to relocate a few tigers from the VTR, where the number of tigers has increased commendably, growing sevenfold in the past 10 years. It has 54 tigers as per the latest report,” she added.

The 1,505 sqkm Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest in the state and is spread across parts of Kaimur and Rohtas districts. It was established in 1979, has tropical mixed dry deciduous trees, boasts of several waterfalls, a wide range of flora and fauna, and the historic Rohtasgarh and Shergarh forts.

Bihar has also got the in-principle sanction from the ‘expert group on zoo designing’ for a biological park or zoo at Raniganj in Araria district. It will be spread over 289 acres and will cost ₹ 467 crore.

“We will start work on the new zoo in the ongoing financial year. It is going to be a very big zoo and will be an achievement for eastern India,” Preyashi said.

The state environment and forest department has also got the state government's nod to establish an incubation-cum-interpretation centre for ‘ghariyal’ (Gavialis gangeticus), considered among the longest in the crocodile family, with the help of the Wildlife Trust of India at Bettiah in the West Champaran district.