President Droupadi Murmu visited the Cheetah Command and Control Centre at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district on Sunday, where she was briefed on the ongoing cheetah reintroduction project and viewed an exhibition detailing its progress.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the President arrived in Sheopur by air from Gwalior, having previously led the state-level International Yoga Day celebrations in Jabalpur and attended a convocation ceremony at Rani Durgavati University.
During her visit to Kuno National Park, President Murmu was accompanied by Governor Mangubhai Patel. She was received and welcomed with a bouquet by the district in-charge minister, Rakesh Shukla.
Senior officials at the park informed the President about the monitoring and tracking mechanisms in place for the big cats. The exhibition she viewed highlighted the milestones achieved since the commencement of the cheetah reintroduction initiative.
The President was apprised that India currently hosts a population of 52 cheetahs, with 49 of them housed at Kuno National Park. Additionally, three cheetahs have been relocated to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur district.
In response to President Murmu’s inquiries about the facilities provided for the cheetahs, officials explained that water pits have been constructed at two-kilometre intervals within the forest area and are regularly replenished to ensure an adequate water supply.
The briefing also encompassed details of the activities and behaviour of cheetahs that were brought from Botswana. President Murmu had previously overseen the arrival of eight cheetahs from Botswana during her visit to the African nation, all of whom were subsequently transported to Kuno National Park.
President Murmu was scheduled to spend the night at Kuno National Park and was expected to engage in discussions with forest department officials regarding the strategic aspects and future plans for the cheetah reintroduction project across India.
A release from the President’s Office indicated that the President was slated to interact with members of the Sahariya tribe, cheetah trackers, tourist guides, and the Kuno field team on June 22.
President Murmu’s itinerary included a return to Gwalior on Monday morning, around 10:40 AM, concluding her five-day visit to Madhya Pradesh before her departure for New Delhi.
The Chenab Times News Desk