MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked the state forest department to submit a proposal for rehabilitation of villages in the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve for its expansion due to a rise in big cat numbers.
The CM said there were 312 tigers in Chandrapur district, over 850 kilometres from here, which in turn had increased instances of man-animal conflict.
"The area of the tiger reserve needs to be expanded to reduce this conflict. Villages around the tiger sanctuaries need to be rehabilitated and villagers must be given cash compensation," the CM said, adding that incidents of tiger deaths needed to be curbed.