Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Wednesday met union Minister for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan in New Delhi and urged her not to ban tourism in sanctuaries and tiger reserves, officials said here.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is pending in the Supreme Court to ban tourism in all the national sanctuaries and tiger reserves in the country.

Chouhan put forward the argument that the local people's economic development is ensured due to tourism activities in wildlife sanctuaries and the other wildlife also remains safe.

The chief minister asked Natarajan to make available Rs.1,130 crore funds of CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority). The state has been provided only Rs.104 crore of the fund during the last two years. The state government has sent for sanction various projects worth Rs.519 crore under CAMPA.

Chouhan also demanded Rs.3,300 crore funds for re-settlement of 735 villages from Project Tiger areas. He mentioned that from the point of view of forest reserves, 117 of the villages are highly sensitive.

He also demanded for early allotment of coal blocks for various energy projects by maintaining a balance between development and environment.

In the meeting, Chouhan told Natarajan that coal blocks have been identified in Mandla in Chhindwara district, Mahan, Ageliya and Ageliya North in Singrauli district and Semariya and Pipariya in Umaria district.

Natarajan assured Chouhan that a decision will be taken soon on all the pending projects.

IANS