Patna, April 20: Former project director and a retired Indian Forest Service officer of Bihar cadre P.K. Sen would head the task force to chalk out plans for developing eco tourism in Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR). A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of State Board for Wildlife here today.

The task force would also suggest ways to bring VTR, the only such reserve of the state, to the national tourism map of the country.

Chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar and attended by a host of senior ministers and government officials, including deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, the board meeting also gave approval for the setting up of a separate task force under the leadership of R.K. Sinha, the dolphin man of India.

Today’s board meeting was held after a gap of five years though rules mandate at least two such meetings a year. The previous meeting of state wildlife board was held in November, 2006. When one of the board members raised the issue during the meeting, the chief minister directed the forest department officials to ensure that the meetings are held more regularly.

Another major decision taken in the meeting pertained to the setting up of two rescue centres, one at Rajgir and another near the VTR, for wild animals. The purpose of setting up these rescue centres is to ensure the safety of wild animals that get injured or stray into human habitat.

On safeguarding vultures, the board decided that departments concerned should ensure an effective ban on veterinary use of diclofenac sodium, a painkiller. It has been scientifically proved that decline of vulture population is linked to the use of this medicine and vultures suffer renal failure after consuming the carcasses of animals that were administered the medicine earlier as this chemical of the medicine accumulates in the tissues of the animals.

Regarding granting permission for killing blue bulls, which have turned a menace for standing crops across the state, the board decided that permission to kill the animal can be given by the district magistrate and sub-divisional magistrates after assessing the ground realities.

The board also approved a proposal for the widening of a very old tunnel on the railway track between Jamalpur and Ratanpur. The tunnel was constructed more than 100 years ago and permission had been sought for its widening work as it falls under Bhimbadh Wildlife Sanctuary.