In a significant administrative overhaul aimed at bolstering wildlife protection, the Maharashtra government has unified the core and buffer zones of the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) under a single command. This structural shift, designed to enhance management efficiency and fortify tiger conservation efforts, consolidates oversight across the reserve's sprawling landscape in Gondia and Bhandara districts.
A Unified Command for Better Conservation
The decision, formalized through a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the revenue and forest department on Wednesday, ends the previously fragmented management system. Earlier, oversight was split between territorial forest divisions, wildlife authorities, and the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM). Now, the entire reserve—comprising 653.67 square kilometres of core habitat and 652.29 square kilometres of buffer zone—will be directly managed by the NNTR field director based in Gondia.
This move comes after repeated recommendations from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and findings from two cycles of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation conducted by the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), chaired by the Chief Minister. These reviews consistently highlighted the need for integrated governance to strengthen habitat protection, curb wildlife crimes like poaching, and improve coordination on the ground.
Administrative Restructuring and Key Changes
The reorganization merges buffer areas that were previously handled separately by the FDCM's territorial divisions in Gondia and Bhandara. As a result, three forest ranges from the Gondia territorial division will be reduced, and the FDCM will cede control of approximately 13,500 hectares to the tiger reserve authority. The FDCM's remaining jurisdiction in the area will be consolidated under a single administrative headquarters in Bhandara.
Under the new structure, Field Director Piyusha Jagtap will lead the unified command. A total of twelve forest ranges—eight from the Nagzira division and four from the Navegaon division—will now report directly to her. The setup is supported by newly assigned posts and the redeployment of surplus staff from the territorial divisions.
Dedicated Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACFs) will supervise three sub-divisions under the deputy director of the Nagzira division, while one ACF will manage four ranges under the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Navegaon division. The Special Tiger Protection Force units will continue their critical anti-poaching and rapid response duties directly under the NNTR command.
Implications for Conservation and Management
Field Director Piyusha Jagtap stated that the consolidation will eliminate administrative overlaps. She emphasized that decisions related to habitat management, wildlife monitoring, and protection can now be taken with greater accountability and operational clarity. "It will help in better management of human-wildlife conflict, while enabling a focused approach towards livelihood promotion and eco-tourism," Jagtap added.
The resolution also provides the reserve with the flexibility to engage contracted personnel—including drivers, mahouts, and field labour—as needed, allowing for more dynamic frontline deployment. All ongoing forestry and habitat works in the transferred buffer areas will now be aligned with wildlife management priorities, a shift expected to reduce historical conflicts between production forestry and conservation goals.
This integration will be implemented in line with the NTCA's Tiger Conservation Plan for NNTR, which was approved in 2021. While Maharashtra has six tiger reserves, NNTR becomes one of the few in the state to implement such a fully unified administrative control across its legally notified core and buffer landscapes.
Commenting on the state's decision, Shahid Khan, the honorary wildlife warden of Bhandara, described it as a crucial structural shift. He noted it is intended to bolster Maharashtra's tiger conservation at a critical time when tiger landscapes are under increasing pressure from infrastructure projects, mining activities, and habitat loss.
