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Koka was declared a reserve forest in 1879. It was a shooting block during the Raj era.
The Koka proposal has been sent by deputy conservator of forests (DyCF) R V Karnan to chief conservator of forests (CCF) for Nagpur Circle S H Patil. "I forwarded the proposal two days ago to additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF) for wildlife (East) A K Saxena," Patil told TOI. The proposed sanctuary includes 28 compartments with an area of 8,984.156 hectares leased out to Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and one protected forest compartment of 250.167 hectares of Bhandara forest division. The total sanctuary area comes to 92.35 sq km, equivalent to 4,941 football fields.

Three months ago, during his visit to Navegaon-Nagzira, principal secretary (forests) Praveen Pardeshi had evinced keen interest in Koka forest and had asked the officials to prepare a sanctuary proposal as the area was contiguous to newly declared 151.33 sq km New Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary. Accordingly, then DyCF Yasbir Singh had prepared a proposal of 110 sq km, but as it included three villages - Chandrapur, Sonegaon and Dudhara - it was revised recently by Karnan to 92 sq km by excluding these villages.

"There are no villages in the proposed area now. If declared a sanctuary, it will ease pressure on Nagzira and New Nagzira. Pitezari gate of Nagzira is hardly 20km from Koka," said Karnan.

Wildlife buffs are delighted about the move. Bhandara honorary district wildlife warden Rajkamal Job said Koka had tremendous tourism potential. "It will be 80km from Nagpur and will divert excess flow of visitors from Nagzira," Job said. The three villages around Koka can reap benefits with the help of eco-development committees (EDCs), he added Koka was declared a reserve forest in 1879. It was a shooting block during the Raj era. "The area has good prey base. If similar protection is granted to Lendezari-Gaimukh then entire Pench corridor would be protected," Bhamburkar felt. The committee on 'Rationalization of boundaries of PAs' has already asked the state to increase protected area (PA) network in lieu of reduction of 8,496 sq km Great Indian Bustard (GIB) sanctuary in Nanaj in Solapur to 1,222.61 sq km.