Context: Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has designated the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve.

• It is 53rd Tiger Reserve of India.

Key Points

• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) approved the Chhattisgarh government’s proposal to declare the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve.
• The new Reserve is located in the northern part of the state, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. 
• This will be the fourth Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, after the Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati Reserves.
• The proposal was considered by the 11th Technical Committee of the NTCA on September 1, and approval was granted a month later under Section 38V(1) of The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 
• (“Tiger Conservation Plan: The State Government shall, on the recommendation of the Tiger Conservation Authority, notify an area as a tiger reserve.”)

Key Importance of this decision

• Wildlife experts and activists in the state believe that turning Guru Ghasidas into a Tiger Reserve is important because it connects Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and provides a corridor for tigers to move between the Bandhavgarh and Palamau Tiger Reserves.

About Guru Ghasidas National Park

• Named after the Satnami reformist hero of the place, Guru Ghasidas, is the result of the carving of Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh in the year of 2000. 
• It is located in the Koriya district of Chhattisgarh.
• The park has undulating topography and it falls under the Tropical climate zone.

Biodiversity

• Flora: The vegetation consists mainly of mixed deciduous forest with teak, sal and bamboo trees.
• Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Jackal, Sambar, Four-horned Antelope etc.

About Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located in the Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh bordering Uttar Pradesh. It is named after Tamor hill and Pingla Nalla.
• Tamor hill and Pingla Nalla are considered to be the old and prominent features of the sanctuary area.

Biodiversity

• Flora: Mixed deciduous forests dominate the sanctuary. Sal and bamboo forests are seen all through.
• Fauna: Tigers, Elephants, leopards, bears, sambar deer, blue bulls, chital, bison and many such animals are found here.

Additional Information
About Guru Ghasidas (1756-1850)

• He advocated equal rights for all the untouchable communities.
• Ghasidas was unlettered like his fellow untouchables. He deeply resented the harsh treatment to his brotherhood, and continued searching for solutions but was unable to find the right answer.
• In search of the right path he decided to go to Jaganath Puri and on his way at Sarangarh (presently in Chhattisgarh) he attained true knowledge.
• The Satnam Panth (sect) is said to be based on these principles formulated by Ghasidas.
• They were honest, industrious and have formed a brotherhood calling themselves Satnamis.
• Satnam means good name by good work Guru Ghasidas through Satnamin principles initiated a socio-religious order, which rejected the premier position of Brahmins and completely demolished the exploitative and hierarchical caste system.