Rajasthan will soon accord the bio-diversity rich Jawai Bandh forests in Pali district the status of a conservation reserve. The rich forests and the water bodies along the Jawai dam in Sumerpur tehsil have a large presence of crocodiles. The wildlife census in 2011 had put their number at 288. The standing committee of the Rajasthan Board for Wildlife, which met here on Wednesday under the chairpersonship of Minister for Environment & Forests Bina Kak, cleared the new conservation reserve under Section 36 of the amended Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The reserve is fifth in the category in the State. The conservation reserves, a concept introduced in the Act through the amendments, replaces the “closed area” concept. The standing committee meeting was attended by Chief Secretary S. Ahmad, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment & Forests, V. S. Singh, U. M. Sahai, Principal Chief Conservator Forests, other senior officials and expert members. The census report of wild animals for three years from 2009 to 2011 was released by Ms. Kak on the occasion. The existing conservation reserves in the State are Jhodbede in Bikaner district, Bisalpur in Tonk district, Soonda Mata in Jalore district and Gudha Vishnoi in Jodhpur district. Rajasthan has a lone community reserve — also introduced after the 2002 amendment to the Act — in Rotu in Nagaur district. Located in the south-western transition zone of the Aravallis on the Jawai river and the Luni river basin, and in close proximity of Kumbalgarh sanctuary, the Jawai dam was built in 1957 for drinking water purposes. Considered to be an ideal location for sighting crocodiles, the area also has a large presence of turtles, fishes and aquatic birds. The Jawai Bandh terrain was declared a closed area in 1983 and after the 2002 amendments it ceased to exist in that category. Ms. Kak said the creation of the conservation reserve would provide a fillip to eco-tourism and help preserve crocodiles, aquatic life in the dam and the leopard and wolf population in the forest. The standing committee also cleared requests for capacity expansion of three mining projects of building stones in Kota district, situated in the vicinity of the Darah sanctuary and other forest areas as per the new directive of the Supreme Court.