IndianOil pitches in with Rs 50 crore to fuel return of Cheetahs after 70 years

Public sector oil giant  IndianOil is contributing Rs 50.22 crore in its collaboration  with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for the transcontinental relocation of  Cheetahs in India to revive the species seven decades after the animal was declared extinct in 1952.

IndianOil Press Release – IndianOil fuels Cheetah’s arrival to India after 70 years

The first Cheetahs, flown in from Namibia, will be released in the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17th September 2022.

IndianOil will contribute Rs.50.22 crore over five years for the project components, including cheetah introduction, habitat management & protection, ecological  development, staff training and veterinary healthcare.

The Cheetah introduction project in Kuno National Park involves creating a 500-hectare predator-proof enclosure for a soft release of the feline. Initially, the Cheetahs will be housed in specially designed quarantine enclosures in Kuno National Park for observation from the point of view of health and disease risk assessment. Subsequently, after the post-import quarantine, the animals will be released in larger enclosures for further acclimatization.

Mr S M Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil said, “IndianOil’s environmental leadership extends beyond the confines of business and our partnership with the National Tiger Conservation Authority to support the reintroduction of the Cheetah cements this resolve.”

He said, building on its green momentum, IndianOil has declared its resolve to achieve net-zero operational emissions by 2046. This historic declaration by the country’s energy major aligns with India’s net zero commitment by 2070, announced as part of the Panchamrit goals by the Prime Minister at the COP-26 Summit last year. IndianOil’s decarbonization goals encompass Scope I and II emissions, and the Company envisages an investment of over Rs 2 lakh crore to achieve the target.