Sujay Mehdudia State Govt. provided a 50-acre plot to develop the elephant rescue and rehab. centre Union Government to invest an initial sum of Rs.90 lakh for setting up the centre NEW DELHI: The Haryana Government has entered into an agreement with Wildlife SOS, a non-government organisation engaged in protection of wildlife, to establish and maintain a first-of-its-kind Elephant Rehabilitation and Research Centre at Ban Santour in Yamunanagar district of Haryana. Addressing a press conference here, Haryana Forests, Environment, Tourism, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kiran Choudhary said that due to excessive pressure of development the forest cover in the State had come under a huge strain and so had the natural habitat of wild animals which was gradually shrinking. Plan of action Ms. Choudhary said a 50-acre plot had been provided by the Government to develop rescue and rehabilitation facilities for elephants at the proposed centre. Another 400 acres are being kept reserved for movement and exercise of elephants. Initially the centre will run as an elephant camp. After obtaining due permissions from the Supreme Court and the Central Zoo Authority, it will run as a full-fledged rehabilitation rescue and research centre open to the public. Ms. Choudhary said an initial sum of Rs.90 lakh was being provided by the Union Government for setting up the centre. The Minister said Ban Santor is a protected forest area in Yamunanagar district close to Sal forest of Kalesar and Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary. The area has been the natural home of elephants that come here from neighbouring Uttarakhand on a regular basis. Generating awareness Asserting that the Government was committed to preservation of the State's flora and fauna , the minister said that the new centre would go a long way in generating public awareness about the threat to wildlife and also inrehabilitation of illegally kept domestic elephants. Wildlife SOS, she added, was an NGO of repute which had been running five bear rescue centres, including one in Agra for 12 years .