Udhgamandalam (PTI): The work on setting up a tiger sanctuary in Mudumalai in Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu would be completed by December 2009, Union Minister of State for Forests S Raghupathy said here on Sunday.

The government had taken all steps to relocate Mountana Chetty tribals, who would be displaced due to the sanctuary, and Rs.10 lakh would be provived for each family, he told reporters here.

There are 458 Mountana Chetty families in 30 villages in and around Mudumalai area, he said.

The Mudumalai sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in April last year.

On the population of tigers, he said as per the 2003 census, estimated by tracking pug marks, the population was 3,642 and in the new census through videotracking so far 1,162 tigers had been recorded. Tamil Nadu has 76 tigers, with Mudumalai accounting for 39, Raghupathy said.

On increasing forest coverage across the country, the Minister, here to review the progress of the Tiger Sanctuary, said the forest cover which was 19 per cent in 1985 had increased to 25 per cent in 2007. However, the target of 33 per cent by 2011 had been revised to 30 per cent, he said.