Bhopal/Sheopur, Aug 30 (PTI) Even as the formal schedule for the arrival of cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno Palpur National Park (KNP) is yet to be out, the state government has sent an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the reintroduction of the cheetah program.

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An invitation was recently sent by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Madhya Pradesh to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for the reintroduction of cheetahs, a top forest official told PTI on Tuesday.

Queried on whether the date of the arrival of cheetahs and PM Modi's birthday, which falls on September 17, will coincide, the official said, “It was not for September 17, but a general invitation.”

Officials are tight-lipped on the arrival schedule of cheetahs, triggering speculation on the exact date.

The Madhya Pradesh public works department has been constructing two helipads near the Kuno National Park in the Sheopur district.

These helipads could be used for shifting the cheetahs from the nearest airport, Gwalior, to Kuno, forest sources said.

The cheetahs would be transported from South Africa and Namibia as part of an ambitious translocation-cum-reintroduction project though the exact deadline for their arrival is not known yet.

Cheetahs became extinct in India in 1952.

The 'African Cheetah Introduction Project in India' was conceived in 2009 though it picked up pace in the last few years.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)