Pauri DM Swati Bhadoria visits Kajalt village and assured infuriated villagers to kill the maneater leopard
The district magistrate of Pauri Garhwal district Swati Bhadoriya today went to the Kajalt village near Satyakhal about ten kilometres away from Pauri township after the video of the protesting villagers and surrounding areas reached her through social media.
A young boy namely Nautiyal who had gone to light a lamp at a temple at his village was tragically killed by a maneater who was on prowl for human flesh looking for his prey clandestinely.
After the killing of the young boy by a maneater today morning there was tremendous protest and the angry and badly infuriated protestors demanding personal assurance from the DM Swati Bhadoriya and the Garhwal range DFO to issue orders for killing the maneater.
Few days ago a villager was killed in Dhandri gaon in Pauri Garhwal and in Koti village in Kot block , Pauri Garhwal.
Yesterday, a four year old boy was injured by a maneater in Dewar village of Kot block.
When the district magistrate Swati Bhadhoria reached the village good number of panicked and curious locals and police personnel followed her with acrimonious villagers protesting.
The infuriated villagers were pacified after immense efforts . The district magistrate of 2012 batch Swati assured the villagers that the shooting orders have been issued and today two shooters assigned the job would be on the killing spree of the maneater in the affected area.
The infuriated villagers however didn’t relent asking the assurance in writing as the orders of shooting issued fifteen days ago with regard to the shooting of the Dhandri village maneaters have not been implemented till yet stating about the trust deficit.
In the afternoon the central vice president of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal Ashutosh Negi also spoke to the forest minister Subodh Uniyal who said that the shooting orders have already been issued in this regard.
It may be recalled that the maneater and wild bear attacks have increased during this winter with more than fifteen wild bear and several attacks by the maneaters taking place in which three persons have died and several injured, some grievously.
To,
The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
Government of Uttarakhand
Dehradun
Subject: Urgent Need for Effective Wildlife Management and Conservation in Uttarakhand
Dear Sir,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing issue that requires immediate consideration and action. As you may be aware, the issue of human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand has been a longstanding concern, resulting in numerous encounters and fatalities in the hills. Despite previous discussions and analyses, the situation remains unresolved.
In light of the dire need to address this issue, I would like to reiterate the importance of taking concrete measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and ensure the safety of both humans and animals. The tourism minister’s proactive approach in solving villagers’ problems is commendable; however, it is equally essential for the forest minister to prioritize this critical issue.
Key points for consideration:
– *Total Forest Cover:* 24,303.04 sq km (45.44% of the state’s area)
– *Very Dense Forest (VDF):* 5,046.76 sq km
– *Moderately Dense Forest (MDF):* 12,805.24 sq km
– *Open Forest (OF):* 6,451.04 sq km
– *Forest Cover Change:* Increased by 8.04 sq km since the last assessment
Proposed Solutions:
1. *Relocation of Wild Animals:* Shift all wild animals to thick jungle areas, confining carnivorous animals and rearing herbivorous animals in forests for fodder.
2. *Habitat Development:* Plant local fruit trees in thick jungles for herbivores and create water ponds.
3. *Fencing:* Fence the 5,046.76 sq km of VDF with multi-strand barbed wire and ensure its maintenance.
4. *Monitoring and Enforcement:* Ensure responsible personnel oversee the planting of fruit trees, construction of water ponds, and erection of barbed wire fencing. No laxity should be tolerated in these efforts.
5. *Animal Transfer:* Transfer all wild animals caught beyond highly dense forests to thickly dense forest areas.
I urge the government to take this issue seriously and implement these measures to prevent further loss of life and property. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this matter further and explore ways to work together to find a solution.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Veteran Maj Onkar Singh Negi