Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a review meeting with the Forest Department at the Secretariat today.
During the meeting, he directed the Forest Department and the government and administration to make effective efforts to eliminate human-wildlife conflict.
The Chief Minister said that it should be ensured that the Forest Department team reaches the scene of a human-wildlife conflict within 30 minutes of receiving information. The concerned DFO and RO should be assigned responsibility for this.
Financial assistance should be immediately provided to those affected.
In view of the increasing incidents of human-wildlife conflict in Pauri, he directed the DFO of Pauri to be removed from there with immediate effect.
The Chief Minister directed the officials that in areas where there is a greater fear of wild animals, arrangements should be made by the Forest Department and the District Administration to escort school children to school and bring them back home.
The Chief Minister said that in case of death of the earning member of a family due to human-wildlife conflict, the concerned family should not face financial problems.
In such a situation, the Forest Department should formulate and present a policy within two weeks to support livelihoods. Any equipment needed to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the districts should be made available as soon as possible.
Special attention should be paid to finding permanent solutions to prevent wild animals from entering populated areas. Maintain constant surveillance through cameras in wildlife-sensitive areas, while maintaining strong communication with villagers.
The Chief Minister said that bushes around settlements should be cleared by running a special campaign, and children and women should especially be made aware about the presence of wild animals.
Forest Minister Shri Subodh Uniyal, Principal Secretary Shri RK Sudhanshu, Secretaries Shri Shailesh Bagauli, Shri Vinay Shankar Pandey and Shri C. Ravishankar, Chief Conservator of Forests Shri Ranjan Mishra and Additional Secretary Himanshu Khurana attended the meeting.
