In the 112th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Pilibhit’s Bagh Mitra Programme on the occasion of World Tiger Day on Sunday.

This initiative, launched in 2019 under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, aims to significantly reduce human-wildlife conflict in the area, which was rampant previously.

In October, 2023, Chief Minister Yogi introduced the Bagh Mitra app in Pilibhit. Over 120 individuals, including many young people, elderly citizens and four women, are part of the Bagh Mitra network. They use a WhatsApp group to report sightings of tigers or other wildlife, enabling the Forest department to promptly respond and ensure public safety by tracking the animals’ locations.

Manish Singh, the Divisional Forest Officer of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, said, “Pilibhit used to experience frequent incidents of human-wildlife conflict. To address this issue, the Bagh Mitra programme was launched in 2019 under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, aiming to reduce these conflicts effectively. The programme has been quite successful, and in October 2023, Chief Minister Yogi introduced the Bagh Mitra app during his visit to Pilibhit.”

The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, established in 2014, initially had 24 tigers. Conservation and promotion programmes were implemented following state government directives, significantly increasing the tiger population.

Notably, 70 per cent of the world’s tigers are found in India, with Uttar Pradesh making a valuable contribution. A tiger census conducted in Pilibhit in 2022 revealed that the tiger population had tripled over eight years, with 72 tigers now residing in the reserve.

These positive results reflect the government’s dedicated efforts in wildlife conservation and bring hope for the future of tiger population management.

Divisional Forest Officer Manish Singh explained that the Bagh Mitra programme is a modern and efficient initiative. A WhatsApp group of 120 volunteers from nearby villages, including four women, has been established. To become a Bagh Mitra, volunteers must be over 18 years old. The Forest department trained five villagers from remote areas near the forest to be Bagh Mitra.

Singh stated that if a tiger or any other animal is spotted outside the forest, the Bagh Mitras are instructed to notify the WhatsApp group and the department by phone immediately.

This prompt communication allows the department’s officers and staff to respond quickly and deploy a team. Volunteers can also use the Bagh Mitra app to update the group with photos of the animal, helping the department accurately identify the species and determine its location relative to the forest.

A monitoring team is dispatched to ensure public safety if a tiger is near agricultural areas. This programme helps keep the community informed and protected.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Bagh Mitra Programme during Sunday’s Mann Ki Baat address, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his gratitude on his official social media account X, stating that the prime minister’s special mention of the Bagh Mitra Programme in Pilibhit district will inspire new enthusiasm and energy among all participants.

Chief Minister Yogi also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tiger conservation and promotion under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.