With the State Government failing to take concrete measures for effectively tackling the human-wildlife conflicts in the State so far, Chief Minister Harish Rawat has said that the leopard population in Uttarakhand has crossed the limit of the State’s ‘capacity’. He asked the Forest Department officials to send a letter to the Central Government regarding shifting of leopards outside Uttarakhand.
Chairing a meet with senior departmental officials here on Monday, the Chief Minister directed them to prepare a concrete action plan for mitigating the human-leopard conflict in the State. It is pertinent to mention here that a teenager had died following a leopard attack in the Forest Research Institute campus on Saturday.
The CM directed the officials concerned to prepare an effective action plan for putting a stop to the incidents of leopards and other wild animals entering human settlements.Stressing that the human-wildlife conflict be taken seriously, Rawat said that since the leopard population had risen above ‘capacity’, a letter should be sent immediately to the Centre for shifting big cats outside the State.
Directing officials to chalk out an action plan to mitigate human-leopard conflict, he stressed on the need for restoring the natural food chain. A breeding centre for deer and other small wild animals should be developed in each forest division. One leopard rescue centre cum safari park each should be established in Garhwal and Kumaon.
In addition to this, plantation of broad leafed and fruit bearing trees should be undertaken in the jungles. A plan should also be drafted for installation of solar lights in forest fringe villages. The proposals should be sent under Central and JICA schemes for assistance in execution of tasks like electrification, undergrowth clearance, construction of toilets and other works in forest fringe villages. The Forest department should draft a plan for plantation of rhododendron, oak and fruit trees. State Forest Minister Dinesh Aggarwal, principal secretary Ranvir Singh, chief wildlife warden Digvijay Singh Khati and other officials were also present in the meeting.