Effective steps should be taken by Forest Department to reduce human-wildlife conflict: CM Dhami

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 19 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that more effective efforts should be made by the Forest Department to reduce human-wildlife conflict. He gave this instruction while presiding over the 20th meeting of the Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board at the Secretariat on Friday.
CM Dhami said, "More effective efforts should be made by the Forest Department to reduce human-wildlife conflict. A well-planned policy should be made to prevent this, and work should be done seriously on it. The families of the deceased and the injured in human-wildlife conflict should be provided with permissible assistance as soon as possible. The places adjoining the forests that have been deprived of biofencing should be covered with biofencing as soon as possible."
The Chief Minister said that to prevent human-wildlife conflict, patrolling of forest personnel should be increased in the identified hot spot areas and forest personnel should be given adequate equipment like camera trap, aniders, tranquilizer guns, etc.
"Along with this, wild animals should also be monitored through modern equipment like drones. Special attention should be kept on those divisions where more cases of human-wildlife conflict are coming," he said.
The Chief Minister directed to prepare DPR soon on the master plan for the proposed zoo and safari in Haldwani.
He directed the completion of the development and upgrade of Chaurasi Kutia under the Rajaji Tiger Reserve as per international standards very soon. The Chief Minister also directed to make wildlife-based documentaries and films for wide publicity of various national parks to promote wildlife-based tourism in the state.
He also asked to organize bird-watching camps at various places. He said that the proposed development plans in forest areas should be completed soon by staying within the ambit of rules, so that the general public can get convenience.
It was informed in the meeting that approval has been received from the National Board for Wildlife for the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project. Approval has been received from the National Board for Wildlife for the Kimsar-Bhogpur Motor Road in Yamkeshwar Block of District Pauri Garhwal, which will be constructed soon.
The Tiger Conservation Foundation has been formed for Rajaji Tiger Reserve, which has been pending for 9 years. A 10-year proposal for forest landscape restoration is being prepared, incorporating all the points of wildlife management in the state for which an amount of Rs 32 crore has been approved by the Government of India in the financial year 2024-25. An amount of Rs 10 crore 50 lakh has been allocated to the forest divisions for the purchase of modern equipment in the financial year 2023-24 to prevent human-wildlife conflict in the state.
It was informed in the meeting that after 2009, the rates of forest rest houses in the state had been revised. The master plan for Haldwani Zoo and Safari, Haldwani, was approved by the Central Zoo Authority, Government of India. The work of monkey sterilization is being done in mission mode in the state, in which 39,398 monkeys have been sterilized from July 2023 to March 31, 2024. To prevent human-wildlife conflict, the "Living with Leopard" program is being run under five forest divisions (Garhwal, Tehri, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, and Narendranagar).
65 quick response teams have been formed under 31 forest divisions for quick prevention of incidents of human-wildlife conflict. (ANI)