Uttarakhand : Human-wildlife conflict will end, Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan gave instructions to mark 5 villages under the pilot project

Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan has given instructions to the Watershed Department to start implementing effective solutions by identifying 5 villages under the pilot project to end human-wildlife conflict. ACS has directed to ensure community participation, role of gram panchayats and cooperation of local people along with government efforts to control human-wildlife conflicts. He has given instructions to work seriously on the micro plan in areas and villages affected by human-wildlife conflict. Along with this, ACS has undertaken a project to study the pattern of human-wildlife conflict in the rural areas surrounding the Rajaji-Corbett landscape and the local people’s trends and perceptions towards human-wildlife conflict and socio-economic impacts in the area. Instructions have also been given to do documentation. Additional Chief Secretary Watershed Management and Agricultural Production Commissioner Anandvardhan held a meeting with scientists and consultants of Watershed, Wildlife Institute of India in connection with controlling human-wildlife conflict in the state on Monday. The ACS has directed to develop an early warning system to alert people about wild animal attacks.

In the meeting, low population density due to migration from villages, lack of quick supply service of LPG cylinders, non-functioning of street lights, long-term grazing by domestic animals, empty and barren villages are behind the increasing incidents of human-wildlife conflict. Solutions were also discussed for the reasons like growing of lantana, scorpion grass, black grass, carrot grass on the land and providing hiding place to wild animals.

Scientists of Wildlife Institute of India and watershed officials informed that a project to control human-wildlife conflict will be implemented in Almora, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital and Pauri Garhwal. Presently this project is being implemented in some areas of Pauri Garhwal district including Corbett and Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Under this project, villages with maximum human-wildlife conflicts have been identified in which more than 17 incidents of human-wildlife conflict have taken place. These 15 villages include Gangabhogpur village located in Gohri Forest Range, Kimsar, Deorana, Dharkot, Amola, Tachia, Ramjiwala, Kestha, Guma, Kandi, Dugadda located in Lal Dhang Forest Range, Kimusera, Sailani, Pulinda, Duratal and Lansdowne border. I have Kaleth village.

Scientists of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun informed that wild boar and bear are mainly responsible for damaging the crops. The villages affected by human-wildlife conflict which were surveyed have stopped wheat production. The villagers have started the production of Mandua, Turmeric and Chilli so that it can be estimated whether the production of these crops will make any difference. In 50 percent of the villages, 60-80 percent of the crops are being destroyed by wild animals in all seasons. 100% of the villagers agreed that if the crops were not destroyed by wild animals, then agricultural work would be beneficial for them. 50 percent of the total agricultural area of ​​the affected villages is lying vacant.

Project Director Jalagam Naveen Singh Barfal, Deputy Director Dr. SK Singh, Dr. DS Rawat, State Technical Coordinator Dr. JC Pandey, Wildlife Institute of India Dehradun scientist Dr. K. Ramesh, Senior Technical Officer Dr. Manoj Kumar Aggarwal, Research Intern Shruti. Tomali Mandal, Consultant Vikas Vats and other senior officers were present.