Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Calls for Better Efforts to Reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasized the need for more effective measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict during the 20th meeting of the Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board. He called for increased patrolling, use of modern equipment, and biofencing.
CM Dhami stated, “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.”
He also discussed the development of a zoo and safari in Haldwani, the upgrade of Chaurasi Kutia, and the promotion of wildlife tourism through documentaries and bird-watching camps. The meeting highlighted various initiatives and approvals, including the Jamrani Dam Project and the ‘Living with Leopard’ program.
It was informed that approval has been received from the National Board for Wildlife for the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project and the Kimsar-Bhogpur Motor Road in Yamkeshwar Block. The Tiger Conservation Foundation has been formed for Rajaji Tiger Reserve, and a 10-year proposal for forest landscape restoration is being prepared with Rs 32 crore approved by the Government of India for 2024-25. An amount of Rs 10 crore 50 lakh has been allocated for modern equipment in 2023-24 to prevent human-wildlife conflict.
The master plan for Haldwani Zoo and Safari was approved by the Central Zoo Authority, and monkey sterilization is being conducted in mission mode with 39,398 monkeys sterilized from July 2023 to March 31, 2024. The ‘Living with Leopard’ program is being run under five forest divisions, and 65 quick response teams have been formed under 31 forest divisions for quick prevention of human-wildlife conflict incidents.
Doubts Revealed
Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India known for its beautiful mountains and forests.
CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister, who is the head of the government in a state in India.
Pushkar Singh Dhami -: Pushkar Singh Dhami is the current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
Human-Wildlife Conflict -: Human-Wildlife Conflict happens when animals and people come into contact and cause problems for each other, like animals damaging crops or people harming animals.
Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board -: The Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board is a group that makes decisions about protecting animals and nature in Uttarakhand.
Patrolling -: Patrolling means regularly walking or driving around an area to keep it safe and check for problems.
Biofencing -: Biofencing uses natural barriers like plants to keep animals away from certain areas.
Zoo and Safari -: A zoo is a place where animals are kept for people to see, and a safari is a trip to see animals in their natural habitat.
Haldwani -: Haldwani is a city in Uttarakhand.
Chaurasi Kutia -: Chaurasi Kutia is an old ashram in Uttarakhand, also known as the Beatles Ashram because the famous band visited it.
Wildlife Tourism -: Wildlife Tourism is when people travel to see wild animals in their natural environment.
Jamrani Dam Project -: The Jamrani Dam Project is a plan to build a dam in Uttarakhand to store water and generate electricity.
Living with Leopard program -: The ‘Living with Leopard’ program is a project to help people and leopards live together safely without harming each other.