In the last few months, many incidents of leopard attacks, leopard sightings, and loss of life have been continuously happening in Nashik and its surrounding areas. In the last month, there has been an incident of children losing their lives in leopard attacks.
Along with human lives, this has also caused the lives of leopards. MP Rajabhau Waje has taken serious note of this and has started taking steps to completely eradicate this issue. In this regard, he held a meeting with Conservator of Forests Siddesh Sawardekar on Monday (September 15) and had a long discussion. During this time, there was a discussion about what short-term and long-term measures can be taken.
After Vadner in Nashik taluka, a tragic incident has also taken place in Khandangali in Sinnar taluka, where a child died in a leopard attack. In the past week, there have been incidents of leopard attacks in 4 to 5 places and sightings in numerous places. In the past few years, the habitat of leopards and their interaction with human settlements have increased significantly.
This problem is becoming very serious and has raised questions about the lives of both humans and leopards. There is a literal atmosphere of terror in Nashik, Sinnar, Igatpuri, Niphad and to some extent Dindori and Trimbakeshwar talukas of Nashik district, as well as in numerous villages in Akole and Kopargaon talukas of Ahilyanagar district. After dark, the time is coming for citizens to take precautions.
In addition, due to load shedding, farmers who go to water their farms at night have to work with their lives in their hands. Earlier, the leopard used to attack at night, but in some previous incidents, it has come to light that the leopard has attacked during the day as well. In this, small children are becoming easy prey for the leopard. This has created a panic-like situation.
MP Rajabhau Waje is seen taking the field regarding this serious problem arising due to the free movement of the leopard and its increasing habitat. MP Waje has started taking steps regarding what measures can be taken in this regard. In this regard, he learned about the local situation and held a meeting with Deputy Conservator of Forests Siddesh Sawardekar and discussed it. During this, a detailed discussion was held regarding short-term and long-term measures. Also, a consensus was reached to jointly find a solution to this problem.
Short-term Measures
- Citizen education and training
- Implementation of tracking system
- Including the leopard threat in disaster management
- Increasing the number of cages
- Taking special drives to get information about the habitat
- Taking help from organisations for management and training local youth to help them
Long-term measures
- Creating rescue centres
- Making deployment plans to control the population
- Implementing a government-approved deployment on the issue as a special issue on the lines of Junnar
- Studying this at the global level and implementing those deployment plans
MP Rajabhau Waje took information about the local situation and discussed it with experts. Along with this, he has also focused on taking some measures to address this problem at the primary level by holding a meeting with Deputy Conservator of Forests Sawardekar.
He has also said that he intends to study this issue in detail and take steps in the coming days.
The leopard problem is becoming more and more serious day by day. Concrete measures will have to be taken on this. There is an atmosphere of terror in the villages. It will not take long for this fear to turn into an outbreak.
“The increased habitat of leopards and their free movement in human settlements have created a threat to the lives of both humans and leopards. Therefore, steps will be taken to find a long-term solution to this. We have started taking steps towards this, as we will have to fight till Delhi,” Waje.
