Special campaign to curb loss of human life in tiger attacks in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli
   Date :29-Oct-2022

tiger attacks 
 
 
 
Staff Reporter
Taking cognisance of back-to-back deaths of humans in tiger attacks in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts of the region, the office of Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Force), Maharashtra, has asked the officials concerned to implement a special 15-day campaign to curb the loss of human life in such attacks.
Maheep Gupta, Chief Wildlife Warden and PCCF (HoFF), Maharashtra, took stock of the situation in this regard and issued directions to Chief Conservator of Forests (Territorial), Chandrapur Forest Circle, and Conservator of Forest (Territorial), Gadchiroli Forest Circle, asking them to implement a special 15-day campaign to curb loss of human life in tiger attacks in respective districts.
Gupta has suggested various measures to be taken during the campaign. These include constitution of a special team led by Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) in each sensitive areas; cancellation of leave of Forest Guard, Round Officer, Range Forest Officer; vehicle and foot patrolling in morning and evening hours in grazing areas near human settlement and near farmlands with the team-members carrying ‘smart sticks’ that make sound. The PCCF (HoFF) has asked the officials to make arrangement of temporary protection hut in sensitive areas and plan for rotation of patrolling teams.
If tiger movement is reported in an area, announcement should be made in nearby villages. The villagers/farmers and herdsmen should not go to forest areas alone, and avoid visiting the farms before dawn or in the night. Each division office should monitor tiger movement and activate with immediate effect the 24x7 control room to streamline dissemination information to patrolling teams in emergency. Special patrolling should be taken up by primary response team in areas where tiger movement is reported. The department has asked the villagers not to go to forest areas to answer nature’s call.
Gupta has stated in the directions issued to officials to seek permission for capturing the tigers that pose threat to human life. If permission is granted to capture the tiger, the action should be taken on ‘war-footing’, states Gupta. Besides, he has asked for a door-to-door campaign to be implemented and special device to be provided to herdsmen in villagers.
Recently, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts both were in the news over back-to-back human kills by tiger. This raised concern among the villagers in sensitive areas in these districts. Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and Brahmapuri Forest Division are the two main ‘source’ areas for tiger presence. The number of tigers has been increasing mainly in these two areas. With rising population, younger tigers are getting away from the mother in search of own territories. During this period of exploration, the tigers pass through human settlements or farmlands near human habitation. This is leading to man-animal conflict incidents.