Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 2: Underlining need for making people aware, particularly those living near the jungles, about the precautions need to be taken whenever a wild-animal turns man-eater, the Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmad has asked the authorities of Wildlife Department to take concrete measures for containing man-animal conflicts besides saving human population from becoming victims of such incidents.
The Minister was addressing at a function organized by Wildlife Protection Department in connection with celebrations of Wildlife Week at SKICC today
Describing human lives precious, the Minister said that human lives should be on priority while conserving wildlife and forests. He said during past four years, the department has succeeded in curbing the timber smuggling for the forests of the State.
Senior officers from State Pollution Control Board, Forest, Environment and Remote Sensing, NGOs, Environmenlists, teachers and students of several schools were present on the occasion.
Terming the human lives precious, Mian Altaf asked the concerned officers to take necessary steps so that the lives of both human and animals are saved. He said there is no time table when an animal turns man-eater and directed the authorities to devise a pre-plan for sensitizing the people about the different methodologies of animals’ attacks, besides suggesting protective measures for saving their lives. He said unless the people are not sensitized, the graph of man-animal conflict cannot be reduced, he added.
The Minister said that priority of the Government is to control man-animal conflicts, adding that field functionaries of the department need to be mobilized across the State particularly in those areas where such incidents have been often taking place.
Mian Altaf said that the compensation of man-animal conflict victims has been increased to Rs. 3 lakh from Rs. 1 lakh, while as Rs. 25,000 are being paid to those get injured in such incidents. He said the cost of treatment of injured persons is higher than the compensation and advocated for increasing the limit of this existing amount.
Regarding the progress of the project started for conservation and safety of Hangul and Markhor, the Minister said that achievements of the project are not matching with the expectations, adding that the population of Hangul has been swelled despite the difficulties facing by the field functionaries for their conservation. He said establishment of breeding centres has become imperative for conservation of Hangul and Markhor like animals.
Advocating for taking in confidence, the people living near jungles, the Minister said that department can succeed in curbing timber smuggling menace with the active support of these people. He said forest land encroachment was also once an issue before the Government, adding that with active support of people and efforts of the department this practice has been checked to a large extent during past four years.
Earlier senior forest officers spoke on the subject and highlighted the role of the department in conservation of wildlife and forests.
Later, the Minister gave away awards among the students adjudged the best in debate and painting competitions.
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