Incidents of stray leopards rising in rural areas in Pune district; 300 traps should be bought to check attacks: Ajit Pawar
Pune: Leopards are straying in hamlets and villages in Pune district. Such incidents have risen in the past few years. Their attacks on citizens have also gone up. To check such incidents, DyCM Ajit Pawar instructed District Forest Officer Mahadev Mohite to buy 300 traps. This was revealed by MLA Dnyaneshwar Katke.
MLA Katke met DyCM Pawar in Mumbai to discuss various issues related to the Shirur-Haveli Assembly segment. Pawar clarified that special funds will be immediately provided through the District Planning Committee to buy the traps.
Pawar also directed forest officials that the capacity of the leopard rehabilitation centre should be increased to accommodate 100 animals. MSEDCL should supply three-phase power to farmers during the daytime. Forest Department staffers should remain alert to avoid straying of leopards in human colonies.
Deployment of special squads
The State Forest Department has been directed by the DyCM to form special squads of staffers and deploy them around villages in Shirur-Haveli, where the leopard population is higher. Moreover, a proposal should be submitted to the District Collector to give high sound-making guns and special tents to shepherds. The proposal would be urgently okayed, said Katke.
