Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened a high-level meeting with Forest department officials on Monday to address the recent surge in incidents of human-wildlife conflict across several districts of Uttar Pradesh. He directed the Forest Minister and relevant department officials to take decisive action to prevent and monitor such incidents.
The CM also urged them to analyze the causes behind the increase in such conflicts to curb them effectively. Following his directives, several district magistrates swiftly mobilized teams, initiating combing operations in affected areas and launching public awareness campaigns in villages.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the recent reports of attacks by wolves in various state districts during the meeting. He emphasized the urgent need to control such incidents by taking effective steps to capture the wolves. The CM directed the administration, Police, Forest department, local panchayats, and Revenue departments in the affected districts to launch extensive public awareness campaigns and educate people on safety precautions.
Following the meeting, the Forest Minister and concerned officials promptly took action. The Forest Minister ordered the immediate deployment of additional Forest Department personnel in Bahraich, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Bijnor, and other affected districts, along with increased joint patrolling efforts.
Senior officials were instructed to camp in these districts, collaborate with public representatives, and arrange for Petromax lamps in rural areas facing lighting issues. It’s noteworthy that Uttar Pradesh is the first state to declare human-wildlife conflict as a disaster, ensuring comprehensive support to families affected by wild animal attacks or untimely deaths.
The District Magistrates of Bahraich, Sitapur, and Lakhimpur Kheri, Monica Rani, Abhishek Anand, and Durga Shakti Nagpal respectively, are at the helm of districts grappling with human-wildlife conflict. They have issued crucial directives to the Police, Forest department, local panchayats, and Revenue departments, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
These guidelines, while emphasizing the role of forest personnel in daily patrolling and awareness meetings, also stress the importance of villagers in managing the conflict. Villagers are advised to work in groups when going to their fields, making noise to scare off wild animals, thereby actively participating in their own safety.
Extensive public awareness campaigns should be conducted in sensitive areas, with hoardings placed at public locations like temples, gurdwaras, mosques, schools, local markets, sugarcane purchase centers, block development offices, and tehsils. Posters should be displayed on roadsides and in public spaces within wildlife-affected areas, and pamphlets distributed to villagers to increase their awareness. In the event of a human-wildlife conflict, local and range staff must immediately rescue the victim and notify higher authorities.
While patrolling wildlife-affected areas, all available resources at the range level should be utilized, with additional support from local self-help groups, intellectuals, village heads, and those concerned about wildlife. Local staff should carry out continuous patrolling and anti-snare use on rural boundaries and trails near reserved forests. Forest personnel should maintain regular contact with village heads in areas bordering forests through mobile communication.
