Pune News | Leopard Encounters Surge in Ambegaon, Khed, Junnar, Shirur, Walwa, and Shirala Talukas; Concerns Mount
Pune : Pune News | The number of leopards in Pune district, particularly in Ambegaon, Khed, Junnar, Shirur, Walwa, and Shirala talukas of Sangli district, is on the rise. With this increase in population, human-leopard conflict has become a growing concern. In response to this issue, Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has announced plans to address the situation and ensure the safety of both wildlife and citizens.
A meeting was recently held under the chairmanship of Minister Mungantiwar at Vidhan Bhavan, Mumbai, to discuss measures aimed at controlling the growing presence and nuisance of leopards. In attendance were Cooperation Minister Dilip Valse Patil, MLAs Jayant Patil, Ashok Pawar, Atul Benke, Sunil Prabhu, Anil Babar, Ashish Jaiswal, Mansingh Naik, Dilip Bunkar, and Principal Secretary of the Forest Department Venugopal Reddy.
During the meeting, concerns were raised by Dilip Valse Patil, Jayant Patil, Atul Benke, and Ashok Pawar regarding the escalating conflicts between leopards and humans. It was highlighted that leopards are encroaching upon human settlements, resulting in attacks on people and hindering farmers from accessing their fields at night. To mitigate these challenges, several recommendations were put forward.
One of the suggestions was to ensure daytime electricity supply for agriculture, allowing farmers to work during daylight hours instead of venturing into their fields at night. Additionally, the provision of drones, immediate availability of cages used for capturing leopards, and sufficient food supply in the forest were proposed. It was emphasized that the number of herbivorous animals should be increased to provide an adequate food source for leopards. Moreover, the weight of the cages should be reduced, making them easier to transport. The Forest Department was urged to acquire the site of Krishna Khore Vikas Corporation near Manikdoh Bibat Nivaran Kendra to establish a new leopard center.
In response to these concerns, Minister Mungantiwar directed the authorities to develop a system for leopard sterilization, ensuring the implementation of appropriate measures without delay. The plan includes the installation of modern technology-driven cages to capture leopards, with an increase in their number. Furthermore, compensation for wildlife attacks will be expedited, with a decision to be made within thirty days. The effectiveness of fertility reduction experiments conducted in other countries will also be studied for possible implementation.
Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar’s commitment to addressing the leopard population increase and human-leopard conflicts is a positive step towards ensuring the safety of both wildlife and residents in Pune district. As the recommendations are further developed and implemented, it is hoped that the balance between human activities and wildlife conservation can be achieved, leading to peaceful coexistence between leopards and the communities they share
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