Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 20 Nov: Panchayati Raj Minister Satpal Maharaj has directed officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan to ensure the safety of the public in view of the increasing incidents of wild animal attacks in the hill districts of the state.
On Thursday, at a meeting held at his camp office on Subhash Road with officials from the Forest Department and Panchayati Raj Department, Minister Maharaj expressed concern over the growing attacks by wild animals in the mountain districts. He instructed officials to draft a detailed plan for ensuring the safety of local residents, stating that large bushes have grown in many gram panchayats of Garhwal and other hill districts, creating hiding spots for wild animals.
This has created an atmosphere of fear among villagers. School children are unable to attend school regularly, and with the ongoing wedding season, the need for strict safety measures has become even more urgent. The Minister directed Panchayati Raj officials to ensure immediate removal of dense bushes under MGNREGA using untied funds.
The Panchayati Raj Minister further stated that wild animals, especially those posing danger to the public, should be housed in designated wildlife parks created for their protection. He suggested involving major institutions and companies to “adopt” such animals and take responsibility for their maintenance and feeding. He noted that the annual cost of maintaining a tiger in a protected park is approximately Rs 20–25 lakh, and therefore such support is essential.
Maharaj added that, to ensure the protection of the public, he would also request support from Vantara, the facility established by the Ambani family, for the care of wild animals captured for safety reasons.
Present at the meeting were Special Secretary, Panchayati Raj Department, Parag Madhukar Dhakate; Director, Environment, & PCCF SP Subudhi; and Director, Panchayati Raj, Nidhi Yadav, among others.
