‘Govt should keep vigil on hunters to protect wildlife’
   Date :31-Jul-2020
 
NCP workers _1  
 NCP workers handing over a memorandum of demands to Deputy Director General of Forest.
 
 
Staff Reporter :
 
The workers of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday handed over a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Director General of Forest (Centre) to take measures for the protection of wildlife and biodiversity. The memorandum has stated, “The total forest area surrounded by Nagpur and nearby districts in Vidarbha is 2765 sq kms.
 
The major forests like Bor, Nagzira, Karandla and other forests are near Nagpur district. During the Coronavirus epidemic, the Government has claimed that nature has revived itself. The forest areas became pollution free due to no movement of people in jungle areas. But the decision of lockdown has made wildlife very measurable.
 
The forest employees have stopped their vigilance and because of lack of vigilance and security arrangements, the hunters and even common people have started killing wild animals to earn money. The illegal killing of animals has resulted in disturbance of balance of environment.” “As people have started killing small animals, tigers and leopards in the jungle are not getting their food and these carnivorous animals have started moving to civilised urban or rural areas for food. This has resulted in rise in man animal conflict,” a memorandum said. This is a good season for tourism and the forest areas are seen flooded with tourists in normal situations. But lockdown has resulted in closure of protected forest areas and the hunters have got an opportunity to kill the animals on a regular basis.
 
It is also observed that the hunters have started selling the meat of peacock, other birds and wildlife animals. The Government should keep vigil on these activities and protect wildlife from hunting, a memorandum stated. The NCP members appealed to the forest department to encourage non-government organisations to conduct awareness programmes for the protection of wildlife and biodiversity. The department should also organize an awareness camp, webinar etc. NCP city Vice President, Shrikant Shivankar handed over the memorandum to Deputy Director General of Forest, Vijaykumar Ambade. NCP North Zone President, Vishal Khandekar; City General Secretary, Rakesh Borkar and many others were also present on this occasion.