Human-tiger conflict assessment panel report stresses on capacity building
   Date :04-Mar-2021
By Kaushik Bhattacharya :
 
The report also emphasised on public awareness and coexistence to reduce conflict in Chandrapur 
 
THE 11-member technical study group for human-tiger conflict assessment committee for Chandrapur submitted its report to Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) on Monday in Nagpur. Taking cognisance of the rising human-tiger conflict in Chandrapur, the Maharashtra Government had set up the committee in last October to assess the options for reduction in conflict.
 
According to sources, “The report has emphasised on three major aspects that is public awareness, coexistence and capacity building which is the need of the hour to reduce the man-animal conflict.” “Since Chandrapur has the highest number of tigers in the State, the number of conflict cases has increased. As directed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, this committee assessed other aspects also such as suspected problem areas, views and suggestions from locals, previous cases etc,” source added. Chandrapur Chief Conservator of Forests N R Praveen, who is heading the committee, submitted the report to PCCF on Monday.
 
The PCCF will go through the report and will submit it to the State Government for further action. The committee members visited the villages of Rajura, Bramhapuri, Sindhwahi and Chichpalli of Chandrapur district where incidents of man-animal conflict took place. The members talked with the victims’ families and villagers and incorporated their demands and issues in the report. In 2020, the toll of human deaths from such conflict in Maharashtra rose to 32. Of these, 27 deaths were reported from Chandrapur alone. In May, 2020, Forest Department submitted a proposal to the government suggesting the translocation of 50 tigers from Chandrapur to areas with low tiger density. It also proposed sterilisation of male tigers. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed formation of the panel while turning down the idea for sterilisation.
 
The committee was to submit the report on December 31, 2020, but due to coronavirus pandemic the submission was delayed. Due to the pandemic the committee failed to conduct any physical meeting of it members. A National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) study on the status of tigers in 2018-19 found Chandrapur to be the region with maximum human-tiger conflict. Of its 11,443 sq km area, forest areas are spread across 5,206 sq km in Chandrapur. Between 2002 and 2014, 63 deaths were reported due to tiger attacks, according to forest department data. As many as 84 deaths were reported between 2016 and 2020. In the first half of 2021, only one human death has been reported so far in the State due to man-animal conflict. This year, so far, eight tigers were found dead in Maharashtra. Of which four deaths were due to poisoning and remaining four due to other reasons. 
 

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 Sachin Tendulkar sitting in a jeep during jungle safari.
 
Sachin uploads video of his Tadoba safari on YouTube Masterblaster Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday has uploaded a video of his recent visit to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur. Sachin uploaded the 4.42 min video on YouTube platform. In the video, Sachin with his wife Anjali Tendulkar is seen enjoying tiger sighting in TATR. “Sachin Encounters Tigers of Tadoba” is the title of the video. He has also experessed his experience of the jungle safari in the video. He did four safaries with his family in which he entered from Alijhanjha, Madnapur, Belara, Kolara gates. He sighted tiger, leopard and many other wild animals.