Shimla, Nov 10
The H.P state government should that the forest department acts as a coordinating agency between wild animals and humans so that the incidences of animal-human conflict are taken care of and precious lives can be saved, stated Sanjay Chauhan, formed mayor and CPI-M leaders here today. He said that the recent incident of child lifting in Downdale by a leopard has created fear in the mind of the public. Therefore, keeping the situation in mind, the Government and the Forest Department should prepare an action plan for the conservation of leopards and other wild animals by adopting scientific methods and coordinating between them and the public. This step would ensure relieving the public from the fear of such animals as well as help in protecting the wild species also.
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Adding, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemned the poor handling of the Government and the Forest Department over the tragic incident of a six-year-old boy being picked up and killed by a leopard outside his house on Diwali night in Downdale area of Shimla city. The party demanded immediate compensation of 10 lakh rupees to the affected family of the child killed and said that the forest department should take concrete steps to find this cannibal leopard and kill it.
A team of CPM including District Secretary Sanjay Chauhan, State Committee member Vijendra Mehra, Falma Chauhan, Jagat Ram, Local Committee Shimla Secretary Babu Ram, Kishori Dadwalia, Anil, Prakash went to Down Dale to visit the child’s family and area.
During the visit, the relatives and residents informed the leftist leaders that even after this tragic incident the leopard is being sighted in this area, but the government and the forest department are not doing enough. In a press communiqué issued the CPI-M leaders claimed that the residents of the area are still living under an atmosphere of panic.
Sanjay Chauhan said that much before the recent attack, the residents had informed about leopard sightings in the area to the forest officials, yet no action was taken. “Had the forest department acted in time, perhaps the life of this innocent child could have been saved,” stated Chauhan. Adding, that “today even after this tragic incident, forest department officials or employees visit barely for formality sake whereby they are not taking any concrete steps”
Sanjay added that it has been three months when a girl was taken away by a leopard from the Kanlog area, which is adjoining to where this incident took place. “But the Forest Department and the government did not take that incident seriously and now another child has been hunted by a leopard in Down Dale,” he rued.
The leftist leaders added that the poor system of the government and the forest department becomes evident from the fact that almost a week has passed since the child was killed by the, but the government and the forest department have not been able to take any concrete steps so far. Neither is this leopard been declared as cannibal nor has any action been taken to trace and capture it, had they stated.
The party demanded that the Forest Department and the Municipal Corporation should fence the areas adjoining the forest of the city so that leopards and other wild animals do not enter the residential areas and proper arrangement of street lights should be made in these areas. Along with this, CCTV cameras should be arranged in the forests and the residential areas adjoining the forests so that in future attacks by wild animals can be stopped and the lives of the residents can be safe.
