By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 26 Aug: Due to heavy rains continuing in Uttarakhand this monsoon, many rivers, canals and other water bodies including lakes are in spate. This has not only led to flooding and waterlogging but has also resulted in a large number of crocodiles leaving their environs and entering human habitations. Most of the affected areas are in Terai East Forest Division. Forest teams of this division have so far rescued and relocated at least 26 crocodiles from human habitations during the ongoing monsoon. Many of those rescued and later released back to their natural habitats have been caught from Khatima Railway station area, from around the ponds and drains in the forest areas of Kumaon. That these crocodiles pose potential danger for the humans is evident from the fact that, so far, this season, two persons have died due to crocodile attack in the Terai East Forest Division.
The Forest department has also published advertisements in newspapers to alert the people living around the forest areas of the state. There are several dams in the Terai areas of the state and these water bodies have a large number of crocodiles. Apart from this, the number of drains in the areas in the Terai East Forest Division is also quite high, which also have a big number of crocodiles in them. There have been cases of crocodiles reaching the populated areas adjacent to the division.
In the last three years, 114 crocodiles were rescued and then released back in their natural habitats in the Terai East Forest Division. In this monsoon season, waterlogging and flooding due to rising water level in the rivers and drains has been very frequent. Crocodiles have been rescued from Gaula river area, Khatima, Kilpura, Surai, Barakoli, Ransali, South Jolasal this season according to the forest officials.
These crocodiles have been rescued from the railway station, populated areas, ponds and fields. The crocodiles were released back in the dam after being rescued. To trap the crocodiles and take them back to their natural habitat is a challenging task, since they become highly aggressive during the rescue operations, probably out of fear. Keeping this in view, the forest department has decided to provide special training to the forest personnel posted in areas that are host to the crocodile population. The Forest Department has also announced that watch towers will be set up to keep an eye on possible movement of the crocodiles during the monsoon period. Some people claim that the actual number of crocodiles reaching human habitations may be higher than what the forest officials claim since many of the crocodiles may not have been spotted as yet.
The forest department has identified Khakra, Kali Kich Nullah. Dehwa in Ransali range, the nullah flowing in the south-western part of Sarouja beat, Dehwa river in Barakoli, Katra Nullah, Nanak Sagar Nihai, Chatiya Nullah, Budabagh Nullah in Kilpura range, Katna Nullah, Badiya Nullah in Doli range, Bankathpur, Govindnagar, Jail Camp, SIDCUL area and Gaula forest range and the Kishanpur range as likely to have crocodile presence.
