Garhwal Post Bureau
Pauri, 8 Dec: Rising incidents of wildlife attacks have increasingly endangered life in the hill districts, with fear gripping villages in Pauri Block. To assess the situation, Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey and Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu visited Pauri, where they met and consoled the family of Rajendra Nautiyal, who was recently killed in a leopard attack in Gazald village. On this occasion, they also handed over a cheque of financial assistance to the bereaved family. However, even as the officials were present in the area, a leopard struck again, killing a goat near Gazald, an incident that further fuelled the villagers’ anger.
Meanwhile, an official press note issued by the government today has stated that Principal Secretary, Forests, RK Sudhanshu and Garhwal Commissioner and Secretary to CM, Vinay Shankar Pandey visited the victims’ families and the villagers this morning on the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The Principal Secretary (Forest) appreciated the prompt action taken by the district administration and the Forest Department in connection with the Gazald incident, as well as the cooperation extended by the villagers. Sudhanshu also observed that the solution to every problem lies in the combined mechanism of government systems and public participation, strengthened through mutual cooperation.
After inspecting the incident site and reviewing the arrangements being made for the disposal of the maneater leopard, Sudhanshu and Pandey visited Satyakhal village where he interacted with the local residents, listened to their grievances related to wildlife, and assured them early resolution.
The continuous attacks by leopards in Gazald and Sirauli have created an atmosphere of terror in the region, making it difficult for the local residents to step outside their homes, particularly in the evenings. The situation escalated this morning when, during the officials’ meeting with the bereaved family, a leopard preyed on a goat nearby. The incident, occurring in the presence of senior officials, triggered outrage among the villagers, who immediately blocked the road, stopped the convoy, and surrounded the officials, demanding urgent and strict measures. They questioned the safety of ordinary citizens, pointing out that if such an attack could take place while top officials were present, the daily vulnerability of villagers can easily be imagined.
The villagers alleged that while the government speaks of promoting agriculture and horticulture to check migration, the farmers are simultaneously falling prey to wild animals the moment they enter their fields. They asserted that the life in the villages has become a huge struggle and difficult, with the fear prevailing not only at night but also during the day. Expressing frustration at repeated assurances without action, they demanded concrete steps, including an increase in the number of shooters, the hiring of private shooters to eliminate maneaters, and continuous patrolling by Forest Department teams in leopard-prone areas.
The local residents have warned that the growing terror of the jungle has rendered village life completely unsafe and cautioned that, in case immediate steps are not taken, people will be compelled to abandon their homes and migrate elsewhere.
