After the recovery of one more body from Bilandapur forest range, bordering Pilibhit district, on late Monday night, the total number of deaths by tigers in the area has gone up to seven since May.
The forest department officials found the half-eaten body of Pratap Singh, a resident of Chhatia village. The postmortem report has confirmed that Singh was killed in a tiger attack.
B K Patnaik, principal chief conservator of forests, however, refused to declare the tigers in the area as maneaters saying: “The incidents have been taking place inside the forest, and the tigers are attacking individuals.”
“We will be getting elephants from West Bengal to search the entire area. Our teams from Dudhwa will soon be camping in the area,” added Patnaik,who visited Pilibhit on Monday.
The department has been directed to send tranquiliser guns, big cages, and other equipment to officials for catching tigers, if need arises.
Meanwhile, the forest department, has found evidence of three adult tigers, including a female, in the area. “The laser cameras have captured images of the tigers,” said V K Singh, Divisional Forest Officer, Pilibhit. Till date, no such sightings had been recorded.
Officials of the department said the sightings will help them push forward the case of creating a tiger reserve in Pilibhit. The proposal for a tiger reserve in Pilibhit, which has been approved by Union forest ministry and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2008, is still pending with the state government.
According to the proposal, the reserve will spread over 1,000 square kilometres, and will help in monitoring the tiger movement as well as the conservation of big cats.
“It is clear that the tiger is expanding its territory and there is not one, but a group of adult tigers in this area. The proposal is pending, as some local politicians have expressed their concerns over the rehabilitation of people in the 15 villages, which may come under the demarcated core zone,” said a forest official, on condition of anonymity.
The official added that the department has changed the maps twice, but nothing has happened so far. “But now, we can push for the case. It is important to declare this region as a tiger reserve for the safety of both the animals and the inhabitants of the villages,” added the official.
The new reserve will bring in all the five ranges of Pilibhit — Barahi, Mala, Deoria, Mahof and Haripur — under a consolidated area. The proposed reserve will spread across Pilibhit, Mala Range, Barahi Range and Nepalsukla Fanta Range. Pilibhit, Khutar and Kakraha will be converted into protected areas.
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