Mumbai, June 23: In a significant move to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, Maharashtra’s Forest Minister Ganesh Naik announced on Tuesday that the state government is preparing a proposal to offer permanent government jobs to the families of citizens killed in wildlife attacks. This decision will be implemented immediately upon approval from the state cabinet.
To ensure carnivorous animals find sufficient prey within forest boundaries and do not wander into human settlements, Minister Naik revealed plans to establish rabbit farms modeled after state poultry farms. Additionally, the government will expedite the breeding of deer species.
These announcements were made during discussions on a ‘notice of attention’ raised by legislators Atul Bhatkalkar, Sudhir Mungantiwar, and others regarding the increasing incidents of wildlife attacks, particularly a recent incident in Chandrapur district where four women collecting tendu leaves were killed by a tiger.
According to the minister, there have been reports of 55 fatalities across the state. The government has identified 10 highly sensitive districts and approved a work plan worth ₹260 crore.
Expressing concern over the frequency of these incidents, Bhatkalkar stated that human-wildlife conflicts have transformed from rare occurrences into a daily crisis.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar highlighted the socio-economic disparity, noting that wealthy tourists spend thousands to glimpse tigers, while impoverished locals living on the forest’s edge are losing their lives. He called for the relocation of excess tigers and for the number of top predators to align with the forest’s actual capacity.
In response to these demands, Minister Naik outlined a comprehensive expansion strategy to balance the rapidly growing wildlife population in the state. A new forest area, spanning 5,500 hectares and modeled after Tadoba, will be developed in Nashik to alleviate pressure on existing reserves.
Over the next 42 months, several new sanctuaries will be established to systematically relocate approximately 450 tigers. To prevent wildlife from encroaching on human settlements, large-scale bamboo planting will create a ‘bio-fence.’
Minister Naik mentioned that preparations are underway in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Kolhapur, and parts of the Marathwada region. BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar raised concerns about bureaucratic delays in compensating affected families. He noted that despite a 30-day deadline, families often do not receive timely funds due to delays in releasing money from the finance department.
To address this issue, Mungantiwar proposed implementing a ‘negative authorization’ system. Minister Naik agreed and announced that emergency relief funds would now be made available directly at the district collector’s level, ensuring that compensation reaches affected families without administrative delays.
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