The man-animal conflicts in Chandrapur district are rising at an alarming rate. Many humans have been killed in last several years by tigers. The better protection work taken by Maharashtra forest department has resulted increase in tiger population of this district. The forest department had been pondering over various options about tackling this issue. Relocation of tigers from Chandrapur district to low density areas in state was one of the option.
In a recent move, the Maharashtra government has formed a study group to evaluate various options for conservation and relocation of tigers in Chandrapur district into safe habitat.
With increasing number of tigers in Chandrapur district, incidents of man-animal conflict situations are happening. In the backdrop of this, the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had asked to form a study group to suggest measures following detailed study. The chief minister gave this order when issue of conservation and relocation of tigers came up for discussion during meeting of State Wildlife Board chaired by him on August 7, 2020. Accordingly, a 11 member study group has been formed led by chief conservator of forest of Chandrapur Territorial Circle N R Pravin. This study group will submit its report to State government upto December 21, 2020.
The study group will work on understanding incidents of man-animal conflicts in Chandrapur district and analysing them, hearing opinions of local population about man-animal conflicts, analysis of actions taken previously to being down severity of man-animal conflicts and suggesting measures in this regard.
The study group will be led by CCF N R Pravin and deputy conservator of forest (territorial) of Gondia forest division Kulraj Singh will be member secretary. The other members are conservator of forest and field director of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve Dr Jitendra Ramgaonkar, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun''s scientist Dr Bilal Habib, retired DCF Sanjay Thawre, retired DFO Girish Vashisht, conservation expert Dr Vidya Atreya, researcher and president of Wildlife Conservation Trust Dr Anish Andheria, researcher of education expert of Bombay Natural History Society Sanjay Karkare, member of Maharashtra State wildlife Board Bandu Dhotre and founder of Elgar Foundation Paromita Goswami.