Fadnavis Directs Swift Action as Gadchiroli Faces Tiger Menace

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis mandates urgent measures to curb tiger attacks in Gadchiroli, pledging special compensation for victims' families and relocation of surplus tigers. Expert-led initiatives include habitat management, community support, and innovative conflict mitigation strategies, prioritizing human safety and ecological balance.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken decisive measures to address the alarming rise in tiger attacks in Gadchiroli district. He instructed officials to develop an expert-guided plan focusing on preventing human casualties and ensuring prompt delivery of special compensation to bereaved families. Additionally, Fadnavis has mandated the relocation of excess tigers within three months.

As the Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli, Fadnavis convened key discussions with senior forest officials under Pravin Pardeshi's leadership, CEO of Mitra Sanstha. Strategies to address citizens' safety concerns were deliberated, and directives for their implementation were issued. Notably, over 50 fatalities in the past five years in areas like Charmoshi and Vadsa stress the urgency of the situation.

The comprehensive plan includes thinning teak trees to support herbivore prey populations and appointing village-level 'forest Patils' for enhanced monitoring. Grass production initiatives aim to reduce locals' forest dependence, supplemented by a compressed biogas plant. Social assessments for relocating vulnerable communities were also prioritized, with input from human-wildlife conflict experts to prepare a robust mitigation plan. The meeting, attended by senior forest officers like Principal Chief Conservator Shomita Biswas and others, sought strategic solutions tailored to older conflict tigers.

(With inputs from agencies.)