Srinagar, Aug 21 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir government has prepared a comperhensive plan for handling man-animal conflicts to the centre, Minister for Forests and Environment, Qazi Mohammad Afzal today informed the Legislative Council here.
He said the plan prepared by the Wildlife Department at an estimated cost of Rs 29.22 crores has been submitted to the Government of India.
Once the proposal is through it would strengthen the department in terms of mobilising, communicating, trapping, translocating.
Rescue centres and awareness raising would also be possible then..
Replying to a question of Mr Mohammad Sultan Panditpuri and Sofi Ghulam Mohammad, Qazi Afazal said that the animal-man conflict problem is in many parts of the world and Jammu and Kashmir is not an exception.
He said the various reasons which lead to this problem include decimation of forest cover, shrinkage of habitat due to expanding human population, un-checked and ever increasing developmental activities, rapid changes in the land use pattern, decline in the natural prey base in the forests, presence of security forces in the forest areas and global warming, climate change have affected the ecology of black bear, resulting the behavioural change in the species.
Mr Afzal said in 2006-07, eight persons died due to leopard attacks in Kashmir and ex-gratia relief was being paid for the dead and injured people in such conflicts.
The State is rich in bio-diversity, providing habitat to 358 species of birds, 225 insects, 158 butterflies, 73 mammals, 68 reptiles and 14 species of amphibians, he added.
UNI
He said the plan prepared by the Wildlife Department at an estimated cost of Rs 29.22 crores has been submitted to the Government of India.
Once the proposal is through it would strengthen the department in terms of mobilising, communicating, trapping, translocating.
Rescue centres and awareness raising would also be possible then..
Replying to a question of Mr Mohammad Sultan Panditpuri and Sofi Ghulam Mohammad, Qazi Afazal said that the animal-man conflict problem is in many parts of the world and Jammu and Kashmir is not an exception.
He said the various reasons which lead to this problem include decimation of forest cover, shrinkage of habitat due to expanding human population, un-checked and ever increasing developmental activities, rapid changes in the land use pattern, decline in the natural prey base in the forests, presence of security forces in the forest areas and global warming, climate change have affected the ecology of black bear, resulting the behavioural change in the species.
Mr Afzal said in 2006-07, eight persons died due to leopard attacks in Kashmir and ex-gratia relief was being paid for the dead and injured people in such conflicts.
The State is rich in bio-diversity, providing habitat to 358 species of birds, 225 insects, 158 butterflies, 73 mammals, 68 reptiles and 14 species of amphibians, he added.
UNI
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