PILOT PROJECT FOR 5 VILLAGES ON HUMAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT: OFFICIAL

The Uttarakhand government will run a pilot project in five villages affected by human-animal conflict to find a solution to the problem, an official said.

Additional chief secretary Anand Vardhan directed the watershed department on Tuesday to start working on the project. He said that along with government efforts, community participation, role of gram panchayats and cooperation of local people should be taken.

He asked the department to work on micro-planning in areas and villages affected by humananimal conflict.

Under the project, the official directed study of the pattern of human-animal conflict in rural areas surrounding Rajaji-Corbett landscape and documentation of local attitudes, perceptions and socio-economic impacts of the conflict in the area.

In a meeting between the watershed department with scientists and consultants of the Wildlife Institute of India, he directed that an early-warning system be developed to alert people on animal attacks.