There is fear among people about the possible presence of a leopard in the old city’s Hari Parbat, a hillock overlooking Old City. The area, housing an 18th-century fort atop and surrounded by a shrine, temple and gurdwara, has some forest growth and congested residential areas. On its foothills is Badamwari Park, a prominent tourist destination. The wildlife authorities have laid traps but so far there has been no success. In the past, the beasts have been seen in Baghi-Mehtab area and other suburbs. This depicts that human interference has pushed them to venture into most inhabited areas and in turn created threat and danger to the precious human lives.
Destruction of forests sends wild animals closer to humans. There has been reckless exploitation of the environment over the years. Both officials at the helm of affairs and people are responsible. The growing man-animal conflicts serve as a dire warning to all the concerned that there should be no hasty permissions for projects in already enfeebled forests. There is ample evidence that environmental protection confers health protection and forests should be left undisturbed.
Over the years, there has been an increase in man-animal conflicts, leading to the loss or injury to the precious life. Also, importantly, the rising incidents of man-animal confrontation allude to disturbances caused in wildlife. There is ample evidence that environmental protection confers health protection and forests should be left undisturbed.
No one should lose sight of the fact that wildlife plays an invaluable role in sustaining human and other forms of life. The basic premise of culture has been the co-existence of nature and human civilization but unfortunately, the indiscriminate use of natural resources has gradually turned this coexistence into man-animal conflict.
If poaching is one aspect of the conservation challenge, the other side of the story is the fast encroachments that threaten to endanger animals and the environment.
There is a need to promote conservation encompassing survival of all as well as diversity of the ecosystem. There is a need to create awareness, as also the action aimed at preventing people from causing disturbances to the wildlife. Also, there is an urgent need for the authorities to sensitise people and also devise foolproof measures to tackle wild animals as and when they venture close to human populations so as to prevent any precious life falling prey to wild beasts.