PUNE, 4 NOV. The man-leopard conflict has become severe over the past few years in the Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed, and Shirur talukas of Pune district. The increasing leopard population and their growing movement into human settlements have created an atmosphere of fear among citizens. Several residents have lost their lives and many have been seriously injured in attacks over the last five years. Recent tragic incidents include the deaths of a 13-year-old boy, an elderly woman, and a small girl.
Taking immediate cognizance of this grave situation, Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister of Pune District, Ajit Pawar, has immediately sanctioned a fund of ₹11 crore 25 lakh to capture the leopards and bring the man-leopard conflict under control. Appealing to citizens not to panic, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated that preventing human casualties is his utmost priority.
Cause of Conflict and Remedial Measures
The leopard population has seen a significant rise in the northern talukas of Pune district—Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed, and Shirur—due to the large area under sugarcane cultivation, abundant water, and a favorable environment. According to the Forest Department's inspection, the estimated leopard population in this area is around 1500. Long-term horticultural crops like sugarcane, banana, grapes, and pomegranate are extensively cultivated here, thanks to irrigation projects like Ghod, Kukadi, Manikdoh, and Pimpalgaon Joga. These dense crops provide leopards with easy shelter, water, and prey, leading to the establishment of a settled habitat.
Special Rescue Teams and Equipment
This sanctioned fund will establish 20 specialized Rescue Teams to operate within the jurisdiction of the Junnar Forest Division. Each team will include trained marksmen, trackers, tranquillizing guns, rescue vehicles, modern cameras, and necessary equipment, including cages.
Key Equipment included in the Campaign:
Government's Utmost Priority
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar emphasized that these solid measures will make it possible to keep leopards at a safe distance from human settlements, relocate them to appropriate places, and reduce the rate of human casualties. He asserted that it is the government's responsibility to protect human lives while conserving wildlife and addressing the fear prevalent among citizens due to the conflict. He confirmed that the rescue teams, cages, and technical equipment will be procured with this fund, and action will commence immediately, as preventing human casualties is the utmost priority.
200 Cages to be Installed Immediately; Ganesh Naik
State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik informed that the loss of human lives due to leopards in Junnar, Ambegaon, Rajgurunagar (Khed), and Shirur areas of Pune district is an unfortunate incident. He assured that long-term and immediate measures will be implemented to address the issue. He announced that 200 cages will be installed immediately to capture leopards in the area. Furthermore, one thousand more cages will be purchased on a war footing. The captured leopards will be immediately relocated. Additionally, to keep citizens informed about the leopards, 'Alerts' will be issued using Satellite-based Artificial Intelligence.
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