The escalating conflict between humans and wildlife in Maharashtra has been flagged as a severe crisis in the Rajya Sabha, with staggering annual agricultural losses and a rising death toll prompting urgent calls for government intervention.
Alarming Scale of Damage and Danger
On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha MP Prof Dr Medha Kulkarni presented a grim picture of the situation in the Upper House. She revealed that crop losses caused by wild animals now exceed a colossal Rs 10,000 crore every year across the state. The financial devastation is compounded by a sharp increase in human casualties, making this a dual crisis of livelihood and life.
Detailing the extent of the problem, Kulkarni informed Parliament that a staggering 40,000 complaints related to wildlife damage were registered in the 2023-24 period alone. The primary culprits destroying farmlands are wild bulls, nilgai, wild boars, and monkeys. She emphasized that the compensation provided by authorities is woefully inadequate compared to the actual losses borne by the farming community.
Human Toll and Terrifying Leopard Menace
The MP stressed that the issue transcends financial ruin. Over the past year, more than 50 people have been killed in wild animal attacks, with over 300 others sustaining injuries. The threat is particularly acute from leopards in several districts.
Kulkarni highlighted that districts including Nashik, Pune, Palghar, Thane, Sangli, Kolhapur, Gadchiroli, and Chandrapur are grappling with a severe leopard menace. The fear has become so pervasive that daily life is severely disrupted. Residents are often too scared to leave their homes, some have resorted to wearing protective spike collars, and schools have been temporarily closed in multiple locations due to safety fears.
Illustrating the gravity of the threat, she cited shocking incidents where leopards have snatched infants from their mothers' arms.
Causes and Proposed Solutions
Analyzing the root causes, Kulkarni pointed to rapid urbanization, forest degradation, and the disruption of natural food chains as key reasons forcing animals into human habitats. She also mentioned the recent death of a disoriented wild bull in Pune as an example of the dangers wildlife itself faces.
To mitigate the crisis, the MP proposed a multi-pronged strategy. Her recommendations include:
- Securing the natural food chain to support wildlife within forests.
- Constructing animal underpasses and overpasses on railways and highways.
- Installing solar fencing and modern alarm systems along forest boundaries.
- Ensuring swift, digital compensation for affected farmers.
- Deploying round-the-clock quick response teams from the forest department.
- Implementing strict checks on forest degradation and unplanned urban expansion.
Kulkarni issued a stark warning, stating, "Urbanization is growing at a monstrous pace, destroying the natural habitats of wildlife. If forests are not restored in time, the existence of both humans and wild animals will be at risk. Immediate and decisive steps are essential." Her forceful appeal in Parliament underscores the critical need for concrete, immediate action to safeguard both rural communities and the state's wildlife.
