Forest officer urges villages near forests in Chandrapur to follow nine safety steps

Incidents of conflict between humans and wild animals are occurring on a large scale in Chandrapur district. Chichpalli Range Forest Officer Sarang Bodhe has therefore appealed to residents of villages bordering forests to take special precautions.

Human interference in the natural habitat of wild animals is growing, and contact between the two is also increasing, making such incidents more likely. Against this background, Bodhe said, citizens should stay alert and follow the instructions issued by the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and the Forest Department.

There are nine instructions in all. First, people should not enter the forest without reason; if they must go into a forest area, they should follow the Forest Department's rules and instructions. Second, they should be careful while doing farm work. While working in fields next to the forest, they should keep watching the surroundings and, as far as possible, finish the work in daylight. Third, they should not go alone through the forest or through it to their fields. If they must do so, or must work in areas adjoining the forest, they should go in a group.

Fourth, special care should be taken at dawn and in the evening. Wild animals are likely to be more active at these times, so people should not step out without reason. Fifth, if a wild animal is seen, a safe distance should be kept. People should avoid going close to it, provoking it, chasing it or crowding around to take photographs and videos. Sixth, things that attract wild animals should be avoided. Food or garbage should not be thrown in the open near the forest, and domestic animals should be tied up in a safe place and looked after.

Seventh, children and senior citizens should be looked after. They should not be sent out alone, and children's movements in areas adjoining the forest should be watched closely. Eighth, information about the movement of a wild animal should be given at once. If an animal is seen near the village or in a field, people should not try to approach it and should immediately inform FDCM and the Forest Department. Ninth, unverified information or messages that spread fear about the movement of wild animals should not be circulated on social media.

If a wild animal is seen, citizens should stay calm, move to a safe distance and leave a path open for the animal to go away. Surrounding the animal, throwing stones at it, trying to drive it off or gathering a crowd can make the situation more dangerous.

Citizen cooperation is extremely important in preventing this conflict, Range Forest Officer Sarang Bodhe has said. He also said that, while looking after their own and their families' safety, people should cooperate with FDCM and the Forest Department in protecting wildlife.