Uttarakhand CM directs forest department to take preventive steps after leopard attacks children

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 15 : Expressing concern over leopards attacking children in several areas of Dehradun, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed Principal Secretary Forest RK Sudhanshu to work on an effective action plan to stop such incidents.
At a meeting in the Secretariat, the Chief Minister said that strict action should be taken against the Forest Department officials who are negligent in preventing such incidents.
To catch the leopards, cages should be installed and night patrolling should be done.
He also said that in areas where incidents of human-wildlife conflict are taking place, the forest department should be kept on 24-hour alert mode.
The Chief Minister said that in cases of death due to human-wildlife conflict, a proposal should be brought soon to increase the ex-gratia amount provided as financial assistance to the family members of the deceased from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.
CM Dhami said that new wildlife rescue centres should also be built.
Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a cleanliness drive at Kainchi Dham in Nainital on Sunday as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) campaign at religious places ahead of Ayodhya's Ram temple inauguration.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Our Lord Ram is going to be seated at his birthplace on January 22. The entire country is filled with joy due to the fortnight of cleanliness, Deepotsav and Ram Bhajan. Everybody is excited and happy that the wait for the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla will finally be over."
Highlighting the cleanliness campaign started in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "We are starting the cleanliness campaign from Baba Neem Karoli Dham today. This drive will be run at all the religious public places in the state."