SRINAGAR: Villagers living near foothills in the frontier area of Handwara in north Kashmir are up in arms against the authorities.
They say the Wildlife Department has simply failed to check growing attacks by wild animals on humans and livestock.
In the recent spate of attacks, wild beasts have injured 23 people, some of them critically.
“The most affected villages include Sudal, Tumpora, Batpora, Khanpora, Ganipora, Shanu, Rajpora, Keegam, Detipora, Baikakar Vodhpora, Sarmarg, Rajwar, Targapora, and Kahipora,” the TNN said on Saturday.
The man-animal conflict is on rise in Kashmir. Locals residents say Leopards and Bears were roaming in these areas “like stray dogs”, posing great danger to their lives.
“We are living amid serious danger to our lives. The animals are on a killing spree and the department is watching as a mute spectator. Dozens of livestock has been devoured and many people have got injured in attacks,” Rafiq Ahmad Bakikar, a villager was quoted by newspaper as saying.
Ahmad said most of the victims were attacked near vegetable fields.
The wildlife department has set up more than a dozen cages in affected villages to trap the animals, but to little avail.
The Wildlife Warden from north Kashmir, Rouf Zargar, said that the department was making all possible efforts to check the movement of animals.
“People should refrain from moving into the vegetable fields and fruit orchards especially during morning and evening hours. They should move in groups if at all they visit the orchards and fields for work,” Zargar said.
Leopard and Himalayan black bear populations increased after a ban on hunting was enforced in Kashmir in 1970. Moreover the loss of pine forests has also forced animals to come down to residential areas and often to attack them for food.
