Tiger numbers rise from 173 in 2018 to 222 in 2022 in UP
Among several initiatives the 'Bagh Mitra' initiative, launched in 2019 and expanded via a mobile app in 2023, has been instrumental in reducing human-wildlife conflict and has earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, read the statement.
According to principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Uttar Pradesh, Anuradha Vemuri, the state's tiger population has shown growth—from 109 in 2006 to 222 in 2022. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve leads with 135 tigers (up from 68 in 2014 and 82 in 2018), followed by Pilibhit with 63, Amangarh with 20, and Ranipur with 4 tigers.
This success is backed by extensive patrolling under the M-Stripes system, with forest staff covering over 1.5 lakh km monthly across Dudhwa and its landscape using various modes—vehicles, boats, elephants, bicycles, and foot patrols. In Katarniaghat alone, about 41,684 km are patrolled each month.
Chief conservator of forests (Rohilkhand), PP Singh said, 'Incidents of human-animal conflict have significantly decreased due to the active involvement of local communities. Over 120 villagers, including youth, elders, and women, have been trained and enrolled as 'Bagh Mitras' in Pilibhit.
'They report animal sightings through WhatsApp and the official app, allowing the forest department to respond swiftly. The app also allows for photo uploads, aiding accurate species identification and real-time location tracking.'
On the occasion of International Tiger Day, several events will be held across the state, including a Walkathon at Lucknow Zoo. 'The programme has been designed to raise awareness about the tiger and to bring people close to nature. The focus is primarily upon children and youth,' said Aditi Sharma, director of the zoo.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
MCG inducts 57 inspectors to boost cleanliness, tackle waste in Gurugram
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram on Friday held a meeting with 57 newly appointed assistant sanitation inspectors, urging them to perform their duties with diligence, responsibility, and complete transparency. MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya at the meeting with the new inspectors on Friday. (HT Photo) 'You have been given an opportunity to serve in a government department—consider it a mission and set a positive example through your work. Any negligence or laxity in duty would invite strict action,' MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya told the new officials, who were recently recruited through the Haryana Skill Employment Corporation. The sanitation inspectors were appointed amid the rising concerns in the city and residents widely sharing pictures and videos of garbage piles, blocked drains, and overflowing waste bins on various social media platforms. These visuals have drawn public attention to the poor state of cleanliness in several neighbourhoods, with many urging the MCG to take swift measures. Of the 57 inspectors, 15 have been assigned to Zone 1, while Zones 2, 3, and 4 will each have 14 inspectors. The commissioner directed that all inspectors must reach their designated areas by 7am daily and record sanitation workers' attendance on the Solid Waste Management (SWM) portal. Key responsibilities of the officials include ensuring cleanliness in their assigned areas, preventing litter, debris, and polythene waste, and monitoring the door-to-door waste collection system. Inspectors must liaise with local councillors, RWA representatives, and residents to address complaints and ensure prompt solutions. Any issues such as sewerage blockages must be reported immediately to the junior engineer concerned. Inspectors are also tasked to ensure that garbage-vulnerable points are cleaned regularly, garbage trolleys do not overflow, and waste is removed promptly. They will monitor and penalise illegal dumping, enforce solid waste, plastic waste, and C&D waste management rules, and prevent wastage of drinking water. Additionally, inspectors will survey households to track who collects waste and where it is disposed of, ensuring all household waste reaches secondary collection points. 'Maintain regular communication with councillors, RWAs, and community leaders to identify and resolve local issues in a time-bound manner,' Dahiya added.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Commuters irked as part of Pakhowal Road caves in
A portion of Pakhowal Road near the indoor stadium caved in on Saturday morning, causing panic among commuters. The incident, which occurred due to leakage from two private water and sewer connections, is the third such case in just one week. A civic body worker conducting repair work at the cave-in site on Pakhowal road in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT) Although the MC sewer line was not damaged, the repeated incidents have shaken public confidence in road safety during the rainy season. Many residents now feel that driving on city roads has become risky, especially after recent cave-ins near Near Shingaar Cinema on July 22, at Mintgumri Chowk on August 2 and at Fountain Chowk on August 4. The problem came to light around 8 am when residents noticed a deep crater, with water visibly flowing underground. The timing worsened the situation as it was Raksha Bandhan, and Pakhowal Road was packed with people heading to meet family members. Arvind Sharma, a resident of SBS Nagar who was passing by, spotted the damaged road and immediately alerted others. 'This is extremely dangerous. In the last two incidents, we were lucky that no one got hurt. But if authorities do not take such issues seriously, it could lead to a tragedy,' he said. Civic body officials rushed to the spot and placed a trolley to block heavy vehicle movement, preventing further damage. Workers then repaired the leakage, claiming the issue had been resolved. 'The leakage was detected at two points and has been fixed. There is no major problem now,' an MC official stated. However, residents remained unconvinced. Arvind Sharma, a civic activist, warned that many busy city roads have small cracks and depressions that could turn into dangerous sinkholes if ignored. 'What the MC is doing is only a temporary patchwork. Without a permanent solution, the problem will return,' he added. The incident has once again raised questions about the quality of road construction and the monitoring of underground water and sewer lines. With the monsoon still active, residents fear that more such cave-ins could occur if preventive inspections are not carried out. For now, traffic on the damaged portion of Pakhowal Road remains restricted. Commuters have been advised to use alternative routes until full repairs are completed.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
In a first, change brews with tea gardens in Kathua's Billawar
Taking a leaf out of the Kangra tea gardens in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur, the agriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated a tea plantation drive in the hilly Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. Taking a leaf out of the Kangra tea gardens in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur, the agriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated a tea plantation drive in the hilly Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. (HT Photo) The initiative is being seen as a landmark step towards diversification from the maize-wheat cycle as the region's temperate climate and altitude of 5,000 feet is suitable for the cash crop. 'The region's climate and soil conditions, particularly across the Shivalik range, are akin to Palampur for tea cultivation. More than 20,000 tea saplings have been sourced from Palampur and planted in Billawar by over 500 farmers. Though we have done it on an experimental basis, we are confident of fruitful results. The crop will be ready in a year and a half,' says sub divisional agriculture officer Ravi Sharma. 'If this pilot project proves to be successful, more such plantation drives will be taken up across the region. The aim is to make villagers here self-reliant,' he said. Billawar MLA Satish Sharma, who inaugurated the plantation drive recently, had raised the issue of cultivating tea in Billawar during the budget session in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in March given the conducive climate and soil conditions though the region gets less rain than Palampur. 'Subsequently, the director of the agriculture department got in touch with the agricultural university in Palampur and we roped in more than 500 farmers in Billawar, where three clusters have been set up,' the agriculture officer said. Assuring growers of round-the-clock support from the department, he urged them to stay updated and avail benefits of departmental schemes and technical services. 'The yield can be processed here itself. We will definitely increase the area under tea cultivation next year,' he said. Additional deputy commissioner Vinay Khosla termed the initiative path-breaking. He urged young farmers to become active stakeholders in such projects and said the government was committed to rural transformation under the Mission Yuva campaign. Palampur tea, popularly known as Kangra tea, is known for its delicate flavour, fruity aroma, and tinge of honey-like sweetness. The drive was inaugurated on July 24. Local farmers have adopted the tea plantation as they anticipate higher income compared to wheat and maize. 'We adopted tea plantation because the climatic conditions in Billawar are similar to Palampur. For lesser rains, we have installed drip system wherein water droplets keep irrigating the saplings,' said Lokesh Sumbria, one of the farmers, who has adopted tea plantation. Sumbria has planted 250 saplings on his farm at Kishanpur Billawar. 'There is a positive response to the initiative by agriculture department. We have been cultivating wheat and maize but farmers should also try something new,' he added. Another farmer Rakesh Kumar said that tea was a favourite beverage across India and that's why tea estates have been thriving in north-east and Himachal Pradesh. 'We are confident of getting fruitful results and who knows that J&K also become a major producer of tea leafs in the times to come and change socio economics condition of farmers here,'he added.
