Latest news with #Maldharis
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Rights activist using radium straps on stray cattle to avoid accidents
Mitul Vyas, an animal rights activist from Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district, has taken up a campaign to fix radium straps on stray cattle so as to avoid road accidents involving the animals during night hours, especially on the highways. 'During the monsoon season, stray cattle sit on the roads to keep away from insects. These cattle are barely visible to drivers at night, resulting in road accidents. And to prevent such accidents, we are fixing radium straps around the neck of cattle so that drivers can see them through the reflection,' Vyas said. Vyas said that he and his volunteers also fix the radium straps on the horns of the cattle so that it cannot be removed easily. 'Our effort is to prevent at least 10% of such accidents,' Vyas said, adding that they incur an expense of around Rs 10,000-15,000 a year for fixing radium straps on stray cattle. 'I have been doing this for the past four years. Earlier, we used to fix the radium strap around the cattle's neck, but it ran the chances of slipping through or the cattle owner removing the same. So now, we fix it on horns as well so that it cannot be removed easily,' Vyas said. Vyas said that they are doing the job on the highways passing through Himmatnagar city. 'Compared to highways, the chances of such accidents are less on city roads. On average, we witness two such accidents every day. Yesterday, a truck driver hit a cow on the highway and it got stuck under the vehicle. The driver abandoned the vehicle and ran away,' he said. According to Vyas, owners leave the cattle, specially the non-milching ones, on city roads, creating a traffic menace. 'There must be around 3,000-3,500 cattle in Himmatnagar city itself,' he says. Himmatnagar Nagarpalika President Vimal Upadhyay told The Indian Express that the town is facing a big problem of stray cattle. 'We are planning to tag all cattle in the town after Janmashtami. There are around 2,500 cattle in the town, most of them belong to the people of Maldhari community. The Maldharis have agreed to the proposal to tag their cattle. Once all the cattle are tagged, the cattle found on roads will be impounded and the owner will be fined,' Upadhyay said. Though the administration imposes fines on the owners of stray cattle, Upadhyay said that it has not been an intense exercise thus far.
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Removing 'locals' won't save forests, need more humanitarian approach: Bhupender Yadav
New Delhi, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said forests cannot be protected by "removing local" communities and that there is a need to take a fresh look at forest management in the country to prevent human-wildlife conflicts. Removing 'locals' won't save forests, need more humanitarian approach: Bhupender Yadav Addressing the Indian Conservation Conference at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, the minister said there is a need to bring a more humanitarian approach into conservation policies. "We should combine our scientific approach and traditions... Don't even imagine that the forest will be protected once you make everyone vacate it," Yadav said. "I am the forest minister, but I am saying this with utmost seriousness, if you remove all the local people, does that make the forest safe? And then later, if you bring in 10,000 tourists, is the forest still fine? If the forest is safe with 10,000 tourists, then how is it harmed by people who have been living there for thousands of years?" he said. The minister said building a developed India means caring for the people connected to the land and for the animals, too. "I am talking about moving forward with an open mind. Both ecology and economy are important," Yadav said. He emphasised the need to take a relook at the country's forest management. "This review must also be done in the context of the Godavarman judgment. What were the practices before this judgment? We need to consider this in light of the new and changing pressures," he said. "In Dudhwa, tigers have entered sugarcane fields; in Karnataka, elephants are coming into coffee plantations; and wild boars are regularly destroying crops. So, we need to think in a new way. The solution is not just wire fencing. We must move forward with coexistence, new approaches, traditions and our traditional knowledge," Yadav said. He said people who have been living in forests for thousands of years are repositories of this traditional knowledge, but this knowledge has not yet been documented or codified. "There is the Soliga tribe in the forest areas of Karnataka, the Meenas in Sariska and the Maldharis in the Gir forest of Gujarat. Tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh have coexisted with elephants for a long time. The Baiga people in the Amarkantak region of Madhya Pradesh can recall more herb names than a student of botany. The traditional knowledge of tribal communities in India's forest areas is our heritage," he said. Yadav said the government will organise a conference focusing on the documentation of traditional knowledge in Kolkata on June 30. "Their practices, way of life, and experiences, combined with a scientific approach, can help resolve many conflicts. For example, if you go south of Bandipur in Karnataka, it is not as if the Soliga people face wildlife attacks every day. They understand animal movements and other related aspects very well," he said. The minister also said that India has added 11 tiger reserves in the last 11 years, taking the total number to 58, despite all the challenges. "This reflects our commitment to wildlife conservation. Otherwise, why would we declare more areas as tiger reserves despite such immense population pressure," he said. The number of Ramsar sites, which are wetlands of international importance, has increased from 25 to 91 in the last 11 years, he said, adding that the government is also working to conserve dolphins, elephants, tigers and sloth bears. Yadav said India has proved to the world that ecological responsibility can go hand in hand with economic progress. "From the launch of the International Big Cat Alliance to our contributions at COP28, we are proving to the world that ecological responsibility can walk hand in hand with economic progress," he said. Initiatives like MISHTI, Amrit Dharohar and the Green Credit Programme reflect the Centre's commitment to a development model rooted in tradition, technology, and trust in communities, the minister said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
News in Frames: Tracking the kings
The population of Asiatic lions has grown significantly — from 177 in 1968 to 674 in the year 2020 — in the Gir Sanctuary, Gujarat, including the Greater Gir Forest. Today, the Greater Gir Forest has more lions than the Gir Sanctuary. The government undertakes a population estimation of lions every five years. The 16th 'Lion Population Estimation' held between May 10 and 14 covered 35,000 spanning 11 districts and 58 taluks. Almost 1,500 volunteers took part in the exercise, even though some of the efforts were hampered by unseasonal rain. 'We used digital cameras, camera traps, GPS, radio collaring, AI-based SIMBA software, GIS maps, and statistical software,' said Ram Ratan Nala, Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Circle, Junagadh. He added that more than 600 sarpanches and leaders were trained and included in this population estimate. Non-governmental organisations and interested citizens were also invited as observers. A pride of 20 — 12 cubs, two adult males, and six lionesses — were found in Rajasthali Virsi in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, said Rajan Joshi, a lion expert. Community participation While announcing the survey earlier in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had commended the active participation of local communities in conservation and emphasised the importance of utilising advanced technologies, including AI, in wildlife conservation. Some lions are radio-collared, to help locate them and their prides. The e-GujForest application also helps in real-time data entry of lion observations, said forest officials. The final findings will be announced by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, officials added. Team in action: Foresters work alongside volunteers in the Gir Sanctuary during field activities On the watch: Foresters accompany observers to monitor lions. On the ground: A view of the reception centre of Sinh Sadan, Sasan, Gir Sanctuary, during the Lion Population Estimation, 2025 in Sasan on May 12. At work: Two forest officials take notes while monitoring lions in the Gir Sanctuary. Wild family: A lioness with four cubs. Eyes on nature: Three camera traps deployed in the Gir Sanctuary. Under lens: Two foresters capture images of a lion. Keeping a watch: The king surveys his lands in Gir Sanctuary. Living with nature: A Maldhari from Dudhala Nes with his livestock in the Gir Sanctuary. In harmony: The Maldharis and their livestock have been coexisting with the lions for long in the sanctuary.
