the goan I network
VALPOI
With bison attacks claiming two lives at Shel Melavali and Guleli in Sattari taluka within a month, the Forest department has stepped up efforts to locate the bison linked to the two deaths in a bid to move the protected animal to another location.
Forest department teams began combing the area shortly after locals had confronted officials over the death of Pujan Melekar, who was attacked by a bison on Monday morning while she was travelling along with her brother on their scooter to proceed to Usgao.
DCF Kuldeep Sharma who later visited the site had assured the agitated locals that forest staff would be deployed in the area to ensure the safety and security of locals.
Valpoi Forest Officer Jeffrey D’Souza said forest teams search the area and had even picked up bison footprints to suggest that the bison was moving between Shel Melavali and Geleli, but they were unable to locate the animal.
“These combing operations will continue in the area,” said D’Souza.
Authorities failed to protect
wildlife habitat: Activist
VALPOI: Expressing sadness over the two deaths due to bison attacks in Sattari taluka, a wildlife activist has severely criticised the forest department and authorities for doing little to safeguard the wildlife habitat in the region, forcing wild animals to shift to human habitats with tragic consequences.
Wildlife activist Rajendra Kerkar blamed authorities for granting permission to the expansion of basalt stone quarry operations in Guleli panchayat area, thereby disturbing the natural habitat of wildlife. “The forest department has failed to protect the wildlife habitat. The bison have traditionally been moving around in the Bondla and Mhadei wildlife sanctuaries. But the extension of basalt crushing operations in Guleli area has disturbed the natural habitat, forcing the bison to shift towards Kankire-Guleli and Shel Melavali, where the two incidents took place,” remarked Kerkar and added ‘as a result, people have come into conflict with wild animals and the forest department has failed to address this situation. If this problem is not resolved, attacks by wildlife will continue to take place in future’.
