Sakaal Times, Mumbai, 6th October, 2013
The Maharashtra Government is now extensively focusing on preventive measures to avoid human-wildlife conflict.
As part of the initiative the first such workshop was arranged for 30 selected forest staff at Melghat. The workshop was arranged by Chikhaldara Rangers Training College and Nature Conservation Society, Amravati, Jointly at Muthawa Community Resource Centre of NCSA near Harisal in Melghat. Forest staff from Amravati, Buldana and Akola attended this workshop.
While incidents of human-wildlife conflict have become a regular phenomenon in Maharashtra, the Forest Department has taken steps to train its staff to avoid such conflicts. "The department is looking to stop to avoid or minimize the instance where humans as well as livestock loose their life or get injured or suffer through heavy crop damages from wildlife Such training would really help in conflict resolution, specially on adopting preventive measures rather than simply following mitigative measures like paying compensation for losses, said Kishor Rithe, President or Satpuda Foundation and member of the Maharashtra Wildlife Board.
Ajay Pilariseth, Deputy Conservator of Forests, who has researched sloth bear attacks on humans, Dr Ganesh Wankhade, former HoD of Zoology Department of Amravati University, who has used research tools to investigate the causes of conflicts, Kishor Rithe, President of Satpuda Foundation, who has studied landscape planning and Prof Nishikant Kale of NCSA who is well known in using education as a tool to change the community behavior conducted well designed modules, during the workshop. Mr. Niranjan Vivarekar, Principal of Chikhaldara Rangers College guided the participants on implementing preventive measures by convergence of existing government schemes. Participants went to village hit by Human-Wildlife conflict people. Later, the participant’s analyased the collected information.