Maharashtra: MLA reaches Assembly in leopard look to raise attack issue

Leopard Attack: Panic erupted in Nagpur this morning when a leopard entered a densely populated area. The leopard injured seven people, one of whom is in a serious condition.

Leopard attacks have been on the rise in Maharashtra in recent times. Today, a leopard injured seven people in Nagpur. Amidst this, a unique sight was witnessed outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly when MLA Sharad Sonawane from Junnar arrived dressed as a leopard. Dressed from head to toe in a leopard print costume, he surprised everyone for a while.

MLA Sharad Sonawane himself explained the reason behind this attire. Speaking to the media, he said that he came to the Assembly wearing leopard print clothes to register his protest against the increasing leopard attacks.

Meanwhile, the State Forest Minister, Ganesh Naik, has proposed a unique solution to curb the increasing leopard attacks in Maharashtra. Speaking in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly's winter session (Nagpur) on Tuesday, Naik stated that ₹1 crore worth of goats would be released into the forests to prevent leopards from entering human settlements, thereby deterring them from coming into villages for prey.

Naik informed the Assembly that the government has to pay ₹1 crore in compensation for four leopard attack fatalities. Therefore, he advised officials that instead of paying compensation, it would be better to provide prey for the leopards by releasing goats worth the same amount into the forest. He also mentioned that the leopards' living habits have changed over time. Earlier, they primarily resided in forests, but sugarcane fields have now become their new habitat. Leopards and other wild animals are increasingly venturing into villages in search of food. This has led to a rapid rise in leopard attack incidents in the Pune, Nashik, and Ahilyanagar districts.

The Forest Minister also stated that the state government has requested the central government to move leopards from Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act to Schedule-2.

55 Deaths in Junnar

Independent MLA Sharad Sonawane from the Junnar region in Pune district reported that 55 deaths have occurred due to leopard attacks in his constituency. He added that the capacity of the existing rescue centre in Junnar should be increased to capture and safely relocate more leopards.

In response, the Forest Minister assured that the capacity of the Junnar rescue centre would be enhanced soon. Additionally, there are plans to establish a new rescue centre in Ahilyanagar.