Rising man-animal conflict cause for worry in UP's Balrampur
Villagers in district afraid to send children to school, scared to work in fields
Balrampur (UP) (PTI): Two children have been killed and three others injured in the past one month in leopard attacks in UP's Balrampur and neighbouring districts, instilling fear in residents of around six dozen villages close to the Suhelwa forest area.
Earlier this week, 12-year-old Aman was killed by a leopard, just a few weeks after Roshni (5) lost her life the same way, sources say. Big cats have also killed over a dozen head of cattle.
Balrampur District Magistrate Mahendra Kumar said that the forest team has been directed to use drones to keep an eye on straying leopards and catch them. He also appealed to villagers not to leave their children alone but move in groups, especially during night, to mitigate any possibility of a leopard attack.
"Villagers are afraid to work in their fields. They are scared to send their children to schools," says Shamim Ahmed, a former head of Vishnupur Hatwa village.
Spread across 452 sq km, the forest area in Balrampur and neighboring Sravasti and Gonda is close to around six dozen villages.
MLA SP Yadav visited the area and heard woes of the locals. "Children are being killed by leopards. The issue has been raised in the Legislative Assembly on several occasions but the current government has not done anything to prevent it," Yadav alleges.
He says fencing near the villages may bring down the number of deaths.
Meanwhile, forest officials have started an operation to catch the leopards.
Forest Range Officer Koteshwar Tyagi told PTI, "We have set up cages and formed two teams to catch the leopards."
The locals alleged that efforts being made by forest officials to nab leopards have proved to be ineffective.
Dr Nagendra Singh, who has been overseeing conservation efforts in the forest area for over a decade, said the number of leopards has increased.
"Human interference in natural lives of leopards has also increased. This has led to a rise in man-animal conflict," he says.
"The situation may deteriorate," he warns if efforts are not made soon.
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Centre further tightens wheat stock limit for wholesalers, retailers & processors
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday further tightened wheat stock holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise.
"As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, the central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," the food ministry said in a statement.
According to the revised norms, wholesalers are now allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 1,000 tonne instead of 2,000 tonne, retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne, while big chain retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne earlier.
Processors will be allowed to maintain 50 per cent instead of 60 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months till April 2025.
The stock limits on wheat were first imposed on June 24 and later revised to tighten the norms on September 9 in order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.
The ministry said all wheat stocking entities are required to register on the wheat stock limit portal (https://evegoils.Nic.In/wsp/login) and update the stock position every Friday.
If the stocks held by entities are higher than the prescribed limit, they should bring the quantity to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of the issue of the notification.
Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under the Essential Commodities Act,1955.
The food ministry is maintaining close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.
